GK: INDIAN HISTORY
GK AT A GLANCE
INDIAN HISTORY
Abdul Ghaffar Khan: He was popularly
known as 'Frontier Gandhi'. Refer Red Shirts and also under Civil Disobedience
Movement.
Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan: lived during
the reign of Akbar. He translated Babar's Memoirs from Turki to Persian.
Abdur Razzaq: was a Persian traveller who
visited Vijayanagar during the reign of Deva Raya II (1425-46).
Abdussamad: He was honoured with the
award of "zari-qalam" by Akbar.
Abhinav Bharat Society: It was a secret
terrorist organisation formed by V.D. Savarkar.
Abhiras: were an immigrant non-Aryan
tribe of ancient India
Acharya Narendra Dev: was a prominent
leader of the Congress Socialist Party.
Agha Khan: He ia known to have led the
deputation of Muslim leaders
to the Viceroy, Lord Minto II, in 1906,
seeking separate electorates for Muslims in any representative system which
might be introduced.
Ahmad Shah Abdali: The invasion of Ahmed
Shah Abdali in the third battle of Panipat in 1761, gave a death blow to the
political fortunes of Marhattas.
Ahmadnagar: is associated with Nizam
Shahi.
Ahmedabad city: on the left bank of the
Sabarmati river, was built by Ahmad Shah.
Aihole : in Karnataka contains chief
sites of Chalukyan architecture. Aihole inscription gives information regarding
Pulakesin-II.
Ajivika : Ajivika sect was founded by
Gosala Maskriputra who flourished during the Mauryan period and had lived with
Mahavira for six years and subsequently left him and became the leader of the
Ajivika sect.
Akbar: He was not influenced by earlier
rulers so far as religious tolerance was concerned.
Akbarnama: It was written by Abul Fazl,
the celebrated Mughal court poet and councillor of Akbar.
Akot: is a town, about 42 km from Akola
Ala-ud-din Khilji: He introduced price
control covering almost the entire market. Grain was rationed and the price
fixed. Khalsah (crown land) increased considerably under Ala-ud-din Khilji.
According to historian V.A. Smith, "Ala-ud-din Khilji introduced economic
policy to check Mongol invaders". 'Iqta' , a land-grant system, was
introduced by him. He challenged the authority of 'Khalifa'.
Copper coins were started by him. Jaziya
tax was collected from non-Muslims during his reign. He sent Malik Kafur to Deccan for conquest.
Alberuni: He was a celebrated Muslim
historian who visited India
Alexander: invaded India
Alfonso-de-Albuquerque: was the real
founder of the Portuguese Empire in India Goa
in 1510 and made it his capital. He died in 1515.
Allahabad Pillar inscription: provides us
useful information about Samudragupta.
Amarasimha: was one of the nine gems in
the court of the legendary Vikramaditya. His work Amarkosha occupies a dominant
position in Sanskrit lexicography.
Amir Khusrau: (1255-1325) wrote prose and
poetic works in Persian, Hindi, and Arabic. Surnamed as the "Parrot of India",
he was a contemporary of Sultan Balban.
Amri Culture: flourished in Baluchistan .
Angkor Vat: a ruined city in Kampuchia (Cambodia
and culture are found. Here Indian
expertise has been used in archaeological restoration of the monuments.
Anglo-Mysore War, Third: was fought
between the English under Cornwallis and Tipu Sultan in 1790-92. Tipu Sultan
had to submit and was compelled to sign the Treaty of Seringapattam.
Anushilan Samiti: was formed by Sri
Aurobindo Ghosh.
Apabhramsa: This t erm was used in
medieval Sanskrit texts to denote early forms of some of the modern Indian
languages.
Apastamba: is named after a native of
Andhra, whose rules are observed mainly in Andhra state; his sutras are based
on a Black Yajur-veda of South India .
Arjun Dev, Guru: He was the fifth Guru of
the Sikhs. He was put to death by the Mughal emperor Jehangir. He is associated
with Adi Granth.
Arsha: "rishi-like" marriage
current only among priestly families. A cow or a bull is given as a token
bride-price.
Arthasastra: by Kautilya or Chanakya is a
compendium of almost all the ancient works on artha (economics). The text was
discovered only in 1905. It is divided into fifteen books treating of a variety
of political topics.
As per Arthasastra, permanent peace is
not possible.
Arya Samaj: was founded by Dayanand
Saraswati. It opposed idolatry; encouraged conversion to Hinduism and condemned
casteism.
Aryabhatta: (476-520 A.D.) after whom India
Aryans: Aryans originally came from Central Asia . Cattle-rearing was their main occupation.
For them, cow was the measure of value and an object of veneration.
Aryans and Non-Aryans: We acquire the
knowledge of the battle between the Aryans and the non-Aryans from Vedas
Asanga: was a Buddhist philosopher. He
was the originator of Buddhist Yogachara idealism.
Ashoka, the Great: (264-228 B.C.) Indian
Emperor, grandson of Chandragupta. He denounced war, embraced and preached
Buddhism after the bloody battle of Kalinga.
The mighty empire of the Mauryans began
to decline after the death of Ashoka.
Ashokan inscriptions: were first
deciphered in 1837 by James Prin-sep, a civil servant in the employ of the East
India Company in Bengal . These Ashokan
Inscriptions were engraved in Brahmi script in Prakrit language.
In Rock Edict-I, Ashoka forbids the
slaughter and sacrifice of animals. In Rock Edict-II, the Pandyas, the
Keralaputras and the Satyaputras are mentioned as Ashoka's neighbouring powers.
In his inscriptions at Maski and Gujarra, Ashoka has been metioned by name.
In Junagarh inscription, Ashoka and
Chandragupta Maurya have been mentioned together.
Ashta Pradhan: A council of ministers
which helped Shivaji in discharge of State Affairs.
8
Ashtadhyaya:was written by Panini.
Ashtapradhan: was the Council of
Ministers during the reign of Shiv-aji.
Ashvaghosha: was the spiritual adviser of
Kanishka (the Kushan emperor) who took a leading part in the Fourth Buddhist
Council at Sri-nagar which was presided by Vasumitra.
He was a renowned Mahayana Sanskrit
scholar and author of Saripu-tra-prakarana. He was the greatest literary figure
of Kanishka's court.
Asiatic Society: Of Calcutta ,
was founded in 1784 by Sir William Jones to enquire into history, antiquities,
arts, science and literature of Asia .
Asura: named after the Asuras, is
marriage by sale of the bride. The Asura marriage was condemned by Manu and the
law books as immoral.
Atharva Veda: deals with charms and
spells to ward off evils and disease.
Atharvaveda: Principles and poractice of
medical science can be
9
traced back to Atharvaveda.
Attlee, Clement : was the Prime Minister
of England at the time of grant of independence to India
Aurangzeb : was the third son of Shah
Jahan, who ruled as Mughal Emperor (1658-1707). He levied higher trade duties
on Hindu traders in 1679. He re-imposed Jaziya. He is known for his ruinous Deccan policy. He made a serious mistake in conquering
the Muslim kingdoms of Bijapur and Golkonda in the Deccan .
Had he befriended them, these states could have served as a check upon the
Marathas.
Ayas: This term in Rid Veda means iron.
Babar: was founder of the Mughal Empire
in India
Babar's Memoirs: Babar wrote his memoirs
in Turkish language.
Babar and Jehangir: were the Mughal
Emperors who wrote their autobiographies.
Back to the Vedas: was the watchword of
Dayanand Saraswati.
Bactrian Greeks: were the first to invade
and rule the north-western
10
India
Bahadur Shah 'Zafar': was the last Mughal
Emperor who took part in the First War of Indian Independence (so-called Indian
Mutiny) in 1857. He was exiled by the British as a State prisoner to Burma where he died in 1862&endash;the
Mughal Emperor whose tomb is outside India
Bahmani kingdom: was founded by Hasan
Gangoo entitled Zafar Khan.
Bakht Khan: During the revolt of 1857, he
was the Chief Commander of troops in Delhi
Balaji Vishwanath: was the first Peshwa
appointed on Nov 16, 1713.
Balban, Ghiyas-ud-din: He belonged to the
famous band of Turkish slaves of Iltumish, known as "The Forty". The
period of Balban as a king was 1265-86. He established pure Turkish State
Balban introduced the famous Persian
festival of Nauroj in India College
of Forty
11
by Balban.
Banabhatta: was the most celebrated of
the learned men and court
poet of Harshavardhana. He was the author
of Harshacharita and
Kadambri.
Bana gave the major source of
inoformation about Harsha.
Banda Bahadur: The original name of Banda
Bahadur, a Rajput of Dogra tribe, was Lachhman Das.
Bardoli Satyagraha: Bardoli in Gujarat is famous for non-payment of
taxes campaign by land owners, led
successfully by Sardar Patel in
1928.
Patel's efficient leadership in this
campaign earned him the title of
Sardar.
Barhaiya Tal agitation in Monghyr: Its
aim was to demand restoration of bakasht lands.
Barhara Tribes: The Barhara tribes
mentioned in the Mahabharata who had settled in the north-western regions of India
Battle of Panipat, First: In this battle
fought in 1526, Babar defeated Ibrahim Lodhi and laid the foundation of Mughal
rule in India India
Battle of Panipat, Second: It took place
in 1556 in which Bairam Khan (Akbar's General) defeated Hemu (the Hindu General
and right-hand man of Mohd Adil Shah). It ended the Afghan rule and Mughal rule
began instead.
Baudhayana : It represents a South Indian
school of the Black Yajur-veda.
Bengal partition, First: The first
partition of Bengal was done in 1905 during
the Viceroyalty of Lord Curzon. It was revoked in 1911.
Bengal Regulation Act of 1793: Its
significance lies in the fact that it accommodated the personal laws of Hindus
and Muslims.
Bentinck, Lord William: is associated
with Prohibition of Sati.
Besant, Annie: She was the first woman
President of the Indian National Congress in 1917. She had founded the Home
Rule League in 1915. She is described as theosophist, educationist and Indian
nationalist. (Sarojini Naidu was the second woman President of the Indian
National Congress in 1925).
Bhadrabahu: was a Jain teacher during the
reign of Chandragupta Maurya. He was author of 'A life of Mahavira'.
Bhagavata Cult: Gupta kings contributed
most to this cult. Bhaga-vatism or Vaishnavism over-shadowed Mahayana Buddhism
and preached the doctrine of incarnation, or avtara.
Bharata Natyam&endash;Classic Poses :
The classic poses of Bharata Natyam, an ancient form of dance, originated in
the South India around Thanjavur, are sculptured on the walls of the temple at
Chidambaram.
Bharatavarsha: was a part of Jambudweepa,
according to the ancient geographical concept.
Bhaskara or Bhaskaracharya: Born in 1114
A.D., was almost the last great Hindu mathematician and astronomer until modern
times. He wrote Sidhanta-siromani in 1150.
Bhaskaravarman: was the king of Kamarupa
(Upper Assam ). He was a contemporary of king
Sasanka of Gauda and was his arch- enemy. Bhaskaravarman was the eastern ally
of king Harsha.
Bhoja king: He was a great patron of
literature and art. He belonged
15
to the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty.
Bhoodan Movement: was started by Acharya
Vinoba Bhave.
Bijapur: is associated with Adil Shahi.
Bilhana: He was Sanskrit historian and
poet born in Kashmir, He left Kashmir about
1065 A.D. and became the court poet at Kalyana where he wrote an epic,
Vikramankadeva-charita to celebrate the reign of Vikramaditya VI, the Chalukya
king of Kalyana.
Bindusara: was the Mauryan Ruler who was
also known by the name 'Amitraghata'. He succeeded Chandragupta Maurya.
Black Hole Tragedy: occurred during the
reign of Siraj-ud-Dowla.
Black-Hole tragedy: occurred during the
period of Siraj-ud-Dowlah, Nawab of Bengal.
Blue Water Policy: The "Blue Water"
policy is attributed to Don Francisco de Almeida, the first Viceroy of the
Portuguese possessions in India
Boghaz Koi inscriptions: is important in Indian
history because inscriptions of the fourteenth century B.C. discovered here
mention the names of Vedic gods and goddesses.
Bose, Subhash Chandra : better known as
Netaji of Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army&endash;INA), was a powerful
nationalist leader and was also once elected President of the Indian National
Congress. He gained much prominence for organising INA during world war II.
In his speech, while inaugurating the
Azad Hind Fauj in Singapore
Rightly called the Beacon of light of Asia , he was the first to address Mahatma Gandhi as Father
of the Nation.
In a message to Gandhiji, in a broadcast
from Azad Hind Radio, Rangoon India
Mahatma Gandhi described him as Patriot
of Patriots The ashes of Subhash Chandra Bose are kept in Renkoji temple in Tokyo
Brahmacharya&endash;Grihastashrama&endash;Vanaprastha&en-dash;Sanyas:
Such divisions of life-span was a post-Vedic development.
Brahmagupta: (598-660) of Ujjain
Brahman: is the central theme in the
Upanishads.
Brahmanas: Though belonging to the Vedas,
they are considered apart from the Vedas, as they express notions that have a
character and quality of their own. The Brahmanas stress the importance of
prayer, sacrifice, rituals etc and emphasise the observance of caste and the
asramas.
This led to an elaborate formulary and to
the domination of the Brahmin priesthood.
800 B.C.-600 B.C. is designated as the
period of Brahamanas. The "fish-legend" first appears in the
Brahmanas.
Brahmi: Majority of Ashoka's script were
written in Brahmi script.
Brahmo Samaj: was founded by Raja Ram
Mohan Roy.
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Brahui: is a language of Baluchistan .
Linguistically, it is Dravidian.
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad: In this
Upanishad, we get the first glimpse of the "doctrine of
transmigration".
Brihadisvara temple: in Thanjavur (Tamil
Nadu) is the finest and most elaborate temple of Chola
British Indian Society:was the first
political organisation established in India
Buddha: (623-543 B.C.) He was the son of
Suddhodana, a Kshatriya king and a member of the Gautama clan of the Sakya.
Hence, he is often called Sakyamuni. Buddha's own name was Siddhartha. He was
born in 567 B.C. at Lumbini village in the Nepalese Terai. He renounced the
world at the age of 29 and became a great religious teacher. His preachings
were mainly in regard to purity of thought and conduct. He denounced Brahminism.
He is said to have meditated at Bodhgaya where he attained full enlightenment
on Vaishakha Purnima day at the age of 35. His famous first sermon , the
Dharma-chakra-Pravartana or Setting in Motion the Wheel of Law, was delivered
by him in the Deer Park at Sarnath near Banaras
(Varanasi
Buddha died in 483 B.C. under a sal tree
at Kusinagara (modern
Kasia) in the Gorakhpur
At the time of his death at the age of
80, Buddha's last words to his
favourite disciple Ananda, were:
"Look not for the refuge to any one
besides yourself."
Relics of Buddha are preserved in a
stupa.
Buddha is the last historical incarnation
of Vishnu.
Buddhism:Buddhism was founded by a
Kshatriya prince Sidharatha born in 567 B.C. at Lumbini village in the Nepalese
Terai. Buddha laid stress on the Four Noble Truths and pursuit of the Noble
eight-fold path for which he preached ten commandments for elimination of human
misery.
The crux of early Buddhism was
renunciation of desire. Buddhism became a global religion due to efforts of
king Ashoka. To preach Buddhist doctrines, Ashoka sent his son Mahendra and his
daughter Sanghamitta to Ceylon
(Sri Lanka
Buddha was strongly opposed to religious
rituals, ceremonial worship, sacrificial system, and the idea of caste system.
Buddha preached in the language of the people and did not harp on the caste
system. Buddhidm became very popular in India
Buddhism and Jainism: The common features
of both were: (1) Indifference to the authorities of the Vedas; (2) Denial of
efficacy of rituals; and (3) Non-injury to animal life.
Buddhist Councils: The first Buddhist
Council was held at Rajagriha shortly after Buddha's death. A second Council
was held at Vaisali in which the disciples of Buddha divided into two sections
viz., Sthavir-vadins and Mahasanghikas; a third at Pataliputra (during the
reign of Ashoka), 236 years after his death, and a fourth Council was held at Srinagar (Kashmir ) under
the patronage of Kanishka, the Kushan king. It was presided by Vasumitra.
Harshavardhana summoned two Buddhist
Assemblies in the year 643 A.D.&endash;one at Kanauj (the fifth one) and
the other at Prayag, the sixth one.
Buddhist literature: was written in Pali
language.
Buland Darwaza: in Fatehpur-Sikri near Agra , was built to commemorate Akbar's conquest of Gujarat .
Cabinet Mission :
On February 14, 1946, a Cabinet Mission was proposed to be sent to India by Britain Mission consisted of
Lord Pathick Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and Mr A.V. Alexander which soon
came to India
(a) There
should be a Union of India comprising British India and the Indian States
(b) The
federal centre should have control over defence, foreign affairs and
communications;
(c) The
Provinces should form three groups&endash;(1) Group of the Hindu majority
provinces&endash;Bombay, Central Provnces, U.P., Madras, Bihar, Orissa,
Delhi, Ajmer-Marwar and Coorg; (2) Group of the Muslim Majority
Provinces&endash;Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan and Sind; (3) Group of Bengal
and Assam.
(d) A
Constituent Assembly should be set up for the Union ;
(e) Any
Province could withdraw from any Group after the first general election.
The Mission
22
of India i.e., creation of Pakistan
Canning, Lord: was the last
Governor-General of (British) India
(C. Rajagopalachari was the first and the
last Indian Governor-General of Free India; The first British Governor-General
of Free India was Lord Mountbatten).
Catching the butterflies and setting them
free: was the prominent feature of the foreign policy of Samudragupta.
Chalcolithic Age: means the stone-copper
phase. The end of the Neolithic period saw the use of metals. The metal to be
used first was copper. Technologically, chalcolithic stage applied to the
pre-Harap-pans. The Indus Valley Civilization belonged to the Chalcolithic Age.
Chanakya: or Kautilya, was also known as
Vishnugupta. He was a great politician who helped Chandragupta Maurya in
securing political power. He was a practical statesman of high ability. He
wrote Arthashastra . He was a Brahmin.
According to Arthashastra, divorce to a
wife deserted by her husband is allowed.
Chand Bardai: was court poet of
Prithviraj Chauhan. He composed
the epic Prithviraj Raso&endash;the
story of the prowess and romance of Prithviraj Chauhan.
Chand Bibi: who ceded Berar
to Akbar's forces, was the ruler of Ahmednagar.
Chandernagore: was a French possession
before its merger with India
Chandragupta Maurya: was the famous ruler
of ancient India
for establishing an elaborate system of
municipal administration.
His empire extended in the North-West up
to Hindukush.
During his reign, the Greek ambassador
Megasthenes visited his
court.
According to Buddhist source,
Chandragupta Maurya was a Sudra.
Towards the end of his life, he is said
to have converted to Jainism,
abdicated in favour of his son and became
an ascetic.
Chandu Shah: On his persuasion, Guru
Arjan Dev was executed by Jahangir in 1605.
Charaka: (About 80-180 A.D.) was the
court physician to Kanishka, the Kushan king. His work on Ayurvedic medical
science remains invaluable in the study of Hindu medicine.
24
Sasruta, the great book on medicine, was written by him.
Charter Act of 1833: Under this Act, the
title of Governor General of India
was substituted for that of Governor General of Bengal .
Charvaka: is known as the greatest of the
materialistic philosophers of ancient India
Chashma Shahi: in Srinagar
(Kashmir ), was built by Shah Jahan.
Chauri Chaura violence: Mahatma Gandhi
withdrew the Satyagraha Movement in 1922 on account of Chauri Chaura violence.
Chauth: was a contribution exacted by a
military leader , which was justified by the exigencies of the situation. It
was a tribute realised from hostile or conquered territories, the imposition of
which amounted to one-fourth of the government revenue. In practice it was
nothing but a military contribution levied by Shivaji.
ChengezKhan: belonged to Mongol tribe. He
is known as one of the "Scourages of God". He invaded India
Chhotanagpur Revolt: was a minor tribal
revolt which took place in 1858-59.
Chittagon Armoury Raid: Surya Sen was
responsible for it.
Chittor: is associated with Rana Pratap.
Chola dynasty: was an ancient Tamil
kingdom along the banks of the river Cauvery. They were the first to use navy.
Chola kingdom: was the ancient Tamil
kingdom which flourished on the lower east coast of India
Village autonomy was a unique feature of
their administrative system. Chola reign was best known for Local
Self-Governent.
Civil Disobedience Movement: To work
towards the achievement of the goal for independence, Gandhi drew up a civil
disobedience plan by breaking the salt laws. On March 12, 1930, at the age of 61,
Gand-hiji set out on foot on a march from Sabarmati Ashram to a small vil-
lage Dandi on the seashore of Gujarat . About 79 Ashramites followed him. The triumphant
march, known as Dandi March reached Dandi after covering a distance of 241
miles in 24 days. All along the route, thousands of people greeted him and took
vow to shake the roots of British Empire
through a non-violent movement. On reaching the seashore on April 5, Gandhiji
broke the salt Law by picking up salt from the seashore. The whole country was
electrified at the news. Swiftly the law-breaking movement swept across the
country. Another round of boycott of foreign goods and picketing of liquor
shops was witnessed on a massive scale. Even women participated the movement in
large numbers.
Soon thereafter followed extremely
repressive measures such as mass arrests, lathi-charges, police firing, gagging
of the Indian press. About one lakh people were arrested and sent to jails.
Jawahar Lal Nehru was also arrested. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was held at Peshawar Poona
Coinage in ancient India
They are called punch-marked because
pieces of these metals were punched with certain marks such as tree, fish,
bull, elephant, hill etc.
Coins in Gupta period: The Guptas had
issued the largest number of coins made up of silver.
College of forty: formed during the reign
of Iltumish , was broken by Balban.
Copper coins: were issued by Mohammad
Tughlak.
Cornwallis, Lord: was British
Governor-General of India (1786-93; 2nd term 1805). He established the Thanas
(police stations) and put the Police Department under a District Magistrate. He
is known as the founder of Indian Civil Service.
Cow ( in Vedic economy): In the early
Vedic economy. cow was the important form of wealth.
Cripps Mission :
visited India
Curzon, Lord: is associated with
Partition of Bengal.
Dadu: was the saint from Gujarat who preached non-sectarianism in medieval times.
He founded the "Brahma-Sampardaaya" (the sect of Brahma).
Dalhousie, Lord: is associated with
Doctrine of Lapse. He induced English Companies to undertake construction of
Railways and Telegraphs.
Dandi March: Dandi is a small village on
the sea-shore of Gujarat . It is associated
with Mahatma Gandhi's long march on foot from Sabar-mati Ashram to Dandi. The
march started on March 12, 1930 and reached Dandi on April 5. There, he broke
the salt laws by picking up salt from the sea. This triggered non-violent civil
disobedience movement on a massive scale in the country. Dandi March had no
parallel in the history of mankind.
Gandhiji was accompanied among others by
Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sarojini Naidu.
Dandin: was Sanskrit prose writer and
poet. He is author of Dasa-kumar-charita and Kavyadarsa.
Dara: was one of the sons of Shah Jahan
who translated the Upan-ishads and had great respect for Vedas.
Darius: was the Iranian ruler who
penetrated into north-west India
and annexed Punjab in 516 B.C.
Dasavatara temple: This Saivite temple is
at Deogarh, near Jhansi (U.P.), built in 1510 A.D.
Dass, C.R.: was Indian politician and
leader of the Swaraj Paarty in Bengal .
Dastak: was the permit which protected
the East India Company (after 1757) from inspection and payment of customs. It
was freely used for every kind of transaction.
Dasyus: As mentioned in the Vedic
literature, Dasyus were the original inhabitants of India
Delhi Sultans born of Hindu mothers: were
Firoz Tughlaq, Sikander
30
Lodi
Devagiri: was the capital of Yadavas in
northern Deccan . It was attacked by Ala-ud-din
Khilji in 1296. The Yadav king was defeated and had to enter into a treaty by
paying a vast amount of gold.
Devaraya-II: was the king of Vijayanagar,
who appointed Muslims in his army, granted land to them, built a mosque and
kept a copy of the Koran before his throne, so that the Muslims could pay
respect to it.
Dhama (of Ashoka): was a superb document
of essential humanness. This Mauryan concept was a plea for the recognition of
the dignity of man, and for a humanistic spirit in the activities of society.
Dhammapada: was the first major work to
say that salvation by means of devotion is open to humans regardless of birth,
gender or station in life.
Dhanvantri: was a great physician during the
reign of Chandragupta Vikramaditya. He is considered to be the father of
Ayurveda.
Dharmachakra: In the Gandhara art, it is
the preaching mudra associated with the Buddha's First Sermon at Sarnath.
Dharmapala: was son of Gopala of the
famous Pala dynasty . He was one of the greatest kings that ever ruled Bengal . His accession to the throne took place about 780
A.D. In the course of his long reign of at least 32 years, he raised Bengal to
the position of the premier state in Northern India and did much to restore the
greatness of the old imperial city of Pataliputra
He was involved in a contest with the
Pratiharas and the Rashtraku-tas.
Dhillika (Delhi ):
The city of Dhillika (Delhi
Diadotus: was founder of the
Bactrian-Greeks dynasty whose territorial sway extended over Persia and north-west India
Dili Chalo: was the call given by Subhash
Chandra Bose to the soldiers of Azad Hind Fauj..
Dilwara temples: are world famous 11th
and 12th century marble tem-
ples in Rajasthan. These are being
reconstructed and restored to
their original splendour.
Dilwara temples are in Mt Abu
(Rajasthan).
Din-i-Ilahi: Akbar founded this religion
in 1582 which means Divine faith.
Diwan-i-Arz: is associated with Military
department.
Diwan-i-Bandagani : is associated with
Department of slaves.
Diwani-i-Kohi: is associated with
Agricultural department.
Diwan-i-Wazarat: is associated with
Finance department.
Do or die: Gandhiji exhorted the people to
join the "Quit India" Movement of August 1942 and laid stress upon a
number of things, one of which was: Do or Die (Either free India
Doctrine of Lapse: Lord Dalhousie
(1848-56) laid it as a principle that on the death of a ruling prince without
direct descendants, the British Government should refuse to sanction the
adoption of an heir and declare the dominions of the deceased as "lapsed
to the sovereign power by total failure of heirs natural". This is known
as Doctrine of
Lapse.
Jhansi, Nagpur and Satara were among the
Indian States that were
annexed by invoking the Doctrine of
Lapse.
Doda Tribes: They are found in India in
Garo hills (Meghalaya).
Drain Theory: This term was propounded
(advocated) by Dadabhai Naoroji exposing the exploitive nature of the British
rule in India resulting in the poverty of the Indians. It stated that the
resources of the country were being utilised in the interest of Britain. Sir
Syed Ahmad Khan, however, did not believe in the drain theory.
Dupleix: was the first European to
initiate the policy of taking part in the quarrels of Indian princes with a
view to acquiring territories.
Durgesh Nandini: was a famous historical
novel written by Bankim Chander Chatterjee during the latter half of the
nineteenth century.
Dwarasamudra: was the capital of
Hoysalas.
Dyarchy: Under the Government of India
Act, 1919, the system of Dyarchy (double government) was introduced under which
provincial governments were given more powers. Some subjects, such as finance
and law and order were called 'reserved' subjects and re-
mained under the direct control of the
Governor; others such as education, public health, and local self-government,
were called 'transferred' subjects and were to be controlled by ministers
responsible to the legislatures.
East India Company: The (English) East
India Company was established in 1600 to trade with India . In 1615, the
Company built its first factory at Surat with the permission of Jehangir,
secured through Sir Thomas Roe, the ambassador to James I.
The (English) East India Company was
brought under the supervision of the British Parliament through Pitt's India
Act , 1784.
East India Company, End of: The most
important sequel to the great revolt of 1857 was the end of the East India
Company's rule in India. On Nov 1, 1858, Queen Victoria issued a proclamation
announcing that the Government of India had been taken over directly by the
Crown. The proclamation replaced the Court of Directors by a Secretary of
State. The Governor-General who was henceforth to be a representative of the
Crown was redesignated as the Viceroy.
Eka Movement of Avadh : stood for
non-payment of rent to the gov-erment.
Elephanta Caves: Elephanta is an island
off Mumbai coast famous for
rock-cut cave temples. 28 new caves have
been discovered here recently.
Ellora: is famous for rock-cut temple of
Kailasa built by the Rash-trakutas. (Also see 'Kailasa temple').
Elphinstone: was the British General who
defeated Peshwa Baji Rao-II.
Fa-hien: was a Chinese pilgrim who visited
India during the reign of Chandragupta Vikramaditya in 405 A.D.
Father of the Nation: Subhash Chandra
Bose was the first to address Mahatma Gandhi as "Father of the
Nation" in his speech at Rangoon (Yangon).
Fatuhat-i-Firozshahi: was written by
Firuz Shah.
Feroze Tughlak: He charged only those
taxes which had the sanction of Islamic laws except Irrigation tax. 'Hauz Khas'
was built by him.
Firdausi: was a Persian poet who wrote
Shahnama.
Firoz Tughlak: was the first ruler to
organise Haj pilgrimage at the ex-
36
pense of the State.
First Congress session: was held at
Bombay in 1885 (28th December) under the presidendship of W.C. Bonnerji.
First Congress split: took place in 1907
at Surat.
First cotton mill in India: had been
started in Bombay in 1850.
First Governor-General of India: was
appointed in 1774.
First jute mill in India: was started in
1855 by George Acland, a Scott.
First metal used by man: Copper.
First Muslim invaders of India: Arabs
were the first Muslim invaders of India.
First Muslim woman to rule Delhi: The
first and the only Muslim woman ever to rule from the throne of Delhi was Razia
Begum (or Razia Sultan).
First Newspaper in India: was the Bengal
Gazette started by James A. Hickey, which appeared in 1780 and was suppressed
by Warren
37
Hastings two years later.
First newspaper in India: Bombay Samachar
, the first newspaper started in Bombay, was a venture of the Parsees.
First Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha:
Kamlapati Tripathy.
First railway line in India : The first
21 miles of railway line was laid in the year 1853.
First to establish trade with India:
Portuguese were the first Westerners to establish trade links with India (after
the Arab monopoly of Indian trade).
First to issue gold coins in India:
Mauryas.
First to set up dept. of agriculture:
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq was the first to set up a department of agriculture in
India.
First woman President of the Indian
National Congress: Annie Besant (in 1917).
Forward Bloc: was a political party
organised by Subhash Chandra Bose after he left the Congress.
Francisco-de-Almeida: was the first
Governor of the Portuguese possessions in India.
Frazer Commission: It is connected with
Police Administration.
Freedom Movement&endash;Events in
sequence: Morley-Minto Reforms (1909); Khilafat Movement (1919);
Non-cooperation Movement (1920); Boycott of Simon Commission (1927); Lahore
Congress (1929); Dandi March and Civil Disobedience Movement (1930); Quit India
Movement (1942); Naval Mutiny (1946); Indian Independence Act (1947).
Gahadavalas (Gaharwars) of Kanauj: They
succeeded Pratihara dynasty of Kanauj which came to an end after Mahmud
Ghazni's invasion in 1018 A.D. The Gahadavalas, who were of indigenous origin,
were succeeded by Chandels.
Gandhara Art: Greeco-Roman influence in
Indian art is found here.
The Gandhara sculptures invariably used
green schist as the
medium.
The Gandhara Art was greatly influenced
by Greeks. The theme of
the Gandhara art is Indian but its style
Greek. The Gandhara School
of Art was also known as Indo-Greek Art.
It flourished during the time
39
of the Kushans.
Gandharva: is the 'marriage of desiring
woman with a desiring man'. This is the romantic type of a union, springing
from affection and love, and may be accomplished without any nuptial rites.
Gandhi, Mahatma: (1869-1948) was the
greatest Indian after Buddha; India achieved independence mainly through his
efforts. He entered politics with Champaran campaign to redress grievances of
cultivators oppressed by indigo planters of Bihar. (Those who joined him during
the Champaran struggle included Rajendra Prasad and Anugraha Narayan Sinha).
He worked for peasants of Kheda in
Gujarat who were finding difficulties in paying the rents owing to failure of
crops. In 1917-18, Gandhiji launched the struggle in Ahmedabad which involved
industrial workers.
He gave a call for Satyagraha against the
Rowlatt Act on April 6, 1919 and took command of the nationalist movement for
the first time. Mahatma Gandhi is associated with many movements during the
struggle for independence viz., Non-cooperation movement (1920); Salt
Satyagraha (Dandi March) and Civil Disobedience movement (1930); Quit India
movement (1942)&endash;for which Gandhiji raised the slogan: "Do or
Die" (Either free India or die in the attempt). In a sense, Gopal Krishan
Gokhale was his political guru. He took in-
spiration from Ralph Emerson who said
"That government is best which governs the least". His private
secretary was Mahadev Desai
Mahatma Gandhi had suggested winding up
of Indian National Congress after India attained independence..
Gandhiji was assassinated on January 30,
1948 while attending a prayer meeting.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact: was signed on March 5,
1931. In terms of the Pact, the civil disobedience movement was withdrawn and
Gandhiji agreed to attend the second Round-Table Conference (7th September to
1st December, 1931).
Ganesh Festival: It was popularised by B.
G. Tilak during India's freedom struggle.
Gangesh: was the founder of the school of
Navya-Nyaya.
Gautamiputra Satakarni: was the great
king of Satavahana dynasty.
Gayatri mantra: is contained in Rig Veda.
Ghadar Party: was formed by Lala
Hardayal.
41
Ghatotkachh: in Mahabharat was the son of Bhim.
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq: For the first time
Bengal became a part of his empire.
Goa:was a portuguese possession in India
(colonised first by them). It was liberated by the Indian forces in 1961.
Gobind Singh, Guru: was founder of the
Khalsa and the military brotherhood among the Sikhs. He was the last of the
Sikh Gurus. The birth place of Guru Gobind Singh is Patna.
Golconda: is associated with Qutab Shahi.
Gold coins: Mauryas were the first to
issue gold coins in India.
Gotra: The upper caste Hindu family still
aspires to be a unit tracing his antecedents through a direct line to a common
ancestor, and living today in the small units of the joint family system.
Government of India Act of 1935 :
According to this Act, India had been divided into 11 procinces.
Government of India Act, 1935: A
prominent feature of this Act was
the 'Separatist' system of representation
by various religious communities and other groups. It introduced Provincial
Autonomy.
grama: was a term used in the Vedic
society. A group of related families living homogeneously in a given locality
was known as a kula or 'flock', and was ruled over by Kulapati who exercised
wide powers. A group of kulas formed a grama (also called a vis or settlement)
presided over by a gramani or vispati.
Great Bath: It has been found as an
important remain of excavations conducted at Mohenjo-daro.
Grihya-sutras and Dharma-sutras: While
grihya-sutras have domestic importance, the dharma-sutras cover the wider
relations of man and his fellows, and man and the state. They treat of the
rules of caste, and of man in his social, economic and religious relationships.
Primarily, they are rules of practical life, including the civil and religious
laws that regulate Hindu society.
Grivraja: was the capital of Maghda
kingdom.
Gulbadan Begam: She was Babur's daughter.
She wrote Humayun-nama, a historical account during the Mughal period in which
she
refers incidently to the low prices
prevailing in Hindustan; for example, at Amarkot, the birth-place of Akbar, the
price of four goats was one rupee.
Gunadhya: author of Brihatkatha, 'Great
Story', a famous collection of tales, written in Paisachi dialect and regarded
as one of the major classics of Indian literature.
Gupta Age: The Gupta Age in Indian
history (reckoned from 320 A.D.) was the classical period of Sanskrit
literature and the personalities who lived during this period were: Kalidasa,
Bhartrihari, Dandin, and Bhavabhuti.
Gupta craftsmen: distinguished themselves
by their work in iron and bronze.
