GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

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 General Knowledge & General Awareness 3

INDIAN HISTORY

ANCIENT INDIA
Important Sites
INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION  The most important sites are Kot Diji in Sindh, Kalibangan
(2500-1750 BC) in Rajasthan, Ropar in the Punjab, Banawali in Haryana,
Lothal, Surkotada and Dhaulavira, all the three in Gujarat.
 The earliest excavations in the Indus valley were done at
 Mohenjodaro is the largest of all the Indus cities and it
Harappa in the West Punjab and Mohenjodaro in Sindh.
is estimated to have spread over an area of 200 hectares.
Both places are now in Pakistan.

Indus Valley Civilisation : An Objective Study

Major Sites Excavators Year River Location Important Findings

1. Harappa D.R. Sahni 1921 Ravi West Punjab Granaries, Virgin Goddess,
(Pakistan) Cemetery, Stone symbol of Lingam and
Yoni
2. Mohenjodaro R.D. Banerjee 1922 Indus Sindh Great Bath, Great Granary, Assem
(Pakistan) bly Hall, Proto-Shiva, Brick Kilns, Meso-
potamian seals
3. Chanhudaro N.G. Mazumdar 1931 Indus Sindh Bronze toy cart, Ink-pot, Lipstick, City
(Pakistan) without a citadel
4. Kalibangan B.B. Lal & 1953 Ghaggar Ganganagar Decorated bricks, ploughed field
B.K. Thapar (Rajasthan) surface, Firealtars
5. Lothal S.R. Rao 1957 Bhogwa Ahmedabad Dockyard, Rice husk, Fire altars,
(Gujarat) Double burial
6. Banawali R.S. Bist 1973 Ghaggar Hissar Toy plough, Gridiron pattern of
(Haryana) Town planning.
7. Dholavira R.S. Bist 1990 Luni Kutchh A Large well & a bath,
(Gujarat) A stadium
8. Surkotada J. Joshi 1964 — Gujarat Bones of Horse, Pot burials

Salient Features of the Harappan Culture  Agriculture was the most important occupation. In the
 The Harappan Civilization was primarily Urban. fertile soils, farmers cultivated two crops a year. They
 Mohenjodaro and Harappa were the planned cities. were the first who had grown paddy.
 The large-scale use of burnt bricks in almost all kinds of  Wheat and barley were the main crops grown besides
constructions are the important characteristics of the sesame, mustard and cotton.
Harappan culture.  Animals like sheep, goats and buffalo were domesticated.
 Another remarkable feature was the underground drainage The use of horse is not yet firmly established.
system connecting all houses to the street drains which
 Bronze and copper vessels are the outstanding examples
were covered by stone slabs or bricks.
of the Harappan metal craft.
 The most important public place of Mohenjodaro is the
Great Bath measuring 39 feet length, 23 feet breadth and  A large number of seals numbering more than 2000 have
8 feet depth. been discovered.

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Social Life  The Atharva Veda contains details of rituals.

 Jewelleries such as bangles, bracelets, fillets, girdles,  Besides the Vedas, there are other sacred works like the
anklets, ear-rings and finger rings were worn by women. Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, the Upanishads, and the epics
These ornaments were made of gold, silver, copper, bronze Ramayana and Mahabharata.
and semi precious stones.
Political Organisation
 Fishing was a regular occupation while hunting and bull
fighting were other pastimes.  During this period, the kingdom was tribal in character.
Each tribe formed a separate kingdom.
 Manufacture of terracotta (burnt clay) was a major industry
of the people.  The basic unit of political organisation was kula or family.
 Figures of animals such as sacred bull and dove were  The highest political unit was called jana or tribe.
discovered. The figures of Mother Goddesses were used  There were several tribal kingdoms during the Rig Vedic
for religious purposes. period such as Bharatas, Matsyas, Yadus and Purus. The
 Most of the inscriptions were engraved on seals. It is head of the kingdom was called as rajan or king.
interesting to note that the Indus script has not yet been  There were two popular bodies called the Sabha and
deciphered. Samiti. The former seems to have been a council of elders
 The Pipal tree was used as a religious symbol. and the latter, a general assembly of the entire people.
 The origin of the ‘Swastika’ symbol can be traced to the Social Life
Harrapan Civilization.
 Family was the basis of the society.
 The chief male deity was Pasupati, (proto-Siva) represented
in seals as sitting in a yogic posture with three faces and  The head of the family was known as grihapathi.
two horns. Economic Condition
 The Rig Vedic Aryans were pastoral people and their main
THE VEDIC PERIOD occupation was cattle rearing. Their wealth was estimated
in terms of their cattle.
RIG VEDIC AGE (1500 - 1000 B.C.)
 Carpentry was another important profession.
 The Early Vedic period is known from the Rig Veda.
 The Rig Veda refers to Saptasindhu or the land of seven RELIGION
rivers. This includes the five rivers of the Punjab, namely,  The important Rig Vedic gods were Prithvi (Earth), Agni
Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej along with the
(Fire), Vayu (Wind), Varuna (Rain) and Indra (Thunder).
Indus and Saraswati.
 Indra was the most popular among them during the early
 Historians view that the Aryans came from Central Asia.
Vedic period.
They entered India through the Khyber pass between
2000 B.C. and 1500 B.C. They first settled in seven  There were also female gods like Aditi and Ushas. There
places in the Punjab region which they called Sapta were no temples and no idol worship during the early
Sindhu. Slowly, they moved towards the Gangetic Valley. Vedic period.
 The Aryan Civilisation was a rural civilisation. Rigvedic Rivers
Vedic Literature River Name in Rigveda
 The word ‘Veda’ is derived from the root ‘vid’, which Indus Sindhu
means to know and signifies ‘superior knowledge’. Jhelum Vitasta
 The Vedic literature consists of the four Vedas – Rig, Chenab Asikni
Yajur, Sama and Atharva. Ravi Parushini
 The Rig Veda is the earliest of the four Vedas divided into Beas Vipasa
10 mandalas and it consists of 1028 hymns. The hymns Sutlej Sutudri
were sung by Hotri in praise of various gods. Gomati Gomal
 The Yajur Veda consists of various details of rules to be Saraswati Sarasvati
observed at the time of sacrifice. Its hymns were recited Ghaggar Prishadavati
by Adharvayus.
LATER VEDIC PERIOD (1000–600 B.C.)
 The Sama Veda is set to tune for the purpose of chanting
during sacrifice. It is called the book of chants and the  This age is also called as the Epic Age because the two
origins of Indian music are traced in it. Its hymns were great epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata were written
recited by Udgatri. during this period.
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 The Sama, Yajur, Atharva Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas,  In the 13th year of his penance, he attained the highest
Upanishads and the two epics are the sources of spiritual knowledge called Kevalya or Jnana. Thereafter,
information for this period. he was called Mahavira and Jina. His followers were
called Jains and his religion Jainism.
Political Organisation
 He died at the age of 72 in 468 B.C. at a place called
 Larger kingdoms were formed during the later Vedic period. Pavapuri near modern Rajgir in Bihar.
 The king performed various rituals and sacrifices to
strengthen his position. They include Rajasuya Teachings of Jainism
(consecration ceremony), Asvamedha (horse sacrifice) and  The three principles of Jainism, also known as Triratnas
Vajpeya (chariot race). (three gems), are:
 Kingship became hereditary. 1. right faith.
 Kings assumed titles like Ekrat, Samrat and Sarvabhauma. 2. right knowledge.
3. right conduct.
Economic Condition
 Mahavira preached his disciples to follow the five
 Iron was used extensively in this period and this enabled principles. They are:
the people to clear forests and to bring more land under 1. Ahimsa—not to injure any living beings
cultivation. Agriculture became the chief occupation. 2. Satya—to speak the truth
 Taxes like Bali, Sulk and Bhaga were collected from the 3. Asteya—not to steal
people. 4. Tyag—not to own property
 Wealth was calculated in terms of cows. 5. Brahmacharia—to lead a virtuous life.
Social Life Spread of Jainism
 The four divisions of society (Brahmins, Kshatriyas,  Mahavira preached his religion in Prakrit language which
Vaisyas and Sudras) or the Varna system was thoroughly was the language of the masses.
established during the Later Vedic period.  Chandragupta Maurya, Kharavela of Kalinga and the royal
 The Ashrama system was formed to attain 4 purusharthas. dynasties of south India such as the Gangas, the Kadambas,
They were Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. the Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas patronised Jainism.
Religion  Jainism was divided into two sects after Vallabhi Council,
namely Svetambaras (wearing white dresses) under
 Gods of the Early Vedic period like Indra and Agni lost
Sthulbhadra and Digambaras (naked) under Bhadrabahu.
their importance. Prajapathi (the creator), Vishnu (the
protector) and Rudra (the destroyer) became prominent  The first Jain Council was convened at Pataliputra by
during the Later Vedic period. Sthulabahu, the leader of the Digambaras, in the beginning
of the 3rd century B.C.
JAINISM AND BUDDHISM  The second Jain Council was held at Vallabhi in 5th
century A.D. The final compilation of Jain literature called
JAINISM Twelve Angas was completed in this council.
 Jainism originated in the 6th century B.C. It rejected
BUDDHISM
Vedic religion and avoided its rituals.
 Founded by Rishabha Deva. Rishabha Deva was succeeded Gautama Buddha (563-483 B.C.)
by 23 Thirthankaras (prophets). Mahavira was the 24th
 Buddha’s original name was Siddhartha.
Thirthankara.
 Siddhartha was born in the Lumbini Garden near
Vardhamana Mahavira (540-468 B.C.)
Kapilavastu in Nepal. His father was Suddhodana. He was
 Vardhamana was born in a village called Kundagrama a Sakya chief of Kapilavastu. His mother, Mayadevi, died
near Vaishali in Bihar. when Siddhartha was only seven days old. He was brought
 His father was Siddhartha. He was the head of a famous up by his step mother Mahaprajapati Gauthami.
Kshatriya clan.
 At the age of sixteen Siddhartha, married Yasodhara and
 His mother was Trisala. She was a princess of the gave birth to a son, Rahul.
Lichchhavi clan. She was the sister of the ruler of Vaishali.
 The sight of an old man, a diseased man, a corpse and an
 Vardhamana was married to Yasoda, a princess. They had ascetic turned him away from worldly life. He left home
a daughter. at the age of twenty-nine in search of Truth.
 At the age of 30, he left his home and family. He became  He wandered for seven years and at last, he sat under a
an ascetic (monk). He wandered from place-to-place in bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya in Bihar and did intense penance,
search of truth for 12 years. after which he got Enlightenment (Nirvana) at the age of
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thirty-five. Since then, he became known as the Buddha 4. Right Action.

