India

Independence Day is an annual observance celebrated every year on 15th of August. India's Independence Day is a day of great significance for the people of India. At this day India got freedom from the British rule after long years of slavery. It has been declared as the National and Gazetted Holiday all across the India in order to independently commemorate the independence of country from British Empire on 15th of August in 1947.

Rajendra Prasad ( 3 December 1884 - 28 February 1963) was the first President of India, in office from 1950 to 1962. An Indian political leader, and lawyer by training, Prasad joined the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence movement and became a major leader from the region of Bihar. A supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, Prasad was imprisoned by British authorities during the Salt Satyagraha of 1931 and the Quit India movement of 1942. Prasad served one term as President of the Indian National Congress from 1934 to 1935. After the 1946 elections, Prasad served as Minister of Food and Agriculture in the central government. Upon independence in 1947, Prasad was elected as President of the Constituent Assembly of India, which prepared the Constitution of India and served as its provisional parliament.

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.

Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (31 October 1875 - 15 December 1950), popularly known as Sardar Patel, was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India. He was an Indian barrister and statesman, a leader of the Indian National Congress and a founding father of the Republic of India who played a leading role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation. In India and elsewhere, he was often addressed as Sardar, which means Chief in Hindi, Urdu, and Persian. He acted as de facto Supreme Commander-in-chief of Indian army during Political integration of India and Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

As the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India, Patel organized relief efforts for refugees fleeing from Punjab and Delhi and worked to restore peace across the nation. He led the task of forging a united India, successfully integrating into the newly independent nation those British colonial provinces that had been "allocated" to India. Besides those provinces that had been under direct British rule, approximately 565 self-governing princely states had been released from British suzerainty by the Indian Independence Act of 1947. Employing frank diplomacy with the expressed option to deploy military force, Patel persuaded almost every princely state to accede to India. His commitment to national integration in the newly independent country was total and uncompromising, earning him the sobriquet "Iron Man of India". He is also affectionately remembered as the "Patron saint of India's civil servants" for having established the modern all-India services system. He is also called the Unifier of India.

The Kangchenjunga is the highest mountain peak in India and ranked 3rd highest summit in the world with an elevation of 8,586 m (28,169 ft). The highest mountain Kangchenjunga is located at the border of India and Nepal in the great Himalayas range, Sikkim. Kangchenjunga section contains five peaks and the region has twelve more peaks over 7,000 m (23,000 ft).

Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) from Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India. Behind the dam extends a lake, Hirakud Reservoir, 55 km (34 mi) long. It is one of the first major multipurpose river valley projects started after India's independence.

Royal Bengal Tiger is the national animal of India.

Arunachal Pradesh was known as North East Frontier Agency

In 1975 Sikkim became a state of India.

Shimla is the capital of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, in the Himalayan foothills. Once the summer capital of British India, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway, completed in 1903. It's also known for the handicraft shops that line The Mall, a pedestrian avenue, as well as the Lakkar Bazaar, a market specializing in wooden toys and crafts.

Goa is the smallest state in India in terms of area

The Ganges also known as Ganga, is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through the nations of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It is the third largest river in the world by discharge.

The Yamuna sometimes called the Jamuna or Jumna, is the longest and the second largest tributary river of the Ganges (Ganga) in northern India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of 6,387 metres on the south western slopes of Banderpooch peaks in the uppermost region of the Lower Himalaya in Uttarakhand, it travels a total length of 1,376 kilometres (855 mi) and has a drainage system of 366,223 square kilometres (141,399 sq mi), 40.2% of the entire Ganges Basin, before merging with the Ganges at Triveni Sangam, Allahabad, the site for the Kumbha Mela every twelve years. It is the longest river in India which does not directly flow to the sea.