Guptas: Land grants to Brahmanas on a
large scale was given by the ruling dynasty known as Guptas.
Guru Granth Sahib: was compiled by Guru
Arjan Dev.
Gyatri Mantra: is contained in RigVeda.
Gypsies: The original home of Gypsies was
India.
Haldighati, Battle of: (1576) Akbar's
forces headed by Raja Man Singh and Asaf Khan-II defeated Rana Pratap.
Hanumankonda inscription: mentions the
name of poet Kalidasa.
Harappan Culture: Harappan people
worshipped Mother Goddess. The standard Harappa seal was a square, usually made
of steatite. The crop which does not appear to have been known to the Harap-pan
culture is Ragi.
Horse was probably unknown to the people
of Harappan culture. (But it was widely used by the Vedic people).
Hari Hara and Bukka: were founders of the
Vijayanagar Empire.
Harshacharita: was written by Banabhatta.
Harshavardhana: (606-648 A.D.) of the
Vardhana dynasty was the first of the great rulers following the Hun invasions.
He was a great warrior. During his reign, the high officers of the State were
not paid in cash but they were assigned 'jagirs' in return of their services.
He moved his capital from Thanesar to Kanauj. The famous Chinese pilgrim
Hiuen-Tsang visited India (630-44) dur-
ing his reign.
Banabhatta was the court poet of Harsha
and was the source of information about him. He wrote Harshacharita and
Kadambri. According to Banabhatta, Harsha was a Hindu-Saiva. Harsha himslf was
a poet and dramatist. The three Sanskrit dramas attributed to him are:
Ratnavali, Priyadarsika, and Nagananda. He was defeated by Pulakesin-II of the
Chalukya dynasty. The last Buddhist empire in India was that of Harshavardhana.
Information regarding time of Harsha is contained in the books of Kalhana.
Hasan Gangoo: entitled Zafar Khan was
founder of the Bahmani kingdom in Deccan.
Hathi-Gumpha : The Hathi-Gumpha cave
inscriptions in Kalinga are famous for detailing military achievements of
Kharavela.
Hazur Daftar: was the name for the
Peshwa's Secretariat (or Central Government) at Poona.
Heliodorous Pillar: was set up during the
reign of Kanishka-I, near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, in honour of Vishnu.
Hemadri: who lived during the thirteenth
century (Medieval India),
was a legal authority on caste and
ritual. He was keeper of the royal records of the Yadava rulers of Devagiri. He
wrote a voluminous legal digest entitled Chaturvarga-chintamani.
Hieun-Tsang: was the Chinese pilgrim who
visited India (630-44) durng the reign of Harshavardhana.
Hijira (or Hijiri Era): is reckoned from
622 A.D.
Hindu: The word 'Hindu' as reference to
the people of Hind (India) was first used by the Greeks.
Home Rule League: was formed in 1915 by
Mrs Annie Besant. Lok-manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak joined the movement in 1916. In
the Lucknow session of the Congress in 1916, the Home Rule Leaguers were able
to demonstrate their political strength.
Home Rule Society : popularly called
India House, was established
in London in 1905 by Shyamji Krishna
Varma to promote the cause
of Indian independence.
India House was a centre for study,
propaganda, training and political
action. A monthly journal&endash;The
Indian Sociologist, was also
issued, and fellowships were also awarded.
The centre attracted many young men
residing at different universi-
ties in England&endash;two of whom
namely, Har Dayal and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, were prominent. Another youth
member of the centre was Madan Lal Dhingra.
Hoysalas: Vishnuvardhana established a
kingdom for Hoysala dynasty with capital at Doarasamudra (Halebid) near Mysore
during the 12th century. It was once the most powerful dynasty in the Deccan.
Their short-lived dominion was shattered in 1310 by the attack of Malik Kafur
and Khawja Haji, the generals of Alaudin Khilji, who ravaged the kingdom and
sacked the capital.
Humayun: was defeated in the battle of
Chausa because his brothers did not help him.
Hydaspes, Battle of: Alexander defeated
Porus in 326 B.C. at the battle of Hydespes.
Hyderabad State: ceased to exist on
November 1, 1956.
I.N.A.: The I.N.A. (Indian National Army)
was organised by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Singapore.
Ibadat Khana: is a building at Fatehpur
Sikri where Akbar held discussions on religious matters.
Ibn-Batuta: was a great scholar and
traveller from South Africa
who came to India India
on his way to China
Idol worship in India
Ilbert Bill controversy: happened during
the Viceroyalty of Lord Rip-pon.
Iltumish: was the first Muslim ruler who
made Delhi as his capital in place of Lahore
Imperial Capital: The British shifted the
imperial capital from Calcutta to Delhi
Indian Association: was founded in 1878
by Surindra Nath Banerjea, joined by his friends Anand Mohan Bose (a
barrister), Sibunath Sastri (a Brahmo leader), and Krishna Mohan Banerji.
Indian Councils Act, 1861: By this Act,
the 'portfolio' system was introduced whereby members were placed in charge of
specific departments instead of sitting as a board of consultants to discuss
each question on its merits.
Indian Independence
League: was organised by Rash Behari Bose, an old revolutionary, at a
conference held at Bangkok
Indian Mutiny (Revolution) 1857 : or the
first War of Indian Independence started from Meerut
Indian National Congress: was founded on
28th December, 1885 by A.O. Hume. Its first session was held at Bombay
A resolution asking for complete
independence of India was
passed in the Congress session held at Lahore
50
dentship of Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Indian National Trade Union Congress: was
founded in 1947. It drew inspiration from Gandhian philosophy and sought to
secure redress of grievances by means of negotiation and conciliation without
stopagges of work.
Indian Naval Mutiny: It took place in
1946 against the British.
Indian Railways and Postal Services: were
started during the period of Lord Dalhousie.
Indica, The: written by Megasthenese, is
the historical source of the period of Chandragupta Maurya. It gives a detailed
account of the municipal administration of the Mauryas. The division of society
into seven classes is mentioned in this book.
Indigo disturbances in Bengal: took place
in 1859 and 1860 immediately after the revolt of 1857 between European indigo
planters and the Bengal peasants. The prevailing system often compelled the
Bengal peasant to grow indigo against both his will and his interests.
Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts:
has been set up in New Delhi as a resource centre and data base for cultural
activities.
Individual Civil Disobedience or
Individual Satyagraha: The Congress Working Committee decided to start
individual civil disobedience on Oct 11, 1940. Vinoba Bhave was the first
Satyagrahi who was arrested on Oct 21, followed soon by many more including Nehru
and Patel.
Indra: is said to be the most celebrated
deity of the Rig-veda. During Rigvedic period Indra was known as God of
Thunder. He belongs to the early Iranian period of the Aryan migration, and his
name has been deciphered as 'In-da-ra' in a fourteenth century B.C. inscription
at Boghaz Koi in Asia Minor.
Indus Valley Civilization: According to
carbon-dating process, the
Indus Valley Civilization appears to have
flourished between 2500
and 1700 B.C. This period is known as
pre-historic period. It belongs
to the Chalcolithic Age.
The remains of the Indus Valley
Civilization were first discovered at
Harappa (1921) and Mohenjodaro (1922).
The Indus Valley Civilization was
primarily urban.
The Indus Valley people established
commercial contacts with the
Sumerians.
Iron was not known to the people of the
Indus Valley Civilization.
The ornaments of the poor people of Indus
Valley Civilization were
made of copper, shells and bones.
.The Indus script has not been deciphered
so far.
The system of governing of Indus Valley
Civilization was probably
Kingship.
Indus Valley Civilization Script: The
script of Indus Valley Civilization is not yet deciphered.
Iqbalnama-i-Jahangiri: official history
of the reign of Jehangir.
Iqta: It was the land-grant system
adopted by Ala-ud-din Khilji to grant
his officers as reward for services
rendered.
Qutabuddin Aibak was assigned the first
iqta in India by Mohd of
Ghor.
Iron: This metal was discovered during
the Mauryan period which, according to D.D. Kausambi and R.S. Sharma, provided
techonolog-ical base for material advancement.
Iron, first used in India: Iron was first
used in India around 1500 B.C.
Jagat Seths: were the most important
among the bankers of Bengal in the eighteenth century before overthrow of Mir
Qasim by the English.
Jahangir: He allowed the English to begin
their trade at Surat through a farman granted to Sir Thomas Roe.
Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan: was the slogan
given by Lal Bahadur Shastri during Indo-Pak war of 1965.
Jainism: was founded by Mahavir. He was
born in Vaishali. According to Jainism "strict moral conduct and virtuous
life is the way to "salvation". Tri-ratna or the Three jewels in
Jainism are (1) right intentions, (2) right knowledge and (3) right
conduct&endash;an absolutely stainless life.
Jainism had the patronage of Kharavela,
the ruler of Kalinga who reigned during the 1st Century B.C.
Jaipal: Raja of Bhatinda, was defeated
for the first time by Mahmud of Ghazni.
Jaipur: called the 'Pink City' is capital
of Rajasthan. It was founded by Sawai Jai Singh.
Jajmani System in rural India: The
reasons for the break of Jajmani system in rural India are (1) monetization of
economy and commer-
cialisation of agriculture, and (2)
increase of caste consciousness among the artisans and the peasants.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre: It occurred at
Amritsar on April 13, 1919 during the Viceroyalty of Lord Chelmsford.
Rabindranath Tagore renounced the
Knighthood as a protest against this tragedy.
jana: A number of grama formed the jana
or tribe whose leader was janapati.
Jatakas: These stories were written in
Pali language.
Jatin Das: was a well-known Indian
revolutionary who died in jail while on hunger strike.
Jazia: was abolished by Akbar.
Jehangir: Painting reached its climax
during the reign of Jehangir.
Jija Bai: was the name of Shivaji's
mother.
Jimutavahana: was a famous jurist of
medieval India (fifteenth century). His work Dayabhaga is a commentary on the
srutis, specially
on Manu. It was once part of a great
compilation called the Dharma-Ratna. This commentary represents the source of
the Gauriya school of Bengal and Assam.
Jina: In Jainism, the supreme souls whose
lives should be followed as example to the best are referred to as Jina.
Jital: was a copper coin of the Sultanate
period of India.
Johar: Johar culture was developed by the
Rajputs.
John Morley: the radical thinker, whom
the Labour Party in Britain considered a suitable spokesman of their opinions,
was appointed the Secretary of State for India in 1906.
Justin: His accounts are useful for
reconstructing the history of Chan-dragupta Maurya.
Kabir: was disciple of Ramananda. His
teaching include Ram and Rahim.
Kailasa Temple at Ellora: The rock-cut
Kailasa temple at Ellora is a splendid achievement of art, and considering the
technical skill and labour involved, is unequalled in the history of the world.
It is a mar-
vellous specimen of the Dravidian style.
It was constructed during the reign of Krishna-I, in the latter half of the
eighth century A.D. The caves and rock-cut temples at Ellora are&endash;Hindu,
Buddhist and Jain.
Kaiser-i-Hind: Queen Victoria was crowned
with Kaiser-i-Hind in the Delhi Durbar during the Viceroyalty of Lord Lytton.
Kalachuri era: counted from A.D. 248, it
was mostly current in Central India. Their capital was Tripuri near Jabalpur.
Kalchuris were the feu-datries of the Pratiharas but soon acquired
independence.
Kalhana: was poet historian of Kashmir.
He lived in the 11th century A.D. He wrote Rajatarangini, his masterpiece,
considered as the only Sanskrit work which can lay any claim to being regarded
as history. The material for the history of Kashmir is to be found in Kalhana's
Rajatarangini.
Kali Era: is reckoned from 3102 B.C.
Kalibangan: in Rajasthan where recent
excavations brought to light the varied achievements of Indus Valley
Civilisation&endash;town planning and use of burnt bricks.
Kalidas: was a great Sanskrit poet who
flourished in the court of Chandragupta Vikramaditya. He wrote Shakuntla.
Kalinga : was captured in 261 B.C.
Kalinga Rock-edict: This inscription proves
Chandragupta's sway over western India.
Kalpa: The whole body of scriptures
dealing with the religious ceremonial and practice of Hinduism (Ritual Canon)
is referred to by the term Kalpa, 'usage'. It is regarded as one of the
Vedangas or auxiliary Vedic studies.
Kalpasutra Paintings: were well-known
during the period from the thi-teenth to sixteenth centuries in Western India.
Kanchipuram (Conjeevaram): (in Tamil
Nadu) was capital of the Pallavas. Called the 'golden city', it was once a
great Buddhist stronghold, reportedly visited by Buddha himself. It was the
site of several Ashokan stupas, now vanished.
Kandariya Mahadeo temple: is in Khajuraho
(Madhya Pradesh).
Kanishka: was the third and the greatest
king of K ushan dynasty
(120 A.D. to 162 A.D.). He was a great
conqueror, became a patron
of Buddhism and was the only ruler of
India who had his territory even
in Central Asia beyond the Pamirs. He was
a great patron of art and
learning. Charaka and Nagarjuna were
active during his reign.
Saka Era started during his reign
There was not a single revolt during his
reign..
The headless statue of Kanishka, an
important relic of his period, was
found in Mathura.
Karnataka war: was fought between Haider
Ali and Marathas.
Karshapana: was the most commonly used
coin in the Chola kingdom.
Kashmir: Before coming of the Muslims,
Kashmir was known to be a centre of Shaivism.
Khajuraho Temples: were built by
Chandellas.
Khajurao temples: are located in Madhya
Pradesh. These were built by kings of Chalukya dynasty.
Kharavela: was king of Kalinga. His
best-known epigraphic inscriptions are at Hathi-Gumpha cave in Kalinga.
Kharoshthi: Formerly called
Indo-Bactrian, was one of the many alien scripts used in India in early
centuries. It was written from right to left. It was derived from a form of
writing brought by merchants from the Mediterranean. It was manifestly Semitic
in origin.
Khilafat Movement: was a mass movement of
the Muslims launched in 1920 by the two brothers&endash;Muhammad Ali and
Shaukat Ali&endash; against Britain for dismemberment of Turkish empire
after world war I, offending the religious and historical sentiments of the
Muslims.
The first Khilafat conference was held at
Delhi on Nov 23, 1919. At Calcutta on Feb 20, 1920, the conference under Abdul
Kalam Azad's chairmanship fixed a Khilafat Day and adopted a resolution in
favour of the non-cooperation movement
The Congress, in its special session held
at Calcutta on Sept 8, 1920, gave its approval to the non-cooperation movement.
The Khilafat Committee of 1920 held at Allahabad asked Gandhiji to lead the
non-cooperation movement.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah, however, opposed
Mahatma Gandhi's association with the Khilafat Movement.
Khiraj: was the land tax imposed by
Mohd-bin-Qasim after the Arab occupation of Sind.
Khonds: were primitive tribes living in
Orissa.
Khusrau, Amir: famous Indian literary man
and poet in the court of Alauddin Khilji. He wrote in Persian as well as in
Hindi. He died in 1325, and is sometimes reckoned as a writer of Urdu. He is
said to have witnessed the reigns of eight Delhi Sultans.
Kila-i-Kuhna mosque: is a lofty mosque
inside Purana Qila in Delhi constructed by Sher Shah which is considered to be
a good example of the Indo-Islamic architecture.
Komagata Maru: was the name of a Japanese
steemship carrying about three hundred Indians, mostly Sikhs, to enter British
Columbia in Western Canada.
Konark Temple: dedicated to Surya or
Sun-god, was built between 1250-1278 A.D. in the area around the mouth of the
river Mahanadi.
Kosa: or the treasury was one of the
constituent elements of the state in ancient India, and was fed by the 'stream
of taxation'.
Krishna I: was Rashtrakuta king (c.A.D.
760) who got constructed the famous Rock-cut Shiva temple at
Ellora&endash;one of the most
61
marvellous works of human labour..
Krishnadevaraya:was the most famous Raja
of Vijayanagar kingdom, the last great Hindu ruler of Southern India (1509-29).
He belonged to the Tulva dynasty.
Kula: In ancient India, a group of
related families or a community living homogenously in a given locality was
known as Kula.
Kushanas: The original home of the
Kushanas was in Chinese Turk-istan. Kushans came from Bactria. They extended
their conquests over Kashmir and north-west India and ruled these territories
for more than 100 years.
Kusinara (or Kusinagara): is the place
where Gautam Buddha died.
Lahore: The capital of the Kingdom of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was Lahore.
Lambadies: are concentrated in Karnataka.
Land Revenue: was the principal source of
State income during the period of Mughal India.
lapis lazuli: It is a semi-precious blue
gem stone valued for its deep blue colour.
The source of lapis lazuli for the people
of Harappan culture was Afghanistan.
Blue colour used in the paintings of
Ajanta was obtained from imported lapis lazuli.
Local self-government: was introduced in
India by Lord Rippon.
Lodhi dynasty: was founded by Bahlol
Lodhi in 1451.
Lodhi Sultans: were Afghans.
Lokahitawadi: was the first reformer in
Maharashtra to challenge the old authorities and the old traditions.
Lomasa Rishi Cave : is one of the small
rock-cut caves in Barabar hills near Gaya. It was dug during Mauryan period. It
has a ribbed horseshoe arch in in close imitation of a wooden model, very much
like the entrance to the Toda hut. The cave lies unfinished or probably
discontinued due to a flaw in the rock.
Lord Canning : was the Governor-General
of India when the 1857 revolt broke out.
Lord Macaulay: who had joined the British
Council as law member in 1834, is associated with the introduction of English
education in India
Lothal: in Gujarat where excavations have
brought to light the period of Indus Valley times&endash;town planning, use
of burnt bricks, interlinked drainage system.
(This site of the Indus Valley
Civilization situated on the sea-plain of formerSaurashtra, 720 km south-east
of Mohenjodaro, is located in India).
The excavation made here represent the
Harappan culture. The discovery of a dockyard here measuring 710 feet by 125
feet (found blocked) proves Indian maritime trade with Mesopotamia and other
countries.
It is the best example of maritime
activity during the Harappan period.
Lucknow Pact (1916): The war between
Turkey and Britain aroused anti-British feelings among Muslims and paved the
way for co-operation with the Congress.
Both Congress and the Muslim League , in
their session at Lucknow in 1916, concluded the famous agreement known as the
Lucknow Pact which included the recognition of separate electorates. In the
Lucknow session of the Congress, the Home Rule Leagures
64
were able to demonstrate their political strength.
Macaulay's Minutes: The foundation of
modern educational system in India was laid by 'Macaulay's Minutes' of 1835.
Madurai: was the capital of the kingdom
of Pandyas.
Maganlal Gandhi: On his suggestion,
Mahatma Gandhi adopted the word "Satyagraha" for his struggle in
South Africa.
Maghadan Empire: The rise of the Magadhan
Empire can be traced back to the Sunga dynasty (185-73B.C.) Pushyamitra Sunga
was founder of this dynasty. Their dominions included Magadha and certain
neighbouring provinces, extending southwards as far as the Nar-bada..
Mahabharat: was originally known as
Jayahita.
Mahadev Govind Ranade: was a great social
and religious reformer who worked unceasingly for the eradication of child
marriage and purdah system. To spread his message on a national scale, he
inaugurated Indian National Social Conference.
Mahanavami: was the most famous State
festival of the Vijayanagar
65
empire.
Mahatarfa and Jakat: In the
administrative system of Marathas, custom duties known as Mahatarfa and Jakat
were imposed.
Mahavira: was founder of Jainism. He was
the twenty-forth and the last of Jain Tirthankaras. He was born at Vaisali, the
capital of Videha (modern Bihar). He was a Kashtriya. Mahavira attained
"Kaivalya" at the age of 42. Mahavira did not believe in the worship
of idols. He died aged 72 at Pavapuri in the Patna district. Mahavira was far
more strict than Buddha in the doctrine of "Non-injury to living
creatures".
Mahayana: This Buddhist sect formally
came into existence during the reign of Kanishka. Refer Buddhism.
Mahayana:was a form of Buddhism which
emerged during the reign of Kanishka.
Mahayana and Hinayana: Refer Buddhism.
Mahendravarman-I: (600-630) was Pallava
king known for his architectural skill. He introduced the method pf scooping
out entire temples
66
from the solid rock, as at Mamapuram.
Mahmud Ghazni: He started his raids of
India from the north-west during 1000-1026 A.D. He attacked India many times,
his interest being to plunder India's wealth.
Maitreya: is supposed to be the fifth
Buddha who is yet to come.
Malik Kafur: He was Allauddin Khilji's
military general who led two campaigns in south India between 1309 and 1311. In
1310, he attacked Hoysala kingdom and sacked their capital Dorasamudra (or
Halebid). He was appointed as Malik Naib or Vice-Regent of the empire by
Alauddin.
Mansabdari System: was initiated by Akbar
in 1577 (in the nineteenth year of his reign) for the purpose of expanding his
army as well as organising the nobility to maintain his hold over his rule.
Under this system, every officer of the State was assigned a rank (mansab). It
was an official appointment of rank and profit. The mansab was bound to supply
a number of troops for the military service of the State. The mansabdars formed
the official nobility of the country. The Mansabdari System was thus the
"army, the peerage, and the civil administration, rolled into one".
The military system of the Delhi Sultanate was influenced, to some
67
extent, by the Mongol system. .
Manu Smriti: deals with law. (Manu was a
Hindu law giver). According to Manu Smriti, a woman after marriage, was
required to be under control of her husband.
Maski Rock edict: This minor Rock-edict
is the only edict in which Ashoka refers to himself as the king of Magadha.
Material Culture Theory: deals with iron
and agricultural implements.
Mathura School of Art: suggests Buddhism
as religion.
Mauryas: were the rulers of Magadha.
Mayamata: was a Saiva sect in ancient
India.
Meenakshi Temple: is located in Madurai.
Megasthenes: (306-290 B.C.) was Greek
Ambassador at the court of Chandragupta Maurya. He visited India and studied at
the Nalanda University. In the account of Megasthenes we come across in detail
mention of the municipal administration of the Mauryas. Also refer In-dica.
Mehrauli "Iron Pillar" (in
Delhi): belonged to the reign of Chan-dragupta-I.
Mehrauli pillar inscription: belongs to
the period of the Guptas.
Mesolithic Age: belongs to the period
roughly from 9,000 B.C. to 4.000 B.C. It is called the Stone Age.
Metcalfe, Sir Charles: is known as the
'Liberator of the Press'. He was British Governor-General of India (1835-36).
Mimamsa: is one of the six orthodox
systems of Hindu philosophy, founded by Jaimini (c. 200 B.C.). Mimamsa holds
that knowledge alone cannot give salvation. Without right action , or dharma,
knowledge is fruitless and true happiness unattainable.
Miniature Painting: reached its climax
during the reign of Jahangir.
Mir Jaffar: He deserted Siraj-ud-Dowlah
and joined the English under
Lord Clive when the Battle of Plassey
(1757) was raging with utmost
fury.
Mir Jaffer granted an extra allowance
called Double Bhatta to the
English troops.
Mira Bai: was contemporary of Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu.
Mitakshara: It is a book on Hindu Law of
inheritance written by Vij-nanesvara who wrote at the Court of Chalukya king
Vikramaditya-VI (1075-1127).
Mohammad- bin-Qasim: was the first Muslim
invader of India. The Arab conquest of Sind took place in 712 A.D. under his
leadership.
Mohd Shah: was the last Mughal emperor to
sit on the Peacock throne.
Mohd-bin-Tughlak: was a Turk. Copper
coins were started by him.
Mohenjodaro: is known for discovery of
remains of Indus Valley Civilization here in 1922 by R.D. Banerjee.
Mohenjadaro is in the Larkana district of
Sind (now in Pakistan). An image of dancing girl was also found here.
(Sir John Marshall, Director General of
Archaeology, declared in 1924 that a new civilization had been discovered in
the Indus Valley by R.D. Banerjee in 1922).
Mongols: attacked India during the reign
of Iltumish.
Monogamy : The practice of Monogamy (the
custom or condition of marriage to one wife or husband at a time) was in
existence during the Rig Vedic period.
Moplah Rebellion: broke out in Malabar in
August 1921.
Moplah Rebellion: took place in Malabar
in 1921.
Morley-Minto Reforms: were aimed at
expansion of the legislature.
Moti Masjid: Shah Jehan built Moti Masjid
at Agra Fort and Aurangzeb built another Moti Masjid at Red Fort, Delhi.
Mountbatten Plan : India was partitioned
by the Mountbatten Plan of 3rd June, 1947.
Mountbatten, Lord: was Governor-General
of India when the country became independent on the 15th August, 1947. He was
the last British Viceroy in India (March 1947-August 1947) and the first and
the last Englishman to be the Governor General of Free India.
Mughal dynasty: was finally extinguished
with Bahadur Shah-II.
Mughal Empire, Cause of downfall: The
fundamental cause for the downfall of the Mughal empire was the religious
policy of Aurangzeb according to Dr Satish Chandra.
Mughal India: The principal source of
State income in Mughal India was land revenue.
Mughal paintings: reached its zenith
under Jahangir.
Mughal paintings, Portuguese influence
on: In Mughal paintings, one notices the adoption of the principle of
foreshortening whereby near and distant people and things could be placed in
perspective. This is due to the influence of the Portuguese.
Muin-ud-Din Chisti: Sufi saint who is
associated with Ajmer. His dar-gah is also at Ajmer. He maintained that
devotional music was one way of coming closer to God.
Muqti: Ala-ud-din had divided his
Sultanate into provinces, each under a governor generally termed muqti who was
responsible for the administration.
Museums in India: National Museum, New
Delhi, the Indian Museum, Calcutta, the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, and the
Allahabad Mu-
seum, Allahabad.
Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, named
after Salar Jung-III, Mir
yousuf Ali Khan, has a very rare and
important collection of about
40,000 art objects. It is known the world
over as the largest single
collection of art objects from different
countries.
Indian Museum in Calcutta undertakes
acquisition of objects of art
and archaeology and carries out
educational and cultural activities.
The Allahabad Museum has got a rich
collection of early scruptures,
terracota seals and modern painting.
Muslim League: was founded in 1906 in
Dacca (Dhaka) by a resolution proposed by Nawab Salimullah.
The Muslim League adopted the resolution
for creation of Pakistan in 1940.
Mysore War, Second: came to an end by the
treaty of Mangalore.
Nadir Shah: invaded India in 1739.
Nagananda: or 'Serpent's Bliss' a
Sanskrit play attributed to king Har-sha Vardhana concerns the conversion of a
Buddhist priest, of Garuda the serpent-eating bird, to the principles of ahimsa
or non-injury.
Nagarjuna: was the philosopher scientist
and a great figure of the court of Kanishka whom Hieun-Tsang called "one
of the four lights of the world" and who also enunciated the theory of
Relativity in his great work called Madhyamika Sutra. He is rightly called the
Indian Einstein.
Naidu, Sarojini: She was a gifted Indian
poetess of English language, commonly known as the Nightingale of India. She
was the second woman President of the Indian National Congress in 1925 and the
first woman Governor of an Indian State (Governor of U.P.) after independence.
(The first woman President of the Indian
National Congress was Annie Besant in 1917).
Nalanda University: In ancient India,
this University was a great centre for the study of Mahayana Buddhism.
Namdev: hailed from the State of
Maharashtra.
Nanak, Guru: started the religion
Sikhism. He is patronised even by Muslims.
Nanda dynasty: was ruling in India at the
time of Alexander's invasion.
74
The last king of the Nanda dynasty was Dhana Nanda.
Naoroji, Dadabhai: popularly known as the
"Grand Old Man" of India
was a great nationalist. He was also
President of the Indian National
Congress. He was earlier elected to the
British Parliament.
He propounded the theory of
"Economic Drain" of India during the
British Rule.
(He estimated Indian national income and
criticized the constant drain
of wealth from India to England.)
Narasimhavarman-I: (630-660) son of
Mehendravarman-I , was the greatest of the Pallava kings. He defeated and slew
the redoubtable Chalukya, Pulakesin-II in 640 A.D.He was patron of the Sasnkrit
poet Dandin. Hieun-Tsang, the Chinese traveller, visited the kingdom during his
reign and was impressed by the splendour of Kanchipuram (capital of Pallavas).
Nasik inscription: The achievements of
Gautamilputra Satakarni are detailed in Nasik inscription. Also refer Pulumayi,
Sri.
Nastaliq: was a Persian script used in
medieval India.
Nataraja bronze image: is a fine example
of Chola art, considered to be the world's greatest iconographical creations
made by sthapatis
75
(architects) of south India.
National Conference: The first session of
the National Conference was held in 1883 at Calcutta.
National Movement in India: The
international events which influenced national movement in India before the
advent of Mahatma Gandhi were: (1) Italian-Abyssinian War, 1898; (2) Boxer
Movement in China; (3) Revolutionary Movement in Ireland; and (4) Victory of
Japan in the Russo-Japanese War.
NAUROJ festival in India: Balban
introduced the famous Persian festival of Nauroj in India.
Navasahasanka-charit: was written by
Padmagupta.
Navya-Nyaya: The founder of school of
Navya-Nyaya was Gangesh.
Nehru, Jawahar Lal: (1889-1964) was one
of the world's greatest statesmen who emerged as the first Prime Minister of
India when the country became independent in 1947.
In the interim government formed in 1946,
he was the Vice-President of the Executive Council.
76
He is considered to be the maker of modern India.
Neolithic Age: belongs to the period
between 4,000 B.C. and 1,000 B.C. The people of this age used tools and
implements of polished stone. The cutting tools were used to various uses by
the people of this Age.
Nevali Cori Valley: is in Turkey. The
recent excavations here have revealed remarkable influence of advanced Vedic
culture with traces of agrarian settlements. The site is dated back to 7000
B.C.
nisha: The term nisha which meant an
ornament in the Vedic period was used in later times to denote a coin (a metal
piece of definite weight).
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah: is known for his
introduction of a new calendar, a new system of coinage and new scales of
weights and measures.
Non-cooperation Movement: was launched by
Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 against the British for attainment of Swaraj. The
movement received support from large number of Muslims also.
Already, there was widespread unrest
among industrial workers&en-
dash;Bombay Mill strike affected more
than one lakh twenty-five thousand workers at the beginning of 1919 and there
were about 200 strikes during the first six months of 1920.
Mahatma Gandhi surrendered the title of
"Rt. Honourable" given to him by the British Government.
The Movement led to the Congress becoming
a mass movement for the first time and removed fear of theBritish 'might' from
the minds of the people.
Non-cooperation Movement was, however,
withdrawn because of violence at Chauri-Chaura.
Non-cooperation Movement Resolution was
passed in the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in September 1920.
Nur Jahan:originally known as
Mihr-ul-nisa, whom Jahangir married in May 1611, was formerly wife of Sher
Afghan.
Padmavat: is the famous poem describing
the story of queen Pad-mini, written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi.
Paisacha: called after the savage Pisacha
tribe, in the Hindu tradition, was form of marriage by rape, where the girl was
carried off by force, or under false pretext against her will.
Palaeolithic Age: is called the old stone
age&endash;the period between 2,000 B.C. and 10,000 B.C. It is also called
the Ice Age.
Pali: Buddha preached in Pali language.
Panch Mahal: was built by Akbar at
Fatehpur Sikri. It is noted for its various types of pillars.
Panchala: In ancient times, Panchala was
called maha-janapada. Early social organisation was tribal, and in course of
time the territory in which a group of related tribes settled came to be known
as jana-pada, which term was later used to connote a nation. Mahajanapada meant
larger aggregates of such tribal nations.
Panchsheel: The Sino-Indian agreement of
1954 known as 'Panchsheel' enshrined peaceful co-existence, mutual respect for
territorial integrity, and mutual non-interference in each other's internal
affairs.
But the principle of "mutual help in
times of need" was not enshrined in the agreement .
Pandyas: was a kingdom in the south India
in the 9th century. Their capital was Madurai. During the Sangam period, the
Tamil poets and
79
scholars were patronised by the Pandyas.
Panini: was the greatest of the Sanskrit
grammarians.
Paramaras: This dynasty was not involved
among the 'tripartite struggle' between Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas,
Parantaka-I: was the first important
ruler of the Chola dynasty in 907 A.D. He ruled for almost half a century. He
captured Madurai, capital of Pandyas.
Parsis: first came into India at Diu.
Their sacred book is Torah.
Pasupati: The Hindu deity with three
heads and horns, surrounded by animals, represented on a seal from Mohenjo-daro
is referred to as Pasupati. It is also referred to as 'a prototype of the historic
Siva'. The people of Indus Valley Civilization worshipped Pasupati.
Patel, Vallabhbhai: (1875-1950) was a
great and vigorous Congress leader and Deputy Prime Minister of India after
independence in 1947&endash;well known as an iron man.
He was made Home Minister when Jawahar
Lal Nehru formed the Interim Government in 1946. He was not a member of the
Drafting Committee of the Indian Con-
stitution.
Soon after independence in August 1947,
he played a vital role in the
integration of Princely States in India.
He is also known as the 'Bismarck of
India'.
The Sarabandi (no-tax) campaign of 1922
was led by him.
Patriot of Patriots: Subhash Chandra Bose
was described by Ma-hatma Gandhi as "patriot of patriots".
Peacock Throne: originally belonged to
Shah Jahan. It now adores crown of the British Queen.
Permanent Settlement: was introduced by
Lord Cornwallis in 1793 in Bengal and Bihar on the suggestion of John Shore. It
placed the Indian Revenue Systen on a scientific basis.
Under the system of Permanent Settlement
during the British rule, Zamindars collected and paid land revenue to the
government.
Persian Prose and Poetry: reached a
climax under the reign of Akbar.
Peshwas: under the Maratha Empire had
their capital at Pune (Poona). Refer Hazur Daftar.The first Peshwa ruler was
Baji Rao.
Physiocrats: At the time of the French
Revolution in 1789, the Economists were known as 'Physiocrats'.
Pitt's India Act, 1784: Through this Act,
the English East India Company was brought under the supervision of the British
Parliament.
Pollution concept: emerged clearly in the
age of Dharma Shastras.
Polyandry (women having several
husbands): As Rig Veda points out, polyandry was NOT common in the Vedic
period.
Poona Pact: was signed in 1932 between
various groups and parties among the Hindus led by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B.R.
Ambedkar on behalf of the Harijans repudiating the Communal Award given by the
British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald which conceded separate electorates on
communal basis.
Mahatma Gandhi had staked his life to get
the Award annulled and went on a fast unto death.
Portrait-bearing coins : became popular
under the Kushans.
Portuguese settlements in India: The
circumstances favourable for the Portuguese settlements in India in the
beginning were: (1) they took advantage of the jealousy among the small princes
on the Mal-
abar coast; (2) they found that there was
no State worth the name which could make sustained efforts to prevent their
establishment; and (3) their warships were more formidable than any ships they
met in Indian waters.
Prajapati: In the later Vedic pantheon,
the supreme position was held by a Prajapati.
Prajapatya: a vaguely defined form of
marriage, whose chief feature appears to be that its conditions were fixed and
there was no dowry.
Prakrit: This language received royal
patronage during the reign of Satavahanas.
Pratihara (Parihar): This dynasty was
founded in 725 A.D. by Nagab-hata of the Gurjara sect.
Prayag Prasasti: written by Harisen, is
the main source of the conquests of Samudragupta.
Prayaga: was the ancient name of modern
Allahabad. Prayaga was conquered by Ghori kings in 1194 A.D. Its name was
changed to Allahabad by the Mughals.
Prithviraj Raso: written in Braj Bhasha
by Chand Bardai is the story of the prowess and romance of Prithviraj Chauhan.
Priyadarsi: is the name by which Ashoka
is generally referred to in his inscripions.
Priyadarsika: a Sanskrit drama by king
Harsha Vardhana is a 'harem tragedy'.
Provincial Autonomy: was introduced in
India during the reign of Lord Linlithgo.
Pulakesan-II: was the most famous king of
the Chalukya dynasty who
ascended the throne in 611 A.D.
