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Be Proud to be an Indian

The official Sanskrit name for India is Bhaarat.

INDIA has been called Bhaarat even since Sat Yug (Golden Age)

  The name "India" is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.

When Persian invaders invaded India and came here, they could not pronounce "Sindhu" as Sindhu, but they pronounced it as "Hindu" thus the dwellers of that area got their name as Hindu.

The name `Hindustan’ combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindu.

When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago,
Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization).

India is.......the Largest democracy in the world, the 6th largest country in the world AND one of the most ancient and living civilizations (at least 10,000 years old).

Sanskrit is considered as the mother of all higher languages. This is because it is the most precise, and therefore suitable language for computer software.
(a report in Forbes magazine, July 1987).

The numbering system, its design etc, the digit zero and its use, all was invented in India by Aaryabhatt. Without Zero today's computer could not have worked.

The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 10**6
(10 to the power of 6) whereas Hindu used numbers as big as 10**53
(10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 BCE during the Vedic period
Even today, the largest used number is Tera 10**12(10 to the power of 12)

Bhaaskaraachaarya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. His calculations of Time taken by earth to orbit the Sun: (5th century) was 365.258756484 days.

Algebra, trigonometry and calculus were also originated from India.
Quadratic equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century.

The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Baudhayaan, and he explained the concept of what is known today as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, which was long before the European mathematicians.

The "place value system" and the "decimal system" were developed in 100 BC in India.

The first six Mogul Emperor's of India ruled in an unbroken succession from father to son for two hundred years, from 1526 to 1707.

Chess was invented in India.

The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh.
Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.

The game of Snakes and Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called  'Mokshapat'. The Ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. Later through time, the game underwent several modifications but the meaning is the same i.e. good deeds take us to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.

The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeshwar Temple at Thanjaavur
in Tamil Naadu. The Shikhar is made from a single "80-tonne" piece of granite. Also, this magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD)  during the reign of Raajraajaa Chol.

The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Laddaakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himaalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.

The largest employer in the world is the Indian railway system, employing over a million people.

The World's first university was established in Takshshilaa in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Naalandaa, built in the 4th century, was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.

Aayur Ved is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind.
The father of medicine, Charak, consolidated Aayur Ved 2500 years ago.

Sushrut is regarded as the father of surgery. Over 2600 years ago Sushrat & his team conducted complicated surgeries like  cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones and also plastic surgery and brain surgeries.

Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism, physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.

The art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word 'Navigation' is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'.

Although modern images & descriptions of India often show poverty, India was one of the richest countries till the time of British in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India's wealth and was looking for route to India when he discovered America by mistake.

Until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world. (Source. Gemological Institute of America)

India also celebrates the birthdays of former President and Vice-President and great statesman Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan  as "Teachers' Day", and its first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru as "Children's Day".

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