The Godavari is the second longest river in India after the river Ganges having its source at Triambakeshwar, Maharashtra. It starts in Maharashtra and flows east for 1,465 kilometres (910 mi) emptying into Bay of Bengal draining the Indian states Maharashtra (48.6%), Telangana (18.8%), Andhra Pradesh (4.5%), Chhattisgarh (10.9%), Madhya Pradesh (10.0%), Odisha (5.7%), Karnataka (1.4%) and Puducherry (Yanam) through its extensive network of tributaries. Measuring up to 312,812 km2 (120,777 sq mi), it forms one of the largest river basins in the Indian subcontinent, with only the Ganges and Indus rivers having a drainage basin larger than it in India. In terms of length, catchment area and discharge, the Godavari river is the largest in peninsular India and had been dubbed as the 'Dakshina Ganga' – the South Ganges river

National Highway 44 (NH 44) is the longest-running major north-south National Highway in India. It starts from Srinagar and terminates in Kanyakumari; the highway passes through the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. NH-44 was laid and is maintained by Central Public Works Department (CPWD).

Gujarat has longest coastline in India. It has 1915.29 km coastline approx.

Dibrugarh - Kanyakumari Vivek Express. This weekly train numbered 15905/15906, is currently the longest train route in the Indian Subcontinent. It joins Dibrugarh in Assam, North-East India to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu which is the southernmost tip of Mainland India.

The Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel or Banihal railway tunnel is an 11.215 km (7 miles) railway tunnel located in Pir Panjal Range of the middle Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir, India, north of Banihal town.

The average elevation of the 11.215 km long railway tunnel is 1,760 m (5,770 ft) or about 440 m (1,440 ft) below the existing road tunnel, the Jawahar Tunnel, which is at elevation of about 2,194 m (7,198 ft).[1] The tunnel is 8.40 m wide with a height of 7.39 m. There is a three meter wide road along the length of the tunnel for the maintenance of railway tracks and emergency relief. It is India's longest railway tunnel and Asia's fourth longest railway tunnel (53.85-km long Seikan Tunnel in Japan is the longest; 28 km long Taihang Tunnel in China is the second longest and 21 km long Lulianghsan Tunnel in Shanxi, China is the third longest). It takes approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds for the train to cross the tunnel.

The Bhupen Hazarika Setu, also referred to as the Dhola–Sadiya Bridge is a beam bridge in India, connecting the northeast states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The bridge spans the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River, from the village of Dhola (Tinsukia District) in the south to Sadiya to the north. The bridge is the first permanent road connection between the northern Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh.

At 9.15 kilometres (5.69 mi) in length, it is the longest bridge in India. However, the New Ganga Bridge Project under construction in the Indian state of Bihar, is expected to become the longest bridge in India upon its estimated completion in December 2020, with a length of 9.8 kilometres (6.1 mi)

New Delhi has a population of 257,803. But the population of Delhi Metro is 26,454,000 according to 2011 statistics.

And the population of Mumbai is 18,400,000 approx.

The North east Gorakhpur Railway Station is located in the city of Gorakhpur in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway. The station offers Class A railway station facilities. On 6 October 2013, Gorakhpur became the world's longest railway platform, after inauguration of the remodeled Gorakhpur Yard, with a stretch of around 1.34 kilometres (0.84 mi).

The Marina is a natural urban sandy beach along the Coromandel coast on the Bay of Bengal. Primarily sandy, the beach spans about 13 km (8.1 mi), running from near Fort St. George in the north to Besant Nagar in the south and is the longest natural urban beach in India.

The Indian Museum is the largest and oldest museum in India and has rare collections of antiques, armor and ornaments, fossils, skeletons, mummies, and Mughal paintings. It was founded by the Asiatic Society of Bengal in Kolkata (Calcutta), India, in 1814. The founder curator was Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish botanist.

The Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta (also known as the Brahmaputra Delta, the Sunderbans Delta, or the Bengal Delta) is a river delta in the Bengal region of the South Asia, consisting of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the world's largest Delta and empties into the Bay of Bengal. It is also one of the most fertile regions in the world, thus earning the nickname The Green Delta. The delta stretches from the Hooghly River on the west to the Meghna River on the east. It is approximately 354 km (220 mi) across at the Bay of Bengal. Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and Haldia in India and Mongla and Chittagong in Bangladesh are the principal seaports of the delta.

Gol Gumbaz, situated in Bijapur district of Karnataka, is the largest dome in India. Gol Gumbaz has a diameter of 124 feet and is the second-largest dome in the world, next only to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The dome was built by Muhammad Adil Shah in the year 1656.