Aihole inscription gives information
about him.
Pulumayi, Sri: His best-known epigraphic
inscriptions are at Nashik.
Punch-marked Silver Coins: The earliest
evidence of silver in India is found in punch-marked silver coins found in
Bihar.
Puranas: are 18 in number.
Purandaradasa: was the earliest and the
most celebrated of the
Kanarese classical singers. He was once
the favourite of the Vi-jayanagar court. He systematized Karnataka music in his
masterly compositions.
Pushyamitra : was the famous ruler and
founder of the Sunga dynasty (185-73 B.C.). The last Mauryan ruler was
overthrown by him. He thus became the first ruler of the Sunga dynasty which
succeeded the Mauryans.
The great Stupa at Sanchi and the
railings which enclose it belong to the Sunga period.
Quit India Movement: was launched by
Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942 urging the British to transfer power to
Indians and quit the country. His slogan was 'Do or die'.
Qutab-ud-din Aibak: was founder of the
Slave dynasty of India (1206-90).
He was slave of Mu'iz-ud-din Muhammad
Ghuri. The famous Qutab Minar at Delhi was begun by him (and completed by
Iltumish).
Radcliffe, Sir Cyril: He was responsible
for demarcating the boundary
between India and Pakistan in 1947.
Sir Radcliffe was appointed chairman of
the two commissions set up
by the British Government to effect
partition of Punjab and Bengal after announcement of the famous declaration by
Lord Mountbatten on June 3, 1947, laying "the method by which power will
be transferred from British to Indian hands".
Rajaraja-I Chola: was a great king of the
Chola dynasty in the south of India.
During his reign, the Arabs established
trade centres on the west coast of India and had the support of the rulers of
Kerala. He was the first Indian ruler who conducted a naval campaign on
important Arab trade centres to check their monopoly in trade with India.
Rajasekhara: (c. 920) is author of the
play Karpura-manjari.
Rajasuya: This Vedic sacrifice was a
royal consecration ceremony.
Rajatarangini: by Kalhana deals with the
history of Kashmir. Also refer Kalhana.
Rajendra Prasad: He was President of the
Constituent Assembly of India (1946-49) and the first President of the Indian
Republic (1950-62).
Rajendra-I: was the Chola king who fought
against the Sailendra king
86
of Srivijaya (in Sumatra) and defeated him.
Rajgarh: is the town where Shivaji
crowned himself in 1614.
Rajsekhar: was the court-poet of
Mahendrapal.
Rajukas: They were responsible for public
welfare in Mauryan administration.
Rakshasa: according to Hindu tradition,
was the heroic marriage, where a woman carried off as a prize of war, was
married without the consent of her father, usually by the captor.
Raktika: was the basic weight (measure)
in ancient India.
Ramakrishna Mission: was founded by Swami
Vivekanand.
Ramanuja: was the celebrated Vaishnava
philosopher and teacher,
who converted the Hoysala king and
resided at Srirangam near
Trichinopoly during the reign of
Ahirajendra Chola.
He is regarded as the leading opponent of
the views of
Sankaracharya.
Ramayana: was written by the Hindu sage
Valmiki.
Rana Sanga: belonged to Rajput group.
Ranjit Singh, Maharaja: He united all the
Sikhs and founded a kingdom in the Punjab, with Lahore as its capital.
Rashtrakutas: During the early medieval
period, they were a party to the tripartite struggle for power with Pratiharas
and Palas. In 753 A.D., they brought to an end the first Chaulakya dynasty.
Refer Dharmapala.
Rath Temple: was built by
Narasimhavarman-II (Pallav).
Rathas at Mahabalipuram: are monolithic
structures. These are five in number.
Ratnakara: denoted the Arabiasn Sea in
ancient Indian historical geography.
Ratnavali: or 'Pearl Necklace' is a Sanskrit
drama attributed to king Harsha Vardhana & endash;a story of the love of
king Udyana of Vatsa for his queen's attendant, who ultimately turns out to be
Rat-navali, princess of Ceylon.
88
Ratnavali: was written by Harsha.
Ravi Dass: belonged to Shudra caste.
Razia: She was the only woman among the
Muslim rulers who ever sat on the throne of Delhi and finally became the victim
of a conspiracy in 1240 and was assassinated near Kaithal.
Red Shirts: Khudai Khidmatgars of the
North-West Frontier Province in pre-partition days were popularly known as Red
Shirts. Their leader was Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan.
Redcliffe Line: demarcates boundaries
between India and Pakistan.
Regulating Act, 1773: was the first
legislative interference by the British Parliament in the affairs of India.
Rig Veda: is the oldest and the most
important of the four Vedas. It is collection of old legends, chants and hymns,
some of them of great beauty. Gayatri mantra is contained in it.
Rig Veda period: The people of Rig Veda
period believed in rituals and sacrifices.
89
Rippon, Lord: is associated with Local Self Government.
Rishabha: is supposed to be the mythical
founder of Jainism
Rock-cut tenples at Mahabalipuram: were
built by Pallavas.
Rowlatt Act (1919): Based on the
recommendations of Justice Rowlatt, chairman of the committee appointed for
curbing seditious movements in India, the Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919 giving
unbridled powers to the government to arrest and imprison suspects without
trial and crush civil liberties. The Act caused a wave of anger in sections of
the people throughout the country.
The Rowlatt Act was popularly known as
the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crime Act.
In protest, Gandhiji gave a call for
Satyagraha against the Act on April 18, 1919.
Roy, M. N.: He was leader of India'
Communists until India's Independence in 1947. He played a notable role in the
world communist movement. After India gained Independence, Roy abandoned
communism and became founder of radical humanism, a mixture of socialist and
liberal humanitarian ideas.
Roy, Raja Ram Mohan : was a great Indian
reformer. He prominently fought for and got widow re-marriage legalised. He was
instrumental in eradicating social evils like Sati, Purdah and child marriage
and stood for women's education.
He was also the founder of Brahmo Samaj.
Royal Asiatic Society: was founded in
India during the Governor-Generalship of Warren Hastings.
Rudradaman: His best-known epigraphic
inscriptions are at Girnar.
Ryotwari System: was a method of direct
settlement with the cultivator, which is associated with the name of Sir Thomas
Munro. The ryotwari system had the advantage of removing the zamindar middleman
between the government and the cultivator, who too often acted as a screen
behind which oppression could go on undetected. It was introduced by the
British in the Madras and Bombay Presidencies.
Sabarmati Ashram: was established by
Mahatma Gandhi on the Sabarmati river near Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
Sabuktigin: was the first Turkish invader
of India.
Saddler Commission: relates to University
Education.
Sadri-i-Sadur: was the head of the
religious endowments and charities during the Mughal period.
Sailendra : king of Srivijaya in Sumatra
who was defeated by Rajen-dra-I, the Chola king.
Saka Era: is reckoned from 78 A.D.
Salt Satyagrah: See "Dandi
March".
Samachar Darpan: was the first vernacular
paper published during the regime of Marques of Hastings during the British
period.
Samaveda: This Veda is associated with
music.
Samiti: General Assembly was called
Samiti during the Vedic period.
Samkhya: is the earliest of the orthodox
schools of Hindu philosophy, founded by the sage Kapila. It was said to have
influenced Gautama Buddha. Both Samkhya and Buddhism are based on the notion of
suffering, the rejection of Vedic sacrifice, the renunciation of ascetic
extravagance, indifference to theism, and
belief in the constant 'becoming' of the world.
Samkhya: is the earliest school of Indian
philosophy.
Samudragupta: His best-known epigraphic
inscriptions are at Allahabad.
Sangam literature: was written in Tamil ,
mostly in the form of poetry.
Sangola, Treaty of: By this treaty, the
power of the Peshwas increased.
Saranjami system: was the important
feature of the Maratha revenue system. Regular soldiers were given salaries in
cash, though sometimes, the chiefs received revenue grants (Saranjam).
Sardeshmukhi: was an additional levy of
10%, which Shivaji demanded on the basis of his claim as the hereditary
Sardeshmukh (chief headman) of Maharashtra.
Sarnath: is associated with Buddha's
first sermon. Refer Buddhism.
Satara: After the fall of Raigarh to the
Mughals, it was the next capital
93
of the Maratha government
Satavahanas: were the earliest of the
historical dynasties of Andhra.
The founder of the Satavahana dynasty was
Simuka who ruled foryears from about 235 B.C. to 212 B.C.
They issued the coins of lead and potin.
(potin is an old compound of
copper, zinc, lead, and tin.).
The reign of Satavahanas lasted
approximately for 460 years.
Satyashodhak Samaj: Its main programme
was upliftment of the backward classes.
Seat of Central Government of India: was
shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in 1912.
Secretary of State for India: The office
of the Secretary of State for India was created by the Government of India Act,
1858.
Sedition Commission: It was related to
the recommendation of Rowlatt Act.
Seleucus (Seleukos Nikator): who assumed
power after Alexander as king of Western Asia, was defeated by Chandragupta
Maurya, and compelled to retire beyond the frontier.
Servants of India Society: was founded in
1905 by Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
Shah Alam II: was the Mughal emperor at
the time of Ahmed Shah Abdali's invasion of India.
Shah Nawaz Khan: was associated with the
Azad Hind Fauj organised by Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore in 1943.
Shahjahan: His original name was Khurram.
Shahrukh: was Mughal silver coin.
Shaista Khan: was deputed by Aurangzeb to
suppress Shivaji.
Shaivism:Refer Kashmir.
Shakas and Parthians: belonged to the
Kashatriya caste according to Manu.
Shambhaji :was successor of Shivaji.
Shankaracharya: Born in 788 A.D. was a
zealous preacher of Hin-
duism who uprooted Buddhism and Jainism
from India. He was pro-pounder of Advaita philosophy i.e., non-dualism or the
doctrine of monoism.
He established maths (monasteries) at
Badrinath, Dwarka, Sringeri and Puri.
Sharada script: The Kashmiri language was
originally written in Sharada script.
Sharda Act: deals with child marriage.
Shashagani: was a coin introduced by
Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq having two fractions of mixed copper and silver
coinage&endash;half and quarter jitals, described as adha (half) and bikh
respectively.
Sher Afghan: was the first husband of Nur
Jahan, originally known as Mihr-ul-nisa whom Jahangir married in 1611.
Sher Shah Suri:He ruled during 1540-45.
He introduced Afghan form of administration. He built Grand Trunk Road from the
river Indus to Sonargaon in Bengal. The monument Purana Qila in Delhi was built
by him (Refer Kila-Kuhna Mosque ).
He is known for introduction of the
system of horse-posts which facilitated quick exchange of news and supplied the
Government with in-
96
formation from different parts of the Empire.
Shivaji: Born in 1627, was a brave
general, military genius and capable administrator. He formally crowned himself
in 1614 at Rajgarh. His council of ministers was called Ashta Pradhan.
Shuja-ud-daulah: (1754-75) was an
implortant figure in the history of northern India. He played a very important
part in the Battle of Buxar (1764).
Shyamji Krishna Varma: is known to have
made the first organised attempt to establish a centre for training, propaganda
and political action for India's deliverance from British oppression. He
established the Home Rule Society in 1905 and then opened a centre for study
and propaganda in London, called the India House. (See also under Home Rule
Society).
Sikandar Lodi: was the Delhi Sultanate
ruler who moved the capital from Delhi to a new town which later came to be
known as Agra.
Sikandra: near Agra, is known for Akbar's
tomb. It was commenced by Akbar himself and completed by his son Jahangir in 14
years' time.
Sikh War, First: The British did not
annex Punjab after winning the
war because Lord Harding doubted his
strength to occupy the Punjab. He needed more troops.
Sikh War, Second: took place during the
period of Lord Dalhousie.
Simla Pact: It was signed between India
and Pakistan in 1972 after India defeated Pakistan in the war started by
Pakistan on Dec 3, 1971.
Simon Commission: was appointed by the
British government in November, 1927, to enquire into the progress of
responsible government in India. It first visited India in 1928. It did not
have Indian representation. It omitted any mention of dominion status and did
not recommend transfer of power to India.
Simuka: Refer Satavahanas.
Sindhu: is the river most mentioned in
early Vedic literature.
Siri fort city: was built by Allauddin
Khilji.
Sitadhyaksha: Superintendent of
Agriculture was known as Sitad-hyaksha
Smriti: is the traditional knowledge and
designates almost the entire body of post-Vedic classical Sanskrit literature.
It is often referred to as sastra, a term applied to any religious or
philosophical treatise. Manu Smriti is the oldest Smriti.
Solankis: of the Rajput Clan rose to
power in Malwa.
Somnath Temple: was robbed in 1025 A.D.
Somnath temple: is situated in Gujarat.
Stupa: During the reign of Ashoka, Stupa
was a symbol of Parinir-vana.
Stupa, highest in the world: is situated
near Abhishek Pushkarni in Vaishali district of Bihar.
Stupas at Sanchi: portray the art and
sculpture of Buddhists.
Subsidiary Alliance: In order to
safeguard and further the interests of the British Empire, Lord Wellesly,
Governor-General of India (1798-1805), followed the policy of subsidiary
alliances with regard to the Indian powers, which implied that the Indian
powers "were to make no wars and to carry on no negotiations with any
other state without the
knowledge and consent of the British
Government. The greater principalities were each to maintain a native force
commanded by British officers. The lesser principalities were to pay a tribute
to the paramount power. In return the British Government was to protect them,
one and all , against foreign enemies of every sort". Later, the feeble
princes were bowed off the mansad into well-pensioned retirements. The first Indian
ruler of a state who joined the Subsidiary Alliance was the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Sufi Movement: In India, Sufi Movement
existed in the 10th century. The Sufis propounded the idea of union with God
through love.
Sulah-i-kul of Akbar: denotes Universal
Toleration or 'Peace with all'.
Sultan Firoz Shah Memoirs: is known as
Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi.
Sumerian civilization: evolved a proper
system of writing.
Sumerian civilization: flourished on the
banks of the rivers Eupherates and Tigris.
Surat split: The first major split in the
Congress occurred in 1907 at Surat.
Surendra Sahi: was the prince of
Sambalpur (Orissa) who led a number of anti-British revolts in 1857. He was
held prisoner in the Haz-aribagh jail but was rescued by the rebellious sepoys
who challenged the authority of the British government. It was not till 1862
that Suren-dra Shahi surrendered and was deported.
Surya Sen: was responsible for Chittagong
Armoury Raid.
Surya-Sidhanta of Aryabhatta: It was
translated into Arabic by al-Biruni.
Sushruta Samhita: is associated with
surgery.
Susrutha: is known for his work on
medicine during the Gupta period.
Suvarna: is referred to as gold coin in
the Gupta inscriptions.
Svetketu: According to the tradition the
once universally prevalent custom of indiscriminate sexual union was stopped by
the sage Svetketu, son of Uddalaka, who established the custom of the permanent
monadrous union. It is binding not only in this life but in the life hereafter.
Manu declared that for a woman, marriage
was 'for all time irrevocable, and indissolute. Divorce and remarriage were
absolutely forbid-
den.'
Swaraj Party: It was the first to moot in
1934 the idea of a Constituent Assembly to frame a Constitution for India. C.R.
Das was leader of the Swaraj Party in Bengal.
Swarajist Party: The founders of the
Swarajist Party were&endash; Vithal Bhai Patel, Moti Lal Nehru and C.R.
Das.
Swarajya is my Birthright and I Will Have
It: Bal Gangadhar Tilak gave this popular slogan when in 1915-16, the two Home
Rule Leagues (one started under the leadership of Mrs Annie Besant and the
other under the leadership of Bal Gangadhar Tilak) worked in cooperation and
carried out intense propaganda over the country in favour of the demand for the
grant of Home Rule or self-government to India.
Tabo Monastery: celebrated 1000 years of
existence in 1996. It is also known as Ajanta of the Himalayas.
Tagara: was an important trade centre of
ancient India on the trade route connecting Kalyana and Vengi.
Tahqiq-i-Hind: was written by Alberuni.
Also refer Alberuni.
Taimur: invaded India in 1398.
Taj Mahal: is marble mausoleum built at
Agra at the river Yamuna by Shah Jehan. Its architectural features resemble
Humayun's Tomb at Delhi.
Takshila (Taxila): is the ancient oldest
Vihar in India. It was a great centre of trade and commerce in the Gupta
period.
Talikota, Battle of: As per the latest
researches, the so-called battle of Talikota, fought between the Deccan Muslim
States and Vijayana-gar, was actually fought between villages Rakkasi-Tangadi.
Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam: belong to
the Dravidian linguistic family.
Tamralipti: now Tamluk, is the ancient
name of an important port on the north-eastern coast of India during the Gupta
period. According to Jain sources, Tamralipti was the capital of the kingdom of
Venga and was long known as a port.
Tanka: was a silver coin of the Sultanate
period of India.
Tansen: of Gwalior specialised in Ragas
music.
Tarain, Second Battle of: In this battle,
Mohammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.
Tarikh-i-Yamini: was written by Utbi.
Tarik-i-Firuzshahi: was written by
Ziyaudin Berni.
Tashkent Pact: was signed between India
and Pakistan on January 11, 1966.
Tattvabodhini Patrika: a journal of the
Brahmo Samaj under the editorship of Akshay Kumar Datta, was started by
Debendranath Tagore.
Temple architecture&endash;Indian
style: Nagara, Dravida, and Vesara are the three main styles of Indian temple
architecture.
Tharus: are tribal people of the Tarai
region of the Himalayan foot-hills located in southern Nepal and in Uttar
Pradesh. They are largely Indian in culture.
Therigatha: was not a part of early Jaina
literature.
Thirukkural: was written during the
period of the later Pandyas.
Tilak, Bal Gangadhar: known as 'Lokmanya'
and 'Father of the Indian Unrest' was a great political leader and profound
religious scholar. He founded Home Rule League in 1916 and was the first Indian
to demand freedom as his birthright. He was considered an extremist. He was
imprisoned for six years in 1908 and sent to Mandalay (Burma).
Timur: He invaded India in 1398 A.D.
during the reign of Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah.
Tinkathia: This system related to indigo
planting in Champaran (Bihar). According to it, the Champaran tenant was bound
by law to plant three kathas out of every twenty (which make one acre) of his
land with indigo for his landlord. Gandhij's Champaran struggle was against
this system.
Tipu Sultan: Raja of Mysore. He had his
capital in Seringapatnam. He died fighting the British in the 4th Mysore War in
1799. This was the real beginning of British territorial dominion in South
India.
Todar Mal: was one of the Nau Rattans and
Revenue Minister of Akbar. He helped Akbar in introducing Land Revenue
Administration.
Tomaras: Refer Dhillika (Delhi).
Toramana: belonged to the ethnic horde of
the Huns. The Huns under Toramana pushed their conquest deep into the interior
as far as Eastern Malwa, but their imperial power was finally shattered in
533-34 A.D. by Yasodharman, an energetic and ambitious chief of Mandasor in
Western Malwa.
Trade Union Congress: Indian Trade Union
Congress was created in 1920 by N.M. Joshi.
Transfer of India's capital : The
transfer of India's capital from Calcutta to Delhi took place during the regime
of Lord Hardinge-II.
Treaty of Allahabad : was signed in 1765
during the reign of Shah Alam-II.
Treaty of Purandhar: establishing a
general peace agreement between the English and Marathas was signed in 1776.
Tripitakas: are sacred books of the
Buddhist.
Triratna: or 'three jewels'is associated
with Jainism.
Tulsi Das: author of Ram Charit Manas,was
the famous Hindi poet in the Mughal period. He lived during the reign of Akbar.
He did not belong to the 'Nirgula School'.
Turushkadanda: was a tax collected by the
Gahadavalas during the early medieval India.
Tuzik-i-Babri or Memoirs of Babar: was
written in Turkish.
Tyabji, Badruddin: He was the first
Muslim President of the Indian National Congress. He was elected in 1887 at the
Madras session.
Ulagh Khan: He was the general of Sultan
Ghaiyas-ud-din. In 1323, he defeated Prataparudra, the Kakatiya ruler of
Warangal.
Ulemas: were Muslim clergy.
Ulgulan Rebellion: is associated with
Santhals.
Upanishads: are works embodying the
mystical doctrines of ancient Hindu philosophy. The major Upanishads deal with
some of the great problems like the nature of God and the soul, of man and the
world, and the relation between them; the nature and purpose of existence; the
ultimate reality and the attainment of salvation by man.
The fundamental doctrine of the
Upanishads is the identity of the individual soul with the Universal soul. The
Upanishads are not the Vedic text.
Upanishads were translated into Persian
on the instance of Dara Shikoh.
Vagbhata: is regarded as unrivalled in
his knowledge of the basic principles of Ayurveda.
Vaiseshika: is one of the six orthodox
systems of Hindu philosophy, founded by the sage Kasyapa (or Kanada).
Vaishnava Sect: founded by Chaitanya
(1485-1534), was popular in Bengal and Orissa.
Vakatakas: belong to the period of
Guptas. During the reign of the emperor Chandragupta-II, the Vakataka kingdom
was much under the Gupta influence.
Vamsa: According to ancient Hindu
society, those who are descended fron one rishi in a direct line constitute a
vamsa, or dynastic family.
Varahmihira: (505-587 A.D.) was a great
Indian astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. He was one of the nine gems
of the court
of king Vikramaditya. He was born near
Ujjain.
Varun: is the important divinity of Rig
Veda.
Vasco da Gama: was a Portuguese sailor
who, in 1498, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and succeeded in reaching the port
of Calicut on April 22, 1498. He thus discovered the sea route to India.
Vatapi (or Badami): now in the Bijapur
district of Karnataka, where
Pulakesin I, founder of the Chalukya
dynasty in the middle of the sixth
century, established himself as lord of
Vatapi or Badami (capital of
Chalukyas).
It is well-known for Chalukyan sculpture
found in the cave temples
here.
Vatsyayana: He wrote Kamasutra.
Veda: the word Veda means knowledge.
Vedangas: Refer Kalpa.
Vedic Age: The age of early Vedic period
is 1500-1000 B.C. Agriculture was the main occupation of Aryans in the Vedic
period.
Vengi: was the capital of Eastern
Chalukyas.
Vernacular Press Act, 1878: Lord Lytton
passed this Act in 1878 which sought to conrol the Vernacular Press. The
measure was regarded as part of a policy to hamper the growth of a Nationalist
India. The Act was repealed by Lord Rippon and newspapers were again owed equal
freedom in dealing with the social and political questions.
Vidushaka: the constant companion and
confidant of the hero in Sanskrit dramas, was nearly always a Brahmin.
Vijaynagar Kingdom: (1336-1565) was a
Hindu kingdom in the Dec-can founded during the reign of Mohammad Tughlaq by
two Hindu brothers Hari Har and Bukka Raya in order to check the tide of Muslim
conquests. Raja Krishna Dev was the most famous king of this kingdom.
Land tax was the special feature of the
financial system of Vijaynagar kingdom.
Vijnanesvara: was a jurist. He wrote at
the court of the Chalukya king Vikramaditya-VI. He was author of Mitakshara, a
commentary on Hindu law
Vijnanesvara: Refer Mitakshara.
Vikrama Era (or Vikrama Samvat): is
recokned from 58 B.C.
Vimal Vaseeh and Loon Vaseeh: The marble
carvings inside the Vimal Vaseeh and Loon Vaseeh (Dilwara temples) called
"a dream in marble" were damaged by the soldiers of the Muslim
invader Ala-ud-din Khilji during his invasion of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Vinoba Bhave: was selected as the first
Satyagrahi in Individual Satyagrah Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi.
Vish: In the Vedic society, the term vish
denoted a group of families.
Vishaya: was the most important of the
smaller administrative units of the Gupta empire.
Vishayapati: During the Gupta period of
Indian history, village affairs were managed by the village headman with the
assistance of Vishayapati.
Vivekanand, Swami: was founder of the
Ramakrishna Mission.
Wahabi Movement: was started in India by
Sayyid Ahmad of Bareilly who was influenced by Wahabi ideas from Arabia. This
became the
militant 'Wahabi' movement of the early
nineteenth century , with its headquarters at Patna.
It could not, however, achieve the status
of a national movement because (a) it was thoroughly communal, (b) it had no
nationalist ideal, and © it denied membership to the non-Muslims.
Wandiawash, Battle of: In the battle of
Wandiawash in 1760, the English defeated the French.
Warangal: was the capital of Kakatiyas.
Refer also Ulagh Khan.
Warren Hastings: Governor General of
India who knew both Persian and Bengali. He was impeached by the British
Parliament.
Weight (or measure): The basic weight in
ancient India was Raktika.
Widows' re-marriage: Re-marriage of
widows was legalised by the Act III of 1872.
William Bentinck, Lord: Governor-General
of India (1828-1835). He is remembered for his reforms such as abolition of
Sati, suppression of Thuggee, Western education.
The decision to impart English education
through the medium of English language was taken during his period.
Wonder of the age: This description about
Mohammad Tughlak is given in the travel accounts of Ibn Batuta.
Wood's Despatch of 1854: resulted in the
introduction of Postal system in India.
Yadav dynasty (1190-1294): was brought to
an end in 1294 with the capture of Devagiri (modern Daulatabad) in the northern
Deccan by Alaud-din-Khilji.
Yakshagana: was the south Indian dance
tradition that appeared for the first time in the Vijayanagar period.
Yaska: is associated with etymology
(study of the origin and history of words). The treatise of Yaska (320 B. C.)
is regarded as the standard work on Vedic etymology in which he explains
meanings of words and investigates their origin.
Yoga: It is one of the six orthodox
systems of Hindu philosophy, believed to have been founded by the sage
Yajnavalkya, and later codified by Patanjali in his Yoga-sutras. Yoga has been
defined as a form of mental and physical discipline. There is evidence to show
that some of the yoga disciplines were in
existence at the time of the Indus Valley
Civilization.
Young Bengal Movement: was started by
Henry Vivian Louis Derozia.
Young India: was a magazine started by
Gandhiji.
Yugas: According to ancient Indian
cosmogonic ideas, the sequential order of the cycle of four aeons (Yugas) is
Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali.
Zabti System: was introduced by Akbar for
land revenue administration. In Zabti system, land was measured and assessment
of land revenue was based upon it..
Zawabits: were concerned with State laws.
The Delhi Sultanate framed their own regulations called Zawabits (secular
decrees) for ensuring that things forbidden by the shara were, as far as
possible, not flouted openly.
Zia-ud-din Barni: His historical works
give the source material of Tughlaq dynasty.
Zili Ilahi (shadow of God on earth):
Allauddin Khilji declared himself as 'Zili Illahi'.
GEOGRAPHY
Acid precipitation (Acid Rainfall): is
now regarded as a serious problem in some European and Asian countries, the
main cause and source of which is emissions of sulphur oxides and nitrogen
oxides from thermal power plants and burning of fossil fuels. These oxides
dissolve in atmospheric water vapour and fall back on earth as acid rainfall.
Acid rainfall can cause destruction of
crops and trees; destruction of fish; and damage to buildings.
Ajanta Caves: near Aurangabad
(Maharashtra) are famous for 29 wonderful Buddhist caves (excavated in the
rock) richly ornamented with sculpture and paintings. Dating from about 150
B.C. to AD 650, it is the work of Vakatakas and early Chalukya kings. Ajanta
mountain range is spread over in Maharashtra only
Aleurone layer: is that part of the grain
in cereals where much of the protein lies.
Alluvial soil: is the richest and most
fertile soil of India spread over large areas in northern plains of India.
Aluminium: is extracted from Bauxite.
Aphelion: is the position of the earth in
its Orbit when it is at its greatest distance from the sun.
Arabian Sea: It lies on the north-west
side of India. Winter precipitation in North-West India results from westerly
depression.
Arakan Yoma: is the extension of the
Himalayas located in Myanmar.
Aravalis: is the mountain range which
stretches from Gujarat in the West to Delhi in the North. These ranges are the
oldest mountains in India according to geographical history.
Aravalis ranges are examples of Block
mountains. These ranges run almost parallel to the direction of winds and that
is why Rajasthan remains dry during South-West monsoon season and there is lack
of vegetation.
Archipelago: is a cluster of islands in
large expanse of water.
Asteroids: are the smallest planet-like rocky
bodies about 1,000 kilometres or less in diameter that orbit the Sun primarily
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Because of their small size and large
numbers relative to the nine major planets, asteroids are also called
minor planets.
Atlantic: is the ocean between America
and Europe.
Atmosphere-Earth's: The earth's
atmosphere is made up of oxygen, nitrogrn, carbon dioxide, argon, helium and
some other rare gases. The lower layer is called Troposphere. In the
troposphere, the normal lapse rate i.e., the decrease in temperature with
height is of the order of 1øC for 155 metres.
The layer that reflects radio waves back
to the earth is called Ionosphere.
Stratosphere is second layer of the
earth's atmosphere beginning at a height of about 16 km above the Equator and
lying closely above the troposphere. In the stratosphere, the temperature does
not decrease with the altitude but remains uniform.
As we go up in the atmosphere, both
temperature and pressure decrease.
High pressure in atmosphere denotes the
state of the atmosphere when the barometer reads about 760 mm or above.
Atmosphere, Sun's: The atmosphere of the
Sun has 3 layers-Photosphere, Chromosphere and Corona.
Aurora Borealis: is a light phenomenon
(atmospheric electricity) seen
at nights in Northern Hemisphere.
Bark: of the cinnamon plant is used as a
spice.
Barley: Its cultivation requires cool
climate. U.P. produces the largest quantity of barley in India.
Basin: is the area drained by a river.
Bauxite: is an ore of aluminium. Bihar
ranks first in its production.
Bering Strait: separates Asia from North
America.
Bhabhar region: in south of the
Shivaliks, is an example of Piedmont situation i.e., belonging to or related to
the foot of a mountain.
Bhorghat Pass: is in Maharashtra.
Black holes: are stars with very strong
gravitational force.
Black soil: It is suitable for
cultivation of cotton. Maharashtra is known for black soil.
Blowouts in sandy deserts: are formed by
deflation.
Brackish water lake in India (largest):
Sambhar (Rajasthan).
Brahamputra delta: is of arcuate type.
Canyon: A gorge, relatively narrow but of
considerable size, bounded by steep slopes and usually formed by river.
Cardamom: Karnataka is the largest
producer of cardamom. India is the largest exporter of cardamom in the world.
Cash crops: Sugarcane, cotton and jute
are cash crops. Wheat does not fall in this category.
Cauvery river: It flows from Karnataka to
Tamil Nadu and falls in the Bay of Bengal. This river thrice forks into two
streams and reunites a few kms farther on, thus forming the islands of
Srirangapattanam, Sivasamudram and Srirangam.
Chambal and Son rivers: These rivers of
Peninsular India flow towards the northern plain. Chambal river flows through
U.P, M.P. and Rajasthan.
Chilika Lake: is situated in Orissa.
Chilika region is an inland drainage
area. Chilika lake is endangered by prawn
farming
Chulgiri hills of "Barwani":
are located in the Madhya Pradesh.
Chumbi Valley: is in Sikkim.
Cinnamon: Its bark is used as a spice.
Cirque: is a bowl-shaped depression
created as a result of glacial erosion high on a mountain side.
Climate: is an important physical element
because it indicates the atmospheric conditions of heat, moisture and air
circulation.
Climate of India: is typically tropical
monsoonal.
Climate, Tropical humid : forms a 5ø wide
belt around the earth across the Equator.
Climograph: is a graphical representation
of the differentiation between various types of climate. It reveals the type of
climate at a glance-a climograph showing wet bulb temperatures and relative
humidities which are high, for instance, depicts a constantly hot damp climate.
Clouds, Stratus : are clouds which are
like a dark grey sheet extending from one side of horizon to the other and have
a uniform base.
Coal: Coal is an example of sedimentary
rock.
The four types of coal arranged in the
increasing order of their carbon
content are Peat, Lignite, Bituminous,
and Anthracite
Coastline of India, Length of : The
length of India's coastline is 7516 km and its territory includes 1,256 islands.
Tamil Nadu has the longest coastline in India.
Col: a depression in a range of hills is
called Col.
Comet: are bright celestial bodies with
long luminous tails moving round the Sun.
Comet's tail: is directed away from the
sun because the radiation emitted by the sun exerts a radial pressure on the
comet throwing its tail away from the sun.
Congo river: It is known for crossing the
Equator twice.
Coniferous forest belt: It supplies most
of the world's requirement of
newsprint.
Continents: Asia is the largest continent
areawise.
Convectional Rainfall: is the rainfall
which is caused by the process of Convection in the atmosphere. An example of
convection is the upward movement of air which has been heated by contact with
the earth's surface; this air is said to rise in a convection current.
Convec-tional rainfall is common in the Equatorial region.
Cotopaxi: is the highest volcano in the
world. It is situated in Ecuador Andez.
Crater: is the funnel-shaped hollow at
the top of a volcano.
Crique: is developed by glacial action.
Cumulonimbus: A heavy dark typical
thunderstorm cloud of great vertical depth, towering upwards in huge,
voluminous masses.
Cyclones,Tropical : of the Bay of Bengal
are usually called Depressions.
Cyclones-Typhoons: Cyclones in the
Philippines are called Typhoons.
Cyclonic Rainfall: Such rains are
associated with the passage of cyclones or Depression caused by a warm, moist
air mass moving upwards over colder, heavier air.
Damodar river: rises in Chhotanagpur
Plateau. It is known as Bengal's Sorrow.
Dandakaranya rivers: The two rivers of
Dandakaranya region are Ma-hanadi and Godavari.
Dark Continent: Africa is known as
"Dark Continent".
Date Line, International: International
Date Line is an internationally agreed line drawn parallel to the 180ø
meridian. It divides the Pacific Ocean into two equal parts. A crossing of the
International Date Line entails repeating one day when travelling westwards.
Day on the Poles: The maximum length of a
day on the poles is six months.
Deciduous forests: occupy the largest
percentage area in India.
Denudation: Disintegration and
decomposition of rocks is known as
denudation.
Desert soils in India: are poor in
mineral nutrients and infertile because the dearth of rainfall and humus do not
allow good soil formation.
Diamond Ring: is a phenomenon observed
only along the peripheral regions of the totality trail of a solar eclipse.
Diego Garcia Islands: are located in the
Indian Ocean.
Doldrums Belt: is a zone of the tropics
where the calm lasting for some weeks prevails, broken at times by erratic
squalls and baffling winds. It is an area of low pressure. The wind system in
the Equatorial areas is known as doldrums.
Earth: The geometric form of the earth is
approximately that of an "oblate spheroid". Its circumference was
calculated by Eratosthenes, a Greek philosopher, to be nearly 40,000 km. The
earth rotates from west to east. It has the largest content of oxygen. Water
occupies 70% of earth area. 7/10 of the earth area is covered with ocean water.
Pythagoras held the view as early as the
6th century B.C. that the earth is a sphere. Aristotle in the 4th century B.C.
supported it by such
arguments from observation as the
circular form of earth's shadow seen in the moon during an eclipse.
Earth's core: is mainly composed of iron
and nickel.
Lithospere is the innermost layer of the
earth.
Earth's Gravitational Force: Minimum
velocity required to escape is 11.2 km/s.
Earthquakes: are movements of the earth's
crust. These may be caused by volcanic eruptions, breaking of the strata under
the strain of the contraction caused by the cooling of the earth's crust, the
sudden generation and expanding of steam or due to the actual sinking of
portion of the crust.
The main cause of occurrence of
earthquakes is movement in earth strata.
Ecology: is the study of the relation of
animals and plants to their surroundings.
Equator: It is an imaginary line
encircling the earth at equal distance from the Poles. It is the dividing line
between the northern and southern hemisphere. It is the zero latitude of our
maps.
Days and nights are always of equal
length at places on the Equator. Equator is the place nearest to the centre of
the earth at sea level.
Equatorial region: experiences afternoon
thunder-showers.
