2. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 1 - Contents India ST. PETER’S SCHOOL Panchgani-412805, Satara District, Maharashtra, India. Tel: 02168 241584/ 240313 Fax: 02168 240620 email: stpeters@pn3.vsnl.net.in url: www.st.peterspanchgani.org

3. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 2 - Scriptures & VedasGhats Varanasi – Spiritual place India - Culture & Heritage India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, spanning a period of more than 4000 years, and witnessing the fusion of several customs and traditions, which are reflective of the rich culture & heritage of the Country. India is seen as a land of spiritual integrity with professors of Philosophy, who engineered the magnanimity of its nationalism. India’s history gives a glimpse into the magnanimity of its evolution - from a Country reeling under colonialism, to one of the leading economies in the global scenario within a span of sixty years.

4. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 3 - Snowcapped Himalayas Kanyakumari at the coastal tip Beaches along the coast Deserts of the west Fertile plains of Central & Eastern India Waterfalls in the hilly coastal ranges India‘s geography – the world in microcosm The 3.3million sq. km of India’s land covers every climate - from the snowcapped Himalayas in the north to palm-fringed beaches along the coast, to deserts in the west where nomads and camels roam, to the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains of Central & Eastern India. The southern Indian Peninsula is almost entirely composed of the Deccan plateau, which has two hilly coastal ranges - the Western & Eastern Ghats.

5. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 4 - Hindus Muslims Sikhs Christians Jains Parsis Jews India's Diversity India is at once an ancient Asian civilization, a modern nation grounded in spiritual values and democratic institutions, and a rising 21 st century power. With a population of 1.2 billion, India is the world's largest democracy. It is an open, vibrant and an accepting society. It is a land where all the major religions of the world exist in harmony. India's diverse population includes Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Zoroastrians, and Jews. With 22 official languages in 28 states, of India, 350 million Indians speak English.

6. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 5 - Present day Economy India, is the third largest economy in the world, in terms of purchasing power after the US and China. India's economy has shown a growth of 9.2% in the current financial year as against 9.5% in the previous year. This trend is expected to continue over the next 5 years. The country's manufacturing and services sectors drive growth at 13.6% the fastest rate in 18 years which is expected to continue for the next 3 years. The country’s construction industry is slated to maintain a growth of 13.4% for the next 5 years. The country's stock market jumped to a record high of 16,400 points and this upward trend is expected to continue for the next 2 years.

7. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 6 - Young Emerging India India today is the world's youngest country. 50% of its people are under the age of 25. By 2015, there will be 550 million teenagers in India. Long after the populations of Europe, the US, and even China have grown old, India will still be a young country. India's IT industry and its role as a global services provider is well established world over. Manufacturing is booming in India and its products are being accepted in international markets. Retail spending is on the rise.

8. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 7 - Young Emerging India Indian achievers are respected as a people endowed with intelligence, talent and enterprise. Global players are sourcing India in a big way because we have one of the largest professional resource bases in the world.

9. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 8 - India - Science & Technology Technology drives economic growth & development in the New World and Science & Technology have been top priority for all governments since independence. India is gradually becoming the land of opportunity. During the last 3 years, more than 30,000 top-class professionals - scientists & engineers - have come back to the country. More than 200 multi-nationals have now set up R&D centres in India, including IBM, Microsoft, Shell, & GE. Indians tend to excel in mathematics & physics. The latest Intel chip is being designed in Bangalore.

10. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 9 - India - Science & Technology There are some 20 million ethnic Indians overseas, that produces an estimated US$300 billion in purchasing power. The 3,00,000 Indians in the Silicon Valley in the USA have proved our proficiency in IT products. Indians with their command over English, computer science and mathematics are one of the highly skilled professionals

11. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 10 - India - Science & Technology 14 out of every 100 researchers in the U.S. pharmaceutical laboratories are of Indian origin. Indians contribute significantly to telecommunications, defence and space research programs of USA. Over 5000 indians are in the faculty force in the research-led university system in USA. Indian Research doctors are a significant proportion in USA, UK, Canada and Australia.

12. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 11 - Interesting facts on India When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization) Until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds in the world India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India's wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake. The game of Snakes & 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. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births. The world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.

13. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 12 - Interesting facts on India Chess was invented in India. Sanskrit is considered the mother of all higher languages. Sanskrit is the most precise, and therefore suitable language for computer software - a report in Forbes magazine, July 1987. The solar year was calculated as 365.25875684 days by Bhaskaracharya in the 5th century, hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC. The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century. Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus also orignated in India. Quadratic Equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10*53 (i.e 10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 B.C. during the Vedic period.

14. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 13 - Interesting facts on India Sushruta is regarded as the Father of Surgery. Over 2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones, plastic surgery and brain surgeries. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipments were used. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization. It is the only system which takes the holistic view of the person being treated. 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'. Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.

15. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 14 - Interesting facts on India The four religions born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world's population. Islam is India's and the world's second largest religion. There are 3,00,000 active mosques in India, more than in any other country, including the Muslim world. The oldest European church and synagogue in India are in the city of Cochin. They were built in 1503 and 1568 respectively. Jews and Christians have lived continuously in India since 200 B.C. and 52 A.D respectively The Venkateshwara Temple in Tirupathi built in the 10th century, is the world's largest religious pilgrimage destination. Larger than either Rome or Mecca, an average of 30,000 visitors donate $6 million (US) to the temple everyday. Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called "the Ancient City" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C., and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today. Martial Arts was first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.

16. Adapted with permission from Chowgule Koster presentation by Class X - 15 - “If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions, I should point to India.” Max Mueller (German scholar) "We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.“ Albert Einstein "India is, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.“ Mark Twain Quotes on India