Arignar Anna Zoological Park (abbreviated AAZP), also known as the Vandalur Zoo, is a zoological garden located in Vandalur, a suburb in the southwestern part of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, about 31 kilometres (19 mi) from the city centre and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Chennai Airport. It is India's largest zoo in terms of area covering 1,300 acres. Its previous location was set up in 1855 and was the first public zoo in India. It is affiliated with the Central Zoo Authority of India. Spread over an area of 602 hectares (1,490 acres), including a 92.45-hectare (228.4-acre) rescue and rehabilitation centre, the park is the largest zoological garden in India. The zoo houses 2,553 species of flora and fauna across 1,265 acres (512 ha). As of 2012 the park houses around 1,500 wild species, including 46 endangered species, in its 160 enclosures. As of 2010, there were about 47 species of mammals, 63 species of birds, 31 species of reptiles, 5 species of amphibians, 25 species of fishes, and 10 species of insects in the park. The park, with an objective to be a repository of the state's fauna, is credited with being the second wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu after Mudumalai National Park.

Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar is the largest artificial lake in India.

The Thar Desert, also known as The Great Indian Desert, is a large, arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent that forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan. It is the world's 17th largest desert, and the world's 9th largest subtropical desert. About 75% of the Thar Desert is in India, and the remaining 25% is in Pakistan. In India, it covers about 320,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi), forming approximately 10% of the total geographic area of India. More than 60% of the desert lies in the state of Rajasthan and extends into Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. This desert comprises a very dry part, the Marusthali region in the west, and a semi-desert region in the east with fewer sand dunes and slightly more precipitation.

Loktak Lake is the largest lake in India. It cover 287 sq km area. Kolleru lake cover 245 sq km area and Wular Lake cover 259 sq km area.

Jama Masjid is one of the very famous mosques in India and in the world. Built by Shah Jahan in 1956 having the capacity to accommodate near to 25,000 persons. The minaret made of red sandstone and marble is of 135ft in height making it the largest mosque in India.

It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656 at a cost of 1 million rupees, and was inaugurated by an imam from Bukhara, present-day Uzbekistan. The mosque was completed in 1656 AD with three great gates, four towers and two 40 m high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble. The courtyard can accommodate more than 25,000 persons. There are three domes on the terrace which are surrounded by the two minarets. On the floor, a total of 899 black borders are marked for worshippers. The architectural plan of Badshahi Masjid, built by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb at Lahore, Pakistan, is similar to the Jama Masjid, Delhi.

Rajasthan is India's largest state by area (342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4% of India's total area). It is located on the north western side of the India, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert (also known as the "Rajasthan Desert" and "Great Indian Desert") and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus river valley. Elsewhere it is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to the southwest.

Sonpur is a town situated on the bank of river Gandak near Patna in Bihar. It is famous for largest cattle fair in India known as The Sonpur Mela held on the confluence of holy river Ganges and Gandak. This Fair is the biggest cattle fair of Asia held annually on Kartik Poornima in the month of November. It's the fair for the trade of animals such as Cattle, horses, goats, donkeys, camels, birds and elephants. Haathi Bazaar is the major attraction of Sonepur Mela, numerous elephants are beautifully decorated for the purpose of sale.

Uttar Pradesh abbreviated as UP, is the most populous state in the Republic of India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. The densely populated state, located in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent, has over 200 million inhabitants. It was created on 1 April 1937 as the United Provinces during British rule and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950. Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. The main ethnic group is the Hindi people, forming the demographic plurality. On 9 November 2000, a new state, Uttarakhand, was carved out from the Himalayan hill region of Uttar Pradesh.

Salt Lake Stadium, officially known as Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), is a multi-purpose stadium in Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal, with a capacity of 85,000. It is the largest stadium in India by capacity. Before its renovation in 2011, it was the second largest football stadium in the world, having a seating capacity of 120,000. Prior to the construction and opening of Rungrado May Day Stadium in 1989, it was the largest football stadium in the world. Reportedly, a total of 85,000 bucket seats has been installed in the stadium for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in India. The capacity of the stadium has been increased from 68,000 to 85,000 for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The stadium will host the final match of the U-17 World Cup, alongside hosting other matches of the tournament.

