ANGELS’ ACADEMY SR. SEC. SCHOOL

SUBJECT : GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

(A COMPLETE BOOK)

CLASS : VII

SESSION : 2019-20

Sr. No. Contents Page No.

1. Uttarakhand G.K (Popular fairs &Festivals, Dances, Highest Peaks, Major Rivers).

1-5

2. Sources of Nutrients and Deficiency Diseases. 6

3. Indian States on International Boundaries. 7

4. List of Important National Highways Of india. 7

5. Important National Movements in India. 8

6. List of Countries and Their Parliaments. 9-10

7. The Constitution Of India 10

8. Important Awards In India. 11

9. List Of First In India (Male and Female) 12-13

10. List of Indian States, Their Capitals, Governors and Chief Ministers.

14

11. Popular Sports 15

12. Important Crops Of India 16-17

INDEX

Uttarakhand

Popular Fairs and Festivals in Uttarakhand 1. Nanda Devi Mela: Nanda Devi Fair is organized for 5 or 7 days in Chamoli, Nauti, Dandidhara, Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Kichha,

Nainital, Almora, Bageshwar, Bhowali, Kot.

The fair is held near the Nanda Devi Temple.

In the fair, one can witness the folk culture of Kumaon region along with the dance and songs.

The whole festival is meant to pay tribute to the Goddess Nanda Devi.

On the final day of the fair, the dola (palanquin) of Nanda and Sunanda Devi is carried out to be submerged in

the water by the devotees.

2. Purnagiri Mela: Purnagiri Mela is organized by Shri Purnagiri Temple.

The Mela takes place every year in Chaitra Navratri over the period of two months.

The Purnagiri Temple is one of the 108 Siddha Peethas and a sacred place to visit for pilgrims throughout the year.

3. Uttarakhand Holi The auspicious festival of Holi is the most anticipated one in the Kumaon region and is celebrated from the

outset of Basant Panchami.

The festival is a fusion of colours, spirituality and music commemorated at a wide extent for two months.

There are diverse forms of Holi like Mahila Holi, Baithaki Holi, and Khadi Holi.

The food that is prepared on this occasion includes Gujia, fried potatoes namely Aloo Gutuk served with jamboo, a Himalayan spice.

4. Ganga Dussehra Festival Ganga Dussehra is held for ten days in the month of May/June.

During the festival, devotees take a dip in the holy water of the river to cleanse their soul and all their sins.

In the evening, Aarti takes place, earthen lamps are put to float on the river and reverential melodies are sung by the devotees.

On the same day, the River Yamuna is also worshiped. Similarly to Ganga, devotees also take a dip in the holy river Yamuna at places where the stream is flowing.

5. International Yoga Festival Rishikesh The Festival is a mixture of 70 hours of Yoga, spiritually captivating Kirtan and devoting time to spiritual

gurus.

The classes start from 4:00 AM and last till 9:30 PM.

Vinyasa Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Raja Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Bharat Yoga, Deep Yoga and Shintoh Yoga are some of the disciplines proffered through the week.

Along with Yoga, one can also engage themselves in classes conducted on mudras, Sanskrit chanting, meditation, reiki and many such more.

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6. Ghee Sankranti Ghee Sankranti which is also known as Olgia festival is celebrated on the first day of Bhado (the month of

August) in Uttarakhand. It is one of the most important festivals in the state which is celebrated with a lot of

enthusiasm and joy from time immemorial.

Ghee Sankranti is celebrated during the time the crops are growing well and the milk-giving animals are also

healthy.

Gifts are exchanged between landowners and farmers like axes, ghee, vegetable, Binai (Oral harp), metal caliper, datkhocha (metallic toothpick)

7. Kanwar Yatra

During the Kanwar Yatra, the devotees of Lord Shiva carry the 'Kanwar' on both of their shoulders.

The Yatra happens from mid-July to August. Thus, it is almost a month pilgrim journey in which the devotees wear saffron colored clothes and walk barefoot from the chosen destination to collect the holy water of

Ganges in Haridwar, Gangotri or Gaumukh.

Some devotees travel the distance on foot while others on their personal vehicle.

Throughout the journey, the Kanwarias chant the slogan of 'Bol Bam' along with the religious bhajans of Lord

Shiva.

There are numbers of NGOs who offer free services like food, water, tea, or medical help to Kanwarias.

8. Bissu Mela

The Bissu Mela is celebrated by the Jaunsari tribe of Chakrata Tehsil to pay gratitude for a good harvest

season.

Locals and the people from the vicinage come together and pray to the Santoora Devi, the incarnation of

divinity Durga and offer her the rhododendron flowers.

