65+ Interesting Facts About India

1. India, a country in South Asia, is the 2^nd most populous (after China) and the 7^th largest country in the world.
2. India and China are the only two countries with over 1 billion human population each. Around 35% population of the entire world resides in these two countries.
3. During the 1970s, India initiated a sterilization campaign to halt its rapidly increasing population. This campaign resulted in the forced sterilization of millions of men.
4. India was the place of discovery of diamonds in the 4^th Century BC. It remained the only source of diamonds in the world by the 18^th Century. (Source)
5. There is a glacial lake in Indian Himalayas, known as Roopkund Lake. It is commonly known as Skeleton Lake due to the presence of hundreds of human skeletons. DNA analysis shows that these skeletons belong to people of different ancestries.
6. India is the 2^nd largest English-speaking country in the world. There are around 125 million English speakers in this Asian country. The majority of these speak English as second language. (Source)
7. India is the largest democracy in the world. Its electorate is more than the combined electorates of the USA and EU. (Source)

   

   India is the world's largest democracy
   
   

8. There is a polling booth in northeastern India’s forested mountains for only one person. Election workers travel for more than 300 miles to setup this booth. (Source)
9. Delhi and Mumbai are the world’s 2^nd and 9^th most populous cities. Another Indian city, Kolkata, is also among the 20 biggest cities in the world. (Source)
10. Cherrapunji in India has recorded the highest annual rainfall in the world. According to the World Meteorological Organization, 26,470 mm (1,042 in) of rain fell here between 1st August 1860 and 31st July 1861. (Source)
11. India is one of the three countries in the world (along with Nepal and Mauritius) where Hinduism is a major religion.
12. Along with Hinduism, India has the highest number of people adherent to Jainism, Sikhism, Baha’i, and Zoroastrianism.
13. The world’s first hospital train launched on 16^th July 1991 in Mumbai. A Mumbai-based NGO was behind this initiative. Since its launch, the “Lifeline Express” has treated more than 1.2 million people, primarily those living in far-flung areas of rural India. (Source)
14. In 2018, more than 20% Indian households had no access to toilets, while exclusive toilets were present in 68% households. (Source)

    

    Scarcity of toilets is a major issue in Indian households
    
    

15. India has the largest population in the world living below the poverty level. It holds around 24% of total poor worldwide. (Source)
16. India has the highest number of bonded laborers in the world. It has more than 18 million modern-day slaves, far more than any other country. (Source)
17. Antilia in Mumbai is the world’s 2^nd most expensive mansion, worth $1 billion. The owner of this 27-story mansion is Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest person. (Source)
18. India has the highest consumption of gold jewelry in the world. Its demand for gold jewelry in Q4 2019 was 136.6 tons. (Source)
19. India has the highest percentage and the largest number of vegetarians. Around 38% of Indians are vegetarians. Most of these are Lacto-vegetarians (drink milk). (Source)
20. Sentinelese people, present on North Sentinel Island in India, are known as the most isolated tribe in the world. They have refused to contact outsiders and attack anyone coming onto the island. So far, they have killed at least three persons: two Indians and one foreigner who landed on this island. (Source)
21. India is the world’s largest producer of several agricultural commodities. These include millet, pulses, safflower, ginger, okra (ladies' finger), banana, mango, papaya, lemon, guava, pomegranate, jackfruit, milk, and chili pepper. 
22. India is the world’s 2^nd largest producer of overall agricultural products. However, it is far behind in farm productivity and value of agricultural production compared to other major agricultural producers. (Source)
23. Crystallization of sugar started in India in the 1^st Century CE. The refining of sugar also originated in India. (Source)
24. India has the 2nd highest number of active military (after China) and paramilitary personnel (after Bangladesh) in the world.
25. India is the 2^nd largest importer of arms in the world after Saudi Arabia. Its main arms suppliers are Russia and France. (Source)
26. There is a “Temple of Rats” in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Devotees worship more than 20,000 rats in this temple. (Source)
27. Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanams Temple in Andhra Pradesh are the 2^nd and 4^th most visited religious places in the world. (Source)
28. Around 20 million people attended the Hindu religious festival of Kumbh Mela in 2001 in India. It is famous as the world’s largest peaceful gathering in history. 
29. According to a 2018 report by Thompson Reuters Foundation, India is the most dangerous country for women. India achieved this place mainly for its worst record of sexual violence, traditional practices, and human trafficking (sex slavery, forced labor, etc.). This survey includes the opinions of more than 550 experts from all over the world. (Source)
30. Sonagachi in Kolkata (India) is the largest red-light district in Asia. There are more than 7,000 workers in this place. (Source)
31. More than one million female babies are killed before birth in India through abortion annually. This practice has decreased the female-to-male ratio in some areas. (Source)
32. Ziona Chen has the largest family in the world, with 39 wives and 94 children. This family lives in the Indian state of Mizoram. (Source)
33. Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir is known as the world’s highest battlefield. India and Pakistan have been fighting at an altitude of 6,700 m since 1984. (Source)
34. There is a floating post office inside Dal Lake in Srinagar. This post office has been serving for the past two centuries. It is the only post office of its kind in the world. (Source)
35. Bhiwadi and Delhi are the 3rd and 4th most air-polluted cities. There are six Indian cities among the 10 most polluted cities in the world. (Source)