Equinox: The two periods in the year
about March 21 Vernal or Spring Equinox and about September 22 Autumnal Equinox
when the sun is vertical over the Equator and day-night are of equal duration.
At this position, the earth revolves at a faster rate around the sun.
Eratosthenes: Refer Earth.
Estuary: A broad channel where sea and
river water mingle.
Expoliation: Process of disintegration of
rocks without changing their chemical composition.
Feldspar: a large group of rock-forming
minerals consisting chiefly of alumino-silicates of potassium and sodium. They
are constituents of granite and other primary rocks.
Florida Strait: connects Gulf of Mexico
with Atlantic Ocean.
Fog: The dense mass of small water drops
on smoke or dust particles
in the lower layers of the atmosphere is
Fog. It is caused when moist air meets cold surface of the earth.
Folded Mountains in India: Himalayas is
the youngest folded mountain range in India.
Forests, Coniferous: are found in
Siberian-type climate.
Giant Star: A comparatively cool reddish
star almost 35 times the diameter of the sun.
Gibralter Strait: divides Europe and
Africa.
Glacial lake example in India: Dal Lake
in Srinagar.
Gobi Desert: is located in Mongolia.
Gondwana continent: The Indian
sub-continent was originally part of a huge land mass called Gondwana
continent.
Granite: belongs to the Metamorphic type
of rock.
Great Circle: A circle on the earth's
surface whose plane passes through its centre, and bisects it into two
hemispheres. Two opposing
meridians together form a Great Circle.
The shortest distance between any two points on the earth's surface is the arc
of the Great Circle which passes through them.
0ø latitude forms a Great Circle. (The
latitude or longitude of 75øW should be combined with 75øE to obtain the Great
Circle).
Great Red Spots: are contained in the
planet Jupiter.
Green Revolution: Dwarf variety of wheat
was used for Green Revolution.
Greenland: is the biggest island in the
world.
Groundwater reserves: have been tapped in
maximum in the North India plains.
Gulf Stream: is a warm ocean current
emerging from the Gulf of Mexico.
Himalayan rivers: have continuous flow
throughout the year because these are both snow-fed and rain-fed.
Himalayas: The Himalayas are formed of
parallel fold ranges of which the oldest is the Great Himalayan Range. They are
an example of
fold mountains.
Hindukush: is the mountain range which
forms the Western boundary of the Indian sub-continent.
Hinterland: is land area served by a
port.
Hong Kong: is called Pearl of the Orient.
The British government gave possession of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997.
The new flag of Hong Kong is red flag with a bauhinia flower embossed with
Chinese five stars.
Hormuz Strait: connects the Arabian Sea
and the Persian Gulf.
Horse Latitudes: Sub-tropical belts of
high atmospheric pressure over the oceans situated in both hemispheres. These
are called Belts of Calm between regions of the Trade Winds and Westerlies of
higher latitudes.
Humboldt Current: also called "Peru
Current", is cold ocean current.
Hunter's Paradise: The Equatorial Region
is known as hunter's paradise.
Hurricanes: are cyclonic storms in the
West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico.
Ice-cap: Vast area covered with deep ice
and snow for a long time is known as Ice-cap.
International nautical mile: is equal to
1852 metres.
Isobars: are lines on a map joining
places having same barometric pressure.
Isohel: is a contour line showing equal
amount of sunshine.
Isohyets: are imaginary lines on the map
joining places having equal rainfall.
Isotherms: are lines on a map which join
the places having the same mean temperature.
Isthmus: is a narrow strip of land which
joins two large land areas, otherwise separated by the sea.
Jhum:It is a slash and burn method of
shifting cultivation (called jhum) practised on rainfall-bed slopes of forest
hills and dales in Arunachal
Pradesh.
Jog Falls :in Karnataka (also called
Gersoppa Falls) are the highest waterfalls in India. They are situated on the
Sharvati river.
Jupiter: The study of the planet Jupiter
led Galileo to disprove the geocentric concept of the solar system.
Kandla:is a sea port situated at the head
of the Gulf of Kuchch in Gujarat State. It was the first port to be developed
after independence.
Khasi Tribes:They are inhabiting the
Khasi and Jaintia hills in the north-eastern hilly tracts in Meghalaya state of
India. The Khasis have their own distinctive language and culture.
Karakoram Range: is a part of Aksai Chin
region. Karakoram Highway connects Pakistan with China.
Karakoram-2 (K-2): is the highest mountain
peak in India.
Kedarnath peak: is located in Garhwal
district of U.P.
Kuroshio: is warm ocean current which
flows near the coast of Japan and her islands.
Laterite soils: Laterite soils are formed
by the weathering of laterite rocks. These can be distinguished from other
soils by their acidity. Laterite soils are generally poor on the higher levels
and cannot retain moisture. In the plains, however, they consist of heavy loams
and clay and can retain moisture.
Laterite soils occur in Madhya Pradesh, Assam
and along the eastern and western Ghats.
Tea plantation require acidity which is
there in the laterite soil. It is, therefore, common in these areas.
Latitude: is the distance of any place
north or south of the Equator. The latitude of a place, on a night of clear
sky, can be determined by the angular distance of the Pole Star above the
horizon.
Llanos: are temperate grasslands.
Loams (loamy soil): Admixture of sand,
clay and silt is known as loamy soil. Loams are formed where the soils have
equal proportion of sand, silt and clay.
Local winds and their areas:
Khamsin-Egypt; Zonda-Argentina; Santa Ana-California; Simoon-Iran.
Longitude: of a place is its distance
east or west of a fixed meridian. The time interval between each longitude is 4
minutes. The distance between consecutive longitudes at the Poles is 0 km.
Lucene: It supplements shortage of green
fodder in summer season.
Lunar eclipse: The lunar eclipse occurs
at full moon only when the earth comes in between the sun and the moon which
phenomenon does not occur on every full moon.
Lunar month: is equal to 28 earth days.
Magma: is molten lava.
Marble: a coarse-grained, crystalline
Metamorphic Rock derived from limestones.
Mauna Kea: is the dormant volcano in
north central Hawaii Island, Hawaii, USA. It is the highest point in the State
(13,796 ft-4,205 metres above sea level). Its name means white mountain,
so-called because it is often snow-capped.
Mauna Loa: in south central Hawaii
island, Hawaii (U.S.) is an exam-
ple of active volcano. It is one of the
largest single mountain masses in the world.
Mercator: This projection is used to show
sea-routes in Great North Atlantic ocean.
Meridians: are lines of longitude drawn
on a map perpendicular to the Equator.
Meteor: is a shooting star that flashes
across the sky in the night.
Moisture: The presence of moisture in
atmosphere can be ascertained by observing water drops outside the surface of a
steel glass filled with cold water.
Monsoon in India: is related to
differential heating and cooling of the huge landmass of Asia and the Indian
Ocean and the origin of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal.
Monsoon term: The term Monsoon was
introduced by the Arabs.
Monsoon Winds: In the months of May and
June each year, the monsoon winds approach the southern tip of India from
south-westerly direction.
Monsoon, Retreating effect: Retreating
Monsoon has more effect on Tamil Nadu.
Monsoon, South-west: are caused due to
high temperature and low pressure over the Indian Sub-Continent during the
summer season.
Moon's revolution around the earth: Moon
takes 27days to complete one revolution around the earth.
Moonlight: Time required for moonlight to
reach earth is 1.3 seconds. Light travels at 3 lakh km per second and moon's
distance from earth is 3,85,000 km.
Moraine: are the debris or fragments of
rocks brought down with the movement of glacier.
Mormugoa: is a natural harbour.
Mt Everest: is the highest mountain peak
(of Himalayas) in the world. It is in Nepal. The man who discovered Mount
Everest as the highest peak of the Himalayas was a British Surveyor-Sir George
Everest.
Naga Hills: form the watershed between
India and Myanmar.
Narmada and Tapti: These rivers in south
India flow into the Arabian Sea. The river Narmada does not form a delta.
Nilgiris, The: is the name of the hills
in Tamil Nadu where the Eastern and Western Ghats of the Indian Peninsula meet.
Nor'-Wester: is a type of squall on the
plains of northern India, usually accompanied by violent thunderstorms and
heavy rainfall and hail showers; generally experienced during hot season (April
to June).
Ocean of Storms: is the name given to a
waterless area on the Moon's surface.
Ocean surface currents: These currents
follow clockwise circulatory paths in the northern parts of the Pacific and
Atlantic oceans due to the impact of prevailing winds.
Orion, The: The group of stars in the
southern hemisphere which helped earlier navigators to find their directions in
the 'high seas'.
Ox-bow lakes: are formed by rivers during
their middle course.
Palana: In South Arcot district of Tamil
Nadu is famous for lignite.
Pampas: are wet and dry tropical forests.
Pangong Tso: is one of the world's
highest and brackish lakes in Jammu & Kashmir.
Peat: is the variety of coal in which the
deposit contains recognizable traces of the original plant material.
Peninsula: is a stretch of land almost
surrounded by water.
Penumbra: is the partly shaded region,
from which a small amount of light is received, surrounding the Umbra in an
Eclipse.
Perihelion: is the position of the earth,
or another heavenly body, in its Orbit when it is at its nearest point to the
sun.
Planets: are spherical bodies which
revolve round the sun in elliptical paths known as orbits. There are nine
Planets-Mercury (closest to the sun and having the shortest day), Venus (the
hottest, and known as Morning Star), Earth, Mars, Jupiter (the largest), Saturn
(with ring system around it), Uranus, Neptune and Pluto (in the outermost orbit
of solar system).
As seen from the earth,Venus passes
through phases similar to earth. Venus is never visible from the earth at
mid-night.
The Planets on either side of the earth
are Mars and Venus. Pluto has the longest period of rotation (year is longest
on Pluto). Uranus is farthest from the sun. It has five satellites. Neptune is
at the farthest distance from the earth.
Of the nine Planets in the solar system,
Venus and Mercury are without any satellite.
Mars, known as the Red Planet, has the
length of its day and the tilt of its axis almost identical to those of the
earth.
Polar regions, length of day and night
at: It is six months long day in the northern polar region and six months long
night in the southern polar region because the earth is inclined towards its
orbital plane.
Prairie regions in Canada: Wheat is grown
in abundance here.
Precipitation: is a term in meteorology
which means that the deposits of water in either liquid or solid form reach the
earth from the atmosphere. It includes not only rainfall but also snow, sleet,
and hail which fall from the clouds, and dew and hoar frost.
Pressure zones on earth: are created due
to differential heating of the earth's surface by the sun.
Prime Meridian: is Zero Longitude.
Proxima Centauri: is a star nearest to
the earth.
Rainfall, Place having lowest rainfall in
India: The place in India receiving the lowest rainfall is Leh.
Rainfall, Convectional: Refer
Convectional Rainfall.
Rainfall, Orographic : Rainfall which is
caused by mountains standing in the path of moisture-laden air.
Rainy day: A rainy day, as defined by the
Indian Meteorological department, is a day when the rainfall at a point
received is above 2.5 mm in 24 hours.
Relative humidity: of a place is measured
by the state of atmosphere with respect to the water vapour it contains.
Richter Scale: is used for measuring
intensity of an earthquake.
Rivers and their Tributaries: Ganga
(Damodar); Krishna (Panch-ganga); Brahmaputra (Tista); Godavari (Indravati).
Roaring Forties : are westerly winds.
Rocks, Plutonic : Solidification of Magma
(molten lava) within the earth's crust leads to the formation of these rocks.
Rocks, Sedimentary : are rocks which have
been deposited in layers.
Rocks, Weathering of : is a natural
process of breaking up, decay and disintegration of rocks.
Sahara desert: is situated in the
continent of North Africa.
Sanctuary, Simlipal: is a Game Sanctuary
in Orissa having tiger reserves.
Satpura ranges: form the water divide
between the Narbada and the Tapti rivers.
Savannas: are found between latitudes 5ø
and 20ø North and South of Equator. These are tropical grasslands bordering the
equatorial forests in each hemisphere. The Llanos and Pampas of South Amer-
ica are chief examples of Savannas but
extensive Savannas are in Africa. Savanna grasslands are also found in
Australia.
The three-tier growth of vegetation is
found in these regions.
The natural vegetation of Savannas
consists of tall grass.
Seine river: flows through Paris.
Selvas: are rainy tropical forests.
Semi-arid regions of India: The hallmark
of watershed development in the semi-arid regions of India is the undertaking
of earthworks, soil conservation measures and tree plantation, so as to
conserve soil moisture and recharge underground water.
Snow, maximum in the world: is found in
Arctic region.
Solar Eclipse: is the partial or complete
obscuration of the sun because of the passage of the moon in front of it i.e.,
when the moon comes in between the sun and the earth.
A partial solar eclipse will be observed
by a person at a point on the earth where only the penumbra region of moon's
shadow will move past
The solar eclipse achieves totality only
in limited geographical regions because the trajectories of the earth around
the sun and the moon around the earth are not perfect circles.
South Alps ranges : are found in
Australia.
South America: This continent has the
highest mean elevation in the world.
South Pole: is located in the continent
of Antarctica.
South-East Asia: This region of Asia is
experiencing the highest annual growth rate of population.
Spring Tide: The tide on its maximum
height is known as Spring Tide.
Standard Time, India's: is based on 82.5ø
E longitude. It is exactly 5.5 hours advance of the Greenwich time. Allahabad
is treated as the place of reference for determining Indian Standard Time.
Steppes: are temperate grassland regions
in Eurasia.
Subtropics: Seasonal contrasts are
maximum in subtropics.
Sun's position at Singapore: The position
of the sun is annually twice overhead at Singapore because of the parallelism
of inclined axis of the earth.
Sun's Temperature: The surface temperature
of the sun is 6,000 degrees Centigrade.
Taiga Belt: lies between the Tibet-type
climate and the Tundras.
Tapti river: This river flows through
Maharashtra and Gujarat. It does not make a delta.
Temperature-Minimum in a day: is recorded
at 3 a.m.
Temperature-Diurnal range of : is the
difference between the maximum and the minimum temperature of a day.
Terra Rossa: a reddish clay soil which
typically develops in terrains composed of limestone. It is found in limestone
regions where the Mediterranean climate prevails. It is red in colour owing to
the accumulation of iron oxides-left behind after solution of the limestone.
Tibetan Plateau: Its average height above
sea level is 4 km.
Tidal flat: This environment supports the
growth of Mangrove swamp.
Tides in the ocean: are caused due to
gravitational pull of the moon. Tides have stored in them gravitational
potential energy. The average time interval between two successive high tides
is 24 hours 52 minutes.
Tista: is the main river in Sikkim.
Topsoil: A great abundance of rich
topsoil is likely to be found in an old river valley.
Trade Winds: are winds that blow from the
sub-tropical belts towards equator.
Tropic of Cancer: In India, it passes
through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Mad-hya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tripura and
Mizoram. It passes through Ranchi.
Uranium:The largest deposits of Uranium
in India are found in Bihar.
Vale of Kashmir: The famous Vale of
Kashmir refers to a longitudinal valley in the Himalayas, occupying an
anticline on the back of a nape-
a valley which had been a lake till the
Pleistocene.
Vindhyas: are the oldest mountains in
India according to geographical history. Vindhya Rock System is the most
mineralised rock system in India.
Volcanoes: are conical hills with
funnel-shaped hollows from which eruption of hot material takes place. The
bottoms of the hollows lead into the interior of the earth from which gases,
lava or steam find their way to the surface. The material that comes out of a
volcano at the time of eruption is liquid, solid and gaseous.
V-shaped Valley: The deep, steep and
V-shaped valley is made by the river in its second stage.
Zaskar Range: is a mountain range in
Kashmir.
Zodiac signs: are 12 in number.
GENERAL INFORMATION
A Nation in the Making: is autobiography
of Sir Surendranath Baner-jee.
A Matter of Time: is a book written by
Shashi Deshpandey.
A Tale of Two Cities: Charles Dickens is
author of this novel.
Abdul Kalam, Dr A.P.J.: is credited with
advancement of missile technology in India. He was honoured with Bharat Ratna
award on November 26, 1997.
Aberdeen: In Scotland is known for
Britain's largest granite-exporting industry. It is known as Granite City.
Adam Smith: is known as father of
Economics.
Advanced Centre of Marine Biology
Research: is located in Chennai (Madras).
Advanced Technology Centre: was set up in
1984 at Indore to develop technologies in the area of lasers and accelerators.
Advertising Agency in India, Biggest:
Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA).
Agni: is India's first long-range
missile. Refer under "Missiles developed by India".
Agro-based Industries: The Indian State
with maximum agro-based industries is Uttar Pradesh.
Ahmedabad city: This city on the left
bank of the Sabarmati river was founded by Malik Ahmed (Ahmed Shah-I), son of
Nizam-ul-Malik Bahri of the Nizam Shahi dynasty.
Aid-India Consortium: Japan is the
highest donor of aid to India in Aid-India Consortium.
AIDS: is infected by Virus.
Air Transport Industry: was nationalised
in 1953.
Aircraft engines: are manufactured at
Koraput (Orissa).
Aircraft instruments: are manufactured at
Lucknow.
Akash: Refer under "Missiles
developed by India".
Alam Ara: was the first talkie movie made
in India by A. Irani in 1931.
Alamatti Dam: is on the river Krishna.
Alang: situated on the Gulf of Khambata
in Gujarat is well-known for ship-breaking industry.
Alexander (ship): is the name of the ship
in which Charles Darwin toured for five years.
Alice in Wonderland: is a book written by
Lewis Carrol.
Amarnath, Lala: is famous Indian
cricketer. He became the first Indian to score a century, and that also on his
debut against visiting Douglas Jardine's England team at Bombay Gymkhana in
1933-34.
Ambati, Balamyrali: is the youngest
(17-year old) doctor of Indian origin in the world who received his medical degree
from Mount Sinai, New York.
Ambedkar, B.R.: was chairman of the
drafting committee for the Con-
stitution of India. He is known as the
architect of the Indian Constitution.
He was elected to the Constituent
Assembly from the then Bombay Presidency.
Amphibians: are animals adapted to both
aquatic and terrestrial life.
Amundsen, Ronald: is known for discovery
of South Pole in 1912.
Anandmath: is a novel written by Bankim
Chander Chatterjee. The song Vande Mataram first appeared in Anandmath
published in 1882.
It is known as the "Bible of Bengali
literature".
Angora wool: is sheered from Anatolian
goat.
Ankleshwar: is famous for petroleum.
Ankleshwar Oil-field is situated near Surat in Gujarat State.
Antyodaya: is a scheme to provide mid-day
meals to school children.
Apni Beti Apna Dhan: is a scheme
introduced by Haryana State for welfare of the girl child.
Apsara: is the first nuclear reactor of
India.
Aquaculture: refers to fish-farming (or
fish culture)
Aqualine: is the world's longest
under-sea tunnel (15.1 km long) bridge and tunnel express-way for motor
vehicles across Tokyo Bay. It links the Japanese cities of Kawasaki and
Kisarazu, with a 9.5 km undersea tunnel and 4.4 km bridge.
Arctic Research: has enabled researchers
to detect and monitor global environment phenomena such as depletion of
atmospheric ozone, global warming etc.
Arjun: is the name given to India's Main
Battle Tank designed and built indigenously.
Armistice: is an agreement to suspend
hostilities in order to negotiate for peace.
Arunachal Pradesh: was formed as the 24th
State of India as per the Constitution (55th Amendment) Act, 1987. This State
is best suited for growth of some of the rarest orchids.
Arundhati Roy: She won the Booker Prize
for her book God of Small Things.
Aryabhatta: was India's first
indigenously developed spacecraft launched in 1975.
Asbestos: Canada leads in the world in
producion of asbestos. In India, Andhra Pradesh leads in production of
asbestos.
ASEAN: Association of South East Asian
Nations. It was formed in 1967.
Asian Games, First: The first Asian Games
were held in New Delhi in 1951. From 1954 they were held every four years.
Asians in South Africa: Asians constitute
about 3.3 per cent of the total population of South Africa. Coloured population
is 10.5%.
Asthamudi Lake: is located in Kerala
State.
Atacama Desert: is situated in South
America.
Athabasea lake: is situated in North
America.
Atomic Energy Commission : Atomic Energy
Commission of India was set up in 1948 to lay policies on use of atomic energy
for peaceful application.
Attorney-General of India: is the first
Law Officer of the Government.
Autobiographical Writings: is written by
Lala Lajpat Rai.
Autobiography of an Unknown Indian: is
written by Nirad C. Chaud-hary.
Ayodhya: is situated on the river Gogra
(called Sarayu in ancient times).
Bachendri Pal: is the first Indian woman
to scale Mount Everest.
Baden Powell: was the founder of Boy
Scout and Civil Guides Movement.
Baikal Lake: is in Siberian desert.
Bailadila: in Bastar district of Madhya
Pradesh, is known for its wealth of Manganese.
Baku: is famous for the production of
petroleum.
Bandit Queen: is the controversial film
directed by Shekhar Kapoor. Its producer is S.S. Bedi.
Bank Rate: implies the rate of interest
at which the Reserve Bank of India discounts the Bills of Exchange.
Banks Nationalisation: Nationalisation of
14 commercial banks in India was effected in 1969.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin: was founder of
the modern Olympic Games.
Bastar: in Madhya Pradesh, is the largest
district in India (area-wise).
Beloved: is a novel authored by Toni
Morrison.
Bhabha, H.J.: is known as 'Father of the
Indian Programme in Atomic Energy'.
Bharat Bhawan: is the renowned multi-arts
centre, located in Bhopal.
Bharat Immunologicals and Biological Corporation
Ltd: is located at
Bulandshahr (UP) and is entrusted with
research and development of new and improved vaccines.
Bharatpur: in Rajasthan is known for
wildlife sanctuary which is included in the world heritage list.
Bhatia, Sabeer: is 29-year-old Indian
immigrant in Silicon Valley, California, USA, who parleyed an idea into
Hotmail, a million-dollar corporation offering free E-mail services anywhere in
the world. On New Year eve, Hotmail was acquired by Bill Gate's Microsoft for a
sum of $ 25 million (Rs 100 crore) making Bhatia one of the quickest
millionaires in the block. Bhatia had started the venture about 18 months ago
with just $ 2000.
Bihar: Indian State, it was separated
from Bengal on April 1, 1912.
Bihu: is the popular dance form of Assam.
Bill Gates: is associated with computer
software, microsoft windows.
Bird's tail: Its main function is to
control direction during flying.
Bituminous: is the common variety of
coal.
Black Box: is a recorder placed in the
pilot's cabin to record cockpit conversation.
Blue revolution: relates to fish farming.
Bokaro: in Bihar, is known for steel
plant.
Bombay High: Major off-shore oil-field of
India. It is located 176 km away from Mumbai.
Bombay Samachar: is the oldest daily
newspaper of India. It is a Gu-jarati daily published from Bombay (Mumbai).
Bongaigaon: is known for oil refinery.
Borge Ousland: is a Norwegian explorer.
He became the first person to walk across the Antarctic continent alone and
unsupported.
Borlaug, Norman Ernest: American agricultural
scientist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was one of those
who laid the groundwork of the Green Revolution.
Bose, Nand Lal: famous Indian painter who
was invited to draw sketches on the theme of national integration in the first
copy of the
Constitution of India.
Boycott: is one of the forms of political
protests derived from the name of the person who used it as a political weapon
for the first time. The other forms of political protest are Gherao, Bandh,
Hartal, Satya-graha etc.
Braille, Louis: He invented the script
for the blind.
Brihhat Samhita: is an encyclopaedic work
by Varahamihira (505-587) dealing with the study of omens from natural,
especially celestial, occurrences.
Varahamihira was Indian astronomer,
mathematician and philosopher, born near Ujjain.
Buckingham Canal: is in eastern Andhra
Pradesh and north-eastern Tamil Nadu. It was constructed between 1806 and 1882
along the backwaters of Coromandel coast which extends from Cape Comorin
northward to the Krishna-Godavari deltas. It is also known as Kom-mur Canal.
It is used as a route for transporting
bulk commodities to Madras (now Chennai). It is not used for irrigation.
Budapest: is situated on the bank of the
river Danube.
Buddha Jayanti: is observed on full-moon
day.
Budgetary Deficit: In India,
"budgetary deficit" is defined as 'excess of revenue expenditure over
revenue receipts of the government of India'.
Bull in stock exchange market: A
subscriber to the new issues expecting to sell his allotment of securities at a
profit when trading in them begins is called a Bull.
Bulls and Bears: refer to speculators
going up and down respectively in the stock market.
Bunting: is a term in the game of
Baseball.
Buoy: stands for a man serving in any
hotel for luggage transportation or as a guide.
Bura: is the popular dance form of Andhra
Pradesh.
CACP: Commission for Agricultural Costs
and Prices. Its objectives are (1) to stabilize agricultural prices; (2) to
ensure meaningful real income levels to the farmers; and (3) to protect the
interest of the con-
sumers by providing essential
agricultural commodities at reasonable rates through public distribution
system.
Calcium chloride: is present in the
common toothpastes as an abrasive.
Calcutta Improvement Trust: was set up in
the year 1921.
Canal irrigated land in India: Of the
total irrigated land in India, 40% is irrigated by canals.
Caribou: It is an animal also called
reindeer.
Cashew, Largest producing State of India
: Kerala leads in the production of cashew kernels.
Cattle areas, Richest : Southern Victoria
and Queensland are some of the richest cattle areas in Australia.
Cattle Fare in Sonepur: is the biggest
rural fair in India.
Central Cotton Research Institute: It is
situated in Pune.
Central Fuel Research Institute: is located
at Dhanbad.
Central Leather Research Institute: is
located in Chennai.
Centre for Electronic Development and
Technology and Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology: is set
up at Imphal (Ma-nipur).
Centre-State Finance relations: are
looked after by Finance Commission.
Centre-State relations: have been
specifically termed as 'municipal relations' in respect of Centre's control of
the State in the planning process.
Chairman of Rajya Sabha: The
Vice-President of India is Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Chaitanyabhoomi: is the Central memorial
for Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar built at Rajgruha in Dadar, Mumbai.
Chakmas: are refugees from Bangladesh
settled in India.
Chakra: was the first nuclear submarine
acquired by the Indian Navy.
Chameli Devi Award: is given to
journalists.
Champions Trophy: is associated with
hockey.
Chandernagore (Chandan Nagar): is the
place on which the "French City" plan, mooted by the French
Government and approved by the West Bengal Government, is coming up.
Chandernagore (Chandan Nagar) is located
on the western bank of the Ganga, some 40 km north of Calcutta. The
"French City" plan is to recapture and revive the lingering traces of
French culture in the former enclave.
Chants of India: It is Sitar Maestro Ravi
Shankar's album, produced by former Beatle, George Harrison. This album pushes
further at the boundaries of East-West fusion, using chants based on ancient
Sansskrit prayers and mantras and combining Indian classical music and Western
instrumentation.
Charar-e-Sharief: is the Dargah of Sufi
saint Sheikh Nooruddin Wali in Kashmir, which was burnt by terrorists in March,
1995.
Charminar: is located in Hyderabad.
Chennai: is the new name for Madras city.
Chernobyl: is a Russian city having a
nuclear power plant where a tank of radioactive waste exploded in April, 1993.
This explosion is known as 'Chernobyl Disaster'.
Chhotanagpur: It is a plateau area in
south Bihar inhabited mainly by the tribals. (In fact, it is a name given to
the contiguous tribal areas in Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh).
Chief Election Commissioner of India: is
appointed by the President. He is the final authority in matters to be decided
by the Election Commission.
Chief Justice of a High Court: When the
Chief Justice of a High Court acts in an administrative capacity, he is subject
to special control exercised by the Chief Justice of India.
Child labour: is estimated to be 40
million in India.
Chipko Andolan: is a movement to save the
trees.
Chris Patten: was the last British
Governor of Hong Kong.
Christmas season in Australia: It is
summer season in Australia during Christmas.
Chukha (or Chokha) hydropower project: is
the 336 MW project in Bhutan, completely built by India. It is the largest
hydropower project in Bhutan, constructed on the river Wang Chu.
Churchill: was Prime Minister of U.K.
during second world war. He is known to have said "I have nothing to offer
except blood, sweat and tears".
CIJWS: The Counter-Insurgency and Jungle
Warfare School, the only one of its kind in Asia, has been set up at Vairangte
(Mizoram). It imparts training and evaluates doctrines on low intensity
conflict.
CIS: The 11 independent States of the
former Soviet Union are known as Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
City of Seven Hills: is in Rome.
CNN: refers to the US television network.
Cocoanut: Kerala is the leading producer
of cocoanut in India. Co-coanut tree normally yields 60-70 nuts in a year.
COFEPOSA: stands for Conservation of
Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Act.
Coffee: Brazil is the largest producer of
coffee in the world.
Cogentrix : is a US-based Company setting
up a project in Karnataka related to power generation.
Common salt: is obtained from sea water
by the process of evaporation.
Commonwealth Day: is observed on May 24
every year.
Community Development Project: Each
Community Development Project covers a population of two lakh people. The most
important feature in the Community Development Programme is people's
participation.
Conditioned Reflex: is the term mainly
discussed in Psychology.
Conquest of Happiness: The author of this
book is Bertrand Russell.
Consolidated Fund of India: The money
from the Consolidated Fund of India can be regularised by law made by the
Parliament, and until provision in that behalf is so made, it shall be
regulated by rules made by the President.
Constitution of India
- Article
360: empowers President to declare an emergency if there is financial
instability in the State.
- President
of India: Minimum age of a candidate to be eligible for election as President
of India is 35 years.
- Schedules
: Indian Constitution has 12 Schedules.
- Speaker's
resignation: In case the Speaker intends to resign, his letter of resignation
should be addressed to the Deputy Speaker.
- 24th
Amendment: It affirmed the power of the Parliament to amend any part of the
Constitution. After this amendment, the President is bound to assent to a
Constitution Amendment Bill even if it relates to Fundamental Rights.
- 42ndAmendment:
Education was transferred to the Concurrent List by this Amendment.
- 74th Amendment: was made in the year
1992 to ensure direct elections to all seats in Nagarpalikas and
Municipalities.
- Adjournment
Motion: The notice for moving the Motion for Adjournment of the business of the
House is required to be given to the Presiding Officer of the House.
- altering
State boundaries; formation of new States: The provisions relating to formation
of new States and altering of boundaries etc are contained in Articles 3-4 of
the Constitution. By a simple majority and by the ordinary legislative process,
Parliament may form new States or alter the boundaries etc of existing States.
Provided that no Bill for the purpose shall be introduced in either House of
Parliament except on the recommendation of the President.
Article 4 provides that any such law for
making itself effective, may amend the First and Fourth Schedules of the
Constitution, without going through the special formality of a law for the
amendment of the Constitution as prescribed by Article 368.
- Amendment
of election procedure of President: Besides passage
of the bill in Parliament by the required
majority, the legislatures of at
least half of the States must ratify it.
- Anglo-Indians: The President may, if he
is of the opinion that the Anglo-Indian community is not adequately represented
in the Lok Sabha, nominate not more than 2 members of that community to the
House of the People (Lok Sabha).
- Anti-defection
Law: is contained in the Tenth Schedule. Refer Anti-defection Law.
- Appointment
of Chief Ministers of States: The Indian Constitution does not empower the
President of India to appoint the Chief Ministers of States.
- Article
15: prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion etc which is a Fundamental
Right classified under the Right to Equality.
- Article
17: Untouchability was abolished by the Government under provision of Article
17.
- Article
19 (1) (a): Freedom of the press in India is implied in the wider freedom of
expression guaranteed by Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution.
- Article
254: provides that in case of any conflict between Union laws and State laws,
the Union law shall prevail.
- Article 280: provides for the
quinquennial appointment of Finance Commission.
- Article
32: Writs under Article 32 of Indian Constitution can be issued by the Supreme
Court.
- Article
343(1): declares HINDI as the official language of India.
- Article
352: deals with Emergency to be imposed due to external aggression.
- Article
355: Under it, the Central Government is duty-bound to protect every State
against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the
government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of
the Indian Constitution.
Thus it is the duty on the part of the
Centre to keep itself informed about the developments in any State..
- Article
356: relates to declaration of the President's rule in a State.
The President's Rule can be proclaimed if
the President, on receipt
of a report from the Governor of the
State, or otherwise, is satisfied
that a situation has arisen in which the
Government of the State can
not be carried on in accordance with the
provisions of the Constitu
tion.
- Article 368: empowers the Parliament to
amend the Constitution.
- Article
370: confers special rights on Jammu & Kashmir State.
- Article
40: It lays that the State shall take steps to organise Village Panchayats.
- Articles
& Schedules: The original Constitution of India contained 395 Articles and
8 Schedules. Subsequently, additions were made and after the repeal of several
provisions, it still (in 1990) contained 407 Articles and 10 Schedules. There
are now 12 Schedules.
- Attorney
General: The chief legal advisor to Government of India is Attorney General of
India.
He has a right to participate in the business
of Parliament though he is not a member of the Lok Sabha.
- Basic
structure: The basic structure theory of the Constitution of
India implies that certain features of
the Constitution are so essential
to it that they cannot be abrogated.
- Bi-cameral; Economic Justice; Equality
before law: It provides for a Bi-cameral system. Economic justice has been
incorporated in the Directive Principles of State Policy. The ideal of
'Equality before Law' is achieved by the implementation
of the adult franchise in India.
- Bill
to amend: A Bill to amend the Indian Constitution can be introduced either in
Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.
- Centre-State
financial relations: States cannot levy income tax.
- Chairman
of the Drafting Committee: The chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian
Constitution was Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
- Collective
Responsibility: The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to
the House of the People. The principle of collective responsibiliy is codified
in Article 75(3) of the Constitution.
- Concurrent
List: In the case of a conflict between the Centre and a State in respect of a
subject included in the Concurrent List in the Constitution of India, the
matter is resolved by the Supreme Court of India.
- Constituent
Assembly: was adopted on the 26th November, 1949. It was authenticated by Dr
Rajendra Prasad, President of the Constituent Assembly, and it came into force
on January 26, 1950.
- Council of Ministers: The Union Council
of Ministers in India is ap-
pointed by the President of India on the
advice of the Prime Minister.
- Custodian
of Fundamental Rights: is the Supreme Court of India.
- date
of coming into force: The Constitution of India came into force on January 26,
1950.
- Defence:
The Supreme Command of the Defence Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) is vested
in the President of India
- Democracy
in India: Democracy in India rests on the fact that people have the right to
choose and change the government.
- Directive
Principles of State Planning Policy: The Directive Principles of State Policy
in the Constitution of India have been inspired by the Constitution of Ireland.
It contains ideals of a Welfare State. "Equal pay for equal work for both
men and women" has been laid in the Constitution as one of the Directive
Principles.
The Directive Principles are contained in
Part IV of the Constitution.
In the Indian Constitution, opportunities
for the development of scientific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry and
reform are found in the Directive Principles of State Policy.
- Dispute
about the election of the President of India: If there is a dispute about the
election of the President of India, the same can be referred to the Supreme
Court of India.
- Disqualification
of M.P.: A member of either House of Parliament will be disqualified from being
a member if he has voluntarily given up membership of the party on whose ticket
he was elected.
- District
Judge: According to the Constitution of India, the term 'District Judge' shall
not include 'Tribunal Judge'.
- Education:
Education is a State Subject included in the State List only.
- Enforcement
of Fundamental Rights: For the enforcement of Fundamental Rights, the court may
issue a decree.
- Estimates Committee: It consists of 30
members elected every year by the Lok Sabha from among its members. A Minister
is not eligible. No member of the Rajya Sabha is associated with it. Its
members are elected according to the system of proportional representation for
a period of one year only. The Estimates Committee of Parliament examines the
Statements of
accounts of the government.
- Features
borrowed from: Fundamental Rights (borrowed from U.S.A.); Parliamentary system
of government (from U.K.); Emergency provisions (from German Reich); Directive
Principles of State Policy (from Ireland).