Men and women of the Jaunsari tribe sing and dance on the folk music and dress up in vibrant traditional clothes of their region.

9. Magh Mela

It is believed that the fair is not just restricted to Uttarkashi.

It starts from the date of Makar Sankranti festival.

The fair is a religious and cultural festival.

Devotees take a dip in the holy river, Ganga.

The deities of Kandar God and other Hindu gods and goddesses are taken to Uttarkashi from different villages

in a palanquin.

10. Kumbh Mela Haridwar

Thousands of holy men, women and devotees gather to take a bath in water of Ganga River.

Kumbh Mela is a 3-month festival.

On the bank of River Ganga, a large number of people gather in Haridwar.

Several Sadhus of the varied Akharas arrive in Kumbh Mela and according to the hierarchy, they are given the chance to bathe.

Uttarakhand Dances

The folk dances of Uttarakhand are very important for the people of this state. It is almost as important as

wearing clothes. According to the people of Uttarakhand, Gods can be influenced by dances. Some of the most

famous dance forms of Uttarakhand are the following:

Choliya Dance

The Choliya dance is a dance form which is more than 1000 years old, and has its origins in the Khasiya Kingdom

of Khasesh. The Rajputs perform this dance at their weddings as a part of the marriage processions.

Jhora Dance

Jhora is a kind of community dance which is performed in the villages where the higher and lower castes

perform. It is danced at fairs. This kind of dance is generally performed during the morning or evening, at the

coming of spring.

Langvir Nritya

The Langvir Nritya is a famous dance form of the state of Uttarakhand. It is mainly performed in the Tehri

Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.

Ramola Dance

The onset of spring is announced by bards who, roaming from place to place sing of its charms on a sarangi or

dholak. During the Holi festival, forgetting their worries, the people join in the festivity, which lasts more than a

month and hundreds of songs of classical, semi classical, and folk variety are sung by both men and women to the

tune of the Harmonium, tabla, dholak and manzira.

Barada Nati

The Barada Nati folk dance is a famous dance of the Jaunsar Bhawar area of Chakrata Tehsil in Dehradun. This

type of folk dance is mainly performed on the evening of some special religious festival or on the occasion of

some social functions. In this type of dance, both boys and girls take part, dressed in colorful traditional costumes.

Pandva Nritya

Pandva Nritya is mainly related to the story of Mahabharata and is very popular particularly in the Garhwal

Region. It is a simple narration of the story of Mahabharata in the form of dance and music.

It is enacted on the special occasions like 'Dusshera' and 'Diwali'. It is especially popular in the Chamoli and Pauri

Garhwal district of Uttarakhand state.

Highest Peaks of Uttarakhand

1.Nanda Devi(7816m,25,636ft): Nanda Devi is the highest peak wholly in India lies in Kumaon Himalayas

in Uttarakhand. Nanda Devi is a two peak massif forming a 2 kms long east west ridge. Nanda Devi main is

higher and together these peaks are referred as twin peaks of goddess Nanda.

2. Chaukhamba ( 7138m,23412 ft): Chaukhamba meaning four pillars is the highest mountain massif in the

Gangotri group of Himalayas of the Western Garhwal. The four peaks have heights of respectively 7138 and

6854m. On the western slopes lies the head the Gangotri glacier.

3. Trishul (7120m,23353 ft): Trishul massif is a group of three Himalayan mountain peaks which takes the

shape of a trident. Trishul Mountain lies in northern Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in Bageshwar district and is

best viewed from Kausani or during the Roopkund Trek from Bedini Bugyal.

4. Satopanth(7075m, 23206 ft): Satopanth is formed from two Sat means Truth and Panth means path, so

Satopanth means Path of Truth. Mt. Satopanth situated in Garwhal Himalaya and second highest peak in the

Gangotri Group of Garwhal Himalaya range separating the Gangotri and Chaturangi glaciers.

5. Kedarnath (6962 m, 22835 ft): Mount Kedarnath is a part of Gangotri Group of peaks in the western

Garhwal Himalaya in Uttarakhand. Mount Kedarnath has a sub peak called Kedarnath dome and they both were

first climbed together, in 1947, by a Swiss team led by André Roch.

6.Panchachuli Peaks (6905m, 22649 ft): Panchachuli lies in eastern Kumaon Himalayas in Pithoragarh

district of Uttarakhand. It is believed that this is the place ‘Five Chulis’ (cooking hearths) where the Pandavas

cooked their last meal on the way to heaven. They are majestic and form a famous barrier between Darma and

Gauri Valleys. Panchachuli base camp trekking route is one of the exciting basecamp trekking.

