Facts

25 Surprising Facts About India

India is a country rich in history & heritage. Since our independence in 1947, as a nation, we have developed from scratch to be a hub. The hub with which every other country dies to work with.

Science Day in Switzerland is dedicated to Ex-Indian President, APJ Abdul Kalam. The Missile Man had visited Switzerland back in 2006. On his arrival, Switzerland declared May 26th as Science Day.

We know our country is the best in the world. But here are some facts regarding our country, I bet you are completely unaware of!

25 Surprising Facts About India

1. India’s First President Only took 50% of his salary

When Dr. Rajendra Prasad was appointed the President of India, he only took 50% of his salary, claiming he did not require more than that. He served as the President for 12 years. Towards the end, he only took 25% of his salary.  The salary of the President was only Rs 10,000 back then!

2. The Human Calculator

Shakuntala Devi was given this title after she demonstrated the calculation of two thirteen-digit numbers: 7,686,369,774,870 x 2,465,099,745,779 which were picked at random. She answered correctly within twenty-eight seconds!

3. Dhyan Chand was offered German citizenship

Via – viralindiandiary.com

This is surely one of the interesting facts about India that many do not know. In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, India defeated Germany 8-1 in a hockey match. Major Dhyan Chand, the team leader, was summoned by Hitler. He was not only promised German citizenship but also a chance to play for the German national side. He was also offered a high post in the German military. Dhyan Chand, however, declined the offer.

4. Freddie Mercury and Ben Kingsley are both of Indian descent

Freddie Mercury, of the ‘Queen’ band, was born a Parsi. His name was Farrokh Bulsara. The famous Oscar-winning Hollywood star Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Pandit Bhanji.

5. A special polling station for only 1 voter in the middle of the Gir Forest

Via -wikileaksindia.com

Mahant Bharatdas Darshandas has a special polling booth set up for him only since 2004. He is the only voter in the Gir Forest’s Banej district.

6. India has the world’s first hospital train

Via – i-genius.org

The Lifeline Express is the world’s first hospital on the train. Starting on 16th July 1991, the train reaches the most rural parts of India and offers medical help. It is known as The Lifeline Express or Jeevan Rekha Express.

7. The country houses the World’s Most Expensive House

Via – smedia2.intoday.in

Antilia, the home of billionaire Mukesh Ambani is the most expensive home in the world! The twenty-seven-story, 400,000-square-foot skyscraper residence stands tall in Mumbai.

8. A unique village- One of the super interesting facts about India!

In a village called Shani Shingnapur in Maharashtra, people have been living in houses with no doors for generations. This is because they believe whoever steals anything from this place will incur the wrath of Shani God and will have to pay for his/her sins very dearly. There is no police station in this village either.

9. Magnetic Hill

Via – d27k8xmh3cuzik.cloudfront.net

This is a gravity hill located near Leh in Ladakh, India. The hill is alleged to have magnetic properties strong enough to pull cars uphill and force passing aircraft to increase their altitude to escape magnetic interference.

10. Cursed River

Via -78.media.tumblr.com

Karmanasa River in India is considered to be cursed. It is believed that touching its water would ruin one’s plans. Furthermore, there’s hardly any development along this river. The people living near the river do not use the river’s water for cooking. They allegedly live on dry fruits!

11. Village of Twins

Via – 1.bp.blogspot.com

Kodinhi, a village in Kerala, is home to 2,000 families and also over 220 sets of twins abnormally high number per population. Furthermore, the number of twins is increasing every year.

12. 100-Year-Old Underground Fire

This underground fire in Jharia, Jharkhand has been burning in the coal mines for at least a hundred years. The flames were originally detected in 1916, and ever since the mining department and railway authorities have been busy trying to put out the flames, with no success.

13. Uttarakhand’s Roopkund lake

Via – s3.india.com

This is home to a collection of human skeletons. Every year, when the snow melts the skeletons become visible again. Radiocarbon dating shows these skeletons are over a thousand years old, although the reason so many bones ended up here in the first place remains one of India’s many mysteries.

14. Molai Forest in Assam

Via – wallpaperstudio10.com

This 1,360-acre forest located in Assam was planted by one man. In 1979, when Jadav ‘Molai’ Payeng was just sixteen years old he decided to plant some seedlings on a sandbar. Furthermore, for 40 years he continued to plant more seedlings, creating the large forest reserve that exists today.

15. India owns a FLOATING POST OFFICE

India's surprising facts
Via – railyatri.in

Meanwhile, India has the largest postal network in the world, with over 1,55,015 Post Offices. Furthermore, a single post office on an average serves a population of 7,175 people.

The FLOATING POST OFFICE is on Dal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir. The post office was inaugurated in August 2011.

16. India has the wettest inhabited place in THE WORLD

Via – wikimedia.org

Mawsynram, A Village on the Khasi Hills, Meghalaya receives the highest recorded average rainfall in the world.

Above all, Cherrapunji, also a part of Meghalaya, holds the record for most rainfall in the calendar year of 1861.

17. Bandra Worli Sea-Link has steel wires equal to the EARTH’S CIRCUMFERENCE

It took 2,57,00,000 working hours to complete Sea-Link. Also, it weighs as much as 50,000 African Elephants. It is a piece of architectural excellence.

18. India has the HIGHEST CRICKET GROUND IN THE WORLD

Via – tourmyindia.com

At an altitude of 2,444 Meters, the Chail Cricket Ground in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Also, it is the highest cricket ground in the world. It is a part of the Chail Military School, and it started in 1853.

19. The Indian National Kabaddi Team has won ALL-WORLD CUPS

Via – sportskeeda.com

India has won all 6 Men’s Kabaddi World Cups held till now and have been undefeated throughout these tournaments. The Indian Women’s Team has also won all the world cups held to date.

20. INDIA discovered the Presence Of Water on the Moon

Via – reacho.in

India’s ISRO Chandrayaan-1 detected water on the moon in September 2009. In fact, it became the first space research in the history using its Moon Mineralogy Mapper.

21. A CYCLE transported The First Rocket of India

India's surprising facts
Via – i.pinimg.com

However, the first rocket of India was sent to the station through a cycle because it was too light and small. Thumba Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala was the station.

22. India has a SPA JUST FOR ELEPHANTS

Via – didyouknowtravel.com

Excitingly, elephant’s receiving baths, massages, and even food. Especially, at the Punnathoor Cotta Elephant Yard Rejuvenation Centre in Kerala.

23. India is the World’s SECOND LARGEST ENGLISH SPEAKING NATION

No doubt, India is only second to the USA when it comes to speaking English. There is more expectation for the growth of huge margin in the coming years. Proudly, with around 125 Million people speaking the language, which is only 10% of our Population.

24. India is the WORLD’S LARGEST PRODUCER OF MILK

Via – india.com

In 2014 India also overtook the European country Union by reaching a record-breaking Milk Production of over 123.4 Tonnes.

25. The Famous Game Of ‘Snakes & Ladders’ was INVENTED IN INDIA

India's surprising facts
Via – i.pinimg.com

Moksha Patamu was the game that was invented to teach children the lesson about karma. Furthermore, it brought to commercialization and became one of the most popular board games in the world.

Stay tuned for more Surprising Facts About India!

Read also14 Most Bizarre Markets Around the Globe

Darsh Patel

Darsh Patel an Indian writer Living in Mumbai. Started this blog in 2017. I am the owner of this and many other blogs.

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