or ‘the Enlightened One’. 5. Right Living.
 Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath near Banaras 6. Right Efforts.
(now Varanasi). 7. Right Knowledge.
 He died at the age of 80 in 483 B.C. at Kushinagar in 8. Right Meditation.
Uttar Pradesh.
Buddhist Literature
Teachings of Buddha
 In Pali language.
 The Four Noble Truths of Buddha are:
 Buddhist scriptures in Pali are commonly referred to as
1. The world is full of suffering. Tripitakas, i.e., ‘Three Baskets’.
2. The cause of suffering is desire.  Vinaya Pitaka: Rules of discipline in Buddhist
3. If desires are get rid off, suffering can be removed. monasteries.
4. This can be done by following the Eightfold Path.  Sutta Pitaka: Largest, contains collection of Buddha’s
 The Eightfold Path consists of: sermons.
1. Right Thought.  Abidhamma Pitaka: Explanation of the philosophical
2. Right Belief. principles of the Buddhist religion.
3. Right Speech.

Main Buddhist Councils

Buddhist Council Time Place Chairman Patron
First 483 BC Rajagriha Mahakashyapa Ajatasatru
Second 383 BC Vaishali Sabakamuni Kalashoka
Third 250 BC Patliputra Moggaliputta Tissa Ashoka
Fourth AD 72 Kundalvana Vasumitra, Ashwaghosa Kanishka

The Mahajanapadas
 He was a contemporary of both Vardhamana Mahavira
Mahajanapadas Capital and Gautama Buddha.
1. Kashi Varanasi  During his rule, Darius I, the Achaemenian emperor,
2. Kosala Shravasti conquered the Indus Valley area.
3. Anga Champanagri  Ajatasatru imprisoned his father Bimbisara.
4. Magadh Girivraj or Rajgriha  The first Buddhist Council was convened by Ajatasatru
5. Vajji Vaishali at Rajgir.
6. Malla Kushinagar and Pavapuri  The immediate successor of Ajatasatru was Udayin.
7. Chedi Shuktimati  Udayin laid the foundation of the new capital at Pataliputra
8. Vatsa Kaushambi situated at the confluence of the two rivers, the Ganges
9. Kuru Hastinapur, Indraprastha and and the Sone.
Isukara
 Shishunaga was the founder of Shishunaga dynasty.
10. Panchal Ahichhatra and Kampilya
11. Matsya Viratnagar  After Shishunaga, the mighty empire began to collapse.
12. Surasen Mathura
His successor was Kakavarman or Kalasoka. During his
reign, the second Buddhist Council was held at Vaishali.
13. Asmaka Paudanya
14. Avanti Ujjaini  Kalasoka was killed by the founder of the Nanda dynasty.
15. Gandhara Taxila NANDAS
16. Kamboj Rajpur (Hatak)
 The fame of Magadha scaled new heights under the Nanda
dynasty.
DYNASTIES OF ANCIENT INDIA  Mahapadmananda was the founder of Nanda rule in
Magadha.
HARYANKA DYNASTY
 The last Nanda ruler was Dhana Nanda. Alexander invaded
 Bimbisara was the founder of Haryanka Dynasty. India during his rule.
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SATAVAHANAS
MAURYAN EMPIRE
 The founder of the Satavahana dynasty was Simuka.
CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA (322–298 B.C.)  The greatest ruler of the Satavahana dynasty was
 Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Mauryan Gautamiputra Satakarni.
Empire. He overthrew Nanda dynasty with the help of  The greatest port of the Satavahanas was Kalyani on the
Chanakya. west Deccan. Gandakasela and Ganjam on the east coast
 Chandragupta defeated Seleukos Nikator, the Greek were the other important seaports.
general of Alexander, in a battle in 305 B.C.  The fine painting at Amaravathi and Nagarjunakonda
 Seleukos sent Megasthenes as Greek Ambassador to the caves belong to this period.
Court of Chandragupta. Megasthenes wrote Indica.
 Chandragupta was a follower of Jainism. SANGAM AGE
 He came to Sravana Belgola, near Mysore with a Jain (300 B.C. TO A.D. 300)
monk called Bhadrabahu. The hill in which he lived until
his death is called Chandragiri.  The Sangam Age constitutes an important chapter in the
 Chanakya served as prime minister during the reigns of history of South India.
Chandragupta and Bindusara.  According to Tamil legends, there existed three Sangams
(Academy of Tamil poets) in ancient Tamil Nadu popularly
BINDUSARA (298–273 B.C.) called Muchchangam. These Sangams flourished under
 Chandragupta Maurya was succeeded by his son Bindusara. the royal patronage of the Pandyas.
 Bindusara was called by the Greeks as “Amitraghatha”  The first Sangam, held at then Madurai, chaired by
meaning, slayer of enemies. Agastya.
ASHOKA (273–232 B.C.)  The second Sangam was held at Kapadapuram, chaired by
 Ashoka was the most famous ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. Tolkappiyar.
 The most important event of Ashoka’s reign was his  The third Sangam at Madurai w as founded by
victorious war with Kalinga in 261 B.C. Mudathirumaran.
 Ashoka convened the Third Buddhist Council at Political History
Pataliputra around 250 B.C. in order to strengthen the  The Tamil country was ruled by three dynasties namely
Sangha. It was presided over by Moggaliputta Tissa. the Chera, Chola and Pandyas during the Sangam Age.
 Ashoka’s edicts and inscriptions were deciphered by James
Prinsep in 1837. CHERAS
 The last Mauryan king, Brahadratha was killed by his  The Cheras ruled over parts of modern Kerala. Their capital
minister Pushyamitra Sunga. It put an end to the Mauryan was Vanji and their important seaports were Tondi and
Empire. Musiris.
 The greatest Chera King was Senguttuvan.
SUNGAS
 The founder of the Sunga dynasty was Pushyamitra Sunga, CHOLAS
who was the commander-in-chief under the Mauryas.  The Chola kingdom of the Sangam period extended from
 He ascended the throne of Magadha in 185 B.C. modern Tiruchi district to southern Andhra Pradesh.
 Pushyamitra was a staunch follower of Brahmanism. He  Their capital was first located at Uraiyur and then shifted
performed two asvamedha sacrifices. to Puhar. Kaveripattinam served as their port.
 After the death of Pushyamitra, his son Agnimitra became
the ruler. GUPTA PERIOD
 Agnimitra was a great conqueror. He was also the hero of
the play Malavikagnimitram written by Kalidasa.  The Gupta period is considered as the Golden Age in the
history of India because this period witnessed all round
KANVA developments in Religion, Literature, Science, Art and
 The last Sunga ruler was Devabhuti, who was murdered Architecture.
by his minister Vasudeva Kanva, the founder of the Kanva
dynasty. CHANDRAGUPTA I (320-334 A.D.)
 The Kanva dynasty ruled for 45 years. After the fall of the  In the beginning of the 4th Century A.D., Sri Gupta
Kanvas, the history of Magadha was a blank until the established a small Kingdom at Pataliputra. He is
establishment of the Gupta dynasty. considered as the founder of the Gupta dynasty.
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 The first notable ruler of the Gupta dynasty was  Hieun Tsang visited during his reign.
Chandragupta I. He assumed the title Maharajadhiraja.  He established a large monastery at Nalanda. Banabhata
The Meherauli Iron Pillar inscription mentions his adorned his court, wrote Harshacharita and Kadambari.
extensive conquests. Harsha himself wrote three plays–Priyadarshika, Ratnawali
 Chandragupta I is considered to be the founder of the and Nagananda.
Gupta era which starts with his accession in A.D. 320.
PALLAVAS
SAMUDRAGUPTA (335-380 A.D.)
 The Pallavas established their kingdom in
 Samudragupta was the greatest of the rulers of the Gupta
Tondaimandalam by Simhavishnu with its capital at
dynasty. The Allahabad Pillar inscription provides a
Kanchipuram.
detailed account of his reign.
 Other great Pallava rulers were Mahendravarman I,
 Because of his military achievements, Samudragupta was
hailed as ‘Indian Napoleon’. Narasimhavarman I, and Narasimhavarman II.
 The Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram is the greatest
CHANDRAGUPTA II (380-414 A.D.) architectural masterpiece of the Pallava art.
 Samudragupta was succeeded by his son Chandragupta II
Vikramaditya. CHALUKYAS (543-755 A.D.)
 The greatest of the military achievements of Chandragupta  Pulakesin I was the founder of the Chalukya dynasty. He
II was his war against the Saka satraps of western India. established a small kingdom with Vatapi or Badami as its
 The famous Chinese pilgrim, Fahien visited India (A.D. capital.
399 - A.D. 414) during the reign of Chandragupta II.  The structural temples of the Chalukyas exist at Aihole,
SUCCESSORS OF CHANDRAGUPTA II Badami and Pattadakal (Virupaksha temple). Cave temple
 Kumaragupta (415-455) was the son and successor of architecture was also famous under the Chalukyas. Their
Chandragupta II. His reign was marked by general peace cave temples are found in Ajanta, Ellora and Nasik.
and prosperity.
RASHTRAKUTAS (755-975 A.D.)
 Kumaragupta was the founder of the Nalanda University.
 The art and architecture of the Rashtrakutas were found
 Kumaragupta was followed by Skandagupta who ruled
at Ellora and Elephanta.
from A.D. 456 to A.D. 468.
 After Skandagupta’s death, many of his successors like CHOLAS
Purugupta, Narasimhagupta, Buddhagupta and Baladitya  Cholas became prominent in the ninth century and
could not save the Gupta empire from the Huns. Ultimately,
established an empire comprising the major portion of
the Gupta power totally disappeared due to the Hun
South India. Their capital was Tanjore.
invasions and later by the rise of Yasodharman in Malwa.
 The founder of the Chola kingdom was Vijayalaya.
PUSHYABHUTI DYNASTY  Rajaraja Chola built the famous Brihadeeswara temple at
(600 - 647 A.D.) Tanjore.
 The greatest king was Harshavardhana, son of Prabhakar  Dancing Figure of Shiva (Nataraja) belong to Chola
Vardhana of Thaneshwar. He shifted the capital to Kannauj. period.