7. Thalaysagar (6904m, 22645 ft): Mountain Thalay Sagar is located just north of Gangotri in Western

Garhwal Himalayas. It is one of the most difficult mountains in the Garhwal with no easy ascent route and to be

considered as the test piece of contemporary mountaineering.

8. Neelkanth Peak: Advancing 3474 m above the magnifying and sacred site of Badrinath, Nilkanth is one of

the eminent peaks making its mark in the Garhwal region, Uttarakhand. The peak ascends over the valley of

Alaknanda river and even though it's lower as compared to the highest peaks it is set an elevation of 6595 m

above the sea level.

9. Nanda Kot (6861 m, 22504 ft): Nanda Kot peak lies in Kumaon Himalayas of Uttarakhand just outside of

the ring of peaks enclosing the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. The name Nanda Kot literally means “Nanda’s Fortress”

and refers to the abode of one of the sacred forms of the Hindu Goddess Parvati.

10. Bhagirathi ( 6856 m, 22487 ft): The highest peak of the Bhagirathi Group forms a complex and

topographically complicated massif. Mount Bhagirathi has three major peaks. It stands at and dominates the end

of the valley leading up to Gaumukh which is the end of the Gangotri Glacier and the source of the river Ganga.

Major Rivers of Uttarakhand

1. Alaknanda River: The Alaknanda River flowing in Uttarakhand is one of the two head-streams of holy river

Ganga. The source of Alaknanda river is the confluence of Satopanth Glacier and Bhagirathi Kharak Glacier.

2. Bhagirathi River: The Bhagirathi river is a Himalayan River which flows in Uttarakhand state. It is one of

the two headstreams of the pious Ganga River.

3. Bhilangna River : Bhilangna River in Uttarakhand is a major tributary of Bhagirathi river,which is the source

stream of Ganga River. The length of this river is 80 Km.

4. Dhauliganga River-Kumaon: In the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand,the Dhauliganga river originates

from Govan Khana Himani exists at Tawadhar. Dhauliganga of Kumaon is a tributary of Kali River.

5. Ganga River: The Ganga river also referred to as the Ganges emerges from Devprayag and exists at

Haridwar, in Uttarakhand. The source of Ganga river is Gangotri Glacier,Satopanth Glacier, Khatling Glacier

and the melted water from the snow-clad peaks of Nanda Devi, Trishul, Kedarnath, Nanda Kot and Kamet.

6. Gaula River: The Gaula river is a Himalayan river which flows in India.The source of this river is Paharpani

and the end point is Kichchha. The length of this river is about 103 Km.

7. Gori Ganga River: Gori Ganga River is also referred as Ghori Ganga and Gori Gad is a river in the Munsiyari

tehsil of Pithoragarh district,in Uttarakhand. The source of river Gori Ganga is Milam Glacier.

8. Kali River: The Kali river is also known as “Sharda River”,”Kutiyangdi” or “Mahakali River” is a Himalayan

river, which flows through Uttarakhand.

9. Kosi River: Kosi is a Himalayan river which originates from Dharpani Dhar in Baramandal region of Almora

District in Kumaon, Uttarakhand.

10. Mandakni River: Mandakni river emerges from Chorabari Glacier near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, India.

This river is a tributary of Alaknanda river and is fed by Vasukiganga river at Sonprayag.

11. Nandakini river: Nandakini is one of the five tributaries of the holy Ganga river. The mighty river originates

from Nanda Ghunghati and exists at Nandprayag.

12. Nayar River: Nayar River is a Tributary of holy Ganga River. It emerges from Dudhatoli ranges of Garhwal in

Pauri district of Uttarakhand.

13. Pindar River: Pindar river also known as Pindari river is a Himalayan river, which emerges from Pindari

Glacier in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand. The river has a length of 105 km.

14. Ramganga: Ramganga west river emerges from Dudhatoli ranges in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.

15. Saryu River: Saryu is a Himalayan river which flow in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.The source of this

river is Sarmool and the end point is Pancheshwar. In local dialect,Saryu river is referred to as ‘Sarju’.

16. Tons River: Tons river is a major perennial Himalayan river which flows through Garhwal division of

Uttarakhand and touches Himachal Pradesh. It is the largest tributary of Yamuna River.

17. Yamuna River: The Yamuna is sacred river of india according to Hindu Mythology, Yamuna river isalso

known as Jamuna originates from Yamunotri Glacier,perched at an elevation of 6,387 metres on the

southwestern slopes of Bunderpooch Mountain, in the uppermost region of the lower Himalayas in

Uttarakhand.

Sources of Nutrients and Deficiency Diseases

Nutrients Food Sources Deficiency Diseases

Carbohydrates Cereal, whole grains, legumes, potatoes, cheese, pasta, etc.

Hypoglycaemia and Ketoacidosis.