Majuli or Majoli is a river island in the Brahmaputra River, Assam, India and the 1st island district of the country. The island had a total area of 1,250 square kilometres (483 sq mi) at the beginning of the 20th century, but having lost significantly to erosion it had an area of only 352 square kilometres (136 sq mi) in 2014. Majuli has shrunk as the river surrounding it has grown. However, it is recognised by Guinness Book of World Records as World's Largest River Island

The Birla Planetarium in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, is a single-storeyed circular structure designed in the typical Indian style, whose architecture is loosely styled on the Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi. Situated at Chowringhee Road adjacent to the Victoria Memorial, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Maidan in South Kolkata, it is the largest planetarium in Asia and the second largest planetarium in the world. There are two other Birla Planetariums in India: B.M. Birla Planetarium in Chennai and the Birla Planetarium in Hyderabad.

Nohkalikai Falls is the tallest plunge waterfall in India. Its height is 1115 feet, making it as the highest waterfall in India. The waterfall is located near Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on Earth.

The Kangchenjunga is the highest mountain peak in India and ranked 3rd highest summit in the world with an elevation of 8,586 m (28,169 ft). The highest mountain Kangchenjunga is located at the border of India and Nepal in the great Himalayas range, Sikkim.

Tehri Dam is the highest dam in India & 8th highest dam in the world. Tehri Dam is located on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. It's a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment Dam. It is the primary Dam of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. & the Tehri Hydroelectric Complex.

"Buland" means strong and "Darwaza" means Door.Buland Darwaza' or the "Gate of Magnificence", was built-in 1601 A.D. by Akbar to commemorate his victory over Gujarat. It is the main entrance to the palace at Fatehpur Sikri, a town which is 43 km from Agra, India.

The total height of the structure is about 54 meters from the ground level.

The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted in 1954, the award is conferred "in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the government expanded the criteria to include "any field of human endeavour" in December 2011. The recommendations for the Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President, with a maximum of three nominees being awarded per year. Recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a peepal-leaf-shaped medallion; there is no monetary grant associated with the award. Bharat Ratna recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.

The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration awarded for the displaying distinguished acts of valor during wartime. The name of the award translates as the "Wheel of the Ultimate Brave".[6][7] PVC is equivalent to the Medal of Honor in the United States and the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom.[8][9]

The Siachen Glacier is the highest battleground on earth, where India and Pakistan have fought intermittently since April 13, 1984. Both countries maintain permanent military presence in the region at a height of over 6,000 meters (20,000 ft).

Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport. Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IATA: IXL, ICAO: VILH) is an airport in Leh, Jammu, and Kashmir, India. It is one of the highest commercial airports in the world at 3,256 m (10,682 ft) above mean sea level.

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was the first Minister of Law and Justice in India.

The present forest area of India, according to satellite data, is Decreasing

Three important rivers of the Indian subcontinent have their sources near the Mansarovar Lake in the Great Himalayas. These rivers are Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej.

India has a coastline spanning 7516.6 kilometres, forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. According to the Ministry of Shipping, around 95 per cent of India's trading by volume and 70 per cent by value is done through maritime transport. It is serviced by 13 major ports, 200 notified minor and intermediate ports. The total 200 non-major ports are in the following States:- Maharashtra (48); Gujarat (42); Tamil Nadu (15); Karnataka (10); Kerala (17); Andhra Pradesh (12); Odisha (13); Goa (5); West Bengal (1); Daman and Diu (2); Lakshadweep (10); Pondicherry (2); and Andaman & Nicobar (23).

The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state of India are about 29 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves include paintings and rock cut sculptures described as among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art, particularly expressive paintings that present emotion through gesture, pose and form.

West Bengal is the name of this state.

India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country (with over 1.2 billion people), and the most populous democracy in the world. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast; and Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.

India will have a population of over 1.4 billion people by 2022. With 1.44 billion people, China is currently the world's most populous country; however, India is expected to overtake China by 2027.

India has a total land area of 3.287 million km². It is the world's biggest democracy by population size.

There are 22 official languages, with Hindi and English being the most widely spoken. Other widely spoken languages include Bengali (the second most common), Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, and Punjabi. There are approximately 19,500 known languages and dialects in the country.