MEDIEVAL INDIA
 Mahmud patronized art and literature. Firdausi was the
ARAB CONQUEST OF SIND
poet-laureate in the court of Mahmud.
 In 712 A.D., Muhammad bin Quasim invaded Sind. Quasim
Muhammad Ghori
defeated Dahir, the ruler of Sind and killed him in a well-
contested battle.  Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Ghori in the first battle of
Tarain near Delhi in 1191 A.D.
Mahmud of Ghazni  In the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192, Muhammad Ghori
 In 1024, Mahmud marched from Multan across Rajaputana, thoroughly routed the army of Prithiviraj, who was captured
defeated the Solanki King Bhimadeva I, plundered Anhilwada and killed.
and sacked the famous temple of Somanatha. This was his  After his brilliant victory over Prithviraj at Tarain,
last campaign in India. Mahmud died in 1030 A.D. Muhammad Ghori returned to Ghazni leaving behind his
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(2123) G.K.—2

favourite general Qutb-ud-din Aibak to make further  Amir Khusrau the great Persian poet, patronised by Balban,
conquests in India. continued to live in Ala-ud-din Khilji’s court also.
 He introduced the system of dagh (branding of horses)
SULTANATE PERIOD
and prepared huliya (descriptive list of soldiers).
SLAVE DYNASTY (1206-1290)  Ala-ud-din Khilji maintained a large permanent standing
 The Slave dynasty was also called Mamluk dynasty. army and paid them in cash from the royal treasury.
Mamluk was the Quranic term for slave.
TUGHLAQ DYNASTY
Qutb-ud-din Aibak  Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq was the founder of the Tughlaq
 Qutb-ud-din Aibak was a slave of Muhammad Ghori, who dynasty.
made him the Governor of his Indian possessions.  To have the capital at the centre of the empire and safe
 After the death of Ghori in 1206, Aibak declared his from the Mongol raids, Tughlaq chose Devagiri as his
independence. He assumed the title Sultan and made new capital in A.D. 1327. The Sultan renamed the new
Lahore his capital. capital Daulatabad.
 Muslim writers call Aibak Lakh Baksh or giver of lakhs  In 1329-30, Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq introduced a token
because he gave liberal donations to them. currency.
 He built the famous Quwat-Ul-Islam mosque at Delhi. He  Firoz Shah Tughlaq became Sultan after the death of
began the construction of the famous Qutb Minar at Delhi Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq in A.D. 1351.
but did not live long to complete it. It was later completed  He was the first Sultan to impose irrigation tax.
by Iltutmish.  He had built new towns of Firozabad, Jaunpur, Hissar and
Iltutmish (1210-1236 A.D.) Firozpur.
 Timur—Mongol leader of Central Asia, ordered general
 Iltutmish belonged to the Ilbari tribe and hence his dynasty
massacre in Delhi (AD 1398) at the time of Nasiruddin
was named as Ilbari dynasty.
Mahmud (later Tughlaq king).
 He shifted his capital from Lahore to Delhi.
 He organised the Iqta system and introduced reforms in SAYYID DYNASTY
civil administration and army.  Before his departure from India, Timur appointed Khizr
Khan as governor of Multan. He captured Delhi and
Raziya (1236-1240 A.D.)
founded the Sayyid dynasty in 1414.
 She appointed an Abyssinian slave Yakuth as Master of  Mubarak Shah, Mohammed Shah and Alam Shah were
the Royal Horses. some of the other important noteworthy rulers of Sayyid
 In 1240, Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda revolted against Dynasty.
her. She went in personally to suppress the revolt but
Altunia killed Yakuth and took Raziya prisoner. LODHI DYNASTY
 Bahram Shah, son of Iltutmish killed her.  The Lodhis were Afghans.
 Bahlol Lodhi was the first Afghan ruler while his
Balban (1266-1286 A.D.)
predecessors were all Turks. He died in 1489 and was
 Balban introduced rigorous court discipline and new succeeded by his son, Sikandar Lodhi.
customs such as prostration and kissing the Sultan’s feet  In 1504, Sikandar Lodhi founded the city of Agra and
to prove his superiority over the nobles. transferred his capital from Delhi to Agra.
 He also introduced the Persian festival of Nauroz to impress  Babar marched against Delhi and defeated and killed
the nobles and people with his wealth and power. Ibrahim Lodhi in the first battle of Panipat (1526).
 He established a separate military department - diwan-i-
arz – and reorganized the army.
BAHMANI AND VIJAYANAGAR
KHILJI DYNASTY (1290-1320 A.D.) KINGDOMS
 The founder of the Khilji dynasty was Jalaluddin Khilji.
 The break up of the Delhi Sultanate provided an
 Ala-ud-din Khilji was the greatest ruler of the Khilji opportunity for the rise of a number of kingdoms in the
Dynasty. Deccan.
 He was the first Muslim ruler to extend his empire right  After the decline of the Tughlaqs, there arose two important
upto Rameshwaram in the South. kingdoms in the Deccan. They were the Bahmani and
 The Sultan had built a new city called Siri near Delhi. Vijayanagar kingdoms.
 10

VIJAYANAGAR EMPIRE  Babar defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar in the battle of