Proteins

Almonds, eggs, chicken, yogurt, cottage cheese, oats, seafood, beans and pulses, milk and other dairy products.

Kwashiorkor and Marasmus.

Iodine Eggs, nuts, bread, seaweed, dairy products, and iodized table salt.

Goitre, Anaemia, Hypothyroidism.

Calcium

Dates, spinach, almonds, soybeans eggs, beans, lentils milk, and all other dairy products.

Muscle spasms, low bone density, and Hypocalcaemia.

Sodium Onions, cabbage, sweet potato, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, eggs and milk

Gastrointestinal Distress, the Improper functioning of nerves and muscles.

Phosphorous

Milk, yogurt, soy products, beans, whole grain food products, potatoes, peas, etc.

Weak bones and muscles, joint pains, nervous system disorders, obesity, etc.

Vitamin – A

Green leafy vegetables, yellow colored fruits, milk, nuts, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, etc.

Night Blindness and other vision problems.

Vitamin -B

Whole-grain foods, legumes eggs, green leafy vegetables milk and milk products, etc.

Beriberi.

Vitamin -C Citrus fruits, broccoli, milk, and chestnuts.

Gum bleeding and Scurvy.

Vitamin -D Fish, liver, egg yolks, cheese, citrus fruit juices, soy milk, cereals, etc.

Improper growth of bones and Rickets.

Vitamin -E

Potatoes, turnip, pumpkin, avocado, guava, olives, mango, olives, milk, nuts, seeds etc.

Heart problems and Haemolysis.

Vitamin -K Tomatoes, chestnuts, broccoli, beef, cashew nuts, lamb, mangoes, etc.

Haemorrhage.

2.

Indian States on International Boundaries

Country Indian States on International Boundaries

Afghanistan Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan- Occupied- Kashmir)

Bhutan West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam

Bangladesh West Bengal , Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Assam

China Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh

Myanmar Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland , Manipur and Mizoram

Nepal Bihar, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and West Bengal

Pakistan Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat

List of Important National Highways of India:

National Highways Connectivity/Route

NH -1 Delhi to Amritsar (via Ambala and Jalandhar)

NH-1 A Jalandhar to Uri (via Madhavpur, Jammu, Srinagar

and Baramula)

NH-2 Delhi to Kolkata (via Mathura and Varanasi)

NH-3 Agra to Mumbai (via Gwalior, Indore and Nasik)

NH-4 Thane (Mumbai) to Chennai (via Pune, Belgaun,

Hubli, Bangaloru and Ranipet )

NH- 5 Behragoda (Near Kolkata) to Chennai (via Cuttack,

Visakhapatanam and Vijaywada)

NH-6 Hazira to Kolkata (via Nagpur, Raipur and Sambalpur,

Dhule)

NH-7(2400KM)(Longest highway)

Varanasi to Kanyakumari (via Nagpur, Bangalloru and Madhurai)

NH-8 Delhi to Mumbai (Jaipur, Ahmadabad and Vadodara)

NH-9 Pune to Machilipatnam (via Sholapur and Hyderabad,

Vijaywada)

NH-10 Delhi to Fazika proceeding to Indo-Pak border

NH-14 Beawar to Radhanpur (Sirohi)

NH-15 Pathankot to Kandla (Near Thar Desert)

NH-24 Delhi to Lucknow

NH-39 Numaligarh to Indo-Myanmar Border

NH-47A (6 KM)(Smallest) Kochi to kerala

3.

4.

Important National Movements In India

Sr. No Name of Movement Year

1 Government of India Act (1858)

2 Indian National Congress (1885)

3 Partition of Bengal (1905)

4 Muslim League (1906)

5 Swadeshi Movement (1905)

6 Morley-Minto Reforms (1909)

7 Lucknow Pact (1916)

8 Home Rule Movement (1916-¬1920)

9 The Gandhian Era (1917-1947)

10 Khilafat Movement (1920)

11 The Rowlatt Act (1919)

12 Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre (1919)

13 Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)

14 Chauri Chaura Incident (1922)

15 Swaraj Party (1923)

16 Simon Commission (1927)

17 Dandi March (1930)

18 Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)

19 The Government of India Act 1935

20 Quit India Movement (1942)

21 Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)

22 Interim Government (1946)

23 Formation of Constituent Assembly (1946)

24 Mountbatten Plan (1947)

25 The Indian Independence Act 1947

26 Partition of India (1947)

5.