India is second only to the United States, which has more than 300 million English speakers, with approximately 125 million speakers.

Hinduism is practised by nearly 80% of the Indian population. Islam is the most popular religion (14.2%), followed by Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.7%), Buddhism (0.7%), and Jainism (0.4%).

From 1858 to 1947, India was subject to British rule. Prior to British rule, the Mughal empire ruled much of the Indian subcontinent for more than 300 years.

Freddie, the world's first Indian rock star, was born Farrokh Bulsara of Parsi descent.

70% of world's spices comes from India.

With over 1.45 million active troops, India has the world's second-largest military.

The British Empire employed over 2.5 million men. At least 38 Indians were awarded the Victoria or George Cross.

The popular game was invented around the 6th century AD and is one of the oldest still played games in the world.

Largest producer of Milk is India

Largest producer of Wheat is China

Largest producer of Rice is China

Largest producer of Natural Gas is US

India has more mosques than any other Islamic country on the planet.

Vegetarians account for 20-40% of the population. Religious considerations, particularly Hinduism and Jainism, are important, as are personal preferences.

Originally, the game was designed to teach young children about values and karma. It was eventually commercialized and has since become one of the most popular board games in the world.

It is also one of the holiest cities in India. Lord Shiva created the city 5000 years ago, according to Hindu tradition.

India has more people than the whole Western Hemisphere of the Earth!

It was so light and small that it was transported by bicycle to the Thumba Launching Station in Kerala.

Samsung India has partnered with social media giant Facebook to teach its offline stores about digital technologies and platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp. Additional than 800 offline shops have already been taught by the two companies, and more training sessions will be held in the future. This will assist Samsung retail partners in leveraging technology and making themselves more accessible to their customers for smartphone inquiries.

India is home to some of the world's oldest civilizations. According to archaeological finds, modern-day India was initially populated some 250,000 years ago.

The Sharavati is a river that flows fully across Karnataka. This river is responsible for the well-known Jog Falls in India. Jog waterfall is also known as Gerosoppa falls.

Agriculture employs over 58% of the Indian population, either directly or indirectly. Agriculture and its related industries account for around 15.8% of India's GDP in 2019.

Manimekalai is a sequel to Seethalai Saathanaar's epic 'Silappatikaram,' which is regarded as the 'Odysseus of Tamil poetry.'/p>

The Maze Garden and Miyawaki Forest in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, were recently dedicated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Miyawaki Forest is named after Dr. Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist and ecologist who created a strategy for planting saplings of several species near to each other, resulting in a dense urban forest.

The first of its kind ‘Fish Museum’ in Northeast India would be built in Arunachal Pradesh. The existing Tarin Fish Farm (TFF) in the state would be upgraded as the Integrated Aqua Park (IAP), where the museum would come up Three years ago, one IAP was sanctioned for each state and Union territory under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampad Yojana (PMMSY)

The Indian Army has launched the 'Dil Maange More' short film competition to empower budding filmmakers from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Dil Maange More Short Film Festival (DMMSFF) is an initiative of the Indian Army's Northern Command. It is being held in collaboration with Innovations India.

The Indian Army has launched the 'Dil Maange More' short film competition to empower budding filmmakers from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Dil Maange More Short Film Festival (DMMSFF) is an initiative of the Indian Army's Northern Command. It is being held in collaboration with Innovations India.

A Vostro account is an account that a bank holds on behalf of another, usually a foreign bank. Three months after the Reserve Bank of India approved trade settlement in Indian rupees, the Union government has permitted nine banks to create special Vostro accounts. Three of the nine have established accounts: Gazprombank with UCO Bank (Kolkata), VTB, and Sberbank with their branches. The measure will make it easier for India to export to Russia.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has begun the fourth phase of the Digital Shakti Campaign to raise awareness among women about the need of standing up to unlawful or improper online behaviour. It is a pan-India program that aims to digitally empower and skill women in cyberspace. In 2018, the CyberPeace Foundation and Meta collaborated to create the Digital Shakti campaign. The program's third phase began in March 2021.