 The Vijayanagar Kingdom was set up in A.D. 1336. Its Kanwah in A.D. 1527.
aim was to check the spread of Muslim power and protect  Babar w as a soldier-scholar and wrote his own
Hindu Dharma in South India. autobiography called Babar Nama in Turkish language.
 Four dynasties – Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu – HUMAYUN (1530-1556 AD)
ruled Vijayanagar from A.D. 1336 to 1672.
 Sher Shah defeated Humayun at Chausa in A.D. 1539 and
 Vijayanagar was founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka again at Kannauj in A.D. 1540.
of the Sangama dynasty.
 After losing his kingdom, Humayun became an exile for
 The Moroccan traveller, Ibn Batuta, Venetian traveller the next fifteen years.
Nicolo de Conti, Persian traveller Abdur Razzak and the
 In 1555, Humayun defeated the Afghans and recovered
Portuguese traveller Domingo Paes were among them who
the Mughal throne. After six months, he died in 1556 due
left valuable accounts on the socio-economic conditions to his fall from the staircase of his library.
of the Vijayanagar Empire.
 Gulbadan Begum, Humayun’s half-sister wrote Humayun-
 The Hampi ruins and other monuments of Vijayanagar nama.
provide information on the cultural contributions of the
Vijayanagar rulers. SHER SHAH SURI
 The founder of the Sur dynasty was Sher Shah, whose
KRISHNA DEVA RAYA (1509-1530)
original name was Farid.
 The Tuluva dynasty was founded by Vira Narasimha.
 Sher Shah became the ruler of Delhi in 1540.
 The greatest of the Vijayanagar rulers, Krishna Deva Raya
 Sher Shah organized a brilliant administrative system.
belonged to the Tuluva dynasty.
The central government consisted of several departments.
 Krishna Deva Raya himself authored a Telugu work,
 He built a new city on the banks of the river Yamuna near
Amukthamalyadha and Sanskrit works, Jambavati Delhi. Now the old fort called Purana Quila and its mosque
Kalyanam and Ushaparinayam. is alone surviving.
 He built the famous Vittalaswamy and Hazara Ramaswamy  He built a Mausoleum at Sasaram, which is considered
temples at Vijayanagar. as one of the master pieces of Indian architecture.
 Krishna Deva Raya renovated Virupaksha temple in A.D.
1510. AKBAR (1556-1605 AD)
 After his death the enemies of Vijayanagar joined together  When Akbar ascended the throne in A.D. 1556 he was
and defeated the Vijayanagar ruler in the battle of only 14 years old. His guardian Bairam Khan served him
Talaikota. as a faithful minister and tutor.
 Bairam Khan, along with Akbar met Hemu in the second
BAHMANI KINGDOM Battle of Panipat in 1556. Hemu was initially successful,
 The founder of the Bahmani kingdom was Alauddin but lost his consciousness after an arrow hit him. Akbar
Bahman Shah also known as Hasan Gangu in 1347. Its killed him.
capital was Gulbarga.  The Battle of Haldighati was fought between Rana Pratap
 Ahmad Wali Shah shifted the capital from Gulbarga to of Mewar and Mughal army led by Man Singh and Asif
Bidar. Khan. Some historian say that this battle was indecisive
 Gol Gumbaj was built by Muhammad Adil Shah; it is but some say that Rana Pratap was defeated by Akbar.
famous for the so called ‘Whispering Gallery’.  Akbar abolished the pilgrim tax and in 1562, he abolished
 Quli Qutub Shah built the famous Golcunda Fort. Jaziya.
 Akbar evolved a new faith called Din-i-Illahi or Divine
MUGHAL EMPIRE Faith.
(1526-1707 AD) JAHANGIR (1605-1627 AD)
 When Akbar died, Prince Salim succeeded with the title
BABAR (1526-1530 AD) Jahangir (Conqueror of World) in 1605.
 Babar was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India.  Jahangir’s eldest son, Khusrau, rebelled against him. He
 On 21st April, 1526 the first Battle of Panipat took place was arrested and put into prison. Guru Arjun Dev, the fifth
between Babar and Ibrahim Lodhi, who was killed in the Sikh Guru was executed by Jahangir.
battle.  In 1611, Jahangir married Mehrunnisa who was known as
 Babar was the first one to use guns or artillery in a battle Nurjahan (Light of World).
on the Indian soil.  Jahangir died in A.D. 1627.
 11

SHAHJAHAN (1628-1658 AD) Literature of Mughal Period

 The reign of Shahjahan is generally considered as the Author Work
Golden Age of the Mughal period.
Babar Tuzuk-i-Babari
 Shahjahan is called as the Prince of Builders. He had Abul Fazal Ain-i-Akbari, Akbarnamah
built the Jama Masjid and Red Fort in Delhi and Taj Jahangir Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri
Mahal in Agra.
Hamid Padshahnama
 Fine arts like painting, music and literature reached high Darashikoh Majm-ul-Bahrain
level of development during Shahjahan’s time. Mirza Md Qasim Alamgirnama
AURANGAZEB (1658-1707 AD)
 Aurangazeb was the last great Mughal ruler. He ascended THE MARATHAS
the throne after killing his three brothers Dara, Shuja and
Murad in a fratricidal war. SHIVAJI (1627-1680 AD)
 Aurangazeb defeated Sikandar Shah of Bijapur and  Shivaji was born at Shivner in 1627. His father was Shahji
Bhonsle and mother Jija Bai.
annexed his kingdom.
 His religious teacher was Samarth Ramdas and guardian
 Aurangazeb was against the Sikhs and he executed the
was Dadaji Kondadev.
ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur.
 In 1674, Shivaji crowned himself at Raigarh and assumed
 He was called Darvesh or a Zinda Pir. He forbade Sati.
the title Chatrapathi.
Conquered Bijapur (AD 1686) and Golconda (AD 1687)
and reimposed Jaziya and Pilgrim tax in AD 1679.  Ashtapradhan (eight ministers) helped in administration.
These were Peshwas, Sar-i-Naubat (Military), Mazumdar
 He built Biwi ka Makbara on the tomb of his queen
or Amatya (Accounts); Waqenavis (Intelligence); Surnavis
Rabaud-Durani at Aurangabad; Moti Masjid within Red
(Corres-pondence); Dabir or Sumanta (Ceremonies);
Fort, Delhi; and the Jami or Badshahi Mosque at Lahore.
Nyayadhish (Justice); and Panditrao (Charity).
 Aurangazeb died in A.D. 1707.
 Successors of Shivaji were Shambhaji, Rajaram and Shahu
LATER MUGHALS / FALL OF THE MUGHALS (fought at Battle of Khed in AD 1708).

Bahadur Shah (1707-1712) THE PESHWAS

 Assumed the title of Shah Alam I.  Balaji Vishwanath was the first Peshwa. He began his
career as a small revenue official and became Peshwa in
Jahandar Shah (1712-1713) 1713.
 First puppet Mughal emperor. He abolished jaziya.  Baji Rao I was the eldest son of Balaji Vishwanath. He
was considered as the “greatest exponent of guerilla tactics
Farrukhsiyar (1713-1719) after Shivaji”.
Mohammad Shah (1719-1748)  It was during reign of Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb) when
the Marathas lost the Third Battle of Panipat.
 Nadir Shah (of Iran) defeated him in the Battle of Karnal
 Baji Rao II ( last Peshwa) was the first Maratha to have
(1739) and took away Peacock throne and Kohinoor
fled from the British attacks instead of fighting with
diamond.
them. Baji Rao II surrendered to Sir John Malcom.
Ahmad Shah (1748-1754)
THE SIKH
Alamgir II (1754-1759),  Guru Nanak Dev was the founder of Sikhism, the religion
that draws its elements from both Hinduism and Islam.
Shah Alam II (1759-1806)  Name of the ten Sikh Gurus and their works are given
below:
Akbar II (1806-1837)
1. Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539AD): The founder of
 He gave Ram Mohan Roy the title ‘Raja’. He sent Raja Sikhism.
Ram Mohan Roy to London to seek a raise in his
2. Guru Angad Dev (1504-1552AD): Developed
allowance.
Gurmukhi.
Bahadur Shah II (1837-1857) 3. Guru Amar Das (1479-1574AD): Struggled against
 He was confined by the British to the Red Fort. During Sati system and Purdah system.
the revolt of 1857, he was proclaimed the Emperor by the 4. Guru Ram Das (1534-1581AD): Founded Amritsar,
rebels. He was deported to Rangoon after that. the holy city of Sikhism.
 12

5. Guru Arjun Dev (1563-1606AD): He built the Swarn 9. Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675 AD)
Mandir (Golden Temple). 10. Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708 AD): Founded the
6. Guru Hargobind (1595-1644 AD): Established Akal Khalsa and Sikh baptism, composed many poems,
Takht. and nominated the Sikh sacred text as the final and
7. Guru Har Rai (1630-1661 AD) enduring Guru.
8. Guru Har Krishan (1656-1664 AD)

MODERN INDIA
 In 1690, the British got permission from Aurangazeb to
THE ADVENT OF THE EUROPEANS build a factory on the site of Calcutta. In 1696 a fort was
built at that place. It was called Fort William.
THE PORTUGUESE
 Vasco-da-Gama, a Portuguese explorer, sailed through the THE FRENCH
route of Cape of Good Hope and reached near Calicut on  The French East India Company was established in 1664
20th May 1498 A.D. during the reign of King Zamorin under the inspiring and energetic leadership of Colbert,
(Hindu King of Calicut). the economic adviser of the French King Louis XIV.
 Vasco-da-Gama founded a factory at Cannanore on his  In 1667, the first French factory was established at Surat
second visit to India in 1501. In due course, Calicut, by Francis Caron who was nominated as Director-General.
Cochin and Cannanore became the Portuguese trading  French were defeated by English in the Battle of
centres. Wandiwash (1760).
 Francisco Almeida came to India in 1505. He was the first
Governor of Portuguese possessions in India. EAST INDIA COMPANY
 The real founder of Portuguese power in India was Alfonso  After the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and the Battle of
de Albuquerque. He captured Goa from the rulers of Bijapur Buxar in 1764, the East India Company became a political
in 1510. It was made their headquarters. power.
 India was under the East India Company’s rule till 1858
THE DUTCH
when it came under the direct administration of the British
 The United East India Company of the Netherlands Crown.
founded a factory at Masulipatnam in 1605. They built  Robert Clive was the first Governor of Fort William under
their first fort on the main land of India at Pulicut in the Company’s rule.
1609, near Madras (Chennai). They captured Nagapattinam
from the Portuguese. GOVERNOR-GENERALS OF BENGAL
 They made Agra, Surat, Masulipatnam and Chinsura in Warren Hastings (1772-85 AD)
Bengal as their trading centres.  In 1772, the Company appointed Warren Hastings as the
THE DANES Governor of Fort William.
 The Danish East India Company was established in 1616  The Dual System introduced by Robert Clive was
in Denmark. abolished by Warren Hastings.
 They came to South India and founded a factory at  Warren Hastings was known for his expansionist policy.
Tranquebar (Tharangambadi) in 1620. They also made His administration witnessed the Rohilla War, the First
settlements at Serampore near Calcutta (Kolkata). Anglo-Maratha War and the Second Anglo-Mysore War.
 Pitt’s India Act (1784) was passed.
THE ENGLISH
 The English East India Company was formed in 1599 Lord Cornwallis (1786-93 AD)
under a charter granted by Queen Elizabeth in 1600.  Cornwallis inaugurated the policy of making
 The East India Company sent Sir William Hawkins to the appointments mainly on the basis of merit
court of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1609 to obtain thereby laying the foundation of the Indian Civil Service.
permission to erect a factory at Surat.
 Lord Cornw allis introduced Permanent Revenue
 In 1615, Sir Thomas Roe, another British merchant, came
Settlement.
to Jahangir’s court. He stayed for three years and succeeded
in getting permission to set up their trading centres at  Tipu Sultan signed the Treaty of Srirangapatnam in 1792
Agra, Surat, Ahmedabad and Broach. with the British.
 13