List of Countries and Their Parliaments

Sr.No. Country Parliament

1 Australia Federal Parliament

2 Bangladesh Jatia Parliament

3 Bhutan Tsogdu

4 Brazil National Congress

5 Britain Parliment (House Of Common’s And House Of Lords)

6 Canada Parliament

7 China National People’s Assembly

8 Denmark Folketing

9 Egypt People’s Assembly

10 France National Assembly

11 Germany Bundestag (Lower House) And Bundesrat (Upper House)

12 Greece Chamber Of Deputies

13 Iceland Althing

14 India Sansad

15 Iran Majlis

16 Iraq National Assembly

17 Italy Chamber Of Deputies And Senate

18 Japan Diet

19 Korea(North) Supreme People’s Assembly

20 Korea(South) National Assembly

21 Kuwait National Assembly

22 Libya General People’s Congress

23 Malaysia Majilis

24 Myanmar Pyithu Hluttaw

25 Nepal Rashtriya Panchayat

26 Oman Monarchy

27 Pakistan National Assembly & Senate

28 Russia Duma & Federal Council

29 South Africa Parliament

30 USA Congress

31 Vietnam National Assembly

The Constitution of India

Introduction

The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It frames fundamental political principles, procedures, practices, rights, powers, and duties of the government. It imparts constitutional supremacy and not parliamentary supremacy, as it is not created by the Parliament but, by a constituent assembly, and adopted by its people, with a declaration in its preamble. Parliament cannot override it. The world’s longest constitution is the Indian’s constitution. At its commencement, it had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. It consists of approximately 145,000 words, making it the second largest active constitution in the world. Currently, it has a preamble, 25 parts with 12 schedules, 5 appendices, 448 articles, and 101 amendments. History The constitution of India was adopted on the 26th of November, in the year 1949. However, it came to effect on the 26th of January, 1950. 26th of January is celebrated as the Republic Day of India. It was adopted by the Constitution Assembly. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the chairman of the Drafting Committee, is widely considered to be the architect of the Constitution of India. After, the adoption of the constitution, The Union of India became the contemporary and modern Republic of India

6.

7.

Fundamental Rights The Constitution of India provides its citizens with six fundamental rights. These rights are the Right to Freedom, Right

to Equality, Cultural and Educational Rights, Right to Constitutional Remedies, Right against Exploitation, Right

against Exploitation. Recently, the Right to Privacy has also been added to the fundamental rights.

1. Right to Equality (Art.14-18): Right to Equality ensures equal rights for all the citizens. The Right to Equality

prohibits inequality on the basis of caste, religion, place of birth, race or gender.

2. Right to Freedom (Art.19-22): Right to freedom provides us with various rights. These rights are freedom of

speech, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly without arms, freedom of movement throughout the

territory of our country, freedom of association, freedom to practice any profession, freedom to reside in any part

of the country.

3. Right against Exploitation (Art.23-24): Right against Exploitation condemns human trafficking, child labor,

forced labor making it an offense punishable by law, and also prohibit any act of compelling a person to work

without wages where he was legally entitled not to work or to receive remuneration for it.

4. Right to freedom of Religion (Art.25-28): Right to Freedom of Religion guarantees religious freedom and

ensures secular states in India. The Constitutions says that the States should treat all religions equally and

impartially and that no state has an official religion.

5. Cultural and Educational Rights (Art.29-30): Cultural and Educational Rights protects the rights of

cultural, religious and linguistic minorities by enabling them to conserve their heritage and protecting them

against discrimination.

6. Right to Constitutional Remedies (Art.32-35): Right to Constitutional Remedies ensures citizens to go to

the supreme court of Indiato ask for enforcement or protection against violation of their fundamental rights. The Supreme Court recently added Right To Privacy (Art. 31) in the fundamental rights.

The Fundamental Duties These are defined as the moral obligations of all citizens to help promote a spirit of patriotism and to uphold the unity of India and concern the individuals and the nation. Included in Part IVA of the Constitution, like the Directive Principles, they are not enforceable by the law. According to the constitution, following are the duties to be followed by every citizen of India

To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.

To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom.

To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.

To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.

To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.

To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.

To safeguard public property and to abjure violence.

Who is a parent or guardian, to provide opportunities for education to his child, or as the case may be, ward between the age of six to fourteen years.

According to the 86th constitutional amendment in 2002, it is the duty of the people of India to adapt to make India a safer place to live, to be clean and make the surrounding clean and not to hurt anybody physically and mentally

Important Awards In India

Sr.No. Category Awards Details

1. Civilian Awards Bharat Ratna This award is the highest civilian award of India and is conferred for achievements in the fields of: Science,Literature,Arts,Public services,Sports.Mother Teresa was

the first naturalized Indian citizen of Bharat Ratna Award winner in 1980.

Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan is given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field including service rendered by the government servants.A few eminent

personalities who received this award are Zakhir Hussain, V K Menon, Sachin Tendulkar, Shri Sharad Pawar and more.