    

    India has 10 of the world's 20 most air-polluted cities 
    
    

36. Indian capital New Delhi is the most polluted capital city in the world. This city has the highest exposure to toxic air in the country, primarily due to industrial pollution, vehicle emissions, and farmland fires. (Source)
37. Mumbai, the most populous city in India, has the worst traffic congestion in the world. India's capital New Delhi has the world’s 4^th worst traffic congestion. (Source)
38. India has the 3^rd biggest network of roads in the world. The length of this road network is more than 4 million km. (Source)
39. India has the highest Muslim population in any Muslim minority country. Around 14% of Indians are followers of Islam. 
40. According to an estimate, there are 300,000 mosques in India. It is one of the highest in the world. 
41. There are several modern and ancient inventions attributed to India or Indians. A few commonly used Indian inventions are shampoo, Pentium chips, radio waves, USB ports, buttons, etc.
42. In February 2015, India launched 104 small satellites into orbit in a single day. Three belonged to India, while the remaining 101 were foreign satellites.
43. On 24^th September 2014, India became the first Asian country to launch a successful mission to Mars.
44. In 2019, India claimed to launch the world's lightest satellite in orbit. The weight of Kalamsat V2 is 1.26 kg. (Source)
45. In 2005, Switzerland declared 26th May as science day in honor of the then-Indian President and former scientist APJ Abdul Kalam. (Source)
46. India has the highest movie viewing rate in the world. Nearly 2 billion film tickets were sold in the country in 2013.
47. Indian cinema produces the highest number of feature films in the world. It clearly surpasses any other country in filmmaking.
48. Shakuntala Devi from India is one of a few people known as human calculators. She was capable of completing very tricky mathematical calculations in no time without assistance from calculators. (Source)
49. India’s first-ever satellite towards the moon, Chandrayaan-1, played a vital role in detecting water on the moon. (Source)

    

    Indian satellite has detected water on moon
    
    

50. India transported parts of its first rocket on a bicycle and a bull cart. The country later launched it from a former Church in 1963. (Source)
51. Fauja Singh, an Indian citizen, is the oldest marathon runner. He appeared in Hong Kong Marathon 2013 at 102 years of age. He is the first person above 100 to complete a marathon. (Source)
52. Vijay Kumar from India is the person with the highest number of teeth in the world. He has 37 teeth in his mouth. (Source)
53. There are 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. These include 32 cultural, 7 natural, and 1 mixed site. (Source)
54. Two Indian cities, Ahmedabad and Jaipur, have made their place in UNESCO World Heritage sites. (Source)
55. Khardung La in India is the highest motorable road in the world. This road in Ladakh is 5,600 meters above sea level.
56. A hill in Ladakh, northern India, is known as Magnetic Hill. It is famous for pulling stationary vehicles upward.
57. The world’s largest postal system is in India. India Post has 460,000 employees who handle more than 6 billion pieces of mail every year. There are more than 154,000 post offices in this postal system. (Source) 
58. The Chail cricket ground in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is the world’s highest cricket ground. It is at an elevation of 8,018 feet above sea level. (Source)
59. Khari Baoli in Delhi is the largest wholesale spice market in Asia. This market was established in the 17^th Century during the Mughal era. (Source) 
    
60. It is illegal for foreigners and non-resident Indians to carry Indian currency while leaving the country. They must change the Indian rupee with foreign currency before boarding a flight. (Source)
61. Bandra Worli Sealink in India weighs equivalent to that of 50,000 African elephants. The steel wires used in its construction are equal to the circumference of the earth. (Source)
62. India became part of Asia around 40 million years ago. The collision between India and Asia formed the Himalayas. (Source)

    

    India was an island 40 million years ago
    

    
    
63. The 84-year-old Chandro Tomar from India is the world’s oldest sharpshooter. She learned shooting at 65 years and has won more than 30 national shooting championships. (Source)
64. Jyoti kisanji Amge from India is the shortest woman living. Her height is 62.8 cm (2 feet 07 inches). (Source)
65. There is a spa in the Indian state of Kerala dedicated to elephants. This spa is attached to a Hindu temple. (Source)
66. City Montessori School in Lucknow is the world’s largest school by the number of pupils. There are more than 55,000 students in this school. (Source)
67. Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded in 1948 due to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. His name was already shortlisted for this award. (Source)