Sir John Shore (1793-98 AD) Lord Hardinge (1844-48 AD)

 Played an important role in the introduction of Permanent  First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46) and Treaty of Lahore
Settlement. (1846). Gave preference to English educated persons in
 Battle of Kharda between the Nizams and the Marathas employment.
(1795).
Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856)
Wellesley (1798-1805)
 The Doctrine of Lapse was applied by Dalhousie.
 Wellesley came to India with a determination to launch  The first railway line connecting Bombay with Thane was
a forward policy that he adopted to achieve his object is opened in 1853.
known as the ‘Subsidiary Alliance’.
 The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War started in 1799. The war VICEROYS OF INDIA
was short and decisive. Tipu fought till his capital
Srirangapatnam was captured and he himself was shot Lord Canning (1856-62 AD)
dead.  Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of India in 1858.
 Peshwa Baji Rao II signed the Treaty of Bassein with the  Revolt of 1857, Mutiny took place. Indian Penal Code
British in 1802. It was a subsidiary treaty and the Peshwa 1860 was passed.
was recognized as the head of the Maratha kingdom.
Lord Elgin (1862 AD)
 The Treaty of Deogaon(1803) was signed between Bhonsle
and Wellesley.  Wahabi Movement.
Lord Minto (1807-1813) Lord John Lawrence (1864-69 AD)
 Lord Minto concluded the Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit  Established the High Courts at Calcutta, Bombay and
Singh of Punjab in 1809. Madras in 1865.
 The Charter Act of 1813 was passed during this period.  Telegraphic communication was opened with Europe.
Lord Hastings (1813-1823) Created the Indian Forest Department.

 Anglo Nepal War (1814-1816) and Treaty of Sugauli Lord Northbrooke (1872-76 AD)
(1816).  Kuka Rebellion in Punjab, Famine in Bihar.
 Third Maratha War (1817-18), dissolution of Maratha
confederacy and creation of Bombay Presidency. Lord Lytton (1876-80)
 He encouraged the freedom of the Press and abolished the  In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was passed. This Act
censorship introduced in 1799. empowered a Magistrate to secure an undertaking from
the editor, publisher and printer of a vernacular newspaper
GOVERNOR-GENERALS OF INDIA
that nothing would be published against the English
Lord William Bentinck (1828-1835) Government. This Act crushed the freedom of the Indian
 Charter Act of 1833 was passed and he was made the first press.
Governor-General of India. Before him, the designation  In 1878, the Arms Act was passed. This Act prevented the
was Governor-General of Bengal. Indians to keep arms without appropriate license.
 The social reforms of William Bentinck made his name  Lord Lytton also held a Darbar at Delhi in 1877 in which
immortal in the history of British India. These include the Queen Victoria was declared as the Empress of India. This
abolition of Sati, the suppression of Thugs and the extravagant Darbar cost millions of ruppes.
prevention of female infanticide.  In 1878, the Statutory Civil Service was established
 The Government Resolution in 1835 made English the exclusively for Indians.
official and literary language of India.
Lord Ripon (1880-84 AD)
Lord Metcalfe (1835-36 AD)
 Lord Ripon repealed the Vernacular Press Act and earned
 Known as liberator of press in India. much popularity among Indians.
Lord Auckland (1836-42 AD)  Ripon appointed a Commission in 1882 under the
 First Afghan War (1838-42), a disaster for the English. chairmanship of Sir William Hunter.
 The Commission came to be known as the Hunter
Lord Ellenborough (1842-44 AD) Commission. The Commission recommended for the
 Brought an end to Afghan war. War with Gwalior (1843), expansion and improvement of the elementary education
Annexation of Sind by Charles Napier (1843). of the masses.
 14

 Ripon was founder of local self-government in modern  Dandi March (12th March, 1930). Civil Disobedience
India. Movement (1930).
 First Round Table Conference was held in England in
Lord Dufferin (1884-88 AD)
1930. Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
 Third Burmese War (1885-86 AD). Establishment of the
Indian National Congress in 1885. Lord Willingdon (1931-36 AD)
 Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931 and
Lord Lansdowne (1888-94 AD) third in 1932.
 Factory Act of 1891 granted weekly holiday and stipulated
Lord Linlithgow (1936-43 AD)
working hours for women and children.
 Congress Ministries resignation celebrated as ‘Deliverance
Lord Elgin II (1894-99 AD) Day’ by the Muslim League (1939), the Lahore Resolution
 Southern uprisings of 1899. Great famine of 1896-1897 (23rd March, 1940) of the Muslim League demanding
and Lyall Commission on famine was established. separate state for the Muslims. (It was at this session that
Jinnah propounded his Two-Nation Theory). Outbreak of
Lord Curzon (1899-1905 AD) World War II in 1939. Cripps Mission in 1942. Quit India
 Curzon instituted in 1902, a Universities Commission to Movement (8th August, 1942).
go into the entire question of university education in the Lord Wavell (1943-47 AD)
country.
 Cabinet Mission Plan (16th May, 1946).
 On the basis of the findings and recommendations of the
 First meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held on
Commission, Curzon brought in the Indian Universities
9th December, 1946.
Act of 1904, which brought all the universities in India
under the control of the government.  Arranged the Shimla Conference on 25th June, 1945 with
Indian National Congress and Muslim League but failed.
Lord Minto (1905-10 AD)
Lord Mountbatten (March to Aug, 1947)
 Swadeshi Movement (1905-08); foundation of Muslim
 Last viceroy of British India and the first Governor-General
League (1906); Surat Session and split in the Congress
of free India.
(1907). Morley-Minto Reforms (1909).
 Partition of India decided by the 3rd June Plan or
Lord Hardinge (1910-16 AD) Mountbatten Plan.
 Capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi (1911); Delhi
Durbar; Partition of Bengal was cancelled. The Hindu
NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Mahasabha was founded in 1915 by Pandit Madan Mohan (1885-1947)
Malaviya.
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (1885)
Lord Chelmsford (1916-21 AD)  Allan Octavian Hume, a retired civil servant in the British
 Gandhi returned to India (1915) and founded the Sabarmati Government took the initiative to form an all-India
Ashram (1916), Champaran Satyagraha, Satyagraha at organization. Thus, the Indian National Congress was
founded and its first session was held at Bombay in 1885.
Ahmedabad (1981), Kheda Satyagraha (1918).
W.C. Banerjee was its first president. It was attended by
 Rowlatt Act (March, 1919) and the Jallianwala Bagh 72 delegates from all over India.
Massacre (13th April, 1919).
 The second session was held in Calcutta in 1886 and the
 Khilafat Committee was formed and Khilafat Movement third in Madras in 1887.
started (1919-20).
 Between 1885 and 1905, the Congress leaders were
 Non-Cooperation Movement started (1920-22). moderates. The Moderates had faith in the British justice
Lord Reading (1921-26) and goodwill. They were called moderates because they
adopted peaceful and constitutional means to achieve
 Moplah Rebellion (1921) took place. Kakori Train their demands.
Robbery on 1st August, 1925. Communal Riots of 1923-  In 1905, Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of
25 in Multan, Amritsar, Delhi etc. India Society to train Indians to dedicate their lives to the
Lord Irwin (1926-31 AD) cause of the country.
 Lahore Session of Congress and Poorna Swaraj Declaration Partition of Bengal (1905)
(1929).  By Lord Curzon on 16th October, 1905 through a royal
 Simon Commission visited India in 1927. proclamation, reducing the old province of Bengal in size
 15

by creating East Bengal and Assam out of the rest of August Declaration
Bengal.  On 20 August, 1917, Montague, the Secretary of State in
 The partition of Bengal in 1905 provided a spark for the England, promised the gradual development of self-
rise of extremism in the Indian National Movement. governing institutions in India.
 Curzon’s real motives behind this partition were:  This August Declaration led to the end of the Home Rule
 To break the growing strength of Bengali nationalism Movement.
since Bengal was the base of Indian nationalism. Rowlatt Act (1919)
 To divide the Hindus and Muslims in Bengal.
 In 1917, a committee was set up under the presidentship
 To show the enormous power of the British Government of Sir Sydney Rowlatt to look into the militant Nationalist
in doing whatever it liked. activities. On the basis of its report the Rowlatt Act was
passed in March 1919 by the Central Legislative Council.
Swadeshi Movement (1905)
As per this Act, any person could be arrested on the basis
 The Swadeshi Movement involved programmes like the of suspicion. No appeal or petition could be filed against
boycott of government service, courts, schools and colleges such arrests.
and of foreign goods. It was both a political and economic  This Act was called the Black Act and it was widely
movement. opposed. An all-India hartal was organized on 6 April,
 Lal, Bal, Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh played an important 1919.
role. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Muslim League (1906) (13 April, 1919)