Padma Bhushan A few well-known people who have received this award are Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Devi Prasad Dwivedi, Swami Niranjana Nanda Saraswat and several others.

Padma Shri Padma, meaning lotus in Sanskrit, and Shri, a Sanskrit-derived honorific equivalent to 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' (ie., "Noble One in Blossom"), appear in Devanagari above and

below a lotus flower.

2. Gallantry Awards

Param Vir Chakra Param Vir Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valor or self-sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy, whether on

land, at sea, or in the air.The name of the award means the “Wheel of the Ultimate Brave”.

Ashoka Chakra Ashoka Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of valor or self-sacrifice otherwise than in the face of the enemy.

Mahavir Chakra Maha Vir Chakra is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy whether on land, at sea or in the air.Also, it replaced the British

Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

Kirti Chakra Kirti Chakra is awarded for conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy.the award was known as the Ashoka Chakra, Class II V before 1967.

Vir Chakra Vir Chakra is awarded for acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land or at sea or in the air.Moreover, it replaced the British Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), Military Cross (MC) and Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

Shaurya Chakra Shaurya Chakra is awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy.The award was known as Ashoka Chakra, Class III before 1967.

3. Literature Awards

Jnanpith Award The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature".The nominations for the award are received from various literary experts, teachers,

critics, universities, and numerous literary and language associations.

Sahitya Akademi Award

The award, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the major Indian

languages

Bhasha Samman Like the Sahitya Akademi Awards, Bhasha Samman too comprise a plaque and a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000(from 2009).The Sammans are given to 3-4 persons every year in different languages on the basis of recommendation of experts' committees

constituted for the purpose.

Premchand Fellowship

Named after Hindi writer Premchand, the fellowship was started in 2005. It is given to persons of eminence in the field of Culture from SAARC countries.

4. Sports Awards Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna is the highest sports award given for most outstanding performance in the field of sports in India.As of 2017, all Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

recipients will receive Rs. 7.5 lakhs in cash, a citation and a medal.

Arjuna Award This award is given to a sportsperson who has consistently exhibited outstanding performance for four years.All Arjuna Awardees receive a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakhs,

a certificate, and statuettes. Dronacharya Award It is generally said that “Behind every successful man there is a woman”, one can

also say that, “Behind every successful sportsperson there is a coach” Seeing the valuable contribution that coaches have in the sports field, the government of India

decided to honour the coaches as well.Dronacharya Awardees are offered a cash prize of 5 lakh, certificate and statuette.

Dyanchand Award The Dyanchand Award is given for lifetime contribution to sports development.This award is named after Major Dhyan Chand, an Indian hockey player who scored over 1000 goals during a career span of over 20 years.Dyanchand Awardees are

offered a cash prize of 5 lakh, certificate and statuette.

8.

List of First In India (Male and Female)

List of first in India (Male)

First Prime Minister of free India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru

First batsman to score double century in One Day International cricket match

Sachin Tendulkar

First man to have climbed Mount Everest twice Nawang Gombu

First President of Indian Republic Dr. Rajendra Prasad

First Indian Pilot J.R.D. Tata

First Indian to win Nobel Prize Rabindranath Tagore

First president of Indian National Congress W.C. Banerjee

First Muslim President of India Dr. Zakir Hussain

First Governor General of free India Lord Mountbatten

First and the last Indian Governer General of free India

C. Rajgopalachari

First man who introduce printing press in India James Hicky

First Indian man in space Rakesh Sharma

First Prime Minister of India who resigned without completing Full term

Morarji Desai

First Indian Commander-in-Chief of India General Cariappa

First President of India who died while in office Dr. Zakir Hussain

First Prime Minister of India who did not face the Parliament

Charan Singh

First Indian to get Nobel Prize in Physics C.V. Raman

First Indian to receive Bharat Ratna award Dr. Radhakrishnan

First Indian to cross English Channel Mihir Sen

First Speaker of the Lok Sabha Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar

First Vice-President of India Dr. Radhakrishnan

First Education Minister Abul Kalam Azad

First Home Minister of India Sardar Vallabha Bhai Patel

First Indian Air Chief Marshal S. Mukharji

First Indian Naval Chief Vice Admiral R.D. Katari

First judge of International Court of Justice Dr. Nagendra Singh

First person to receive Paramveer Chakra Major Somnath Sharma

First person to reach Mt. Everest without oxygen Sherpa Anga Dorjee

First Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen

First foreigner to receive Bharat Ratna Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan

First person to receive Nobel Prize in Economics Amartya Sen

First Chief Justice of Supreme Court Justice Hiralal J. Kania

9.

