India: Yesterday Today and tomorrow........

Did you know that...

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Indian Culture is the most ancient culture living to the date; other cultures including Egyptian, Greek and Roman Cultures, Central American Civilizations, etc are extinct.

As the rest of the world was lost in exploring the beginning of civilization, India remained a world apart, a miniature world in itself, plumbing the depths of the self, unravelling the mystery of cosmic cycles, deciphering what makes world go and seeking to find the substratum of life here and beyond.

When many countries were only nomadic forest dwellers, over 5000 years ago, Indians established the Harrappan Culture in the Sindhu (Indus) Valley.

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India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.

India has taught that only the conquest of love will endure.

‘Ashoka’ is the only military monarch on record who abndined warfare after victory.- H G Wells

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The world’s first University was established in Takshila in 700 BC more than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects.

The University of Nalanda built in 4th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of the ancient India in the field of Education.
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India invented the number system. The decimal System invented in 100 BC is perhaps the greatest gift by India to the world.

“Zero” was invented by an Indian philosopher and Mathematician-Aryabhatta.
Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus originated in India.

Quadratic Equations were introduced by Shridharacharya in the 11th century.

Budhdhacharya was the one to calculate the exact ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter as 3.14159; this value is nothing but what we call today as “ P ” (Pi)

The largest number the Greeks and the Romans used were 106, whereas, Hindus used number 1053 (10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 BC during the Vedic period.
Even today the largest number used to calculate is “Tera” i.e. 1012 or 10 raised to the power of 12.

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Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to the humans. Ayurveda was consolidated by Charaka- the Father of medicine more than around 2500 years ago.

Sushrut the Father of science of Surgery is known as the First Surgeon. He along with his contemporary surgeons performed several surgeries including Cataracts, Kidney stone, orthopaedic surgeries like bone fracture, Pregnancy related surgeries, etc.

Sushrut also used the Anaesthesia during his operations.

Presently (2004) around 38 % doctors in America are Indians.

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USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century old suspicion in the world scientific community that the pioneer of wireless communication was Prof. Jagdeeshchandra Bose and not Marconi.

Pentium Chip was produced by Vinod Dham.

‘Hotmail’ was constructed by Sabir Bhatia.

Sun Micro System was cofounded by Vinod Khosala.

Around 36 % workers at NASA and around 34% workers at Microsoft are Indians.
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Certain scripts found in south India reveal about a “Grantha on Vimanshastra” i.e. book on aviation indicating that our forefathers have done research on making aeroplanes.

Today Indian scientists are building a spaceship ‘Chandrayan-1’ which will visit Moon.

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The art of navigation was born in the river Sindhu 6000 years ago. The vary word ‘Navigation’ is derived from Sanskrit word ‘Navgati”. The word ‘Navy’ comes from Sanskrit ‘Nau’ meaning boat.

The Indus Valley residents also knew the art of building dams on rivers to create water reservoirs to provide irrigation.

The World’s first dam for to provide drinking water was built in Saurashtra.

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Sanskrit is the mother of all European Languages. IT is the eldest member of this Indo-European Family.

According to a report in Forbs Magazine, July 1987, of all languages Sanskrit is the most suitable one for to build Computer Softwares.

Tamil and Sanskrit are the among the world’s most ancient languages identified today.

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The Natyashastra ascribed to Bharatamuni is the earliest extant work on Dramaturgy.

Bollywood is the largest film industry of the world.

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Since 2004 India is the sixth largest holder of foreign exchange. Sadly we also have the largest number of poor people in the world.

Although the modern images of India often show poverty and the lack of development, India was the richest country on the face of earth until the British invasion in the early 17th Century.

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India is known as the “Golden Triangle” in marine trade due to her specific geographic location and contribution to the International Trade. (India was also a Gateway to the Far East for the European Countries)

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India is the largest consumer of Gold.
(We buy gold not only to make jewellery or scientific Equipments but for “real consumption”; for eating also! Every year a very large amount of gold is used to prepare Ayurvedic medicines; for that the Gold is burnt! This makes us greatest “Gold Eaters”. Strange & shocking yet true…)

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According to the American Institute of Gemmology, India was the sole provider of Diamond to the world till 1896.

Many of the popular treasures of the world, Including Kohinoor and Hope Diamond come from India.

Out of Every 10 Diamonds in the world, 9 pass from India for cutting, polishing and intermediating to the other places.

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Chess (Shatranj or Ashtapada) was invented in India.
World’s second eldest Football tournament, Durand Cup is played in India.

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Collcted by Janhavee Moole