 In December 1906, Muslim delegates from all over India  On 13th April, the Baisakhi day (harvest festival), a public
meeting was organized at the Jallianwala Bagh (garden).
met at Dacca for the Muslim Educational Conference.
Gen. Dyer marched in and without any warning opened
 Taking advantage of this occasion, Nawab Salimullah of fire on the crowd. The firing continued for about 10 to 15
Dacca proposed the setting up of an organisation to look minutes and it stopped only after the ammunition
after the Muslim interests. The proposal was accepted. exhausted.
 The All-India Muslim League was finally set up on  According to official report 379 people were killed and
December 30, 1906. 1137 wounded in the incident. There was a nationwide
protest against this massacre and Rabindranath Tagore
Minto Morley Reforms (1909)
renounced his knighthood as a protest.
 Minto, the Viceroy and Morley, the Secretary of State for
India jointly proposed reforms to the Indian Councils. An Khilafat Movement (1920)
Act, called the Indian Councils Act or the Minto-Morley  The chief cause of the Khilafat Movement was the defeat
Reforms Act was passed in 1909. of Turkey in the First World War.
 A separate communal electorate was introduced for the  The Muslims in India were upset over the British attitude
Muslims. against Turkey and launched the Khilafat Movement.
 Ali brothers, Mohd Ali and Shaukat Ali started this
The Lucknow Pact (1916) movement. It was jointly led by the Khilafat leaders and
 During the 1916 Congress session at Lucknow two major the Congress.
events occurred. The divided Congress became united. Non-Co-operation Movement (1920-22)
An understanding for joint action against the British was
reached between the Congress and the Muslim League  Mahatma Gandhi announced his plan to begin Non-
Cooperation with the government as a sequel to the
and it was called the Lucknow Pact.
Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Khilafat
 The signing of the Lucknow Pact by the Congress and the Movement. It was approved by the Indian National
Muslim League in 1916 marked an important step in the Congress at the Nagpur session in December, 1920.
Hindu-Muslim unity.
 The Congress observed the Non-Co-operation movement
The Home Rule Movement (1916) in 1920. The main aim of this movement was to attain
Swaraj through non-violent and peaceful means.
 Two Home Rule Leagues were established, one by B.G.
Tilak at Poona in April 1916 and the other by Mrs. Annie  The whole movement was abruptly called off on 11th
Besant at Madras in September 1916. February, 1922 by Gandhi following the Chauri-Chaura
incident in the Gorakhpur district of U.P. Many top leaders
 While Tilak’s Movement concentrated on Maharashtra, of the country were stunned at this sudden suspension of
Annie Besant’s Movement covered the rest of the country. the Non-Co-operation Movement.
 16

 On 5th February an angry mob set fire to the police  On 8th March, 1931 the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed. As
station at Chauri-Chaura and twenty two police men per this pact, Mahatma Gandhi agreed to suspend the
were burnt to death. Civil-Disobedience Movement and participate in the
Second-Round Table Conference.
Swaraj Party
 In September 1931, the Second Round Table Conference
 Leaders like Motilal Nehru and Chittranjan Das formed a was held at London. Mahatma Gandhi participated in the
separate group within the Congress known as the Swaraj Conference but returned to India disappointed.
Party on 1 January, 1923.
 In January 1932, the Civil-Disobedience Movement was
 The Swarajists wanted to contest the council elections resumed.
and wreck the government from within.
Poona Pact (1932)
Simon Commission (1927)
 The idea of separate electorate for the depressed classes
 The Act of 1919 included a provision for its review after was abandoned, but seats reserved for them in the
a lapse of ten years. However, the review commission provincial legislature were increased.
under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon was appointed
 Thus, Poona Pact agreed upon a joint electorate for upper
by the British Government two years earlier of its schedule
and lower castes.
in 1927.
 Indian leaders opposed the commission, as there were no Demand for Pakistan
Indians in it, they cried Simon Go Back.  Chaudhary Rehmat Ali gave the term Pakistan in 1933.
 The government used brutal repression and at Lahore,  In March 1940, the Muslim League demanded the creation
Lala Lajpat Rai was severely beaten in lathi-charge. of Pakistan.
Nehru Report (1928) Cripps Mission (1942)
 The Secretary of State, Lord Birkenhead, challenged the  The British Government in its effort to secure Indian co-
Indians to produce a Constitution that would be acceptable operation in the Second World War sent Sir Stafford Cripps
to all. The challenge was accepted by the Congress, which to India on 23 March, 1942. This is known as Cripps
convened an all party meeting on 28 February, 1928. Mission.
 A committee consisting of eight was constituted to draw  The main recommendations of Cripps was the promise of
up a blueprint for the future Constitution of India. It was Dominion Status to India.
headed by Motilal Nehru. The Report published by this
 Congress rejected it. Gandhi called Cripp’s proposals as
Committee came to be known as the Nehru Report.
a “Post-dated Cheque”.
Lahore Session (1929)
Quit India Movement (1942-1944)
 On Dec. 19, 1929, under the Presidentship of J.L. Nehru,
the INC, as its Lahore session, declared Poorna Swaraj  The All India Congress Committee met at Bombay on 8th
(Complete Independence) as its ultimate goal. August, 1942 and passed the famous Quit India
Resolution. On the same day, Gandhi gave his call of ‘do
 On Dec. 31, 1929, the newly adopted tricolour flag was
or die’.
unfurled and Jan. 26, 1930 was fixed as the First
Independence Day, which was to be celebrated every year.  On 8th and 9th August, 1942, the government arrested all
the prominent leaders of the Congress. Mahatma Gandhi
Dandi March (1930) was kept in prison at Poona. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,
 On 12th March, 1930, Gandhi began his famous March Abul Kalam Azad, and other leaders were imprisoned in
to Dandi with his chosen 79 followers to break the salt the Ahamednagar Fort.
laws. He reached the coast of Dandi on 5 April, 1930 after  Quit India Movement was the final attempt for country’s
marching a distance of 200 miles and on 6 April formally freedom.
launched the Civil Disobedience Movement by breaking
Indian National Army (INA)
the salt laws.
 On July 2, 1943, Subhash Chandra Bose reached Singapore
Civil Disobedience Movement and gave the rousing war cry of ‘Dilli Chalo’. He was
 Countrywide mass participation by women. made the President of Indian Independence League and
 The Garhwal soldiers refused to fire on the people at soon became the supreme commander of the Indian
Peshawar. National Army. He gave the country the slogan of Jai
Hind.
Round Table Conference  INA had three fighting brigades named after Gandhi, Azad
 The first Round Table Conference was held in November and Nehru. Rani of Jhansi Brigade was an exclusive women
1930 at London and it was boycotted by the Congress. force. INA headquarters were at Rangoon and Singapore.
 17

Cabinet Mission (1946) the creation of Pakistan appeared inevitable to him.

 The Cabinet Mission put forward a plan for solution of  After extensive consultation Lord Mountbatten put forth
the constitutional problem. A proposal was envisaged for the plan of partition of India on 3 June, 1947. The Congress
setting up an Interim Government, which would remain in and the Muslim League ultimately approved the
office till a new government was elected on the basis of Mountbatten Plan.
the new Constitution framed by the Constituent Assembly.
Indian Independence Act, 1947
 Elections were held in July 1946 for the formation of a
Constituent Assembly.  The salient features of this Act was the partition of the
 Muslim league observed the Direct Action Day on 16 country into India and Pakistan would come into effect
August, 1946. from 15 August, 1947.
 An Interim Government was formed under the leadership  On 15th August, 1947 India, and on the 14th August
of Jawaharlal Nehru on 2 September, 1946. Pakistan came into existence as two independent states.
 Lord Mountbatten was made the first Governor General of
Mountbatten Plan (1947)
Independent India, whereas Mohammad Ali Jinnah became
 On 20 February 1947, Prime Minister Atlee announced in the first Governor General of Pakistan.
the House of Commons the definite intention of the British  C. Rajagopalachari became the first and last Indian
Government to transfer power to responsible Indian hands
Governor-General of India. When India became a Republic
by a date not later than June 1948.
on 26 January, 1950 Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first
 Lord Mountbatten armed with vast powers became India’s President of our country.
Viceroy on 24 March, 1947. The partition of India and