- Federal:
Distribution of powers between the Centre and the States determines that the
Indian Constitution is federal. Federal system has created a very strong
Centre.
- First
Amendment Act: The first Amendment Act to the Indian Constitution was made in
the year 1951.
- Formation
of a new State: The Bill for the creation of a new State can be introduced in
the Parliament only after the consent of the President. Only Parliament can
establish a new State in India.
- Fundamental Duties: To develop scientific
temper, humanism and the spirit of enquiry and reform is one of the fundamental
duties of an Indian citizen in the Constitution.
Fundamental Duties were added in the
Constitution of India by the 42nd Amendment.
- Fundamental
Rights: The Fundamental Rights guaranteed to the
Indian citizens are contained in Part III
of the Constitution. Originally,
these were enshrined in Articles 12 to
35. Of these, Right to Property
under Article 31 has been eliminated by
the 44th Amendment Act.
There are now six Fundamental Rights
viz., (1) Right to equality, (2)
Right to particular freedoms, (3) Right
against exploitation, (4) Right
to freedom of religion, (5) Cultural and
educational rights, and (6)
Right to Constitutional remedies.
Protection of Fundamental Rights comes
under the jurisdiction of both the High Court and the Supreme Court.
- Governor's
Power: The Governor of a State can issue Ordinance when the State Lagislature
is not in session and he is satisfied that immediate action is needed.
- Govt.
of India Act, 1935: It most influenced the Constitution of India.
- Inter-State
Councils: The President is empowered to establish an inter-State Council under
Article 263 of the Constitution if at any time it appears to him that the
public interests would be served thereby. Such a Council, consisting of 6 Union
Cabinet Ministers and the Chief Ministers of all the States was created in
April 1990 as per recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Inter-State
relations.
- Jammu
& Kashmir: The State of Jammu & Kashmir has its own Con
stitution (drafted by a separate
Constituent Assembly and promul
gated on the 26th January, 1957).
The State of Jammu & Kashmir thus
acquired the distinction of having a separate Constitution for the
administration of the State, in place of the provisions of Part VI of the
Constitution of India, which govern the other States of the Union.
- Land
reform laws: Land Reform Laws are included in the Ninth Schedule of the Indian
Constitution.
- Languages
in the Eighth Schedule: There are now 18 recognised languages specified in the
Eighth Schedule. Originally fourteen languages were specified. Sindhi was
included as the fifteenth language while Nepali, Manipuri and Konkani were
included later.
- Lok
Sabha: It consists of not more than 525 members elected directly from the
States and 20 members to represent the Union Territories as Parliament by law
provides.
The term of the Lok Sabha can be extended
for one year at a time. The Lok Sabha can be dissolved before the expiry of its
normal term of five years by the President.
- Lok Sabha seats: Seats allotted to
different States for Lok Sabha are
determined on the basis of the State's
population.
- Lok
Sabha Secretariat: comes under the direct supervision of the Speaker of the Lok
Sabha.
- Lower
House of State Legislature: Elected members of the Lower House of the State
Legislature have the right to vote in the elections to both the Lok Sabha and
the Rajya Sabha.
- Minimum
age to become Member of the Lok Sabha: The minimum age to become a member of
the Lok Sabha is 25 years.
- Minister:
A person can remain as minister in India without being a member of Parliament
for a period of six months.
A person appointed as a Minister has to
become member of one of the Houses of Parliament within six months, if he is not
already one, either by election or by nomination.
- Money
Bill: A Money Bill is not introduced in the Rajya Sabha which
has no power over Money Bills. It can
originate only in the Lok Sabha.
In financial matters, the Lok Sabha is
more powerful than the Rajya
Sabha. After a Money Bill has been passed
by the Lok Sabha, it is to
be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its
recommendations. The Rajya
Sabha cannot reject or amend a Money Bill
by virtue of its own powers. It must, within a period of fourteen days from the
date of receipt of the Bill, return it to Lok Sabha, which may either accept or
reject all or any of the recommendations of the Rajya Sabha. If the Rajya Sabha
does not return the Bill within fourteen days, it shall be deemed to have been
passed by both Houses.
If any question arises whether a Bill is
a Money Bill or not, the decision of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha shall be
final and shall not be open to question either in a Court of Law or in either
House or even by the President.
- National
Emergency: The President can declare national emer
gency arising due to : (1) war, (2)
external aggression (Art. 352), (3)
internal disturbances, (4) failure of
constitutional machinery in any
State, (5) threat to financial stability
or credit of India.
As per the Constitution (44th Amendment)
Act, 1978, any proclamation of Emergency need henceforward be issued by the
President only after receiving the advice of the Cabinet as a whole in writing.
- Nature
of the: The Indian Constitution is quasi-Federal in nature.
- Ninth Schedule: deals with provisions
as to disqualification on
ground of defection.
- Nominated
members of Rajya Sabha: Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are 12. They are
not associated with the Estimates Committee.
- Oath
of President of India: is conducted by the Chief Justice of India.
- Ordinances
declined by the President to promulgate: The two ordinances which the President
of India declined to promulgate for reasons of Constitutional propriety on the
eve of the elections to the 11th Lok Sabha related to (1) the curtailment of
the election campaign period and (2) the reservation of jobs for Dalit
Christians.
- Parliament:
The Parliament in India consists of President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The
Parliament has to meet at least twice in a year. The minimum time-gap between
two successive sessions of the Parliament can be six months.
- Parliamentary
system: The idea of Parliamentary system of democracy was borrowed from
England.
- Power to decide dispute between Centre
& States: The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes
between the Centre
and the States falls under its original
jurisdiction.
- Powers
of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha: Except in the case of Money Bills, the
Constitution provides equality of status of the two Houses.
- Powers
of the Election Commission : are given in Article 324.
- Preamble:
The Preamble of the Indian Constitution reflects the mind and ideas of its
framers. It describes India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic
Republic.
- President:
The President of India can preside in the proceedings of either House of
Parliament, without having a right to vote.
- President's
resignation: If the President of India wants to resign from office, he may do
so by writing to the Vice-President.
- President's
Rule: The President's Rule in a State cannot remain in force for more than six
months at a time, unless its life is extended every six months but upto a
maximum period of three years.
- President's Veto Power: The only
instance of the exercise of the President's veto power over a Bill passed by
the Parliament, so far,
has been in regard to the PEPSU
Appropriation Bill (on 8.3.1954).
- Presidential
election: The name of a candidate for the office of the
President of India may be proposed by any
one member of the elec
toral college. The electoral college
shall consist of (a) the elected
members of both Houses of Parliament; and
(b) the elected members
of the Legislative Assemblies of the
States.
(Elected members of the Legislative
Council, however, do not constitute the electoral college for electing the
President of India).
(The electoral college of the Legislative
Assemblies of the States does not form part of the forum for his impeachment).
The Chief Minister of a State in India is
NOT eligible to vote in the Presidential election if he is a member of the
Upper House of the State legislature.
The President of India can seek
re-election to his post two times.
- Presidential
Proclamation: A Presidential Proclamation can remain
in force for six months.
- Prime Minister: The Prime Minister of
India has full discretion in the choice of persons who are to serve as
ministers in his cabinet.
- Public
Accounts Committee: is a Parliamentary Committee which scrutinises the report
of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. It submits its report to
Parliament.
- Residuary
Powers: The Indian Constitution gives residuary powers to the Union Government.
- Right
to Equality: is one of the Fundmental Rights that aims at the abolition of
social distinctions. It was described by Dr B.R. Ambedkar as the "Heart
and Soul of the Indian Constitution".
- Right
to Property: has been ceased to be a Fundamental Right in the Indian
Constitution.
- Schedules:
The Indian Constitution has now 12 Schedules. Refer Articles and Schedules.
- Secretary
General of Lok Sabha: The Secretary General of the Lok Sabha, who is chief of
the Secretariat, is appointed by the President of India as per Article 98 of
the Constitution.
- Seventh Schedule: It contains Union
List, State List and Concurrent List.
- Single
Citizenship: The Constitution of India provides for single citizenship.
- Speaker:
The Speaker of Indian Parliament is elected by members of the Lok Sabha for a
period of 5 years.
- Speaker
of the State Legislative Assembly: No one elected to the legislature for the
first time can become Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In case he is to
resign, he has to submit his resignation to the Deputy Speaker.
- State
Governor: For appointment as Governor of an Indian State, a person must be a
citizen of India; must not be less than 35 years of age, and must not be
holding any office of profit.
The normal term of a Governor's office
shall be five years, but it may be terminated earlier. There is no age limit.
- State
List: Indian Parliament can invade the State List if (1) a subject
in the State List assumes national
importance, and (2) a proclamation
of emergency has been issued by the
President of India.
- States on linguistic basis: The Indian
States were reorganised on lin-
guistic basis in 1956.
- Strength
of Parliament: Maximum strength of Lok Sabha is 545 and of Rajya Sabha it is
250.
- Summoning
of two Houses of Parliament: The Constitution of India has laid that the two
Houses of Parliament must be summoned at least twice a year.
- Suspension
of Fundamental Rights: President of India has the right to suspend Fundamental
Rights of the Indian citizens during national emergency.
- Union
Council of Ministers: is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
- Union
Laws vs State Laws: Article 254 describes that in case of any conflict between
Union laws and State laws, the Union laws shall prevail.
- Union
Minister: In India, a minister who is not a member of either House of
Parliament, will cease to be a minister after six months unless he gets himself
re-elected, (or nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha) within this period.
- Union
Territories: The Union Territories in India are administered by a Lt Governor.
- Vacancy
in the office of the President of India: must be filled up within six months.
- Vice
President: The Vice-President of India is elected by an electoral college
consisting of the members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
- Vice-Chairman
of Rajya Sabha: One has to be a member of the Rajya Sabha for election to the
post of Vice-Chairman.
Copper-Largest producer in world: Chile
is the largest copper producing country in the world.
Copper mines in India: The richest copper
mines are found in the Chhotanagpur plateau-Singhbhum and Hazaribagh in Bihar.
Rich copper mines are also found in the Khetri mines in Rajasthan. Copper was
the first metal to be used. Copper mines were tapped by both pre-Vedic and
Vedic people.
Cotton fibre: is routed from seed.
Cotton gin: was invented by Eli Whitney.
Cotton Textile Mills: Maharashtra State
has the largest number of cotton textile mills. Cotton textile industry employs
the maximum number of workers in India.
Cotton-Largest producing States in India:
The areas of India which produce largest amount of cotton are north-western and
western India. It is an important crop of Maharashtra.
Council of States, Chairman of the: The
Chairman of the Council of States is the Vice-President.
Courtyards of My Childhood-A Memoir: is a
book written by Ramola Chatterjee.
Creamy layer: This term is associated
with reservation for Other Backward Classes.
Credit rating: It is a formal evaluation
of an individual's or company's credit history and capability of repaying
obligations.
Crickets: are insects that make a
clicking sound.
Crocodile: This reptile has four
chambered heart.
Crops and their pests: Rice (Gundhi bug);
Wheat (Aphid); Sugarcane (Top shoot borer moth); Gram (Greasy cutworm).
Crops, Rotation of : is mainly beneficial
for better yields. It is a practice of cultivating different crops repeatedly
grown on the same land in a specific order.
Cross-breeding: is to be done for
achieving quick increase in milk production.
Crossing the Threshold of Hope: The
author of this book is Pope John Paul II.
Crude oil: is the single largest import
item of India today.
Cruise ship, Largest in the world:
Carnival Destiny built by Fincantieri of Italy.
Cryptography: is the study which deals
with the secret writing.
Crystal oscillator: In an electric watch,
the component corresponding
to pendulum of a pendulum clock is a
crystal ocscillator.
Cultured pearls: The production of
cultured pearls is an important cottage industry of Japan.
Currency notes of RBI : must be backed by
not less than a specified percentage of notes issued in the form of government
securities.
Customs Duty: This tax is not shared by
the Central Government with the States.
Dabhol power plant: is in Maharashtra.
Dairy-farming, Commercial: Denmark
practises commercial dairy-farming.
Dance Styles in India: Important
classical dance form is Bharat Natyam which has derived its roots from Tamil
Nadu but has developed in an all-India form. Kathakali is a dance form of
Kerala and Kathak is a classical dance form revitalised as a result of the
fusion of Mughal influence. Manipur has contributed a delicate, lyrical style
of dance, Manipuri, while Kuchipudi owes its origin to Andhra Pradesh, and
Odissi from Orissa was once used to be practised as a temple dance. Mohiniattam
is one of the classical dances of Kerala.
Darjeeling: in West Bengal, is known for
a toy-train line.
Dasa-kumar-charita: is a romance story in
prose written by Dandin.
Day, Shortest in India: December 21 is
the shortest day in India.
Dayanand Saraswati: He founded the Arya
Samaj in 1874 in Bombay
but its initital success was in the
Punjab, and Lahore soon became its
headquarters.
"Go back to Vedas" was
propounded by him. He was responsible for
the revival of Hinduism in the 19th
century.
Death rate, Lowest: The country where
death rate is lowest in the world is Japan.
Debenture: is a certificate issued by a
Company promising the payment of a specified amount at a fixed rate of interest
after a specified period.
Decimal currency system: It was
introduced in India in 1950.
Deficit Financing: is spending in excess
of revenue.
Deflation: is checked by deficit
budgeting, reduction in taxation, and increase in public expenditure.
Deflector: A deflector is a technique of
adjusting for changes in price level.
Delhi Capital Region: Delhi was made
National Capital Region as per the Constitution (69th Amendment) Act, 1991.
This Act also made provision for legislative assembly and a council of
ministers for Delhi.
Deng Xiaoping: was President of China who
died in 1997.
Denotified Tribes: In the Indian context,
the term refers to tribes which were earlier classified as criminal tribes.
Density of population, Largest in an
Indian State: Indian State with largest density of population is West Bengal.
Dermatology: is the study of skin and its
diseases.
Desai, Morarji: former Prime Minister of
India, was the only Indian leader awarded the highest award of India and the
highest award of Pakistan for a civilian.
Desdemona: is a character in the
Shakespeare's play Othello.
Destination India: India's first
State-hosted international investment summit organised by Foreign Investment
Promotion Board and FICCI.
Detroit of India: Pithampur in Madhya
Pradesh where a large number of automobile industries have been set up is
called the "Detroit of India".
Devaluation of a currency: means
reduction in the value of a currency vis-a-vis major internationally traded
currencies.
Dhanvantri: Ayurveda or the science of
health and medicine is attributed to him.
Dhanwantri Award: is given in the field
of medicine.
Diamond: Panna in Madhya Pradesh is known
for diamond mines.
Diamond Export: India's earnings from
diamond exports is quite high because of the expertise available for cutting
and polishing of imported diamonds which are later exported.
Dicky Dolma: She is the youngest woman
climber of Mt Everest.
Diet: The Parliament of Japan is called
Diet.
Digboi: in Assam is famous for oil
fields.
Dinesh Goswami Committee: It recommended
governmental funding of parliamentary elections.
Discovery of India: is a book written by
Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Divya Yatra: A scheme to bring popular
television to the masses with the help of video vans.
Dr Watson: is a fictional character
created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Dronacharya Award: is given to the Best
Sports Coach.
Dry-farming: In India, dry-farming is
practiced in Rajasthan.
Dulhasti Hydro Electric Project: is in
the Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir State.
Duma: The Lower House of the Russian
legislature is known as the
Duma.
Dunkel Draft: relates to international
trade.
Durgapur Steel Plant : was established in
collaboration with Britain.
Dynamite: was invented by Alfred Nobel.
Dzongkha: is the official language of
Bhutan.
E.T.A.: is a terrorist organisation in
Spain.
East Coast Road: links Chennai and
Cuddalore.
Eco Action: An experiment for building
artificial reefs on the ocean bed in Kerala and in the Andhra Pradesh coast.
Eco-Mark: is the labelling scheme
introduced in India for any product which is environment friendly from cradle
to grave (entire life cycle).
Economic growth: is generally measured in
terms of National Income.
Economic Liberalisation Policy: aims at helping
exports by achieving full convertibility of the Indian rupee. It is an
important policy instru-
ment for reduction in import duties on
capital goods to help the local entrepreneurs to improve technology to face the
global markets.
Edwina and Nehru: is written by Catherine
Clement.
Eighth Plan-highest outlay: Agriculture
got the highest amount of Plan outlay during the eighth five-year plan.
Election Dispute: The power to decide an
election dispute rests with High Courts with an appeal to Supreme Court.
Election of local bodies : is not
conducted by the Election Commission.
Election Petition: The power to decide an
election petition is vested in the Election Commission.
Election Process in India: The
recommendation for election is made by the Government and the notification for
election is issued by the Election Commission. In an election, electioneering
has to cease in a constituency 24 hours before the poll.
Election Symbols: are allotted to various
candidates for Parliamentary elections after scrutiny of nomination papers by
the Chief Election
Commissioner.
Elephant's tusks: These are called
enlarged cartilaginous bones.
Emblica: An important herb, found in the
forests of Northern Kashmir, Dehra Dun, and Himachal Pradesh, is widely used in
cough, sore-throat and bronchitis.
Employment Guarantee Scheme: This rural
work programme was first started in Maharashtra.
Erasmus: (1466-1536) was a Dutch writer.
His Praise of Folly is still read.
ESCAP: Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and Pacific. Its head office is at Bangkok. Its functions are-to promote
better social, economic, educational and health conditions in Asia and Far East
countries.
Esperanto: is an artificial international
language created to act as world language.
Eurasian alliance: The former Soviet
Republics viz., Belorussia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have joined Russia to
form Eurasian al-
liance.
Euro: is the name of New Single European
Currency, launched on January 1, 1999.
Every Street is paved with Gold: Name of
the book written by Kim Woo-Chung, founder of Daewoo.
Exchange value of rupee: is determined
with reference to the US dollar.
Excise Duty: is the largest source of
revenue to the Government of India.
Excise duty on liquor: is levied by State
governments.
Exclusive Economic Zone, India's: covers
an area of 24 lakh sq km and the continental shelf extends upto 350 nautical
miles from the coast.
Exfoliation: This type of weathering is
common both in the cold and in the hot climate regions.
Exit Poll: is a term used to denote a
post-election survey of voters re-
garding the candidate in whose favour
they had exercised their franchise.
Extended Market: It promotes division of
labour.
Facts About India
-Area: The area of India is 2.2% of the
total world area but has 16% of the entire human race.
-Coastline: The length of India's
coastline is 7516 km.
-Forest area : The notified forest area
in India is 752.3 lakh hectares.
-Growth of population: If India's
population continues to grow at the rate of 2% per annum. It will be double of
its present size in the next 35 years.
-Jute and cotton industries: Jute and
cotton industries were worst affected because of the partition of India in
1947.
-Location: India extends between 8ø-4'
and 37ø-6' north latitude.
-Maximum number of workers : Maximum
number of workers are em-
ployed in the Textile Industry in India.
-Population dependent on Agriculture: The
percentage of India's population dependent upon agriculture (or rural
population) is 74.3% as per 1991 Census.
-State with lowest population density:
Arunachal Pradesh is the most sparsely populated State with a density of 10.
Fahrenheit conversion to Centigrade: To
convert Fahrenheit into Centigrade, the formula is: (F-32) divided by 1.8. The
readings of a Fahrenheit and a Centigrade temperature is the same at -40ø.
Farakka Barrage: Its main objectives are
(1) to protect and save Calcutta harbour from silting, and (2) to improve
navigability of the Hooghly.
Fatah Party: is the politcal party of
Yasser Arafat, President of Palestine.
Father of Economics: Adam Smith is called
Father of Economics.
Father of Genetics: Gregory Mendel.
Federal Supreme Court: is a feature
common to both the Indian Federation and the American Federation to interpret
the Constitution.
Fenugreek seeds: can benefit a patient of
diabetes mellitus by normalising his blood sugar level.
Ferozabad: This Indian city is famous for
bangle industry.
Fertilizer plant: The first fertilizer
plant in India was set up at Sindri (Bihar).
Finance Commission: It recommends
distribution of finances between the Centre and the States. It is constituted
every five years.
Financial capital of India: Mumbai is
known as the financial capital of India.
Financial capital of the world: Zurich,
situated in Switzerland.
Finland: is known as The Land of Thousand
Lakes.
Fire Extinguisher: Powder-type fire
extinguisher is used for petroleum fire.
First flight training school: Asia's
first international flight training centre school is to be established at
Kancharapara, near Calcutta.
First Atomic Power Station in India: is
at Tarapur in Maharashtra.
First Atomic research reactor of India:
APSARA is India's first 1 MW Atomic Research reactor built indigenously in
1956.
First bird: is believed to have appeared
on the surface of the earth about 150 million years ago.
First cement factory: was set up in 1904
at Madras (Chennai).
First Chief Election Commissioner of
India: Sukumar Sen.
First City to be placed under UN:
Sarajevo.
First Cotton Mill in India: was set up in
Calcutta in 1818. (It was established at Fort Gloster near Calcutta).
First countrywide agricultural census in
India: was taken in 1970-71.
First deaf and dumb person to cross the
Strait of Gibralter: Taranath Shenoy (of India).
First Fast Breeder Reactor: India's first
fast breeder reactor Kamini, also called neutron reactor, has been built at
Kalpakkam, near Chin-nai.
Fast Breeding Reactor is a nuclear
reactor to produce electricity through fusion process.
First Field Marshal of India: S.H.F.J.
Manekshaw. He was appointed on January 2, 1973.
First General Elections in India: were
held in 1951.
First heavy electrical equipment factory:
The first public sector heavy electrical equipment factory was set up in 1960
at Bhopal
First in production of Tea: India
occupies first position in the world in the production of tea. Assam is the
largest producer of tea in India.
First in production of Electronic
Equipment: Karnataka stands first in production of electronic equipment.
First India-born woman selected for space
voyage by NASA : Kalpna Chawla. She was part of the Columbia space-shuttle
mission of NASA (USA) which blasted into space on November 20, 1997.
First Indian Nobel Prize winner: Rabindra
Nath Tagore was the first Indian to win Nobel Prize. He won it for literature
(Gitanjali) in 1913.
First Indian State to produce optical
fibre: Madhya Pradesh is the first State in India which has started production
of optical fibre to cater to the needs of telecommunications.
First Indian to airdrop at North Pole:
Squadron leader Sanjay Tha-par.
First Indian to be crowned 'Miss World':
Rita Fareia.
First Indian to score a century in Test
Cricket: Lala Amarnath became the first Indian to score a century, and that
also on his debut against visiting Douglas Jardine's England team at Bombay
Gymkhana in 1933-34.
First Indian to win Olympic medal in Lawn
Tennis: Leander Paes.
First Indian woman solo flight pilot:
Harita Kaur Deol.
First International Flight Training
School of Asia: is established at Kancharpura near Calcutta.
First jute mill in India: The first
power-driven jute mill was established at Rishar near Calcutta in 1859.
First machine-made paper: was
manufactured in 1870 near Calcutta.
First modern machine tool factory: The
first large scale modern factory for production of machine tools in India was
set up at Bangalore.
First newspaper in India: Bombay
Samachar, the first newspaper started in Bombay, was a venture of the Parsees.
First Nuclear submarine of India: The
first nuclear submarine acquired by the Indian Navy is named Chakra.
First Opposition Leader in Rajya Sabha:
Kamlapati Tripathy.
First person to walk across the Antarctic
continent alone: Borge Ous-land.
First Railway line in India: The first
Indian railway line was opened in 1853 from Bombay to Thane under the Governor
Generalship of Lord Dalhousie.
First Railway Line in the world: was laid
in North-East England.
First robot developed by India: PROGMAN
150, developed by Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Bangalore.
First Secretary General of the UN: Trygve
Lie.
First Speaker of the Lok Sabha: G.V.
Mavalankar.
First sponge Iron Plant in India: is at
Kothagudam in Andhra Pradesh.
First tribal Speaker of the Lok Sabha:
Purno A. Sangma, also the first Speaker from the North-East.
First Vice-President of India: Dr S.
Radhakrishnan (1952-62).
First woman doctor in India: was Clara
Swain of America who arrived in India in 1875 and the second was the English
woman Fanny Butler who came in 1880.
First woman Prime Minister of a country
in the world: Sirimavo Ban-daranike was the first woman to become the Prime
Minister of a country (PM of Sri Lanka) in the world.
First woman to conquer Mt Everest: Junko
Tabei.
First women police station: is in
Guwahati.
Fiscal deficit: In the Union Budget, it
means the sum of budgetary deficit and net increase in internal and external
borrowings.
Fiscal policy: is connected with Public
revenue and expenditure.
Five-Year Plan, Eighth (1992-97): It
recognised human development as the core of developmental efforts and sought to
give priority to the employment generation.
The largest source of financing the
public sector outlay of this Plan came from government borrowings. A major
shift in the Eighth Five-Year Plan from its preceding ones is the significant
reduction in public sector outlays.
The Eighth Plan is different from the
earlier ones. This critical difference lies in the fact that considerable
emphasis is placed on infrastructure growth. The Eighth Plan aimed at a growth
rate of 5.6%.
Five-Year Plan, Fifth: was terminated one
year before the scheduled period.
Five-Year Plan, First: The first
Five-Year Plan was launched in India in 1951.
Five-Year Plan, Fourth: Fourth Plan
period was 1969-74. Between
1966 and 1969, three Annual Plans were
formulated.
The Fourth Plan did not succeed because
of bad monsoons.
Five-Year Plans: The principal reason why
national economic planning is still being pursued in spite of embarrassing
market economy since 1991 is that Five-Year Plans can continue to provide a
long-term perspective to the economy in market-friendly fashions.
The Five-Year Plans are finally approved
by the National Development Council.
Fleet Street: is the centre in London
from where the British newspapers are published.
Flowers, Greatest variety of: The
greatest variety of flowers is found in Sikkim.
Foreign aid to India: denotes inflow of
resources from abroad in the form of grants and loans.
Foreign banks that entered India in 1996:
Commercial Bank of Korea and Hanil Bank (Korea), Sumitomo Bank (Japan) and
People Bank of Sri Lanka.
Foreign Trade: India's foreign trade is
highest with OECD (Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development)
countries.
Forest Coverage in India: 22.88% of the
total geographical area of India is covered by forests. Madhya Pradesh has the
maximum area under forest.
Forest Policy: The National Forest Policy
of 1988 includes (1) Afforestation and development of wastelands, (2)
Reforestation and replantation in existing forests, and (3) Encouraging the
wood substitutes and supplying other types of fuel.
Forests, Sal forests in India: are found
in Satpuras.
Fourth Estate: This term refers to the
Press.
Free Port: is a port which allows free
entry to goods which are to be exported.
Freedom Behind Bars: is a book written by
Kiran Bedi.
French Constitution: It is the President
and not the Prime Minister who presides over cabinet meetings in France.
Freud, Sigmund: founded the technique of
psychoanalysis.
Frontier Gandhi: Abdul Ghaffar Khan was
popularly known as 'Frontier Gandhi'.
Frozen Continent: Antarctica.
Fruits and palm oil: are exported by
India to arid and semi-arid countries in the Middle-East.
Fruits, Seedless : are formed by
pathanogenesis.
Gandhi Sagar Dam: is on the river
Chambal.
Ganga plain, slope in Bihar: The general
slope of the Ganga plain in Bihar is 35 cm per km.
Ganpati Festival: In 1893, Bal Gangadhar
Tilak started using the traditional religious Ganpati Festval to propagate
nationalist ideas
through songs and speeches.
Garba: is a folk dance.
Garuda: is the name of the Airline of
Indonesia.
Geet Sethi: is associated with Billiards.
Gems and Jewellery: give the maximum
export earnings to India.
Geostationary Orbit : is at a height of
36,000 km.
Germany-major political parties: The
Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Party are the two major
political parties in Germany.
Gersoppa Falls: Refer Jog Falls.
Ghatprabha: is associated with irrigation
project.
Ghoomar (Ghumar): is the popular folk
dance form of Rajasthan.
Ghotul: is a tribal youth dormitory found
among Muria of Madhya Pradesh. (Dormitory is a large sleeping room with many
beds).
Ghumar: Refer Ghoomar.
Ginger producing nation, Largest:
Indonesia.
Gir Forests: is a Game Sanctuary in
Gujarat. Here, Indian lions are nurtured in natural surroundings.
Goa: was made the 25th State of the
Indian Republic as per the Constitution (56th Amendment) Act, 1987.
Consequently, Daman and Diu were
separated from the former to form a Union Territory.
Godan: is a novel written by Munshi Prem
Chand.
Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur: It has a dome which
is said to be one of the largest in the world.
Golden Chariot Procession: is held at the
famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala (Tirupati).
Golden Hand-shake: is the term used in
the context of voluntary retirement schemes.
Golden Temple Express: is the new name of
the railway train earlier called Frontier Mail.
Governor of a State in India: is
controlled by the Centre and he is the agent of the President.
Govind Sagar: is an artificial lake
created by Bhakra Dam on the Sut-lej river in Himachal Pradesh.
Grafting of a plant: involves the
formation of a young plant with the root of stalk and shoot of scion.
Granary of India: Punjab State is known
as the 'granary of India'.
Grand Master: is a term in Chess.
Grand Slam: is a term in sports
associated with Bridge as well as Lawn Tennis.
Grants in aid: is provided to the States
by the Centre for implementing various development programmes and
rehabilitation.
Great Indian Bustard: is found in Madhya
Pradesh.
Green India 2047: A project of the Tata
Energy Research Institute (TERI) for managing natural resources efficiently.
Green Revolution: was fathered by Norman
Borlaug.
Grief and Hope: is a book written by Noa
Ben Artzi-Plossof, granddaughter of slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin.
GRMSAT: are dedicated satellites,
specially tailored to meet basic requirements of rural areas and help in
providing continuing education for special groups.
Groundnut: is an important crop of
Gujarat which is the largest groundnut producing State of India.
Group of 77: is an organisation of developed
countries.
Guemica: is a painting by Pablo Picasso.
Guinea pig : is a stocky tailless rodent
used in experimental work.
Gulliver's Travel: is a book written by
Jonathan Swift in which there is description of the island of Lilliputs.
Gun-metal: The ingredients, copper and
tin, make gun-metal.
Gurudev: Rabindra Nath Tagore was called
Gurudev by Mahatma Gandhi.
Guttation: In some plants, water oozes
through certain pores that remain permanently open. This phenomenon is called
Guttation.
Gypsum: is largely found in India in
Rajasthan.
Habeas-Corpus: It facilitates a person to
appear in person in a court for obtaining either speedy trial or release on
bail.
Habib Tanvir: is well-known in the field
of theatre.
Haematite: is the chief ore of iron.
Hale-Bopp comet: was the most distant
comet ever discovered which became visible to the naked eye in December, 1996.
Hamas: is the name of a militant
organisation of Arabs responsible for terrorist violence against Israel.
Handloom industry: is the most important
small-scale industry in
India.
Harare: in Zimbabwe is the new name of
Salisbury. It was the venue of G-15 summit in 1996.
Hashish: Under its influence, thought,
feeling and perception get altered.
Hawala : Such transaction relates to
payment received in rupees against overseas currencies and vice versa without
going through the official (legal) channels.
Hazratbal shrine: The white marbelled
Hazratbal shrine on the western bank of Dal Lake in Srinagar is famous for the
holy relic of Prophet Mohammad brought and placed here at the end of the 17th
century.
The holy relic of the Prophet Mohammad
was brought to India by Syed Abdullah, one of the descendants of Hazrat Imam
Hussain, who had inherited it from his forefathers in 1634.
Herring Pond: Atlantic Ocean is called
the "Herring Pond" .
High Courts in India: were first started
at Bombay, Madras and Calcutta.
Higher than Hopes: is biography of Nelson
Mandela.
Hijra ek Mard: written by Kishor Shanti
Bai Kale, it is the true life story of "Sweety", as he goes through a
nightmare child abuse, flesh trade and the HIV virus, till he becomes a police
officer and is accepted by society. The novel has bagged an award from the
National Institute for Research in Sex Education.
Himsagar Express: runs between
Kanyakumari and Jammu.
Hind Swaraj: is a book written by M.K.
Gandhi.
Hindu marriages, Form and explanation of:
(1) Brahma marriage-when a father gifts his daughter to a learned man of good
character; (2) Daiva marriage-when the father gifts his daughter to a priest;
(3) Gandharva marriage-Marriage based on mutual love of the boy and the girl
and need not be based on the acceptance of the match by the relatives of the
couple; (4) Arsha marriage-when a would-be son-in-law makes the gift of a bull
and cow to girl's father before receiving her, as a gift.
Hindu View of Life: is a book written by
Dr S. Radhakrishnan.
Hinges, Martina: is the youngest woman
tennis player to win three major singles titles in one season. She earned her
nick-name 'the Can't Miss Swiss'defeating 17-year-old American Venus Williams
with a 6-0, 6-4 win to claim her third major title of the year in the US open
women's singles tennis championships on September 8, 1997.
Hirakud Project: is a multipurpose
river-valley project in Orissa harnessing the Mahanadi river.
Hologram: Photographic record for
reproducing a three-dimensional image.
Homo-Sapiens or Homo Spines: Present-day
human beings belong to the species called Homo-Sapiens.
Hong Kong: The British government gave
possession of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997. The new flag of Hong Kong is
red flag with a bauhinia flower embossed with Chinese five stars. Hong Kong is
called Pearl of the Orient.
Horticulture: is the cultivation of fruit
crops.
Human Rights Day: is observed on 10th
December every year.
Human Rights Year: The UN observed 1998
as the human rights year with the theme "All Human Rights for All".
It marked the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of universal declaration of
human rights on December 10, 1948.
Hundroo (Hundrubagh) Water Falls: are
formed on the Subarnarekha river in northeastern India. The Subarnarekha
(meaning "streak of gold") rises in Ranchi district of Bihar State
and enters the Bay of Bengal after a 470-km course.
Hussain, M.F.: Famous Indian artist who
started his career as painter of cinema posters.
Hydel electricity: is the largest source
of energy in India. Kerala generates electricity on Hydel only.
Hydo-electric Project in Andhra Pradesh:
Nagarjunasagar Complex and Srisailam hydro-electric project are the principal resources
of hydel generation in Andhra Pradesh.
Hydroponics: means cultivation of the
plants without use of soil.
Hyetology: is the study of rainfall.
IBM: This trade name is associated with
computers.
Iceberg-its mass: An iceberg floating in
sea will have one-tenth of its mass above the surface of water.
IDBI: Industrial Development Bank of
India is the apex organisation for industrial finance in India.
Idduki Dam and Hydro-electric Project:
has been constructed on the river Periyar in Kerala.
Ikebana: is the Japanese art of flower
arrangement.
Ilmenite: This mineral is found in beach
sands near Quilon in Kerala State.
IMF: International Monetary Fund was
established in 1945 with headquarters in Washington. It offers facilities to
member-nations to expand trade.
Import items in India, Largest: The
largest items of import in India in recent years are Capital goods and
Petroleum products.
In Custody: is a book written by V.S.
Naipal.
India Divided: is a book written by Dr
Rajendra Parsad.
India Wins Freedom: is a book written by
Abul Kalam Azad.
India World: India's first daily
electronic news and information service on the Internet.
Indian Economy: is characterised as
Developing Economy.
Indian Government, Type of: India has
both a federal and unitary type of government.
Indian Institute of Science: is located
at New Delhi.
Indian Institute of Advanced Studies: is
located at present in Shimla.
Indian Penal Code: It was framed in 1861.
Indian river flowing westward: Narmada is
a major river flowing westward in the Indian Peninsula.
Indian War of Independence: is a book
written by V.D. Savarkar.
Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre: was
set up at Kalpakkam in 1971 near Chennai (Tamil Nadu). It relates to Research
and Development (R&D) in fast breeder development.
Indira Gandhi Canal project: is located
in North-West Rajasthan.
