EXCLUSIVE INFORMATION ON HISTORY OF INDIA

1. India is the world's oldest and largest continuous civilization
2. The modern image of India often shows poverty and lack of development whereas India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India's wealth.
3. India has never invaded any country in its 10000 years of history.
4. India is the largest democracy in the world.
5. 25% of the world's population follow the 4 religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism & Sikhism. All the four religions were originated in India
6. The game of Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.
7. Varanasi which is also known as Benares, was called "the ancient city" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C. It is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
8. The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit 'Nou'.

MEDICINE

1. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts.

2. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization.

MATHS

1. The value of "pi" was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century long before the European mathematician.

2. India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.

3. Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century) 365.258756484 days.

ACADEMICS

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

2. Grammar constitutes one of India's greatest contributions to Western philology. Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian, who lived between 750 and 500 BCE, was the first to compose formal grammar through his Astadhyai.

Pen and Pencil Sketches in India: Journal of a Tour in India, by General Godfrey Charles Mundy

"I've wander'd where the scorching sun
Blights the fair flower it smiles upon;
I've seen the hunted elephant
Deep in the trampled jungle pant;
I've seen the lonely vulture fly
With blood-stain'd beak, but hungry eye;
Have mark'd the desert serpent's coil,
The lion's track imprint the soil;
I've seen the ling'ring daylight set
O'er mosque and arrowy minaret;
Have mark'd its brighter dawning deck;
Have felt its noontide radiance shine
Through the pagoda's sandal shrine,"