European powers had had trading posts on the coasts of India for several centuries since Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut in 1498. The European East India Companies were endowed with state powers, but initially[…]

The liberal viceroy Lord Ripon (* 1827, † 1909; 1880–84) had the hope of many v. a. educated Indians to a democratization of the Anglo-Indian system of rule, but these expectations were disappointed. With the[…]

In 606 the last Indian initiative to unify the country started from the small state of Thanesar, by Harṣa or Harṣavardhana (606-647 or 648). Having also obtained the throne of Kannauj, Harṣa conquered all the[…]

(Bhārat Juktarashtra; Republic of India or Indian Union). South Asian state (3,287,469 km²). Capital: New Delhi. Administrative division: federated states (29) and territories (7). Population: 1,258,350,971 (2012 estimate). Language: Hindī and English (official), bengālī, marāṭhī,[…]

In the sec. XX, in the Thirties and Forties Indian art witnessed a movement back to its origins in order to identify a fertile source of inspiration in its cultural heritage (remember the creations of[…]

ON THE GO Traveling by plane Scheduled flights: The national airline in domestic traffic is called Indian Airlines (IC) (Internet: www.indian-airlines.nic.in). There are also the following private airlines: Jagson Airlines, Jet Airways (9W) and Jetlite[…]

Yearbook 1998 India. In February/March, a new election was held for Parliament. The Hindu Nationalist Indian People’s Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was able to form government together with a dozen smaller parties, but[…]