Indira Gandhi National Open University:
Its major objectives include widening of access to higher education by
providing opportunities to larger segments of disadvantaged groups of population.
Indira Mahila Yojna : is a scheme for
empowerment of women.
Indira Point: in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands is the southernmost tip of India.
Indirect taxes: is the principal source
of revenue to the Government of India.
Industrial Development in India: is due
to liberal industrial policy.
Infant mortality rate: is the most
sensitive indicator of the health of a community.
Inflation: means an increase in the
amount of paper money which
tends to raise general price level of
commodities. It is a comparative figure showing cost of living, production
prices etc as compared with a base year.
Debtors are likely to benefit by
inflation.
Inflation in India: is measured by the
Consumer Price Index for urban and non-manual workers.
Inflation, Zero rate: A zero rate of
inflation obtains necessarily in a year where the annual rate of inflation is
constant in every week of the year.
Inquilab Zindabad: This slogan was given
by Mohammad Iqbal.
INS Vikrant: The aircraft carrier of the
Indian Navy which played a very important role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. It was
decommissioned in 1996 and is now proposed to be converted into a museum.
INSAT: is a multipurpose operational
satellite system for domestic telecommunications, meteorological observations
and data relay. The system includes nation-wide direct satellite television
broadcasting and radio and television programme distribution.
Inside the CBI: is the book written by
former Director of the CBI, Joginder Singh, which provides an inside view of
India's premier investigating agency.
Integral Yoga: The concept of Integral
Yoga was propounded by Sri Aurobindo.
Integrated Mother and Child Development:
is the new name of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
Integrated Rural Development Programme:
was introduced in India in 1980-81.
International Atomic Energy Agency: is an
autonomous international organisation of the U.N. Its headquarters is at Vienna
(Austria).
International Child Year: was adopted in
1988.
International Court of Justice: is the
principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It sits at The Hague
(Netherlands). It was established in 1946. It has 15 judges, any two of whom
cannot be of the same nationality. It considers legal disputes brought before
it by member nations.
International Labour Organisation: Its
headquarters is at Geneva
(Switzerland). Its objects are (1) to
improve labour conditions, (2) to raise standard of living and (3) to promote
social and economic stability through the joint efforts of government
management and labour. It is not an organ of the UN.
International Literacy Day: is celebrated
on September 8.
International Ozone Day: It is observed
on September 16.
International Women's Day: is observed on
March 8 every year.
International Year of Ocean: The year
1998 was observed as the International Year of Ocean.
Internet: is the computer network which
links information among different countries of the world through satellite.
INTERPOL: Its headquarters is in Paris.
Iron & Steel Industry: is the oldest
large-scale industry in India.
Iron ore export: India has huge reserves
of iron ore. The country is
one of the major exporters of iron ore.
Iron ore from the Bailadilla mines is
exported through Paradeep port
on the eastern coast of Orissa. (Refer
Paradeep port).
Iron-a sports term: is associated with
Golf.
Irrigated area, Indian State having
largest: The Indian State with the largest irrigated area is Uttar Pradesh.
ISBN: International Standard Book
Numbering is an international system by which a distinct identifying number is
assigned to each book.
ISI: is Inter-Services Intelligence Wing
of Pakistan.
Isochrones: The lines joining the places
of equal labour and transportation costs are known as isochrones.
Jain Commission: was associated with
probing the conspiracy angle of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.
Jaipur Foot: has been developed by Dr
Pramod Karan Sethi for the benefit of disabled persons.
James Bond: is a character in the novels
written by Ian Fleming.
Jamnapari: is the highest milk porducing
breed of goat in India.
Jana-gana-mana: is India's National
Anthem. It was composed by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 and it was first
published in January, 1912 under the title Bharat Vidhata in the Tatva-Bodhini
Patrika edited by Tagore himself. It was adopted as the National Anthem of
India on the 24th January, 1950.
Janata Sangsad: The Parliament of
Bangladesh is called so.
Jantar Mantar: is an obervatory in Delhi
constructed in 1724 during the days of Maharaja Jai Singh II of Amber.
Java: Computer language launched by Sun
Microsystems which has become the standard on Internet.
Jayadeva: was the author of Gita Govinda.
Jeeves: is a fictional character created
by P.G. Wodehouse.
Jefferson, Thomas: He was the author of
American Declaration of Independence.
Jharkhand: The concept of a separate Jharkhand
State is veering round tribal dominant area in 26 districts of four contiguous
States,
i.e., Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and
West Bengal.
Jhelum: is the main river in the Kashmir
Valley.
Jhum: It is a slash and burn method of
shifting cultivation (called jhum) practised on rainfall-bed slopes of forest
hills and dales in Arunachal Pradesh.
Jivak-Chintamani: is a Book of Marriage.
JMM : Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is a
political party in Bihar State.
Jog Falls : in Karnataka (also called
Gersoppa Falls) are the highest waterfalls in India. They are situated on the
Sharvati river.
Judicial Review: signifies that the
Supreme Court can review cases decided by the High Courts.
Jurassic Park: is the famous film
directed by Steven Spielberg.
Jute Agriculture: is largest in West
Bengal. The factor responsible for West Bengal being the largest producer of
jute in India is that it experiences high temperature and receives heavy
rainfall. Most of the jute mills are concentrated in and around the Hooghly
Basin of West Bengal. It is also grown on
large-scale in the delta of the Damodar river.
Jyoti Basu: has the longest period of
tenure as the Chief Minister of an Indian State (Chief Minister of West
Bengal).
Kabalega: is a National Park of Uganda.
Kachch coastal area: The most polluted
coastal waters are those along the Kachch area of Gujarat coast as per a study
sponsored by the Department of Ocean Development.
Kakrapar Atomic Power Station: is India's
latest atomic power station being built at Kakrapar in Gujarat State.
Kakrapara Dam: is on river Tapti.
Kala Nidhi: comprises a computerised
national information system and data bank on arts, humanities and cultural
heritage.
Kalahari desert: is situated in
south-western part of Africa.
Kalidasa: was the greatest of the
Sanskrit dramatists, and the first great name in Sanskrit literature after
Asvaghosha. His chief works
are Shakuntala, Malavikagnimitra,
Vikramorvasi, Meghaduta, Ritu-samhara, Raghuvamsa, Kumara-sambhava. He was the
most brilliant of the 'nine gems' at the court of Vikramaditya of Ujjain.
Kalighata: was the Indian miniature art
of painting which was not affected by Mughal painting.
Kalinga Prize: is awarded for
popularisation of science each year by UNESCO and funded by former Orissa Chief
Minister and industrialist Biju Patnaik.
Kalpakkam: in Tamil Nadu is known for
Nuclear Power Plant. Also refer Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre.
Kalpna Chawla: is the first India-born
woman to undertake a space voyage.
Kamayani: was written by Jaishankar
Prasad.
Kamini: is India's first neutron reactor,
built at Kalpakkam, near Chin-nai.
Kandla: is a sea port situated at the
head of the Gulf of Kuchch in Gujarat State. It was the first port to be
developed after independ-
ence. It has a free trade zone.
Kangra Valley: is in Himachal Pradesh.
Karko tao: is a volcano in Indonesia.
Kartik: It is bridge-layer tank-military
bridging system capable of withstanding tank load.
Kasparov, Gary: is associated with Chess.
Kathakali: is the dance style of Kerala.
Kelvin scale: The normal temperature of
human body on the Kelvin scale is 310.
Kepler, Johannes: (1571-1630) was German
astronomer who discovered three laws of planetary motion that bear his name.
Kharif Crops: Cotton, rice and maize are
Kharif crops.
Khesari pulse: Its use for a long time
leads to arthritis and paralyses of legs as it contains amino-proprionitrite
(N.Y.L. glittomyle).
Khorana, Hargovind: is credited with the
discovery of synthesis of gene. He shared with two others the 1968 Nobel Prize
in Medicine.
Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library: was
established in Patna in 1891. It has rich collection of Arabic and Persian
manuscripts and over 1,48,000 books.
Kiwi: a flightless (wingless) bird found
in New Zealand; now very rare.
KLM: is the Airlines of Holland (Dutch
Airlines).
Kolam: is the name given to the designs
drawn by the women of Tamil Nadu on their floors and thresholds using pastes
and powders.
Konark Temple: in Orissa, was built by
Raja Narsingh Deva I.
Konkan rail project : The 760-km long
Konkan Railway Project is
India's first-ever pubic funded railway
project. It has reduced travelling
time to the south, from the northern and
western parts. The Konkan
railway line serves as a main transport
line between Mumbai and
Mangalore, for passengers as well as goods.
The first train from Mumbai on Konkan
railway line reached Goa on
January 26, 1998.
The total cost of the project, initially
estimated at Rs 1,042 crore es-
calated to Rs 3,370 crore.
Konkani: This language included in the
Eighth Schedule of the Constitution is widely spoken in Goa.
Koraput-Rayagada rail line: was one of
the most daunting engineering tasks undertaken by the Indian Railways, across
the wilderness of the Eastern Ghats.
Korba: In Madhya Pradesh is famous for
Aluminium Plant.
Koyali: is associated with
Petro-chemicals.
Kubla Khan: is a poem by Coleridge.
Kuchipudi: is a dance style of Andhra
Pradesh.
Kudremukh: In Chikmagalur district of
Karnataka is famous for Iron Ore Project. It also stands first in production of
electronic equipment.
Kumar Gandharava: earned a distinction in
classical music.
Kurein, Dr V.: is associated with Dairy
farming.
Lab-to-Land Programme: The main idea in
introducing this programme was to bring farm scientists and farmers into close
contact.
Laissez-faire: The term refers to the
principle of non-intervention of government in economic affairs.
Lake, Deepest in the world: Baikal Lake
(Siberia).
Lakshadweep : This Union Territory of
India comprising a group of islands in the Arabian Sea, about 320 km off the
southwestern India coast, is of coral origin.
Formerly called Laccadive, Minicoy, and
Amindive islands, the Portuguese first visited the islands in May, 1498 and
built a fort there.
Lakshya: is the name given to India's
indigenously developed Pilot-less Target Aircraft.
Lalit Kala Academy: is associated with
painting, sculpture, architecture and applied arts.
Land of the Rising Sun: Japan is called
'Land of the Rising Sun'.
Land of Thunder Dragon: Bhutan is called
the "Land of Thunder Dragon".
Laos: is the only land-locked country in
South-East Asia.
Largest oil producer: Saudi Arabia is the
largest oil exporting country in the world.
Last Supper: is a famous Renaissance
painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
late blight : late blight is a disease of
potato and tomato plants that is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestants.
It created history in Europe by causing the widespread famine during 1845 and
resulting in subsequent migration of people from Europe, especially from
Ireland.
Law of Diminishing Returns: is applicable
to agriculture, manufacturing industries, and mining.
Le Contract Social: was written by
Rousseau.
Legumes: The fertility of soil can be
increased by growing legumes.
Leningrad: is a famous town in Russia
situated on the bank of river Neva.
Lexicography: is the study of compiling a
dictionary of meanings; study of the history of meanings of words.
LIBOR: is the basic interest rate on
interbank loans in London.
Life Divine: is a book written by Sri
Aurobindo.
Lifeline Express: is the world's first
Hospital on Rails operating in India.
Limba Ram: is known for his outstanding
performance in Archery.
Liquefied petroleum gas: consists mainly
of methane, butane and propane.
Lithuania: was the first Soviet Republic
of the former Soviet Union which declared itself independent.
Lok Jumbish: is a People's Movement for
Education for all, taken up in Rajasthan with assistance from Swedish
International Development Authority (SIDA).
Lok Sabha Secretariat: comes under the
control of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
Love and Longing in Bombay: is a book
written by Vikram Chandra.
Lucknow: is situated on the river Gomti.
Luni: is the river which drains into the
Runn of Kachch. Its river basin in Western Rajasthan is aided by the German
Development Bank.
Lunishree: High yielding rice variety
which has been developed in India.
Madagaskar: is the largest island in the
Indian Ocean.
Madam Curie: is associated with the
discovery of Radium.
Madhya Pradesh: This State came into
being on Nov 1, 1956. It is surrounded by 7 States-Rajasthan, U.P., Bihar,
Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. It occupies seventh position
in the sphere of industrialisation in India. It is second among the mineral
producing States in India such as coal, limestone, iron-ore, manganese, dolomite,
bauxite, copper ore, diamond, silica. It has great wealth of wild life in
protected National Parks of Kanha, Panna, Band-havgarh and Satpuda.
Madras City: Its new name is Chennai.
Madras State: Changed its name to Tamil
Nadu in 1969.
Magellan, Ferdinand: He commanded the
first expedition in 1519 to sail round the world and discovered passage to the
Pacific from the Atlantic. He proved that the shape of the earth is round. The
Pacific Ocean was so named by him.
Magnesium: is a metal extracted from the
sea water.
Magnetite: can be used for extraction of
iron.
Mahabalipuram: in Tamil Nadu on the
Eastern Ghats, is famous for temples and monumental architecture.
The Mahabalipuram sea-shore temple was
built during the reign of Pallava dynasty
Mahanadi : is the east flowing river of
the Indian Peninsula.
Mahila Samakhya: is a central scheme
launched in April 1989 to mobilise rural women for education through Mahila
Sanghas in each of the villages concerned.
Mahila Samriddhi Yojna: is a scheme for
promotion of saving among rural women.
Maithon Dam: is constructed on the
Damodar river.
Maize: is the most preferential poultry
feed.
Malachite: is an ore of copper.
Malanjkhand Copper: Malanjkhand copper
mines are located in Mad-hya Pradesh.
Malavikagnimitra: one of the works of
Kalidasa, deals with the story of a Sunga ruler.
Malayalam: is the official language of
Kerala State.
Maltos: is the sugar contained in honey.
Man's first landing on Moon: took place
on July 21, 1969.
Manchester of India: Mumbai (Bombay) is
known as the "Manchester of India".
Mandal Commission: Mandal Commission for
the Backward Classes was set up in 1978.
Mandarin (Chinese): is the largest spoken
language in the world. English is the second largest spoken language in the
world.
Manganese: is found in Bailadila in
Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh. India leads the world in the export of
Manganese.
Manganese nodules: Mineral deposits on
the ocean-floor are characterised by the occurrence of manganese nodules.
Manimekhlai: Odyssey of Tamil poetry.
Mansrover Lake: is in Tibet. Near it, the
rivers having their source are the Brahamputra, the Sutlej, and the Indus.
MANTRA: Madras Automated Networked
Trading, the automated trading system of the Madras Stock Exchange.
Marble: Limestone rocks are transformed
into marble.
Marble Rocks: Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh,
situated on river Nar-bada is known for Marble Rocks.
Marble-Its chemical composition: The
chemical composition of marble is mostly calcium carbonate.
Marginal Efficiency of capital: was explained
by J.M. Keynes.
Marijuana: is opiate narcotic.
Market Economy: was strongly favoured by
the following economists-Adam Smith, Ricardo, and J.K. Galbraith.
Market mechanism: determines the price of
a commodity in capitalism.
Marmagoa: is known for India'a largest
floating dock constructed here.
McDowell Cup: is associated with
Football.
Mein Kampf: is autobiography of Adolf
Hitler.
Meirno: is one of the breeds of sheep
which has been imported to increase wool production in India.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus:
is the book written by John Gray.
Mendel, G.J.: is known as founder of
Genetics.
Meri Ekyaven Kavitayen: is name of the
book of poems written by Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Methyl alcohol: is the offending
substance in the liquor tragidies leading to blindness etc.
Mica: India leads in export of Mica in
the world. India's largest mica belt lies in the districts of Hazaribagh, Gaya
and Monghyr in Bihar. India leads the world in the production of mica. Mica
accounts for the maximum value in the total value of the mineral production in
India.
MIG airframes: are manufactured in India
at Nashik (Maharashtra).
Militants
-JKLF: Jammu & Kashmir Liberation
Front is the oldest outfit as a pioneer militant group in Kashmir. It, however,
split on September 22, 1995.
-KCF: Khalistan Commando Force is a
terrorist outfit active in Punjab.
-LTTE: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
is a rebel organisation of Tamileans settled in Sri Lanka. LTTE supremo is V.
Prabhakaran.
Milk: is an example of emulsion.
Milk production-India's position in the
world: In the field of milk production in the world, India occupies the second
position. USA ranks first.
Minerals: The chief minerals and their
regions of extraction are Coal-Bihar, Bengal; Petroleum-Assam, Gujarat;
Manganese-Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka; Mica-Bihar, Andhra Pradesh.
Minerals-Richest producing State in
India: Bihar is the richest mineral porducing State in India.
Minorities Commission: is not a
constitutional body. (The word 'minority' is not defined in the Constitution of
India).
Missiles developed by India: Agni is a
surface-to-surface missile. It
has a range of 2,500 km. Prithvi is a
short-range surface-to-surface tactical battlefield missile system. It has a
range of 250 km. Akash is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system. It can
target four to five enemy aircraft and missiles at a time. Trishul is a
short-range surface-to-air missile. Nag is third-generation anti-tank missile.
Missionaries of Charity: is the religious
order established by Mother Teresa.
Mistress of the Eastern Seas: This
epithet refers to Sri Lanka.
Mixed Economy: means co-existence of
public and private sectors. Mixed Economy Approach was adopted during the
Industrial policy statement of 1956.
Mizoram-Settlement pattern in: In
Mizoram, the settlement pattern is mostly of 'linear type' along the ridges
which are cooler than the valleys.
MODVAT: It is the tax imposed on the
final product.
Mohajars: are Muslim immigrants from
India settled in Sind (Pakistan).
Mohiniattam: is a dance form associated
with the State of Kerala.
Molniya: It was the name of the launch
vehicle for India's remote sensing satellite IRS-IC.
Monazite: is found on the Travancore
coast of Kerala.
Monetary Policy: Variable reserve rates
and Open Market Operations are instruments of Monetary Policy. It is regulated
by Central Government.
Montesquieu: gave the theory of
separation of power.
Mother India: is a book written by
Katherine Mayo.
Mother Teresa: (born August 27, 1910;
died September 5, 1997) was the Albanian-born nun, baptised in 1929, who chose
to make Calcutta her home where she set up the Missionaries of Charity in 1949.
She had stepped out of the confines of a Convent 'to serve God among the
poorest of the poor'. She had stepped down as the head of the order on March
13, 1997 after repeated health problems which paved the way for election of
Sister Nirmala as the new head of the organisation. Mother Teresa had to her
credit a number of national and international
awards. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in
1979 for her services to the poor. India's highest decoration Bharat Ratna was
conferred on her in 1980. The other awards include the Ramon Magsaysay Award,
the Kennedy International Award, the Pope
John Peace Prize, the first Rajiv Gandhi
National Sadbhavana award, Leo Tolstoy international award, and Dayawanti Modi
award (for art, culture and education). Mother Teresa became a legend in her
own life time.
Mount Abu: in Rajasthan is famous for
Jain temples known as Dilwara Temples.
Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh: Founder President
of Bangladesh, he was active participant in the Quit India Movement (1942).
Mummies: In ancient Egypt, people used to
preserve their dead called "Mummies".
Municipal Elections: are not conducted by
the Election Commission.
Murshidabad: is known for copper
smelting.
Museums in India: National Museum, New
Delhi, the Indian Museum,
Calcutta, the Salar Jung Museum,
Hyderabad, and the Allahabad Museum, Allahabad.
Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, named
after Salar Jung-III, Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, has a very rare and important
collection of about 40,000 art objects. It is known the world over as the
largest single collection of art objects from different countries.
Indian Museum in Calcutta undertakes
acquisition of objects of art and archaeology and carries out educational and
cultural activities.
The Allahabad Museum has got a rich
collection of early sculptures, terracotta seals and modern painting.
Muslim Law and the Constitution: is a
book written by A.M. Bhat-acharjee.
My Experiments with Truth: is autobiography
of Mahatma Gandhi.
My Frozen Turbulence in Kashmir: is a
book written by Jagmohan, former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.
My Presidential Years: is the book
written by R. Venkataraman, former President of India (1987-92).
Myanmar: is the new name of Burma.
Myanmar is not a member of SAARC.
Mycology: is the study of fungus and
fungi diseases.
NABARD: It stands for National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development. This organisation looks after the credit
needs of agriculture and rural development.
NAFED: is connected with Agricultural
marketing.
NAFTA: This abbreviation stands for North
America Free Trade
Agreement.
Mexico, USA and Canada are members of
NAFTA.
Nag: Refer under "Missiles developed
by India".
Nagaland: previously Naga Hills Tuensang
Area was renamed as Na-galand in 1961 after given the status of a State and was
formally inaugurated in 1963.
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam: is on river Krishna.
Nakhoda mosque: is in the district of
Calcutta.
Narasimhan Committee: was set up in 1991
to suggest reforms in the financial sector.
Nashik: is situated on the river
Godavari.
Nation's Voice, The: is a book written by
C. Rajagopalachari, the first Indian Governor-General of Free India (1948-50).
National Animal of India: The magnificent
Tiger Panthera is the national animal of India. It is a rich coloured
well-stripped animal with a short coat.
National Anthem of India: The song
Jana-gana-mana, composed by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted as the National
Anthem of India on the 24th January, 1950.
No one can be compelled to sing the
National Anthem since (1) it will be violative of the Right to Freedom of
Speech and Expression; (2) it will be violative of the Right to Freedom of
Conscience and Practice and Propagation of Religion; and (3) there is no legal
provision obliging any one to sing the National Anthem.
National Archives of India: is located at
New Delhi.
National Bird: Peacock is the national
bird of India. It is a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of
feathers on its head, and a long slender neck.
National Botanical Garden: is located in
Lucknow.
National Calendar: is based on the Saka
era with Chaitra as its first month and a normal year of 365 days. It was
adopted from March 22, 1957 along with Gregorian calendar.
The dates of National Calendar
permanently correspond with the Gregorian Calendar.
National Capital Region: In addition to
the entire Union Territory of Delhi, the national capital region covers parts
of the States of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
National Commission for Backward Classes:
The legislation for the National Commission for Backward Classes was made in
1993.
National Commission for Women: was set up
on the 31st January, 1992.
National Dairy Research Institute: is
situated in Karnal.
National Development Council: The Prime
Minister is Chairman of the National Development Council.
National Emblem of India: has been
adopted from the lion capitol of the Mauryas.
National Facilities for Animal Tissue
& Cell Culture (NFATCC): It has been established by the Department of
Biotechnology at Pune.
National Flower: Lotus is the national
flower of India.
National Gallery of Modern Art : is
located in New Delhi.
National Human Rights Commission of
India: It enjoys the powers of a civil court and has its own nucleous of investigating
staff and can seek the assistance of Central and State investigative agencies.
It consists of eight members.
National Income of India: is the Net
National Product at market price.
It is estimated by the Central Statistics
Organization. The contribution
to the National Income of India is the
highest from the agricultural
sector.
Export-Import is not a method for
calculating national income.
National Institute of Community
Development: is located in Hyderabad.
National Institute of Fashion Technology:
is located in New Delhi.
National Institute of Immunology (NII):
has been set up in New Delhi by the Department of Biotechnology.
National Institute of Nutrition: is
situated in Hyderabad.
National Integration Council: is presided
over by the Prime Minister.
National Minimum Needs: was used by the
Planning Commission to measure poverty.
National Open School: "Open
School" in Delhi is the first of its kind in the country. It was started
by the CBSE, Delhi in 1979.
National Police Academy: is located at Abu
Road.
National Science Day: February 28, every
year, is celebrated as National Science Day by India because on this day in
1928, C.V. Raman discovered what was latter called the 'Raman Effect'.
National Voluntary Blood Donation Day: is
observed on October 1 every year.
Natonal Acedemy of Administration: at
Mussoorie is named after Lal Bahadur Shastri, former Prime Minister of India
(1964-66).
Natti: is the popular dance form of
Himachal Pradesh.
Nautanki: is a dance style popular in
Uttar Pradesh.
Nautical miles: Distance in navigation is
measured in nautical miles.
Naval Air Station, India's largest: The
Naval Air Station named INS Rajali at Arakkonam near Chennai is India's largest
Naval Air Station.
Navodaya Vidyalaya: established in
1985-86, the scheme is to provide good quality modern education to talented
children from the rural areas.
Navy bases: The Indian Navy has two major
naval bases at Bombay (Mumbai) and Vishakhapatnam.
Nawab Saheb ki Haveli: This 227-year-old
structure is situated in Jaipur.
Neel Lohit: is the pen name of Sunil
Gangopadhyay.
Neela Chand: The author of this epic
novel is Prof Shiv Prasad Singh.
Nehru Rozgar Yojna: has been designed to
provide employment to the urban employed and under-employed poor. The programme
has three schemes-(i) scheme for setting up micro-enterprises and providing
training and infrastructure support for urban poor, (ii) scheme for wage
employment for creation of socially and economically useful public assets in
urban local bodies and (iii) scheme for employment through housing and shelter
upgradation for the urban poor.
Nepanagar: in Madhya Pradesh is known for
government-owned newsprint paper mill.
Net Domestic Product: means Gross
Domestic Product minus depreciation of assets.
Netaji satellite earth station (Intelsat
STD): has been commissioned at Hallisaharam near Calcutta. It has certain
unique facilities like 'C' and 'Ku' band-available only in a few stations
around the world.
New Moore Island: is situated in the Bay
of Bengal.
Neyveli Thermal Power Plant: is fed by
Tertiary coal.
Nhava Sheva port: is situated in
Maharashtra State.
Niagra Falls: are situated in USA.
Nickel ore: is mined in Orissa.
Nigeria: was suspended from membership of
the Commonwealth for ignoring pleas of clemency and executed human rights
activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 others.
Nilakuthi: in Imphal district of Manipur
is known for Manipur Drug and Pharmaceutical Project-a joint venture between
Government of Ma-nipur and Central Government.
Nishant: is the name given to
high-priority Battlefield Surveillance Vehicle inducted into the Indian Army.
Nitrification: is the process of
conversion by action of bacteria, of nitrogen compounds from animal and plant
waste and decay, into nitrates in the soil.
No Smoking Day: is observed every year on
April 7.
Nobel Prizes: Dr Alfred Nobel (1833-86),
a Swedish scientist-the inventor of dynamite, left huge fortune to a Trust for
the establishment of five prizes to be awarded annually without any distinction
of nationality, for achievements in (1) Medicine, (2) Peace, (3) Literature,
(4) Physics and (5) Chemistry.
A sixth Nobel Prize in Economic Science
had been introduced from the year 1969 for the first time.
So far four persons have been awarded
Nobel Prize twice-(1) Madam Curie for Physics (1903), for Chemistry (1911). (2)
Linus Pauling for Chemistry (1954), for Peace (1962). (3) Frederick Sanger for
Chemistry in 1958 and in 1980. (4) John Bardeen for Physics in 1956 and in
1972.
No-confidence Motion in Germany: In
Germany, a no-confidence motion to bring down the government, passed by the
legislature, is valid only when the legislature is able to find simultaneously
a majority to elect a successor government.
Nongkrem dance festival: is part of the
autumn fanfare in Meghalaya.
NSCN (I-M): stands for National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (an insurgent group of Nagaland).
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: It was
first signed on July 1, 1968 by the United Kingdom, the United States, the
Soviet Union, and 59 other States under which the three major signatories
agreed not to assist States not possessing nuclear explosives in obtaining or
producing them.
Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty: It was signed in
Moscow on August 5, 1963, by the United States, the former USSR and the United
Kingdom as the original parties. The treaty banned nuclear-weapons tests in the
atmosphere, in outer space, and underwater but permitted underground testing.
Numaligarh: India's fourth Refinery has
been set up at this place in upper Assam.
Numismatics: is the study of coins.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: was a famous
Quawwali singer of Pakistan.
Obra Project: is a thermal power project.
Ocean Development Activities: cover
territorial sea extending upto 12 nautical miles. India has also been allocated
a mine site of 1,50,000 sq km in Central Indian Ocean.
Ocean Regime: Main objective of
development of ocean regime is to provide morphology and structures of sea
floor and underlying geological features.
Ocean Resources: India's domain for
development of ocean resources and protection of marine environment extends
from the coastal lands and islands to the wide Indian Ocean.
Octroi Duty: is a source of revenue of a
Municipal Committee or Corporation.
Oil Refineries: The main Oil Refineries
in India are situated near seaports because India needs much crude oil which is
mostly imported.
Old Testament: is religious book of the
Christians. Its earliest text is in Hebrew.
Oldest Theatre in India: Gaiety Theatre,
Shimla.
Olive trees and Cork-oak: grow in the
regions having the Mediterranean type of climate.
Olympic Games motto: is
"Faster-Higher-Stronger".
Olympic Games, 2004: Athens (Greece), the
originator of the Olympic movement and the city to host the first Olympic Games
of the modern era in 1896, has been selected to host the 2004 summer Olympic
Games.
Olympic Games-twice held : The Olympic
Games were held twice in Paris (1900 and 1924) and London (1908 and 1948).
Onam festival: is celebrated in Kerala.
One-rupee note: It bears signatures of
Finance Secretary, Ministry of Finance.
Operation Bajrang: Action of the Indian
troops against ULFA activists in Assam.
Operation Blackboard: aims at providing
Primary Education in educationally backward areas. It also aims at providing
non-formal adult education. Under this scheme, the States were advised to give
high priority to SCs and STs.
Operation Flood: relates to dairy
development industry. V. Kurien is actively involved in it.
Operation Rhino: is related to army
action against ULFA in Assam.
Operation Sunshine: refers to the live
telecast by Doordarshan of the total solar eclipse as seen in India.
Optical Fibre Cable, Longest: is between
Singapore and Marseilles.
Ornithology: is the study of birds.
(Salim Ali is associated with it).
Ottam Thullal: is a dance form of Kerala.
Padma: It is the name given to the main
channel of the Ganga river joining the Bay of Bengal.
Palk Bay: lies between Gulf of Mannar and
Bay of Bengal.
Panagudi: is in Tamil Nadu where India's
13th Oil Refinery has been set up.
Panama Canal: connects Atlantic Ocean
with Pacific Ocean.
Panchali-nataka: is Puppet play, one of
the age-old entertainment.
Panchatantra: by Vishnu Sharma is one of
the most famous works of the Sanskrit katha (story), so called because it is
divided into five sections, each dealing with a different subject. In these
fables, human vices and foibles are exposed through characters of animals.
Panchatantra has been translated into forty foreign languages and fifteen
Indian languages.
Panchayati Raj: was introduced in 1959,
generally as a three-tier structure of local self-government at the village,
block and district levels. These institutions are in existence in almost all
States and Union Territories with variations in structural pattern. The first
tier at village level is commonly known as Gram Panchayat, second (at block
level) as Panchayat Samiti and the third (at district level) as Zila Parishad.
Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh were the first States to implement the Panchayati
Raj system. Panchayati Raj is a subject on the State List.
The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act,
1992, imparted a constiu-tional status to the Panchayati Raj System.
Panchet Dam: is on the river Damodar.
Paper Gold: The term is associated with
Special Drawing Rights of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Paper-making: The art of making paper had
been discovered by the Chinese in the 2nd century. It was known to the Arab
world in the 5th century, and travelled to Europe only during the 14th century.
Paradeep port: on the Orissa coast, is
specially designed for export of iron ore. Iron ore from the Bailadilla mines
is exported through this port.
Paralympics : are the Games for disabled.
PARAM: is India's first
indigenously-built super computer.
Param Vir Chakra: is the highst military
decoration in India.
Paris : is situated on the river Rhine.
Parliament of Switzerland: is known as
Federal Assembly.
Parliamentary Expenditure: is controlled
by Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Parliamentary form of government: The
most essential feature of the parliamentary form of government is the independent
judiciary.
Pasteur, Louis: is called "Father
the the Modern Medicine".
Pasupatinath temple: is in Nepal.
Pathfinder: The robot craft dubbed
Pathfinder landed on the planet Mars on July 4, 1997. It was launched on
December 4, 1996 as part of the Discovery project of NASA. The Pathfinder
travelled for seven months at 20,000 km an hour to reach the red planet in a
circular path.
Patwar Basin: It is the western-most
limit of Shivalik Hills.
Pay Commission, Fifth: was headed by
Justice Ratnavel Pandhian. The commission submitted its recommendations on
January 30, 1997.
Pearl: Its main constituents are calcium
carbonate and magnesium carbonate.
Pearl city: Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu is
known as the 'pearl city' of India. It has the centuries-old history of pearl
fishery. It is one of the principal ports of India, situated at the extreme
southern point of Tamil Nadu. Pearl of the Orient: Hong Kong is called as Pearl
of the Orient.
Pearls: are formed inside Oysters.
Peaty soil: Kerala has Peaty soil.
Per Capita income in India: The main
causes of slow rate of growth of per capita income in India is due to (1) high
capital-output ratio, and (2) high rate of growth of population.
Pernam tunnel: is in North Goa opening
the historic 760 km-long broad gauge line of the Konkan Railway. The tunnel is
between Roha and Mangalore.
Petroleum: was first detected in India at
Digboi.
Petrology: is the study of rocks in the
earth's crust.
Photolysis: is dissociation of water
molecule in the chemical reaction of photosynthesis.
Pichola Lake: is a well-known man-made
lake in Udaipur (Rajasthan). In the middle of the lake there is "Lake
Palace" now converted into a hotel.
Pierry Cardin: is famous in fashion
designer.
Pinaka: is India's own multi-barrel
rocket system. It was recenly test-fired from the test range at Chandipur in
Orissa. It is reported in its advanced stage of development.
Pinaka is an area weapon system aimed at
supplementing the existing artillery gun at a range beyond 30 kms. Its quick
reaction time and high rate of fire gives an edge to the Indian Army during low
intensity war-like conditions. Having the range of 39 kms, Pinaka can fire 12
rockets within 44 seconds
Planning Commission of India: was set up
in 1950. It is an advisory body. The Prime Minister is its ex-officio Chairman.
It makes plans for the Union as well as the States. The Planning Economy in
India is based on the Mixed Economy System.
Planning-imperative and indicative: The
basic difference between imperative and indicative planning is that in the case
of imperative planning economic activities belong to public sector, while in
the other type they belong to the private sector.
Playground of Europe: Switzerland in
known as the "Playground of Europe".
Pneumatic tyres: were developed by
Dunlop.
Poisonous glands of snakes : are
homologous to salivary glands of vertebrates.
Pokhran: is in the Thar desert of
Rajasthan where India successfully exploded her first nuclear device on May 18,
1974. India again conducted three nuclear underground tests at this site on May
11 and two more on May 13, 1998.
Pollution in rivers: is measured by the
percentage of dissolved amount of Nitrogen.
Pondicherry: is the Union Territory of
India which has a legislature.
Population: India is the home of 16% of
world's population. It, however, accounts for 2.42% of the total world area. In
1991 Census, Na-galand registered the highest growth rate of 56.86% while
Kerala the lowest 13.98%. As per 1991 Census, Kerala has a higher number of
females than males (1036 females for 1000 males). U.P. continues to be the
largest State, population-wise 16.44% people of the country living there,
followed by Bihar and Maharashtra. Bombay (Mumbai) continues to be the most
populous city of India, followed by Calcutta, Delhi and Madras (Chennai).
Population control and family planning:
is included in the Concurrent
List in the Indian Constitution.
Population Density: in a specified unit
of area is decided by the average number of inhabitants.
Population in India-age-groupwise: The
highest percentage of population in India according to the 1991 census is to be
found in the age group of 35 to 55 years.
Population of Indian States : As per the
1991 Census, the first fifteen States in the descending order of the size of
their total population are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal,
Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Orissa, Kerala, Assam, Punjab, and Haryana. Population, Indian State having
largest: Uttar Pradesh has the largest population. It also leads in wheat
production.
Population-Decade of highest growth rate
in India: The 1961-71 Census decade recorded the highest growth rate of
population in India-24.80%. It was 21.51% in 1951-61; 24.66% in 1971-81; 23.85%
in 1981-91.