Socio-Religious Movements and Organisation

Name of the Organisation Founder Year Place
Atmiya Sabha Ram Mohan Roy 1815 Calcutta
Brahmo Samaj Ram Mohan Roy 1828 Calcutta
Dharma Sabha Radhakanta Dev 1829 Calcutta
Tattvabodhini Sabha Debendranath Tagore 1839 Calcutta
Nirankaris Dayal Das, Darbara Singh, Rattan Chand etc. 1840 Punjab
Manav Dharma Sabha Durgaram Manchharam 1844 Surat
Paramhansa Mandli Dadoba Pandurung 1849 Bombay
Namdharis Ram Singh 1857 Punjab
Radha Swami Satsang Tulsi Ram 1861 Agra
Brahmo Samaj of India Keshab Chandra Sen 1866 Calcutta
Dar-ul-Ulum Maulana Hussain Ahmed 1866 Deoband
Prarthna Samaj Atmaram Pandurung 1867 Bombay
Arya Samaj Swami Dayanand Saraswati 1875 Bombay
Theosophical Society Madam H.P. Blavatsky and Col. H.S. Olcott 1875 New York (USA)
Sadharan Brahmo Samaj Anand Mohan Bose 1878 Calcutta
Deccan Education Society G.G. Agarkar 1884 Pune (Poona)
Muhammadan Educational Conference Syed Ahmad Khan 1886 Aligarh
Indian National Conference M.G. Ranade 1887 Bombay
Deva Samaj Shivnarayan Agnihotri 1887 Lahore
Nadwah-ul-Ulama Maulana Shibli Numani 1894 Lucknow
Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda 1897 Belur
Servents of Indian Society Gopal Krishna Gokhale 1905 Bombay
Poona Seva Sadan Mrs. Ramabai Ranade and G.K. Devadhar 1909 Pune (Poona)
Social Service League N.M. Joshi 1911 Bombay
Seva Samiti H.N. Kunzru 1914 Allahabad

Newspapers and Journals  Kesari—B.G. Tilak

 Bengal Gazette (1780) (India’s first newspaper)—James  Maratha—B.G. Tilak
Augustus Hikky  Sudharak—G.K. Gokhale
18

 Amrit Bazar Patrika—Shishir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Important Sayings

Ghosh
 ‘Back to Vedas’—Dayanand Saraswati
 Yugantar—Bhupendranath Datta and Birender Kumar
Ghosh  ‘Dilli Chalo!’—Subhash Chandra Bose’s battle cry of
Azad Hind Fauj
 Bombay Chronicle—Firoze Shah Mehta
 ‘Do or Die’—Mahatma Gandhi (while launching Quit
 New India (Daily)—Annie Besant India movement in 1942)
 ‘Give me blood and I will give you freedom’—Subhash
Books and Authors Chandra Bose (in his address to soldiers of Azad Hind
 Causes of the Indian Mutiny—Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Fauj)
 Ghulam Giri—Jyotiba Phule  ‘My ultimate aim is to wipe every tear from every eye’—
Jawaharlal Nehru
 Anandmath—Bankim Chand Chatterjee
 ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I will have it’—Bal Gangadhar
 Satyarth Prakash—Swami Dayanand Tilak
 Unhappy India—Lala Lajpat Rai  ‘Inqualab Zindabad’—Bhagat Singh
 India Divided—Dr. Rajendra Prasad  ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’—Lal Bahadur Shastri
 ‘Sarfaroshi ki tamanna Ab Hamare Dil mein Hai’—Ram
 The Discovery of India—J.L. Nehru
Prasad Bismill
 Neel Darpan—Dinbandhu Mitra  ‘Saare Jahan Se Achcha, Hindustan Hamara’—Dr.
 Hind Swaraj—M.K. Gandhi Mohammed Iqbal
 W ha t Co ngre ss a nd G andh i ha ve d one to the  ‘Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan’—Bhartendu Harishchandra
untouchables—Dr. B.R. Ambedkar  ‘Vande Mataram’—Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

  
 General Knowledge & General Awareness 19

GEOGRAPHY

WORLD GEOGRAPHY

THE UNIVERSE Facts about Sun

Diameter — 1.392 × 106 km
 Existing matter and energy are together known as Volume — 1.304 × 106 times the volume of earth
Universe.
Temperature — 6000°C at surface and 15 million degree C
GALAXY at the centre
Relative density — 1.4
 A galaxy is a huge system of billions of stars and clouds
of dust and gases. Gravitational Pull — 28 times the gravitational pull of the earth
 Our solar system is a part of Milky Way galaxy.
 There are millions of galaxies that make the Universe. Facts about Planets
Closest to Sun Mercury
STARS Farthest from Sun Neptune
 Stars account for 98 per cent of the matter in a galaxy. Heaviest Jupiter
The stars nearest to the earth are Proxima Centauri, Alpha Hottest Venus
Centauri, Barnard's Star, Sirius and so on. Of these, Inner Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Sirius is the brightest. Largest Jupiter
Smallest Mercury
LIGHT YEAR Moons, None Mercury, Venus
 Light year is the distance travelled by light in one year Moon; Largest Ganymede (Jupiter), larger than Mercury
at a speed of 2,99,792.5 km. per second. Nearest to Earth Venus
Orbits; Order Mercury (closest to Sun), Venus, Earth,
SOLAR SYSTEM Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
 The Sun, eight planets, satellites and some other celestial Rings/largest number Saturn
bodies known as asteroids and meteoroids form the solar Spin; Backwards Venus (East to West)
system. COMETS
 It has a head and a tail. Its tail originates only when it
gets closer to the sun. The tail can be 20-30 million km
long. It always point away from the sun because of the
Mercury
Earth force exerted by solar wind and radiation on the cometory
Asteroids Moon
Neptune
Saturn Sun material.
Uranus Jupiter
Mars THE EARTH
 The earth is the third nearest planet to the Sun.
 From the outer space, the earth appears blue because its
two-thirds surface is covered by water. It is, therefore,
called a blue planet.
SUN
 It is the densest of all planets.
 The Sun is in the centre of the solar system.
 Rotation is the movement of the earth on its axis. Due to
 The Sun is a mixture of gases. It consists of 92% hydrogen, this rotation, day and night occur.
7.8% helium and 0.2% other gases.
 The earth takes about 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds
 The Sun is about 150 million km away from the earth. to complete one rotation around its axis.
 The sun is an ultimate source of energy for life on Earth.  Earth takes 365¼ days (one year) to revolve around the
 Sunlight takes 8 min 16.6 sec to reach earth. sun.
19
 20

THE EARTH: FACTS AND FIGURES INDIAN STANDARD TIME (IST)

 Mass of Earth—5.972 × 1021 tonnes  Indian Standard Time is calculated on the basis of 82.5°E
 Density of Earth—5.517 times that of water longitude which passes through Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
 Volume of Earth—1.083 × 1011 cubic km Pradesh, Odisha, Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
 Equatorial circumference—4.007 × 104 km
ECLIPSES
 Polar Diameter—12,714 km
 Equatorial Diameter—12756 km  Sun is the only source of light for both the Earth and
 Polar or Meridional circumference—4.0 × 104 km Moon. Eclipses occur when the light thus received is
 Estimated Age—At least 4600 million years either blocked by the earth or by the Moon.
 Land Surface—148,951,000 sq km  Eclipses occur when either the Earth moves behind the
 Water Surface—361,150,000 sq km (71 per cent of total Moon’s shadow or the Moon moves behind the Earth’s
area) shadow.
 Highest Point of the land surface—Mt. Everest (8,848
LUNAR ECLIPSE
metres)
 Lowest point of the land surface—Shores of the Dead Sea  Lunar eclipse occur only when the following conditions
(396 metres below the sea level) are met.
 Greatest Ocean depth—Mariana Trench, East of 1. The Sun, Earth and Moon must be aligned in a straight
line.
Philippines (11,033 metres below the sea level)
2. The Earth must be positioned between the Sun and the
THE MOON Moon.
 Earth has only one satellite, that is, the moon. 3. The Moon must be in its full phase (Full Moon).
 Its diameter is only one-quarter that of the earth. It is
SOLAR ECLIPSE
about 3,84,400 km away from us.
 Solar eclipses occur only when the following conditions
 The moon moves around the earth in about 27 days. It are met.
takes exactly the same time to complete one spin. As a 1. The Sun, Earth and Moon must be aligned in a straight
result, only one side of the moon (only 59% of its surface) line.
is visible to us on the earth. 2. The Moon must be positioned between the Sun and
 Moonlight takes 1.3 sec. to reach earth. the Earth.
3. Must be a New Moon day.
LATITUDE
 Imaginary lines drawn parallel to the equator. Measured ROCKS
as an angle whose apex is at the centre of the earth.  Rocks are composed of many minerals such as silica,
 The equator represents 0° latitude, while the North Pole aluminium, iron and magnesium. The nature of the rock
is 90°N and the South Pole 90°S. is determined by the presence of its minerals.
 23½°N represents Tropic of Cancer while 23½°S represents  Rocks can be classified into three types:
Tropic of Capricorn. 1. Igneous rocks are formed by magma that reaches the
earth’s surface along deep cracks and at volcanic vents.
LONGITUDE e.g., Mica, Granite etc.
 It is the angular distance measured from the centre of the 2. Sedimentary rocks are formed by the accumulation
earth. On the globe the lines of longitude are drawn as a and cementation of mud, silt, or sand derived from
series of semicircles that extend from the North Pole to weathered igneous rock frag-ments. e.g., Gravel, Peat,
the South Pole through the equator. They are also called Gypsum etc.
meridians. 3. Metamorphic rocks are igneous or sedimentary rocks
 The distance between any two meridians is not equal. At that have been altered by heat and/or pressure, either
the equator, 1 degree = 111 km. At 30°N or S, it is 96.5 because they have been buried and folded deep in the
km. It goes on decreasing this way until it is zero at the crust, or because they have come into contact with
poles. molten igneous rock, e.g., Gneiss, Marble, Quartzite
etc.
INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE
VOLCANOES
 It is the 180° meridian running over the Pacific Ocean, Sudden eruption of hot magma (molten rock), gases, ash and
deviating at Aleutian Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Gilbert other material from inside the Earth to its surface.
Islands.
 Active which erupts frequently, e.g., Mauna Loa (Hawaii),
 Travellers crossing the Date Line from west to east repeat
Etna (Sicily), Vesuvius (Italy), Stromboli (Mediterranean
a day and travellers crossing it from east to west lose a day.
Sea).
 21