Audit Diwas is observed on November 16 to commemorate the establishment of CAG and the contributions it has made to governance, transparency, and accountability. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar officiated at the start of the second Audit Diwas ceremonies. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) serves as an external auditor for a number of UN organizations.

At the International Conference on Family Planning in Pattaya, Thailand, India was the only country to receive the Leadership in Family Planning (EXCELL) Awards-2022 in the 'country category.' According to NFHS-5 statistics, the total Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) in the country has risen from 54% to 67%. The percentage of unmet family planning needs has decreased from 13% to 9%.

The Indian government recently announced the construction of a "cargo air bridge" between India and China. This air bridge transports crucial medical supplies between the two nations via regular freight flights. Air India will launch this project on April 3. This is being carried out as part of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation's 'Lifeline Udan' project.

According to a recent National Health Authority (NHA) declaration, the number of persons who have benefited from the Ayushman Bharat Scheme has surpassed one crore. On September 23, 2018, the main health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY), was inaugurated in Ranchi. The NHA-managed initiative seeks to give Rs 5 lakh in secondary and tertiary care hospitalization coverage to up to 10 million poor and disadvantaged families.

The Union Education Ministry issues guidelines for identifying, admitting, and educating migrant children. The guidelines cover topics such as Continued Education for Out-of-School Children (OoSC) and Children with Special Needs (CWSN), Enrollment Drives and Awareness Generation, Support while schools are closed, and Teacher Capacity Building through NISHTHA training modules and the DIKSHA portal.

Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, recently launched the Gram Ujala scheme in Varanasi. In rural areas, the scheme offers the world's cheapest LED bulbs for $10. The Minister launched the Gram Ujala scheme in Bihar earlier this week. It offers LED bulbs for Rs 10 in exchange for working old incandescent lamps. Each household will receive up to five LEDs.

Answer: The original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months totaling 304 days, with winter being considered a month-less period .

Vikas Gowda won the Gold Medal in Men's Discus Throw at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Eleven team members are there in each team of a Field Hockey game.

An Act of Parliament in 1973 changed the name of the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi islands to Lakshadweep.

During the reign of Narasimhavarman I, the Pallava dynasty built five rath temples in the port town of Mamllapuram. These are now referred to as the Seven Raths or Pagodas.

Kallol refers to one of Bengali literature's most influential literary movements. It is roughly between the years of 1923 and 1935. The Kallol group takes its name from a magazine of the same name (which translates as "the sound of waves" in Bengali).

Because of its proximity to the Bay of Bengal, Mawsynram in Meghalaya state has the highest annual rainfall of 11,873 millimetres!

The strange occurrence was discovered on a road near Tulsi Shyam in Gujarat. Drivers are instructed to park their cars and leave them in neutral, and the cars begin to roll up the hill against gravity!

One of the best-kept secrets in Maharashtra state is the Lonar Lake that was created when a meteor plummeted into it, some 52,000 years ago.

Chai (tea) is India's national beverage. The delectable masala chai is made from tea leaves and spices and is a must-try for anyone visiting India!

On Monday, July 11, 2016, India planted nearly 50 million trees in 24 hours, setting a new Guinness World Record!

UTC+05:30 is an identifier for a time offset of +05:30 from UTC. This time is used in India, Sri Lanka, and was previously used in Nepal. It is 5.5 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. This time zone is home to approximately 1.4 billion people, making it the second most populous after UTC+08:00.

Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra state, is the most populated while the national capital, Delhi, comes in second, followed by Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka state, and thirdly is Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Population of mumbai is 12,691,836

The traditional boundary between northern and southern India is based on the rivers Narmada and Mahanadi, which flow between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges.

The Deccan plateau is watered by the east flowing Godavari and Krishna rivers, as well as the major tributaries Pennar and Tungabhadra.

The Periyar River is one of the rivers that flow westward from the mountains to the Arabian Sea.

Geographically, the Malabar coast comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain slopes.

Vembanad Lake is the largest lake in India that is a part of the Kerala backwaters.

The Kaveri river forms an extensive and fertile delta on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, after flowing through the fertile Mandya, Mysore, and Hassan regions of Karnataka.