Portfolio management: means an effort to
maximize yield with safety of financial investments.
Postal Zone: is indicated by the first
two digits from left of the Pin-code.
Potato, Eyes of: are used for vegetative
propagation.
Poverty line: is an indicator of low food
intake.
Prahar: is the name given to the missile
boat constructed for the Indian Navy which was successfully launched in
September, 1995.
President of India: is elected by elected
Members of Parliament and State Assemblies.
President of India, impeachment of: The
President may be removed from office by impeachment, only when the resolution
for impeachment is passed by 2/3 majority of the total membership of the
Parliament.
President of India-Oath of office: The
oath of office of the President is conducted by the Chief Justice of India.
Pressler Amendment: relates to stoppage
of US aid to countries producing nuclear bombs.
Primary colours: Red, green and blue are
known as primary colours. These are colours which cannot be produced by mixing
with other colours.
Pruning: is associated with the
cultivation of tea.
Public Interest Litigation: This concept
originated in the United Kingdom.
Public Sector: is most dominant in India
in commercial banking.
Pulitzer Prizes: are awarded to Americans
for excellence in journalism.
Pushkar: is the name of a lake situated
in Ajmer.
Quill feathers: They are on the wing and
tail of birds and are helpful during their flight.
Radio-carbon dating: This method is used
to find the age of fossils.
Rag Kalpadram: is written by Radha
Krishna.
Raga Mala: autobiography of Sitar Maestro
Ravi Shankar. It is edited by former Beatle George Harrison.
Raghuvamsa: was written by Kalidas.
Rail Coach Factory: is located in
Kapurthala.
Rail route, Longest: The longest
passenger rail route in India links Kanyakumari and Jammu Tawi.
Railway Staff College: is located at
Vadodara.
Railways, Foreign: European
Transcontinental railway-Paris to Moscow; Trans-Andean railway-Buenos Aires to
Valparaiso; Trans-Siberian railway-Leningrad to Vladivostok; Orient
Express-Paris to Istanbul.
Raja Chelliah Committee: was set up to
study taxation reforms.
Rajagopalachari, C.: He was the first
Governor-General of free India.
Rajput School of Painting: was developed
independently during the Mughal period.
Rajya Sabha: It is a permanent body,
i.e., it is not subject to dissolution. One-third of its members retire every
second year. The Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the
Rajya Sabha.
Ram Nandan Prasad Committee: It dealt
with the identification of those who constitute the 'creamy layer' among the
OBCs.
Ramganga: is associated with multipurpose
project.
Ranikhet disease: Maximum setback to
poultry industry during the last five years has been due to this disease.
Ranthambhur: is a National Park/Game
Sanctuary in Rajasthan.
Raphael: (1483-1520) is associated with
painting.
Rare earths (Or Lignite and Monazite) :
are found on the beaches of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Monazite is an ore of
thorium.
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh: has been set up to
meet the credit needs of the poor women.
Rath Yatra at Puri: is a major festival
celebrated in honour of Hindu
deity Jagannath.
Red Cross Movement: was launched by J.H.
Dunant.
Red haematite: is an ore of iron.
Red Sindhi: is the highest milk yielding
breed of cow introduced for development in India.
Red soil area: Southern Peninsula is the
important red soil area in India. Mysore has red soil.
Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951:
specifies the model code of conduct for political parties and candidates to be
followed during elections.
Reserve Bank of India: was established on
April 1, 1935. It was nationalised on January 1, 1949. Its main objectives are:
regulating issue of bank notes, keeping foreign exchange reserves, operation of
currency and credit system, and developing financial structure. Formation of
the monetary policy is not the function of the Reserve Bank of India.
Residue Powers: In addition to the powers
given in the Union List
and Concurrent List, the Union Government
has the Residuary powers.
Retting Process: The crop associated with
retting process is jute.
Revenue Receipts: "Revenue
Receipts" of the Government of India do not include "Rent and
Property".
Reverberatory Furnace: The processes of
Roasting, Calcination and Smelting are carried out in this furnace.
Rhizopus: is a saprophyte.
Rial: is the currency of Iran
Rice: is the most widely used cereal in
India. It is sown on the largest acreage in India.
Rice cultivation: The ideal climatic
conditions for the cultivation of rice are rainfall above 100 cm and
temperature 25øC.
Rice weevil: is an insect NOT useful to
man.
Rice-highest yield: The highest yield of
rice per hectare in India is in
West Bengal.
Right to property in India: is a legal
right (not a fundamental right).
Rolling Plan: The type of planning
introduced in 1978 and experimented between 1978 and 1980 is known as Rolling
Plan.
Rourkela Steel Plant: was built in
collaboration with West Germany.
Rubber: The largest producer of rubber in
the world is Malaysia. In India, Kerala State is the largest producer of rubber.
Rupee convertibility: aims at (a)
increasing the export, (b) reducing bureaucratic control and (c) decreasing
incentive for Hawala market. It also implies freely permitting the conversion
of rupee to other major currencies and vice versa.
Rupert Murdoch: is the owner of the STAR
TV.
Rural incomes: In India, rural incomes
are generally lower than the urban incomes because (1) a large number of
farmers are illiterate and know little about scientific agriculture; (2) prices
of primary products are lower than those of manufactured products, and (3)
investment in agriculture has been low when compared to investment in
industry.
Rutherford, Lord: (1871-1937) is noted
for his work on structure of atom and radio-activity. He is a Nobel Prize
winner.
Sabarigiri: is associated with
hydro-electric project.
Saddle peak: is the highest peak of
Andaman and Nicobar islands, located in Great Nicobar.
SAF: Standby Arrangement Facility. This
type of borrowing from the IMF (International Monetary Fund) has the softest
servicing conditions.
Saffron: The largest saffron producing
State of India is Jammu & Kashmir.
Sahyadri: is the traditional name of
Western Ghats.
Salinity, Highest: is found in the Great
Salt Lake in USA.
Salt production: Gujarat State produces
the largest amount of salt in India.
Samaveda: The theory of classical music
is discussed in it.
Sambhar lake: in Rajasthan has the
highest water salinity. It produces 8.7% of the overall production of salt in
India.
Sanctuary, Ghana Bird: is located in
Rajasthan.
Sanctuary, Bandipur: is a Game Sanctuary
in Karnataka having tiger reserves.
Sanctuary, Chandraprabha: is located in
Uttar Pradesh.
Sanctuary, Jaldapara: is located in West
Bengal.
Sanctuary, Kaber Bird : in Bihar, is
Asia's biggest Wetland Bird Sanctuary. Kaber Lake in Begusarai (Bihar) had been
declared as a National Bird Sanctuary on June 20, 1989.
Sanctuary, Kaziranga: in Assam, is famous
for great Indian one-horn rhinoceros.
Sanctuary, Madumalai : is a Wildlife
Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.
Sanctuary, Manas Wild-life : is located
in Assam.
Sanctuary, Melghat: is a Game Sanctuary
in Maharashtra having tiger reserves.
Sandalwood: Indian State known for its
sandalwood, is Karnataka.
Santos: is known as the 'Coffee Port' of
the world.
Sarabhai, V.: is credited with research
and development in space science.
Sardar Sarovar Project: Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh and Maharashtra are concerned with this project. Sardar Sarovar Dam is
associated with the Narmada Project.
SardarVallabhbhai Patel National Police
Academy: is located in Hyderabad.
Sare Jahan Se Achha: The song-Sare Jahan
Se Achha Hindustan Hamara was written by Mohd Iqbal.
Sarkaria Commission: was appointed to
examine Centre-State relations.
Satanic Verses, The: is a book written by
Salman Rushdie.
Satellite construction centre: is at
Peenya, near Bangalore.
Satyameya Jayate: These words in the
Hindi Devnagri script in the State Emblem, are taken from Mundaka Upanishad.
Saving: is a function of investment.
Saw-scaled viper: is the only snake that
builds a nest.
Scenes from a Writer's Life: is the
autobiography of English writer Ruskin Bond. It describes his first 21 years,
including going to England, his struggle to find a publisher and his yearning
to come back to India.
Scheduled Castes: Uttar Pradesh has the
largest number of Scheduled Castes.
Scheduled Tribes: One-fifth part of the
total population of scheduled tribes of India lives in Madhya Pradesh.
Sea Water, Salinity of : The average
salinity of sea water is 3.5%.
SEBI: Security Exchange Board of India
was established in 1988. It has been assigned regulatory powers by the
Government of India in order to prevent recurrence of scams in the Capital
Market. Secular and Socialist: These words were inserted in the Preamble to the
Indian Constitution by the 42nd Amendment.
Secular State: A secular State prefers to
leave religion as a matter of individual conscience.
Security Paper Mill: is in Hoshangabad in
Madhya Pradesh.
Seeds, Protein-rich : Gram, Pea, and
Soyabean group of seeds are richer in protein than Rice and Maize.
Shadow Cabinet: A team of men in
opposition to take over the different portfolios in case the party is able to
wrest power, is known as Shadow Cabinet.
Shahtoosh: is the finest, warmest and
lightest wool in the world. It is produced in Uzbekistan.
Shakti Sthal: is the name given to the
Samadhi of Indira Gandhi. Shanti Nagar: is the name of lepers' colony built
near Asansol by the Missionaries of Charity under Mother Teresa's guidance.
Sharda Act: is related to child marriage.
Ship route, shortest: If a ship desires
to travel the shortest route, it must follow longitude connecting the two
joints between which travel is to be undertaken. Shiv Kumar Sharma: is
associated with Santoor.
Shivaji Festival: was started by Bal
Gangadhar Tilak in 1895 to stimulate nationalism among young Maharashtrians.
Sidhanta-siromani: is written by
Bhaskaracharya.
Sikkim: This Indian State has been called
by the World Wildlife Fund as one of the ecological wonders of the world due to
its pristine forests, sparkling icy peaks and rare flora and fauna. Sikkim
touches the borders of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and West Bengal.
Silappadigaram: The Jewelled Anklet (a
love story of Kovalan-Mad-hvi).
Silverfish: It is a wingless insect.
Sindri: is famous for fertilizer factory.
Smallest country of the world : Vatican
is the smallest country in the world (in terms of area).
Snake: is a limbless reptile.
Social costs: This term refers to the
costs of providing housing, health, sanitation and education.
Socialism: Socialism adopted by the erstwhile
USSR was different from that being followed in China because ideologically
socialism has different shades.
Sodium Benzoid: This substance is used
for the preservation of grains.
Soil conservation: is the process where
sterile soil is converted into fertile soil.
Soil depletion: A soil is depleted of
nitrogen because of repeated growing of a cereal like wheat. In order to enrich
the soil again, one should grow alfalfa or maize.
Soma: It is the name of a drink that was
consumed during religious ceremonies in the Vedic period.
Soyabean: The USA is the world's
principal producer of Soyabean followed by Brazil and China.
Sriperumbudur: a temple town in south
India, is the birth place of Ra-manuja Srisailam hydroelectric project: is on
the river Krishna.
Stagflation: is inflation with recession.
Stainless steel: is an alloy of iron and
chromium.
Stamp Duty: This tax is levied by the
Union and collected and appropriated by the States.
States Reorganisation Act: came into
force in 1956.
Steel plant, Shore-based: The first
shore-based steel plant in India is
in Vishakhapatnam.
Sterilized milk: usually spoils upon long
exposure to air because air supplies necessary oxygen to spoilage organisms
present in milk.
Stromboli: is a volcano in Sicily.
Study of Religion: Theology.
Suez Canal: is the largest ship canal in
the world. It joins Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The plan of the Suez
Canal was conceived by Ferdinand de Lesseps
Sugar bowl of the world: Cuba is known as
"sugar bowl" of the world.
Sugar producing countries: The largest
and the second largest sugar producing countries in the world are India and
Brazil, respectively. India accounts for nearly 25 per cent of world
production. Uttar Pradesh is the largest sugarcane producing State of India.
Sugarcane, highest producer in world: Cuba is the highest producer of sugarcane
in the world.
Sulabh International: is a body related
to lavatory reforms. It is the largest sustainable voluntary movement in India
with about 50,000 social workers. It has been granted "Special
consultative status" by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Sunderbans: is a good example of Mangrove
forests.
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces in
India: is the President of India.
Supreme Court of India: Though permanent
seat of the Supreme Court of India is at New Delhi, it can also meet at any
other place which is decided by the Chief Justice of India, in consultation
with the President.
Supreme Court of India-Advisory
jurisdiction: It is binding on the Supreme Court to give its opinion on any
matter referred to it by the President but the opinion so given under advisory
jurisdiction is not binding on the government.
Surabhi: was a medicine prepared by
Dhanvantri, according to ancient Indian legends.
Surat: is situated on the river Tapti.
Surcose content in sugarcane: decreases
if high rainfall occurs during the period of growth of the plant.
Susurta: (350 A.D.) is associated with
the city of Banaras (Varanasi). He is the author of a work on Ayurvedic
medicines. It is rather a treatise on surgery (hernia, cataract, plastic
surgery). There is also a small section on the interpretation of dreams for
diagnosis.
Swaminathan, Dr M.S. : is associated with
Green Revolution in India.
Swaran Singh Committee: considered the
question of the suitability of the Presidential form of government in India.
Tagore, Rabindra Nath: was called Gurudev
by Mahatma Gandhi.
Tahir Mahmood: is a distinguished
educationist. He is Chairman of the reconstituted National Commission for
Minorities.
Taj Mahal: in Agra is built on the bank
of the river Jamuna. Fusion of Indian and Iranian architecture can be seen in
this monument.
Take-off Stage in economy: means
beginning of steady growth.
Taliban: is a rebel group in Afghanistan.
Tallest building: is the Petronas Twin
Towers at Kuala Lumpur.
Tanjore (Thanjavur): was the capital of
Cholas, an ancient Tamil kingdom which flourished on the lower east coast of
India along the banks of river Kaveri (Cauvery). A great Siva temple at this
place is the masterpiece of Chola architecture.
A lot of detail regarding the village
administration under the Cholas is
provided by the inscriptions at
Thanjavur.
Tape worm: has no digestive system
because it is a saprophyte.
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research:
is situated in Mumbai.
Tata Iron and Steel Industry: at
Jamshedpur, is India's oldest Iron and Steel industry.
Tax revenue, Largest source of: The
largest sources of tax revenue to the Central Government of India are Union
Excise Duty and Customs Duty.
Tea: India is the largest producer as
well as consumer of tea in the world. Tea plantation was commercially started
in India by Lord Bentinck.
Minimum amount of rainfall required for
growing tea is 60'' per annum.
Teachers' Day: is observed in India on
September 5 every year.
Teak: is the product of monsoon forests.
Tehri Dam: It is located in Uttar Pradesh
over the river Bhaghirthi, a
tributary of Ganga.
Telegu : is the language of Andhra
Pradesh. It is spoken by the second largest number in India (after Hindi).
Telegu Ganga Project: in Tamil Nadu
envisages optimal use of surplus water of the Krishna river. It is a joint
venture of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Tendu leaves: are mainly produced in
Madhya Pradesh.
Textile industry: This industry in India
employs highest number of persons.
The Arctic Home of Aryans : This book was
written by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
The Degeneration of India: is a book
written by T.N. Seshan, former Chief Election Commissioner of India.
The Heart of India: is a book written by
Mark Tully.
The Indian Struggle: is written by
Subhash Chandra Bose.
The Indian Unrest: is the book written by
Lokmanya Tilak.
The Last Supper: is a painting by
Leonardo da Vinci.
The Man who knew Infinity: This book
written by Robert Kanigel, published in 1991, is the biography of Srinivasa
Ramanujan.
The Moor's Last Sigh: is a book written
by Salman Rushdie.
The Old Curiosity Shop: is the book
written by Charles Dickens.
The Price of a Dream: is the book written
by David Barnstien.
The Road Ahead: is the name of a book written
by Bill Gates.
The Thirst for Freedom: is a three-volume
epic novel written by C.S. Chalappa. It traces the freedom struggle under the
leadership of Ma-hatma Gandhi and has Tamil Nadu and Madurai at the backdrop.
The Wealth of Nations: written by Adam
Smith.
Thein Dam: is on river Ravi.
Theology: is the study of religion.
Through the Magic Window: is written by
Sevati Ninan. It depicts the history of television from 1959 to the present
day.
Thumba: near Thiruvananthapuram
(Trivandrum) in Kerala State, is known for India's rocket-launching station.
Tiblisi: is the capital of Georgia.
Tidal energy: In the production of tidal
energy, maximum potential exists in Bhavnagar.
Tin: Rewa in Madhya Pradesh is the only
place where tin is found in India. It is found in the Basic igneous rocks.
Tiananmen Square: is in China.
Tirukural: is known as the Bible of
Tamil.
Tobacco: Andhra Pradesh leads in the
production of tobacco in India.
Tolkappiyam: deals with grammar.
Tomato fruits, Seedless: It is possible
to produce seedless tomato
fruits by spraying hormones on flowers.
Torah: is the sacred book of the Parsis.
Trade Tax: is the tax which does not
directly increase the price of a commodity to buyers.
Trains: Navjeevan
Express-Ahmedabad-Madras, Prayagraj Express-Delhi-Allahabad, Neelanchal
Express-Puri-New Delhi, Chetak Ex-press-Delhi-Udaipur, Gitanjali
Express-Howrah-Bombay.
Transport aircraft: are manufactured at
Kanpur.
Treaty to ban Landmines: was signed at
Ottawa in Canada.
TRIBES
-Oraon: are aboriginal people of the
Chhota Nagpur region in the
State of Bihar. They call themselves
Kurukh and speak a Dravidian
language.
-Bedouins : of Arabia are entirely
nomadic. They are virile and couragous, but prone to acts of plundering trading
caravans to acquire food and other necessities in times of scarcity.
-Bhil: is a tribe mainly settled in
Madhya Pradesh.
-Bushmen : They live in the Kalahari
desert. They are probably the descendants of the earliest inhabitants of
Africa. They rank among the most uncivilized and backward peoples in the world.
Their food consists almost entirely of meat, often raw or decomposed, and in
times of scarcity they will eat insects, snakes etc.
-Khasi : They are inhabiting the Khasi
and Jaintia hills in the northeastern hilly tracts in Meghalaya State of India.
The Khasis have their own distinctive language and culture.
-Kikuyu : are a race of Bantu negroes who
live to the north of Mount Kenya. These people combine agriculture with
pastoralism.
-Kirghiz: of Central Asia are an example
of people adapted to a grassland environment. The Kirghiz are pastoral nomads
who move from pasture to pasture with the flocks and herds of horses, camels,
oxen, sheep and goats. Meat forms only a small portion of their food. The
Kirghiz are fearless horsemen, and even their children are expert riders
-Kukis: is the name of tribal community
of Manipur which is engaged in war against the Nagas.
-Lambadies: are concentrated in
Karnataka.
-Maoris: are the original inhabitants of
New Zealand.
-Masai : of the East African plateau are
the example of pastoral peoples. They are a tall, strong, warlike race, partly
negroid in type.
They treat their cattle with great
respect and affection and do not kill them for food or for sale as meat.
-Munda : are mostly located in Madhya Pradesh.
-Negritos: are the ancient tribes of
Andamans.
-Tharu: is a tribe of North-West Terai
region of India.
-Todas: They are aboriginal tribe of
Nilgiris. The highest number of tribal population of Todas is in Tamil Nadu.
Trishul: Refer under "Missiles developed
by India".
Triticate: is a "man-made"
cereal NOT found in nature.
Trust Love and a Little Malice: is the
autobiography of Khushwant Singh.
Tubewell irrigation: The development of
tubewell irrigation in India has been most spectacular in Bundelkhand.
Tupac Amaru: Revolutionary movement in
Peru (Latin America). This guerrilla organisation took over 400 persons as
hostages in Dec '96 at the residence of Japanese envoy in Lima (Peru).
Tuticorin: in Tamil Nadu is known as
'pearl city' of India. It has centuries old history of pearl fishery.
TV transmission, Basic colours in: The
three basic colours used in colour TV transmission are-blue, green and red.
Uber Cup: is associated with Badminton.
Udaigiri Caves: are located in Orissa.
UN Charter: was signed on June 26, 1945,
and came into force on October 24, 1945. UN Day is observed on October 24.
UN Emblem: Olive Branch is the emblem of
the U.N.
UN headquarters: is located in New York.
UN Permanent Members of the Security
Council: The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are-China,
France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
UN Secretary General: is appointed by the
General Assembly upon the recommendations of the Security Council. The present
Secretary General of the UN is Kofi Annan (of Ghana).
UN Security Council: has five permanent
members and 10 non-permanent members.
UN-Veto power in Security Council: The
Security Council consists of five permanent members (United Kingdom, Russia,
United States, France, and China) and 10 non-permanent ones. Nine votes are
suf-fcient to carry a Security Council decision, but any permanent member may
exercise a veto over any substantive proposal.
Un-British India: is the book written by
Dadabhai Naoroji.
Uncle Tom's Cabin: The author of this
book is H.B. Stowe.
UNESCO: Its headquarters is at Paris. It
completed 50 years on November 4, 1996.
Unhappy India: is the book written by
Lala Lajpat Rai.
UNICEF: stands for United Nations
International Children's Emergency Fund. Its Headquarters is located in New
York. It was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for 1965.
Union List: The Central Government's
exclusive powers are enumerated in the Union List.
Unit Trust of India: is the largest
mutual fund organisation in India.
United Kingdom: consists of England and
Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
United Nations 50th anniversary: was
celebrated on October 24, 1995.
Universal Adult Franchise: means all the
adults of a country have the right to vote irrespective of caste, creed,
religion, sex or place of birth (except aliens and lunatics).
University Grants Commision: UGC was
established in 1956 to take measures for promotion and coordination of
university education and determination of teaching standards.
Unto This Last: The author of this book
is Ruskin.
UPSC: does not have any statutory
function to act as a watchdog on the functioning of the State Public Service
Commissions.
Uranium: The largest deposits of Uranium
in India are found in Bihar.
Urbanised State in India, Most:
Maharashtra is the most urbanised State of India.
Wall Street: in New York (U.S.A.) is
associated with Banking and Finance.
War and Peace: is a book written by Leo
Tolstoy.
War of Indian Independence: V.D. Savarkar
wrote this book.
Welfare State: The concept of Welfare
State is included in the Constitution of India in the Directive Principles of
State Policy.
Wheatstone bridge: is used to measure
resistances.
When Memory Dies: is a book written by A.
Sivanandan.
Whip: This term describes a situation
where members of a political party are to be present compulsorily for voting.
White Coal: Uranium is called White Coal.
White Paper: An official statement of
government policy on some matter of current economic or social interest,
generally as a basis of legislation, or in justification of some drastic steps
taken to control a serious development for the country's safety as a whole.
Wilmut, Dr Ian: is credited with the
successful production of the first 'cloned sheep'.
WOMEC: World Mining Environment Congress,
held in New Delhi in December, 1995.
Women leaders: Women leaders of Canada,
Turkey, Argentina, and Myanmar are Kim Campbell, Tarsu Ciller, Eva Peron, and
Aung San Suu Kyi respectively.
Wood pulp: The world's leading exporters
of wood pulp are Sweden, Canada, Finland and Norway.
World Aids Day: is observed on December 1
every year.
World Bank: also called International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is headquartered in Washington.
Its purpose is to lend money to re-build war-torn areas and to develop
under-developed areas.
World Book Day: is observed on April 23.
World Environment Day: is observed on
June 5.
World Heritage Day: is observed on April
18.
World Intellectual Property Rights
Organisation: became a specialised agency of the UN in December 1974 with its
headquarters at Geneva.
World Literacy Day: is observed on
September 8.
World Meteorological Day: is observed on
March 23.
World No-Tobacco Day: is observed on May
31.
World Population Day: is observed on July
11.
World Post Day: is observed on October 9.
World Tourism Day: is observed on
September 27.
World Trade Organisation (WTO): The aims
behind the setting up of WTO are (1) promotion of free trade and resource flows
across countries, and (2) protection of intellectual property rights. Likely
benefits to India: (1) It will help boost exports of agricultural commodities
from India, and (2) India's share in the world trade is likely to tripple by
the year 2000 A.D.
World's highest Conference Hall: has been
constructed by Indian Army Jawans, working in sub-zero temperatures, at an
altitude of 14,500 feet, at Nathu-la Pass on the India-China border at Sikkim.
World's lagest Computer Network:
Internet.
World's longest snake reticulated python:
is found in Nagaland.
World's longest undersea tunnel: Aqualine
(15.1 km long) in Japan.
World's oldest sports daily: Gazetta
dello Sport, the pink paged newspaper of Italy, which celebrated its 100th
anniversary in 1996.
World's youngest long distance swimmer:
Chavi Madan, 12, who created a world record by swimming 17.5 km from Sippighat
to Port Blair in 5 hours 55 minutes.
Zakar Hussain, Ustad: is a renowned Tabla
player.
Zend Avesta: is the holy book of the
Zoroastrians.
Zero Hour (in military): In military
terminology, it means expected time of attack.
Zinc: The first batch of zinc to be
distilled by man occurred in Zawar (Rajasthan) around 50 B.C. as mentioned in
"Rasvatnakar".
SCIENCE
Acceleration due to gravity: If the mass
of an object were doubled, its acceleration due to gravity would be unchanged.
Acceleration of a body: A body executing
simple harmonic motion while passing through its mean position will have
minimum acceleration.
Acceleration, constant: A particle in
uniform circular motion has constant acceleration.
Acetyl salicylic acid: is used as pain
reliever.
Acetylene: is the gas used in welding.
Acquarium: A balanced aquarium should
contain water, animals, and green plants.
Agronomy: means science of soil and
plants.
AIDS: is a disease transmitted by sexual
intercourse, by blood transfusion, and sharing of needles by drug users.
Air bubble: When an air bubble at the
bottom of a lake rises to the top, it will increase in size.
Alcohol: This solvent is used for
dry-cleaning of clothes. (The organism bacteria is required for preparation of
alcohol).
Alkaloids: is the group of chemical
compounds to which quinine, nicotine, morphine etc belong.
Allotropy: The existence of a chemical
element which has more than one form differing in physical properties but
giving rise to identical chemical compounds.
Alpha particle: carries two positive
charges. Its mass is very nearly equal to that of an atom of helium.
Amalgams: are alloys which contain
mercury as one of the contents.
Amino acids: Excess of amino acids are
broken to form urea in liver. The number of Amino acids known so far is 22.
Ammonia: is the gas which can be more
easily liquefied. High pressure, low temperature and high concentration of
reactants is the most
favourable condition for the reaction of
nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonia.
Ammonium Chloride: This salt shows acidic
character when dissolved in water. (The compound of nitrogen used in the
manufacture of dry cells is the paste of ammonium chloride).
Ampere: is the unit of electric current.
Amphibia: refers to the animals which can
live on both land and water.
Anaemia: is caused due to shortage of red
blood cells (deficiency of haemoglobin in the blood).
Anaerobics: are bacteria which can
complete their life cycle without oxygen.
Anemometer: is an instrument for
measuring the force and velocity of wind.
Angiosperms, double fertilization in:
results in one haploid cell and one triploid cell.
Angstrom: Unit of distance-Interatomic
distance in a solid.
Anion exchange resins: are used as
antacids in the treatment of ulcers.
ant-acids: a substance which neutralizes
or counteracts acidity.
Antenna: converts radio waves into
electrical signals.
Antigen: substance that stimulates
formation of antibodies. It destroys harmful bacteria..
Archimedes' Principle: states that a
body, when immersed in a liquid, experiences an upward thrust equal to the
weight of the liquid displaced by it.
Ascetic acid: is present in 'vinegar'.
Ascorbic acid: Its deficiency gives rise
to a disease characterised by oedema, subcutaneous haemorrhages, anaemia, and
pathological changes in the teeth and gums.
Aspirin: its chemical name is
acetylsalicylic acid.
Astigmatism: is a defect of the eye. It
can be corrected by the use of
cylindrical lenses.
Atom: Atom was first split or
disintegrated by Rutherford, a New Zealander by birth, at the Cambridge
University in Britain. Nucleus of an atom has protons and neutrons.
Atom Bomb: is based on the principle of
nuclear fission.
Auxin: is plant hormone that induces cell
division. The bending of stems toward light is due to uneven growth of cells caused
by auxins.
Avogadro's Law: is obeyed by gases.
B.C.G. Vaccine: is administered to
prevent Tuberculosis.
Bacteria: is a microscopic organism
playing a vital role in Nitrogen Cycle. It can be seen by Compound microscope.
White blood corpuscles protect Bacteria.
Bacteria causing botulism: is
micro-organism that sometimes makes canned food harmful.
Bacteriophage: is a virus that attacks
bacteria and destroys their host.
Balanced Diet: The food that supplies the
essential nutrients in quantity that meets our nutritional needs.
Barometer: is used for measuring
atmospheric pressure of any place.
Battery: converts chemical energy into
electrical energy.
Battery charger: converts electrical
energy into chemical energy.
Bauxite: is an important ore of Aluminium.
Australia is the largest producer of bauxite in the world.
BCG Vaccine: is used for prevention of
tuberculosis in children. (It is also given to persons suffering from
Tuberculosis).
Benzaldehyde: is an active component of
oil of clove.
Benzene hexachloride: is an insecticide.
Beri-Beri: is a disease caused by
deficiency of Vitamin B. It is marked by muscular attrophy and neuralgic pains.
Bile: A bitter, alkaline, greenish-yellow
fluid secreted by liver and stored in gall-bladder which helps in digestion.
Binary Codes: as used in computer science
are codes made up of two numbers viz., 0 and 1.
Binomial nomenclature: is the method of
naming plants and animals introduced by Linnaeus (Carl Linne; 1707-78). Every
plant or animal has two Latin names: a generic name designating its genus, and
a specific name indicating the species; e.g., Felis tigris, the tiger.
Biodiversity: destruction of natural
habitats and vegetation and shifting cultivation strongly threatens
biodiversity.
Biofertilizers: is programme for integrated,
inter-disciplinary technology development and demonstration of biofertilizers
blue green algae (BGA), Azolla and rhizobium.
Biofilms: are accumulations of
micro-organisms at surfaces such as those of a rock, a tooth or an oil droplet.
Biogas: is a non-conventional source of
energy. Animal wastes, crop residues, aquatic plants, night soil, and forest
residues can be used as potential substraits for the generation of biogas.
Bio-geochemical cycles: cycling of
elements between living and non-
living components of the biosphere.
Biomass liquefaction: is direct transfer
of solid organic waste to liquid fuel.
Bionics: is the science of application of
the knowledge of the living world characteristics to the world of machines.
Biosphere: the ecosystems taken together
in a geographical area form a bigger unit called biosphere. Biosphere Reserve
Project is aimed at protecting environment.
Biotechnology-Demonstration projects and
technology transfer: It ensures mechanisms for application of this important field
for socio-economic development through demonstration projects and technology
transfer.
Biotechnology-DNA fingerprinting : DNA
fingerprinting in which India is second in the world is another achievement in
modern biology.
Biotechnology-flowering of bamboo :
Recent achievement is precocious flowering of bamboo through tissue culture,
first time in the world.
Biotechnology-Food production from algae:
Food production from algae and industrial alcohol production through improved
yeast strains by genetic manipulation are also areas of biotechnology.
Biotechnology-Micropropagation:
Micropropagation of tissue cultured economic trees and crops e.g., teak,
sugarcane, eucalyptus, cardamom, turmeric etc.
Biotechnology-Modernising commercial
industries: Modernising the commercial industries to produce products for use
in biological research is one of the approach which comes under the category of
biotechnology.
Biotechnology-Programmes of
biofertilizers etc: Programmes of biofertilizers, biological pest control, aquaculture
projects and embryo transfer technology have produced an impact in rural areas.
Bird flu: The "Bird flu"
virus-H5N1-recently claimed four lives in Hong Kong, which led to a move to
slaughter nearly 1.2 million chickens there.
Black Hole: is a space of intense
gravitational force caused by collapse of a star.
Bleeding: is caused by the deficiency of
Vitamin K
Blood: Most important function of the
blood is to transport oxygen.
Blood Circulation : was discovered by
William Harvey.
Blood corpuscles: The proportion of red
blood corpuscles and white blood corpuscles in human body is 5001.
Blood Groups-AB & O: There are four
blood groups-A, B, A & B (AB), and O. A person with 'AB' blood group is
sometimes called a 'universal recipient' because of the lack of antibodies in
his blood. Group O blood can be given to any of the other groups and it is
known as the 'universal donor'.
Blood in the human body: A normal person
has 4 to 7 litres of blood in his body. The average human male has about 11
pints (6.2 litres) of blood in his body.
Blood pressure: is the pressure of blood
in arteries.
Blood, Impure: is received in the heart
in the Right Auricle.
Blue-green algae: is a prokaryote. The
growth of rice plant is better
when it is cultivated along with
blue-green algae which increases the soil fertility through nitrogen fixation.
Also refer Biofertilizers.
Body fat: Fat present below the skin
surface in our body acts as a barrier against loss of heat from the body.
Bone tissue, hardness of: The hardness of
the bone tissue is due to the phosphates and carbonates of calcium and
potassium.
Bone, longest in human body: The longest
bone in the body of human being is Femur.
Bone, smallest in human body: The
smallest bone in the human body is in ear.
Bones and teeth: in human beings are made
of calcium phosphate.
Boyle's Law: states that the volume of
certain gas is inversely proportional to the pressure at a constant
temperature.
BPL vaccine: is given to persons
suffering from Rabies.
Breathing-an essential process of life:
Breathing is an essential process of life because it brings to the blood the
oxygen needed by
the cells for cellular respiration. It
thus promotes combination with oxygen in the lungs and also rids the body of
carbon dioxide. It also aids in the transport of carbon dioxide from the
tissues.
Bromine: exists in gas form under normal
temperature.
C-14: is the radioactive substance used
in 'dating' geological objects.
Caffeine: is the important ingredient
present in coffee.
Calcination: Strong heating; conversion
of metals into their oxides by heating in air.
Calcium Phosphates: are responsible for
the composition of bones.
Calories: is a unit for measuring food
energy.
Cancer: is caused because of uncontrolled
multiplication of cells.
Capacitor: is a device for storing
electric charge.
Capillaries: As blood passes through
lungs, gases are exchanged through blood vessels called capillaries.
Capillary action: In an oil lamp, oil
rises up in the wick due to this action.
Capillary tube: The height to which a liquid
will rise in a capillary tube is inversely proportional to the radius of the
tube.
Carbon: an element which is present in
all common fuels. It burns to give an oxide which is gaseous under ordinary
conditions.
Carbon atoms: are arranged in a
tetrahedral configuration in diamond.
Carbon dioxide: Trees and plants release
carbon dioxide at night and so it is not advisable to sleep under a tree at
night. It is a greenhouse gas.
Carbon monoxide: is an air pollutant
present in the environment. This gas is released by automobiles.
Carbon-14: is used for dating
archaeological specimens in wood, bones and shells.
Catalyst : A substance that alters the
rate at which a chemical reaction occurs, but is itself unchanged at the end of
the reaction.
Cataract: When the lens in the eye
becomes opaque, the disease is called Cataract.
Cathode rays: have no charge.
Cellulose: is the substance that can be
synthesized by plants and not by animals.
Cerebral hamorrhage: is caused by the
expression of a recessive gene present on sex chromosome.
Charcoal: Wood heated in an enclosed
container will produce charcoal.
Chlorine: is a chemical that is widely
used for purifying drinking water. It is the gas which does not form the part
of atmosphere.
Chlorofluro carbons: is the main culprit
in the thinning of Ozone layer in the earth's stratosphere.
Chlorophyll: a green plant pigment, which
absorbs energy from sunlight. Leaves appear green because they contain
chlorohyll.
Chloroplast: pertains to photosynthesis.
Chloroquin: is given to persons suffering
from Malaria.