List of First in India (Female)

First Woman Speaker of Lok Sabha Meira Kumar (2009)

India’s First Woman President Pratiba Patil

India’s First Woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

India’s First Woman Governor Sarojini Naidu

India’s First Woman IPS Officer Kiran Bedi

First Woman Chief Minister of State Sucheta Kripalani

First Woman Union Minister Rajkumari Amrita Kaur

First Woman President of INC Annie Besant

First Woman Judge of Supreme Court Meera Sahib Fatima Bibi

First Woman to get Ashok Chakra Nirja Bhanot

First Indian Woman Ambassador at UN Vijalakshmi Pandit

First Indian woman who reached Antarctica Mahel Musa

First Indian Woman to get Nobel Prize Mother Teresa

First Indian Woman to swim across English Channel

Arati Saha

First Indian Woman to climb Mt Everest Bachendri Pal

First Indian Woman to become Miss World Miss Reita Faria

First Indian Woman to become Miss Universe Susmita Sen

First Indian Woman to get Bharat Ratna Indira Gandhi

First Indian Woman to win WTA Title Sania Mirza

First Indian Woman Airline Pilot Durga Banerjee

First Indian Woman to Booker Prize Arundhati Roy

First Indian Woman to go to space Kalpana Chawla

List of Indian States, Their Capitals,Governors and Chief Ministers

Sr.No. State Capitals Chief Minister Governor

1. Andhra Pradesh Hyderabad N. Chandrababu Naidu E. S. L. Narasimhan

2 Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar Pema Khandu Brigadier BD Mishra (Retd)

3 Assam Dispur Sarabananda Sonowal Jagdish Mukhi

4 Bihar Patna Nitish Kumar Lalji Tandon

5 Chhattisgarh Raipur Bhupesh Baghel Anandiben Patel (Additional Charge)

6 Delhi (NCR) New Delhi Arvind Kejriwal Anil Baijal (Lt. Governor)

7 Goa Panaji Pramod Sawant Mridula Sinha

8 Gujarat Gandhinagar Vijaybhai R. Rupani Om Prakash Kohli

9 Haryana Chandigarh Manohar Lal Khattar Satyadev Narayan Arya

10 Himachal Pradesh

Shimla Jairam Thakur Acharya Dev Vrat

11 Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu (winter capital)& Srinagar (Summer Capital)

(State under Governor’s Rule) Satya Pal Malik

12 Jharkhand Ranchi Raghuvar Das Draupadi Murmu

13 Karnataka Bengaluru HD Kumaraswamy Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala

14 Kerala Thiruvananthapuram Pinarayi Vijayan P. Sathasivam

15 Madhya Pradesh Bhopal Kamal Nath Anandiben Patel

16 Maharashtra Mumbai Devendra Fadnavis Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao

17 Manipur Imphal N Biren Singh Najma Heptulla

18 Meghalaya Shillong Conrad Kongkal Sangma Tathagata Roy

19 Mizoram Aizawl Zoramthanga Prof. Jagdish Mukhi

20 Nagaland Kohima Neiphiu Rio Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya

21 Odisha Bhubaneshwar Naveen Patnaik Professor Ganeshi Lal

22 Puducherry (UT) - V Narayanasamy Kiran Bedi (Lt. Governor)

23 Punjab Chandigarh Amarinder Singh VP Singh Badnore

24 Rajasthan Jaipur Ashok Gehlot Kalyan Singh

25 Sikkim Gangtok Pawan Kumar Chamling Ganga Prasad

26 Tamil Nadu Chennai Edappadi K. Palaniswami Banwarilal Purohit

27 Telangana Hyderabad K. Chandrashekar Rao E. S. L. Narasimhan (Additional Charge)

28 Tripura Agartala Biplab Kumar Deb Kaptan Singh Solanki

29 Uttar Pradesh Lucknow Yogi Adityanath Ram Naik

30 Uttarakhand Dehradun Trivendra Singh Rawat Baby Rani Maurya

31 West Bengal Kolkata Mamata Banerjee Keshari Nath Tripathi

10.