The Malabar coast, which is the western coastal belt of South India, comprises the wettest regions due to the Western Ghats intercepting the moisture-laden monsoon rains.

The Periyar River flows westwards and empties into the Arabian Sea, along with other rivers such as the Netravati, Mandovi, and Tapti.

Vembanad Lake, located in Kerala, is the largest lake in India, covering an area of about 200 square kilometers.

The passage states that the region has a "very tropical climate," indicating that option B is correct.

According to the passage, the southwest monsoon "accounts for most of the rainfall in the region," indicating that option B is correct.

The passage states that these regions receive rainfall from the northeast monsoon "from about November to February," indicating that option B is correct.

The passage states that "much of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka has a distinct dry season from about October – May when there is not much rainfall," indicating that option D is correct.

The passage states that the region experiences "cooler nights from October to March while the days are pleasantly warm," indicating that option A is correct.

The passage states that temperatures in the northern parts of the region can "fall below 10 degrees Celsius on occasions at night during this time," indicating that option B is correct.

The passage states that "days are very hot from March to June when temperatures can go over 40 degrees," indicating that option B is correct.

The passage states that Tamil Nadu and southeast Andhra Pradesh receive rains from the northeast monsoon from about November to February, while the southwest monsoon accounts for most of the rainfall in the region. Therefore, option C is correct.

The passage states that "much of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka has a distinct dry season from about October – May when there is not much rainfall," indicating that option B is correct.

While the passage does not explicitly state the temperature during the dry season in these regions, it does mention that temperatures can go over 40 degrees from March to June, which would overlap with the dry season. Therefore, option B is the most likely correct answer.

The Deccan Traps in India are vast volcanic basalt beds that were formed by a massive volcanic eruption that occurred towards the end of the Cretaceous period, between 67 and 66 million years ago. Layer after layer was formed by the volcanic activity that lasted many thousands of years, and when the volcanoes became extinct, they left a region of highlands with typically vast stretches of flat areas on top like a table, hence it is also known as Table Top. This volcanic eruption is thought to have been responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. The volcanic hotspot that produced the Deccan Traps is believed to be located under the present-day island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.

The Indian Plate, on which India is entirely located, started moving northward about 91 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous Period. At that time, the Indian Plate began to separate from the land of the ancient continent Gondwanaland. The movement of the Indian Plate led to the formation of the Himalayan Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau.

The volcanic hotspot that produced the Deccan Traps in India is hypothesized to lie under the present-day island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. The Deccan Traps are vast volcanic basalt beds that were formed by a massive volcanic eruption towards the end of the Cretaceous period, between 67 and 66 million years ago. Layer after layer was formed by the volcanic activity that lasted many thousands of years, and when the volcanoes became extinct, they left a region of highlands with typically vast stretches of flat areas on top like a table, hence it is also known as Table Top.

Explanation: South India's Arabian Sea coast and Western Ghats are known for their tropical moist forests. The Malabar Coast moist forests are found on the coastal plains, while the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests are found at intermediate elevations.

Explanation: The Southern Western Ghats have high altitude rain forests called the South Western Ghats montane rain forests, which are an important ecological region of South India.

Answer: B) Deccan plateau
Explanation: Scrub lands, including the Deccan thorn scrub forests, are common in the interior Deccan plateau region of South India.

The Western Ghats in South India are a biodiversity hotspot, containing a large number and wide diversity of plants and animals resulting from its varied climates and geography.

Periyar National Park, Kalakad – Mundanthurai, and Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve are all part of the Project Tiger reserves in South India.

The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is located at the conjunction of the borders of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the Nilgiri Hills, and is an important ecological region of South India.

Pulicat Sanctuary, which is home to numerous migratory and local birds, is located in Andhra Pradesh.

The Deccan plateau region of South India is known for its scrub lands, including the Deccan thorn scrub forests. This region has a dry climate and is characterized by low rainfall.

The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, located at the conjunction of the borders of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, is an important ecological region of South India. It is home to several protected areas, including the Mudumalai National Park, Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Silent Valley National Park, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Malabar Coast region of South India is characterized by tropical moist forests along the Arabian Sea coast and the Western Ghats. These forests are home to a diverse range of plants and animals and are an important ecological region of South India.