Cholera and Typhoid: are water-borne
diseases. These are likely to spread in the entire community if a leaky septic
tank contaminates the water supply.
Cholera bacillus: was discovered by
Robert Koch.
Chromium: This element is alloyed with
iron to produce steel which can resist high temperatures and also have hardness
and abrasion resistance.
Chromosome: A chromosome is called
'holokinetic' when its centromere is terminally located. The sex-chromosomes in
male and female are, xx in female and xy in male. There are 46 chromosomes in a
body cell of human being.
Citric Acid: makes lemon sour.
Citrus fruits: are considered a rich
source of Vitamin C.
Clarke, Arthur C.: The concept of
Geostationary orbit was suggested
by him.
Cloned sheep: Refer Wilmut, Dr Ian.
Clover: is a plant which has flowers that
are usually pollinated by bees.
Cobalt: is a metal which is attracted by
a magnet.
Cockroach: respirates through its organ
'spiracles'.
Cold Fusion: is a term related to nuclear
science.
Colour blindness: is a genetically linked
disease.
Combustion: takes place in the presence
of oxygen.
Compass: is a device for ascertaining
direction by seamen. The needle of a compass deflects when kept near a charged
body in motion.
Concave mirror: A dentist uses a concave
mirror to examine a small cavity. It can also be used to focus sunlight.
Convection: Transference of heat through
a liquid or gas by the actual
movement of the fluid.
Convex mirror: is used in vehicles for
rear viewing.
Cooking gas: is a mixture of Methane and
Ethylene.
Copernicus, Nicholaus: is famous for
proposing that the planets move around the Sun and not around the earth (Solar
System).
Copper Vapour Lasers: They can produce
short and long wavelength radiations, and can be focused on very small areas.
Corpus luteum: is a mass of cells found
in ovary.
Counter: is a device for detection and
measurement of high energy atomic radiation.
Cranium: is the part of the skull that
encloses the brain.
Crop Biotechnology: is development of single
gene based gene(s) transfer system for crops.
Crude oil distillation: When crude oil is
distilled, the products obtained in the sequence (lowest boiling point first
and highest boiling point
last) will be petrol, kerosene, furnace
oil, naptha.
Cryogenics: The science dealing with the
production, control and application of very low temperatures.
Cyanide: acts as a poison by directly
affecting the brain. Acute poisoning from hydrogen cyanide or the cyanides is
manifested by dizziness, nausea, staggering, and loss of consciousness. Death
may occur rapidly after swallowing as little as 300 milligrams of the salts or
inhaling as little as 100 milligrams of hydrogen cyanide.
Cyclotron: is accelerator of charged
particles.
Cytology: is the science dealing with
cells.
Dalton's Atomic Theory: states that the
smallest particle which can exist independently is atom.
Decibel: measures relative intensity of
sound (or noise level).
Decomposition: of organic matters is due
to Fungi and Bacteria.
Dehydration: is caused in human body due
to loss of water. Sodium chloride is lost during dehydration.
Dengue fever: is caused by Culex mosquito
(virus).
Deuterium Oxide: is the chemical name of
Heavy Water.
Diabetes: is caused due to the
malfunctioning of Pancreas.
Diabetes mellitus: affects human system
following a disorder in metabolism- failure in varying degrees of the pancreas
to produce insulin and inability of the body to make use of sugar, the glucose
which is the end-product of carbohydrate digestion. It is associated with high
sugar level and lower insulin level in blood.
Dialysis: is used when a patient has
serious trouble with Kidney.
Diamond: is an electrolyte. It is the
hardest substance available on earth.
Diffraction and Dispersion: The formation
of brilliant colours in a thin soap film is a consequence of the phenomena of
diffraction and dispersion.
Diffusion: When an open bottle of scent
is kept in a corner of the room, its odour is felt in all the corners. This is
due to the phenomena
of diffusion.
Dioptre: is a unit of measurement in
refraction. A lens of one dioptre has a focal length of 1 metre. Power of
sun-glass is 0 Dioptre.
Dispersal of seeds: takes place through
man, birds and cattle.
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid): is a polymer
molecule in the form of a double-strand helix containing many thousands of
sub-units. It contains the genetic information coded in sequences of sub-units
called bases.
The DNA extracted from the cell of an
embryo at an early stage of development, can be transferred to individual eggs
which in turn can be implanted into the uterus of a surrogate mother to give
birth to an identical offspring.
The correct model of DNA structure is
that proposed by Watson and Crick.
Dobson unit: is a measure for the
physical thickness of the Ozone layer.
Dry Cell: In the ordinary dry cell, the
electrolyte is Ammonium chloride.
Dry Ice: is solid carbon dioxide; at room
temperature it gives carbon dioxide gas.
Ductless glands: secrete hormones.
Dynamo: converts mechanical energy into
electrical energy. It was invented by Faraday.
Earth lock: Losing earth lock by a
satellite means that the satellite which is turned to the earth facing the
footprint, turns its face away making it useless.
ECG: It gives information of the Auricles
and Ventricles.
Ecosystem: In an ecosystem, light
received from the sun is the source of energy.
Einstein: is known for his theory of
relativity. He established the equivalence of mass and energy.
Electroencephalograph: is an instrument
used for recording and interpreting the electric activity of the brain.
Electromagnetic radiation: Gamma rays,
X-rays, and Microwaves come under the category of electromagnetic radiation.
Electroscope: is used to detect the
presence of charge on a given body.
Element, most abundant: The element most
abundant on the earth crust is oxygen.
Embryo, heart of human: The heart of
human embryo starts beating in the third week of its development.
Emulsification: is used to describe the
action of bile on fats.
Endocrine glands: secrete hormones in the
human body.
Enriched uranium: is U-235.
Entomology: means the scientific study of
insects.
Enzyme ptyalin: is produced by salivary
glands.
Enzymes: proteins are enzymes. These are
made of substances that are in the nature of proteins and act as promoter in
metabolism.
Escape Velocity: is a minimum velocity
required to cross a particular
gravitational field.
Estrogen: is secreted by ovary.
Ethane: is a colourless, odourless gas
used chiefly in organic synthesis.
Ethanol: is used as an anti-freeze for
the automobile engines.
Ethyl alcohol: This compound is used as a
sedative. It is formed by fermentation.
Ethylene gas: is used for ripening of
fruits.
Eye diseases: are caused by the
deficiency of Vitamin A.
Fat: is stored in the human body in
adipose tissue.
Feldspar: is a large group of
rock-forming minerals consisting chiefly of alumino-silicates of potassium and
sodium. They are constituents of granite and other primary rocks.
Fermentation: The reaction which converts
sugar solution into alcohol is an example of fermentation.
Fermi: Unit of distance-size of the
nucleus.
Fertilizer-Uses of: It supplies nutrients
to the plants. It also adjusts the soil pH and increases the crop yield.
Flower and insects: A flower that
attracts a few kinds of insects regularly, has an evolutionary advantage
because little pollen would be lost on other plant species.
Fluorine: is the most reactive among the
hologens.
FORTRAN: is a term associated with
computer science.
Fountain pen: was invented by Waterman.
Fractional distillation: is the possible
method of separation of two liquids if they have appreciable difference in
boiling point.
Freon: is chlorofluro hydrocarbon-a
refrigerant used in refrigeration.
Frequency: When the frequency
distribution is normal, mean, mode
and median are identical.
Frequency remains constant when a ray of
light from a sodium
vapour lamp is passed through a glass
pane.
Fuse wire in electric circuit: It is used
to prevent too high an electric current from passing through the circuit. It
has low melting point.
Galileo: (1564-1642) was Italian
scientist. He is known for invention of telescope. His study of the planet
Jupiter led to disprove the geocentric concept of the solar system.
Gall bladder: A person whose gall bladder
is removed may, at first, have difficulty in fat emulsification.
Galvanised iron sheets: are protected
from rusting due to the presence of a layer of zinc.
Gamma rays: are high energy rays emitted
by radioactive elements. They have more penetrating capacity.
Gas most soluble in liquid: requires low
temperature and high pressure.
Gasification: is transfer of solid fuel
to gaseous energy carrier.
Gasohol: It is a mixture of alcohol and
petrol and is used as fuel for
automobiles.
Genetic Engineering: is associated with
medical treatment. It is the technology involved in altering the genetic
constitution of an organism. Genetic engineering has been used for the
large-scale production of antibiotics, enzymes, and hormones (e.g., insulin). A
major contribution to Genetic Engineering was done by Nirenberg and Hargobind
Khorana.
Germanium: Refer Jhama (Burnt coal).
Gerontology: is study of the science of
old age, its phenomena and disease.
Giant Meter Wave Radio Telescope: is
located near Pune.
Glaucoma: leads to progressive loss of
vision.
Gliding Joint: is the type of joint by
which head is joined with Vertebral Column.
Gobar gas: It mainly contains methane.
Goitre: is caused by deficiency of
iodine.
Gold purification: To purify gold, it
should be treated with concentrated nitric acid.
Granite rock: is formed by the cooling of
molten rock.
Graphite: is the only non-metal which is
a good conductor of electricity.
Greenhouse effect: is due to carbon
dioxide.
Gynoecium: is the part of the flower
associated with insect pollination.
Haemoglobin: is the red pigment present
in the blood of man and other vertebrate animals. It contains iron and protein
and plays an important part in taking up oxygen from the air in the lungs and
carries it to various parts of the body where oxygen is required. Haemoglobin
may remain alive in the blood for whole life.
Haemophilia: A disease in which the blood
loses the property to clot outside the body after an injury. It is a hereditary
disease carried by females and expressed by males.
Hardness of Water: is due to the soluble
salts of calcium and magne-
sium.
Hormones: These are internal secretions
of the ductless glands which are passed directly into the blood inside vessels
within the gland itself.
Heart: It never takes rest.
Hearts, larger sized: Athletes normally
have larger sized hearts because greater blood pressure developed during
workout requiring thicker heart walls.
Heavy water: contains deuterium in place
of hydrogen. It is used as a moderator in some nuclear reactors.
Heisenberg: is known for Uncertainty
Principle.
Helium: is the gas filled in balloons.
Hepatitis: Liver is mainly damaged by
this disease.
Hetro-zygous: Refer Homo-zygous.
Homoeopathy: was introduced by Hahnemann.
Homo-zygous: having identical genes or
alleles in the same locus on both chromosomes of a pair (one of maternal and
the other of paternal origin. (oppositely hetro-zygous).
Honey bees: get their food from flowers.
Hook's Law: is related to elasticity.
Hookworm: enters the human body through
skin.
Human beings: belong to the class
mammalia under phylum chor-data.
Humidity: For good health, the relative
humidity of a room should be about 50%.
Huygens: propounded the wave theory of
light.
Hybridization: Breeding by the mating of
genetically different lines to obtain desirable traits is called hybridization.
This also refers to crop improvement technique based on the concept of cellular
totipotency in plants.
Hydrogen: is an Element. A colourless,
odourless, tasteless gas that forms diatomic molecules. It is the lightest
substance known, is flammable, and combines with oxygen to form water. It is
absent in air.
Hydrogenated fat: is recommended as a
source of fat for a heart patient.
Hydrogenation: By this process, cooking
oil can be converted into vegetable ghee.
Hydrometer: is an instrument used for
measuring the specific gravity of liquids. In order that a hydrometer may float
vertically in water, its centre of gravity should be lowered. The concentration
of acid in batteries is measured by hydrometer.
Hydrophobia: This disease is caused by
the bite of a mad dog.
Hydrophyte: is an aquatic animal.
Hygrometer: is an instrument used for
measuring relative humidity of the atmosphere.
Hypermetropia: Long sight. A defect of
vision in which one is unable to see near objects distinctly. It can be
corrected by the use of convex
spectacle lenses.
IC Chips used in computers: are made of
silicon.
Incisors: are teeth used by a man for
biting.
Influenza: is caused by virus.
Insulin: is a pancreatic hormone, made in
the islet cells of Langer-hans, secreted into the blood and having a profound
influence on carbohydrate metabolism by simulating the transport of glucose
into cells. It is used in the treatment of Diabetes. It regulates blood glucose
level. It is automatically released into the blood stream of a normal healthy
individual following increase in concentration of blood sugar.
Internal Reflection, Total: can take
place when light travels from diamond to glass.
Iodine: Its deficiency in diet may
produce Myxoedema, a symptom of hypothyroidism as it reduces the secretion of
thyrotropic hormones.
Ionic salts: Water is a good solvent of
ionic salts because it has a high dipole moment.
Ionizing Radiations: These radiations in
the atmosphere induce chromosomal aberrations resulting in genetic defects
which may lead to Cancer.
Iris: regulates and controls the entry of
light into the human eye.
Isotopes of an element: These are
different because of change in protons and neutrons.
Itching: is eased by scratching because
it stimulates certain nerves which direct the brain to increase the production
of antihistaminic chemicals.
Jaundice: It is a disease of the Liver.
Jhama (Burnt coal): contains recoverable
amount of a metal/element used in transistors. This element is known as
Germanium.
Jonas Salk: is known for preparing the first
effective vaccine against Polio.
Jumping Genes: This theory was propounded
by Barbara McClin-tock.
Kala Azar: This disease is widespread in
West Bengal.
Kepler's Law: According to this law a
line drawn from the sun to a planet, moving around it, sweeps over a fixed area
in a given interval of time.
Kidney: is responsible for the water
balance in the human body.
Lactic acid: Milk taste sour when kept in
the open for sometime due to the formatiion of lactic acid.
Lactobacillus: is Bacterium which is responsible
to turn milk into curd.
Laser beams: are coherent, monochromatic
and undirectional in nature.
Laughing gas: is Nitrous Oxide.
Laws of floating bodies: Archimedes was
associated with this physical phenomenon/law.
Laws of planetary motion: This discovery
is associated with Kepler.
Lead: This metal pollutes the air of a
city having automobiles.
Lead peroxide and lead: serve as
electrodes in chargeable batteries commonly used in devices such as
torchlights, electric shavers etc.
Leprosy: is treated by sulphones.
Light from Sun: Light from the sun takes
approximately 8 minutes' time to reach the earth.
Light Year: is the unit of measuring
astronomical distance.
Light, Velocity of: The approximate
velociy of light per second is
3x108 metres.
The speed of light will be minimum while
passing through glass.
Limestone caves: were formed because the
ground water contained dissolved carbon dioxide.
Liquefied petroleum gas : is a mixture of
Butane, Heptane and Petane.
Liquid temperature: When the temperature
of a liquid increases, the surface tension of the liquid decreases.
Liver: This organ, an endocrine gland in
the human body, is the largest in size.
Liver cirrhosis: Prolonged consumption of
pigeon pea (arhar or tur dal) adulterated with kesari dal (Lathyrus sativus)
leads to liver cirrhosis.
Living organisms: require at least 27
elements of which 15 are metals. Among these required in major quantities
include potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium.
Longitudinal waves: by definition, move
and produce compression and rarefactions.
LPG: Liquefied Petroleum Gas. It contains
mostly butane.
Lyosomes: are known as the suicide bags
of cells.
Mach Number: is the term used to measure
the speed of Sound.
Malnutrition: Undernutrition and
imbalanced nutritiion would lead to malnutrition.
Malphighian tubules: Excretory organs of
insects.
Manganese dioxide: is the catalyst used
in the preparation of oxygen from potassium chlorate.
Marble : Its chemical name is calcium
carbonate.
Measles: is not caused by Bacteria.
Meningitis: is a disease which affects
the brain.
Mercury: Quicksilver, hydrargyruma
liquid, silvery-white metal, used in thermometers, barometers, manometers etc.
It shines and is easily observable. Mercury liquid is the best conductor of
heat.
Meteor: Refer Shooting star.
Methane: It is an odourless, flammable
gas that forms an explosive mixture. It is one of the constituents of 'Gobar
gas'.
Mhom: It is a unit of conductance.
Microne: Unit of distance-Wavelength of
infrared laser.
Micronutrients: Copper, iron and zinc are
'Micronutrient' elements which are needed in very small quantities but play
major roles in structural organisation of the plants.
Milk: Besides proteins and carbohydrates,
other elements of nutritional value found in milk include calcium and potassium.
Mineral Uptake: Its physiological process
relates to Plasma membrane Cell organelles.
Mirage: is an example of total internal
reflection. It is observed on a road on hot summer days as a consequence of
Refraction of light.
Mitochondria: minute rod-shaped bodies
that occur in the cytoplasm of most cells. It contains enzymes which are
essential for many biochemical processes.
Respiration is the physiological process
of Mitochondria Cell or-ganelles.
Molecular weight: of heay water is 20.
Momentum: is a Vector quantity.
Monosodium glutamate: A flavouring agent
used in food was the sub-
ject of controversy over its use in
cooking of food.
Mouse: A mouse is classified as a mammal.
Mushrooms: reproduce by means of spores.
Mutation: in Biology, a change which
occurs suddenly and which will be inherited later is known as mutation.
Mycorrhiza: is the term applied to
indicate the association of fungus and the roots.
Myopia: Shortsightedness-a disease
connected with eyes. The light rays come to focus in front of, instead of on
the retina.
Natural Selection, Theory of: was
advocated by Charles Darwin.
Neurology: is the science of Nervous
System.
Neutron: was discovered by Chadwick.
Newton: expounded the "Universal law
of gravitation"-"to every action there is equal and opposite
reaction".
Nichrome: is suitable for electrical
heater, because of high resistance.
Nicotine: is a colourless intensely
poisonous oily liquid alkaloid that occurs in tobacco leaves.
Niel Bohr: was famous for his work in
Physics.
Night blindness: It could be caused by
the deficiency of Vitamin A. Children suffering from night blindness should be
provided with carrots as nutritional supplement. Vitamin A is also necessary
for proper vision.
Nitrogen: This gas is used in an electric
bulb.
Nitrogen dioxide: This toxic gas in the
environment lowers the resis-tane to pneumonia in the human beings.
Nitrogen wastes: are removed from our
body through urine.
Nitrolime: is mixture of calcium
dicarbide and nitrogen.
Nitrous oxide: is used as anaesthetic.
Nuclear chain reaction: In a nuclear
chain reaction, a U-235 nucleus
is bombarded with a slow moving neutron.
Nucleic acids: are carriers of genetic
information.
Nutritive food value: Nutritive value of
food stuff is increased by enrichment.
Nyctalopia: is caused by deficiency of
Vitamin A.
Nylon: The scientist W.H. Carothers is
known for making Nylon.
Ohm: is the unit of resistance.
Opaque object: The colour of opaque
object is due to the colour it reflects.
Oparin and Haldane: They proposed the
theory that 'life could have arisen from non-living organic molecules'.
Optical fibre: is the most effective
carrier of information. It works on the principle of total internal reflection.
Organic Food: contains Vitamins, Fats and
Proteins.
Ornithology: Study of birds.
Ortho hydrogen: When the spins of the two
nuclei are parallel in the hydrogen molecule, it is known as ortho hydrogen.
Oxidation: is a chemical change.
Oxygen: is most abundant of all the
elements in the earth's crust including the seas and the atmosphere.
Oxygen in atmosphere: The amount of
oxygen in the atmosphere remains relatively constant because oxygen is given
off by plants. The percentage of oxygen in the air is about 20%.
Ozone layer: It refers to the layer in
the upper atmosphere 15 to 30 km above the earth's surface. It protects us from
Ultra-violet radiations.
Ozone, a molecule made up of three atoms
of oxygen, comprises a layer of the atmosphere that absorbs harmful ultraviolet
radiation. The main culprit in the thinning of Ozone layer in the earth's
stratosphere is Chlorofluro carbons.
Pace-maker: It is also known as S.A.
node.
Pager: A Pager is a FM radio receiver
electronic device. Communications has taken a new turn in India with All India
Radio (AIR) launching country's first Radio Data Servicing (RDS) Pagers in 17
selected cities. Paging service has also been started by several private
operators in a number of major cities in India.
Pancreas: act both as endocrine and
exocrine gland. Refer Diabetes mellitus.
Pancreatic juice: contains the enzymes
Amylase, Lipase and Trypsin.
Parahormone: A person suffering from
tetany is treated by the administration of Parahormone.
Parathyroid: is endocrine gland which can
function independent of the pituitary gland.
Parsec: is a unit of Inter-gallactic distance.
Parthenocarpy: Formation of fruit without
fertilisation.
Pasteurization: is the process where milk
is first heated for a long period to about 62øC and then suddenly cooled for a
specified period.
Patella: is the anatomical name of the
knee bone.
Pauling, Linus: American bio-chemist who
was awarded Nobel Prize in 1954 for his contribution to the electrochemical
theory of valency. He disproved the theory of spontaneous generation and
performed the experiment to show 'Life begets life'.
Pavlov: is known for discovery of Reflex
action.
Pellagra: is causd by deficiency of
Niacin.
Penicillin: was discovered by Alexander
Fleming. It is generally given to cure sore throat.
Pepsin enzyme: converts proteins to amino
acids.
Pericardium: is a double-walled sack in
which heart is enclosed.
Periscope: is used to see outside objects
above the water surface from inside a submarine. For deflection of light, it
uses total internal reflection.
Permutit method: is the process of
softening of water using sodium zeolite.
pH Value: Ground water obtained from
alkali soils will have a high pH value. The ideal level of pH value in fertile
soil for growing common crops is 6.5 to 7.5.
Phenylketonuria: is an example of an
inborn error of metabolism. This "error" refers to atrophy of
endocrine glands.
Phosphorus: is used for glowing
match-stick
Photoelectric Cell, Theory of: is
associated with A. Becquerel.
Photo-electric law: The scientist Albert
Einstein is famous for this law.
Photons: When excited hydrogen atoms
return to the ground state, they emit photons.
Photosynthesis: is the process by which
green plants manufacture their carbohydrates from atmospheric carbon dioxide
and water in the presence of sunlight. Thus for photosynthesis, plants require
carbon dioxide, water and sunlight.
Photo-voltaic cell: Direct conversion of
solar energy by the use of photo-voltaic cell results in the production of
electrical energy.
Piezo-electric Effect: The working of the
quartz crystal in the watch is based on the Piezo-electric Effect.
Piezoelectric transducers: can detect
accoustic emission wave forms.
Pin worm: Oxyuris is a 'Pin worm'.
Pitchblende: Radium is obtained from this
source.
Pituitary gland: It receives message from
hypothalamus and communicates with other endocrine glands.
Placenta: is not a constituent of blood.
It is a vascular structure developed about the third month of pregnancy and
attached to the inner wall of the uterus.
Planck: is known for Quantum Theory.
Plant cells Vs Animal cells: Plant cells
contain chloroplast while animal cells do not.
Plant nutrients: Plants receive their
nutrients mainly from soil.
Plants and Animals, Growth of: The
biological processes of growth, development and differentiation enable the
plants and animals to enter the functional state of life because various
biological and environmental factors regulate the state of life.
Plasmolysis: Root hairs absorb water from
the soil on account of plas-molysis.
Plastic: is not a natural polymer.
Plastic surgery: Of the four landmarks in
medical history viz., (1) Organ transplant, (2) Plastic surgery, (3) Bypass
surgery, and (4) Test tube baby, plastic surgery was the first to take place.
Platinum: is a metal generally mixed with
gold.
Polio Vaccine: was first prepared by
Jonas Salk.
Pollutants likely to be inhaled by a
traffic constable: Carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen.
Pollution: consists of emission of toxic
gases like carbon dioxide, and others; release of toxic particles of lead
sulphur, and other compounds; dust and smoke haze; rise in temperatures to
abnormal lev-
els, etc.
The agricultural practices for the
pollution of our water resources are: use of chemical fertilizers and excessive
use of chemical pesticides. Forests and oceans counteract these effects by
absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen and water vapour (evaporation).
Polyamide: This polymer is widely used
for making bullet-proof material.
Potato: is a modified form of stem.
Pressure Cooker: Food is cooked faster in
a pressure cooker because due to high pressure, the boiling point of water is
raised.
Primary pigments: Red, yellow, and blue
are known as primary pigments.
Propane: A flammable gas which is used as
a fuel in the form of bottle gas.
Protease: is an enzyme which helps the
digestion of proteins.
Proteins: are polymers of Amino Acid.
Protein Synthesis: is the process for
treating pathogenic bacteria with different chemicals to see which of them
would stop the activity of their ribosomes.
Protista: Group of unicellar animals and
plants.
Psychrometer: is an instrument for
measurement of the humidity of the atmosphere.
Ptyalin: is the enzyme contained in the
saliva secreted by the salivary glands. It works in an acidic medium.
Pyrolysis: is chemical decomposition by
the action of heat. It takes place in the absence of oxygen.
Quantosome: Unit of photosynthesis in
green plants.
Quasars: are star-like objects at the
edge of the universe.
Quantitative analysis of DNA: This
technique is used to establish the paternity of a child.
Rabies: A disease that affects the
nervous system. Caused by animal bite.
Radiant Energy: Termed as gross primary
productivity which is stored by photosynthetic activity in the form of organic
substances.
Radiations: The correct sequence of the
descending order of the following energies of radiations is (1) Ultraviolet
rays; (2) Visible light; (3) Infrared rays; (4) Radio waves.
If we place hand under an electric lamp,
it will receive heat by the process of radiation.
Radioactivity of uranium : was discovered
by Henry Baquerel.
Raman Effect: is found in all transparent
media. When monochromatic light passes through a transparent medium, some of
the light is scattered. The spectrum of this scattered light contains, apart
from light of original wavelength, weaker lines differing from this by constant
amounts. Such lines are called Raman lines. C.V. Raman, an eminent Indian
scientist was awarded Nobel Prize for his discovery of 'Raman Effect' (February
28, 1928). February 28 is celebrated every year as National Science Day.
Rauwolfia serpentina: is useful in the
control of blood pressure.
Red blood cells: are made in the bone
marrow.
Red blood corpuscles: survive for 127
days.
Red light: Light of red colour has the
longest wave-length. Red light is used for danger signals because it is scattered
least.
Red rot and Ergot diseases: are
associated with the production of sugarcane and bajra.
Refraction: When a ray of light travels
obliquely from one medium to another, it is bent or refracted at the surface
separating the two media and is known as refraction. A stick partly immersed in
water appears bent because of refraction.
Refrigerator: converts electrical energy
into mechanical energy and transfers heat from a high temperature to a low
temperature. Refrigerator cooling is produced by the evaporation of all
volatile liquid.
Relative humidity: is measured by
Hygrograph.
Respiration: An adult person respires
about 16 times per minute.
Retina: Image formed on the retina of
human eye is smaller than ob-
ject but real and inverted.
Ribosomes: in a cell play a significant
role in protein synthesis.
Rickets: is a disease of bones caused by
the deficiency of Vitamin D.
Robert Hooke: was the first person to see
a cell under microscope.
Ronald Ross: He discovered that mosquito
served as a carrier of malaria.
Rusting of iron: involves oxidation.
Safety Matches: The constituents used in
making of safety matches are-potassium chlorate, antimony sulphide, and glue.
Safety razor : was invented by Gillette.
Saliva in man: is alkaline.
Salk Vaccine: is used against polio.
Sandstone rocks: Sandstone rock is likely
to yield the most abundant supply of ground water.
Saprophytes: are the organisms that
dervie their nutrition from dead plants and animals.
Scientific Method: Developing and testing
a hypothesis best describes the scientific method.
Scintillation counter: can be used to
confirm whether drinking water contains a gamma emitting isotope or not.
Scotch tape: was invented by Richard Drew
Secretin: is the hormone which stimulates
the pancreas to produce pancreatic juice.
Seismograph: Instrument used for reading
the intensity and origin of earthquake shocks.
Seismology: is the science dealing with
the study of earthquakes.
Semi-conductor: is an electric conductor
whose resistance decreases with rising temperature and impurities.
Serology: is the study of the interaction
of antigens and antibodies.
Serum: is blood minus all cells and
fibrin.
Shale: A sedimentary rock which is made
from stratified mud is called shale.
Ship floating on water: When a ship
floats on water, the weight of water displaced equals that of the ship.
Shooting star: A "shooting
star" that flashes across the night sky is really a meteor.
Shortsightedness: can be corrected by
concave lens.
Silicon and Oxygen: are the two most
common elements included in the earth's crust.
Silicon dioxide: Quartz crystals normally
used in quartz clocks etc is chemically silicon dioxide. Silicon is the element
used in the manufacture of semiconductor.
Silver: is the best conductor of
electricity.
Silver Bromide: is used in the making of
photographic film. It is also
the essential component of photochromic
glass. It is a pale yellow insoluble salt (used in photography).
Sky appears blue: because short waves are
scatttered more than the long waves by the atmosphere.
Smog: It is a common pollutant in places
having excessive amount of sulphur dioxide in air.
Soap: is prepared by boiling caustic soda
with fats.
Soap bubble, Pressure inside a : is more
than atmospheric pressure.
Sodium: is not an essential micronutrient
for plants.
Sodium benzoate: is a chemical used as a
food preservative.
Sodium chloride: Conduction of current in
an aqueous solution of sodium chloride is by sodium and chloride ions.
Sodium thiosulphate: is the chemical used
as a 'fixer' in photography.
Soil aeration: Ploughing (drainage) is
done to improve soil aeration. Solar energies, fixaton of: The maximum fixation
of solar energies is
done by Green Plants.
Solar energy: can be conveniently used to
(1) supply hot water to residential buildings, (2) supply water for minor
irrigation projects, (3) provide street lighting, and (4) electrify a cluster
of villages and small towns.
Solar Radiation: electromagnetic energy,
including X-rays, ultraviolet and infrared radiation, and radio emissions, as
well as visible light, emanating from the Sun.
Solder alloy: melts at the lowest
temperature.
Sound (velocity in vacuum): The velocity
of sound in vacuum is less than in air. Sound cannot travel in vacuum.
Sound waves: Sound waves can be
longitudinal or transverse and cannot be polarized. They travel fastest in
brass. Sound wave requires a medium for transmission.
Sound, Speed of: The speed of sound
increases with rise in temperature.
Species in Plants: Among fungi, plants,
insects and bacteria, biolo-
gists have so far known, found and
identified the largest number of species in plants.
Spherical balloon's electrical field:
When a spherical balloon carries a uniform distribution of electric charge over
its surface, its electrical field is maximum at a point just on the surface.
Spirometer: is used to measure the vital
capacity of the lungs.
Stainless steel: is an alloy of iron and
chromium.
Steel ball floats on mercury: because
mercury is also a metal in liquid form.
Streptomycin: is antimicrobial drug
suitable for treatment of both tuberculosis and leprosy.
Strontium: The brilliant red colour in
the crackers are due to the compounds of strontium.
Succus emericus: is one of the digestive
juices that lacks enzymes but aids digestion.
Sulphur: is an amino acid the element of
which is found in addition to
carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen.
Sulphur dioxide: is the sulphur compound
used as a bleaching agent in textile industry.
Sun's energy: is produced by nuclear
fusion.
Super Conductor: is characterised by zero
permeability.
Superconductivity: is a phenomenon in
which the resistance of a substance becomes zero at very low temperatures.
Surface tension: The spherical shape of a
rainfall drop is due to surface tension.
Tartaric acid: is used for preparation of
bread.
Telescope: invented by Galileo is used
for viewing magnified images of distant objects.
Testis (gonad): In the testis, the types
of cell division encountered are both mitosis and meiosis.
Test-tube baby: In this case,
fertilization takes place outside the
mother's body.
Tetany: is condition of muscular
hyperexcitability found in parathyroid deficiency..
Tetra ethyl lead: is added to petrol to
avoid 'knocking' of the engine of a car. This compound is known as an
anti-knocking agent.
Theory of "natural rights": was
propounded by Locke.
Theory of natural selection: was
propounded by Darwin.
Thermos flask: It keeps a liquid hot
because heat losses by conduction and radiation are largely prevented.
Thermostat: is a device used to maintain
a constant temperature of a waterbath, an oven, a refrigerator, an
airconditioner etc.
Thorium: is a dark grey radioactive
metal. Compounds occur in mon-azite and thorite. It is used in alloys and as
nuclear fuel in some breeder reactors.
Thorium, as radioactive pollutant, has
recently drawn public attention due to its occurrence in the building material.
Thrombosis: is clotting of blood in blood
vessels.
Thymus: is the gland in human body the
disappearance of which causes ageing.
Thyroid gland: A deficiency in the
secretion of hormone from the thyroid gland leads to defective carbohydrate
metabolism.
Thyroxine: is a hormone which contains
iodine.
Tibia and Fibula: are the bones in leg.
Time Division Multiplexing: It is the
technique used to transmit audio signals in television broadcasts.
Trachoma: is a disease of eyes.
Transformer: is useful for stepping up or
stepping down voltages.
Tripple antigen: is administered to
children for providing immunity against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping
cough.
Tritium: is composed of one proton, one
electron and two neutrons.
Tuberculosis: is a bacterial disease. BCG
vaccine is used for immunization of tuberculosis. According to the World Health
Organisation, this disease causes the death of the largest number of people
today.
TV colour vision: Red, green and blue set
of colour combinations is added in colour vision in TV.
U-238: is the most common isotope of
naturally occurring uranium.
Uncertainty Principle: This is associated
with Heisenberg.
Unit of force: Newton is the unit of
force.
Urea: is excreted through kidneys.
Urochrome: The yellow colour of urine is
due to its presence.
Variable energy Cyclotron: is located at
Cuttack.
Vegetative propagation: gives rise to
genetically uniform propagation called the clone.
Vein: A vein is a vessel that carries
blood towards the heart.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre: is
established at Thumba-for the reason that it is situated on the Geomagnetic
Equator.
Vinegar: is acid in nature due to the
presence of acetic acid.
Virus: The following three characteristics
of virus best denote its unique nature (1) it can attack bacteria; (2) it can
be crystalised; (3) it can invade human body.
Vitamin A: is found abundantly in carrot.
It is useful for vision. Its deficiency leads to night-blindness
Vitamin B Complex: is taken along with
antibiotics to protect the intestinal flora of E. coli bacteria.
Vitamin C: is also known as Ascorbic
Acid. Its deficiency leads to bleeding of gums and loosening of teeth.
It is not soluble in fat but is water
soluble. Its source is 'citrus fruit'. It is not found in milk.
Vitamin D: Sunlight is a major source
that provides Vitamin D in our body.
Vitamin K: Deficiency of Vitamin K causes
excess bleeding. It helps
in eliminating prolonged bleeding in
operations and in billiary tract of jaundice patients.
Vitamins: are necessary for human beings
for metabolic growth and development.
Voluntary muscles of human body: are
present in the wall of blood vessels.
Vulcanisation: is a process for hardening
of rubber by heating it with sulphur.
Washing Machine: converts electrical
energy into mechanical energy.
Washing soda: In the preparation of
washing soda, besides Sodium and Oxygen, Hydrogen and Carbon are also used.
Water density: The density of pure water
will be maximum at 4øC. When water freezes, its density decreases.
Water, its Physico-chemical
characteristics: The physico-chemical characteristics of water in water sources
undergo changes due to effluents.
Water-good solvent for salts: Water is a
good solvent for many salts because the dielectric constant of water is high.
Watts: The rate at which a force does
work may be measured in watts.
Weight of a body: The weight of a body at
the centre of the earth will be zero.
Welding, gases used in: The gases used in
different types of welding would include oxygen, hydrogen, acetylene and
nitrogen.
Wrought iron: is the purest form of iron.
Xerophthalmia: is the nutritional
deficiency condition that needs to be given top priority for remedial action in
India.
X-ray technicians: are most likely to run
the risk of a permanent change in their cell's DNA.
X-rays: X-Rays are electromagnetic
radiations of the same type as light, but of much shorter wavelength which were
discovered by Ront-gen, a German physicist, in 1895.
Xylem: Water and minerals are translocated
in plants through xylem.
Yawning: is due to accumulation of carbon
dioxide in the body.
Yeast: is the micro-organism responsible
for the process resulting in the production of ethanol and carbon dioxide from
starch or sugar.
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