Sports

Top 10 most popular sports in India

1.Cricket: It has been the most popular sport in India since decades. IPL (Indian Premiere League) and ICL (Indian

Cricket league) are the two most popular events of Indian Cricket. India’s performance has been wonderful in

Cricket. Our team has won WORLD CUP two times (1983 and 2011), T20 world cup 2007 and ICC Champions

Trophy, 2013.Cricket is being looked after by BCCI, which in fact, is the richest cricket board in the world. The

great players in the history of cricket are from India. Sachin Tendulkar, Saurabh Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Kapil Dev,

Anil Kumble and so on… 2. Badminton: It is the second most played sport in India after Cricket. Badminton Association of India manages badminton in India. Prakash Padukone is well known badminton player of India. 3.Football: The most popular sport in the world, football remains an enigma in India. Famously called the ‘sleeping giant’ of the footballing world by former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, football is primarily a spectator sport in India. 4.Hockey: The national sport of India, hockey is still trying to find a way back to the golden years when it brought back gold medals from every passing Olympic Games. Led by Dhyan Chand, India dominated the hockey world with

over eight Olympic gold medals. 5.Tennis: One of the most popular sports in the world, tennis has a keen following in India. Though we haven’t seen a large amount of success on the singles circuit, India has been traditionally known for creating top quality

doubles players. Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi together have a number of Grand Slam doubles titles to

their name.

6. Kabaddi: Amongst the traditional Indian sports, kabaddi has returned to the mainstream with the unforeseen rise of the Pro-Kabaddi League held annually across various cities in India. 7.Wrestling: Like kabaddi, wrestling has a striking undercurrent of rural India to it. Wrestling has brought India a number of medals from many major tournaments. Wrestling with Indians is synonymous with the akhadda- style sport. Though professional wrestling differs greatly from the traditional Indian style of wrestling, the fundamentals of the sport remain the same. 8. Boxing: Most young Indians will have nostalgic memories of associating boxing with WWE. In reality, boxing is a

professional sport very different from the like of WWE and other combat-based shows. The sport shot to fame in

India after Vijender Singh brought home a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Games.

9. Motorsports: India sports fans have always had a keen interest in motorsports which has developed steadily over the years. The main source of this development has been the craze behind Formula One, the biggest motorsports spectacle in the world. Formula One first sparked interest from the Indian public in 2005 when driver Narain Karthikeyan became the first Indian to ever compete in the event when he was signed by the Jordan Formula One team. 10.Basketball : Basketball has always been a key part of Indian sports culture. One of the most popular sports which is played regularly in schools and colleges, it is strange to see the lack of involvement of Indian basketball players on the international stage.

11.

Important Crops Of India

Categories of Crops in India

The major crops can all be divided into four main categories depending on their usage.

1.Food Crops (Wheat,Maize,Rice,Millets and Pulses etc.)

2.Cash Crops (Sugarcane, Tobacco, Cotton,Jute nad oilseeds etc.)

3.Plantation Crops (Coffee, Coconut, Tea and Rubber etc.)

4. Horticulture Crops (Fruits and Vegetables)

Major Crops in India

Now let us look at the major crops in Inida in detail.

1. Rice

Rice is a tropical crop that can be grown almost throughout the year.

It depends on atmospheric moisture and rainfall for irrigation.

India is the 2nd largest producer of rice in the world.

India has largest area in world under rice cultivation.

Productivity is low compared to wheat because Green revolution primarly boosted wheat production in India.

The traditional rice fields are known as paddy fields and require to be flooded with 10-12 cm deep water in

the early stages.

2. Wheat

It is the 2nd most important food crop in India. It is Rabi crop.

India stands second in production of wheat worldwide.

It is more flexible in terms of climatic and other conditions of growth.

3. Crop

Cotton is a tropical and subtropical Kharif crop.

It is a fiber crop and is klnown as ‘White gold’.

India ranks 3rd in the production of cotton worldwide.

It is a dry crop but roots need timely supply of water at maturity.

4. Jute

Jute is a tropical plant that requires hot and humid climate.

It is one of the most important natural fibres in terms of cultivation and usage.

Almost 85% of the world’s jute is cultivated in the Ganges Delta.

5. Sugarcane

Sugarcane is an important cash crop.India stands at 2nd position among all countries in the world in its

production.

Sugarcane crop requires long rainy season of at atleast 7-8 months.

Traditional sugarcane production was in North India but it has also shifted to south India.

North India sugarcane are of sub-tropical variety and so have low sugar content.

12.

Also sugar factories have to remain shut in winter seasons in North India.

South India- Tropical Variety and coastal areas hence have high sugar content and high yield.

6. Tea

Tea is an evergreen plant that mainly grows in tropical and subtropical climates.

Tea is a labour intensive crop and 50% of the labourers are women.

It grows faster under light shade. Commercial cultivation of tea started in India from British era.

India is the 2nd largest producer and the largest consumer of tea in the world.

Tea plants require high rainfall but its roots cannot tolerate water logging. Hence,it requires sloppy areas.

7. Coffee

Coffees are grown in shade and commonly with two tiers of shade.

Growing altitudes of coffee range between 1,000 to 1,500m above sea level for Arabica and 5oo to 1,000 m

for Robusta.

Both varieties are planted in well- drained soil conditions that favour rich organic matter.

Coffee plantation is done along hilly slope.