 Dormant Not erupted for quite sometime, e.g., Fujiyama MOUNTAINS

(Japan), Krakatoa (Indonesia), Barren Island (Andamans).  A mountain can be defined as an area of land that rises
 Extinct Not erupted for several centuries, e.g., Arthur's abruptly from the surrounding region.
Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland.  There are three types of mountains- Fold Mountains, Block
EARTHQUAKES Mountains and the Volcanic Mountains.
 Earthquakes are a form of wave energy that is transferred  Himalayas, Alps, Andes, Rockies, Atlas, etc are examples
through bedrock. It is transmitted from the point of the of Fold Mountains.
earthquake focus, as spherical seismic waves. They travel in  The Aravali range in India is one of the oldest fold
all directions outward.
mountain systems in the world.
 The intensity of earthquake waves is recorded by
Seismograph.  The Rhine valley and the Vosges mountain in Europe are
examples of such mountain systems.
LANDFORMS  Volcanic mountains are formed due to volcanic activity.
 There are three major landforms: mountains, plateaus and  Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt. Fujiyama in Japan are
plains. examples of such mountains.

Major Mountain Ranges of the World

Range Location Highest Peak (m) Length (km)
Andes South America 6,960 7,200
Himalayas-Karakoram-Hindukush South Central Asia 8,848 4,800
Rockies North America 4,401 4,800
Great Dividing Range East Australia 2,228 3,600
Western Ghat Western India 2,637 1,610
Caucasus Europe 5,642 1,200
Alaska USA 6,194 1,130
Alps Europe 4,808 1,050
Apennines Europe 2,912 —
Ural Asia 1,895 —
Atlas North West Africa — 1,930

PLATEAUS PLAINS
 A plateau is an elevated flat land. It is a flat-topped table  A relatively low-lying and flat land surface with least
land standing above the surrounding area. difference between its highest and lowest points is called
Principal Mountain Peaks of the World a Plain.

Mountains Height in Metres OCEANS

1. Mount Everest 8,848
2. K-2 (Godwin Austen) 8,611  Oceans of the world is classified into four groups: the
3. Kanchenjunga 8,597 Pacific, the Atlantic, the Arctic and the Indian.
4. Lhotse 8,511  The Pacific is the largest ocean, being twice the size of
5. Makalu I 8,481 the Atlantic. It covers about a third of the Earth’s surface,
6. Dhaulagiri I 8,167 and contains more than half the water on the planet.
7. Mansalu I 8,156
8. Chollyo 8,153 Oceans of the World
9. Nanga Parbat 8,124
Names Area (Sq. Km.) Greatest Depth
10. Annapurna I 8,091
11. Gasherbrum I 8,068 Pacific 166,240000 Mariana Trench
12. Broad Peak I 8,047 Atlantic 86,560000 Puerto Rico
13. Gasherbrum II 8,034 Trench
14. Shisha Pangma (Gosainthan) 8,014 Indian 73430000 Java Trench
15. Gasherbrum III 7,952 Arctic 13230000 —
22

Major Rivers of the World

River Origin Falls in Length (Km.)
Nile Victoria lake Mediterranean Sea 6,650
Amazon Andes (Peru) Atlantic Ocean 6,428
Yangtze Tibetan Kiang Plateau China Sea 6,300
Mississippi Missouri Itaska lake (USA) Gulf of Mexico (USA) 6,275
Yenisei Tannu-Ola Mts. Arctic Ocean 5,539
Hoang Ho Kunlun Mts. Gulf of Chibli 5,464
Ob Altai Mts., Russia Gulf of Ob 5,410
Congo Lualaba & Luapula rivers Atlantic Ocean 4,700
Amur Northeast China Sea of Okhotsk 4,444
Lena Baikal Mts Laptev Sea 4,400
Mekong Tibetan Highlands South China Sea 4,350
Mackenzie Great Slave Lake Beaufort Sea 4,241
Niger Guinea Gulf of Guinea 4,200

Major Gulfs of the World

Names Area (Sq. Km.) Names Areas (Sq. Km.)

Gulf of Mexico 15,44,000 Gulf of St. Lawrence 2,37,000
Gulf of Hudson 12,33,000 Gulf of California 1,62,000
Arabian Gulf 2,38,000 English Channel 89,900

Important Straits of the World

Straits Water Bodies joined Area

Bab-al-Mandeb Red Sea & Arabian Sea Arabia & Africa

Bering Arctic Ocean & Bering Sea Alaska & Asia
Bosphorus Black Sea & Marmara Sea Turkey
Dover North Sea & Atlantic Ocean England & Europe
Florida Gulf of Mexico & Atlantic Ocean Florida & Bahamas Islands
Gibralter Mediterranean Sea & Atlantic Ocean Spain & Africa
Malacca Java Sea & Bay of Bengal India & Indonesia
Palk Bay of Bengal & Indian Ocean India & Sri Lanka
Magellan South Pacific & South Atlantic Ocean Chile
Sunda Java Sea & Indian Ocean Indonesia

Important Lakes of the World Highest Waterfalls of the World

Lake Location Area Name(s) (Foreign) Location
(Sq. Km.) Angel (Salto Angel) Canaima Nat’l Park, Venezuela
Caspian Russia and CIS 371000 Tugela Natal Nat’l Park, South Africa
Superior Canada and USA 82414 Utigord (Utigordsfoss) Norway
Victoria Tanzania (Africa) 69485 Monge (Mongefoss) Marstein, Norway
Huron Canada and USA 59596 Gocta Cataracts Chachapoyas, Peru
Michigan USA 58016 Mutarazi (Mtarazi) Nyanga Nat’l Park, Zimbabwe
Yosemite Yosemite Nat’l Park, California, U.S.
Tanganyika Africa 32892
Espelands Hardanger Fjord,
Baikal Russia (CIS) 31502
(Espelandsfoss) Norway
Great Bear Canada 31080 Lower Mar Valley Eikesdal, Norway
Malawi Malawi (Tanzania) 30044 (Ostra Mardolafoss)
Great Slave Canada 28438 Tyssestrengene Odda, Norway
 23

Important Cities on River Banks (World) City Country River

City Country River Vienna Austria Danube

Warsaw Poland Vistula
Adelaide Australia Torrens
Washington D.C. U.S.A. Potomac
Amsterdam Netherlands Amsel
Yangoon Myanmar Irawaddy
Alexandria Egypt Nile
Ankara Turkey Kazil World’s Geographical Surnames
Bangkok Thailand Chao Praya
City of Sky-scrapers—New York
Basra Iraq Eupharates and
Tigris City of Seven Hills—Rome
Baghdad Iraq Tigris City of Dreaming Spires—Oxford
Berlin Germany Spree City of Golden Gate—San Francisco
Bonn Germany Rhine City of Magnificent Buildings—Washington D.C.
Budapest Hungary Danube City of Eternal Springs—Quito (S. America)
Bristol UK Avon China’s Sorrow—Hwang Ho
Buenos Aires Argentina Laplata Cockpit of Europe—Belgium
Chittagong Bangladesh Majyani Dark Continent—Africa
Canton China Si-Kiang Emerald Isle—Ireland
Cairo Egypt Nile
Eternal City—Rome
Chung King China Yang-tse-kiang
Empire City—New York
Cologne Germany Rhine
Forbidden City—Lhasa (Tibet)
Dandzing Germany Vistula
Garden City—Chicago
Dresden Germany Elbe
Gate of Tears—Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb
Dublin Ireland Liffy
Gift of the Nile—Egypt
Hamburg Germany Elbe
Granite City—Aberdeen (Scotland)
Kabul Afghanistan Kabul
Hermit Kingdom—Korea
Karachi Pakistan Indus
Herring Pond—Atlantic Ocean
Khortoum Sudan Confluence of
Blue & White Nile Holy Land—Jerusalem
Island Continent—Australia
Lahore Pakistan Ravi
Islands of Cloves—Zanzibar
Leningrad Russia Neva
Isle of Pearls—Bahrein (Persian Gulf)
Lisbon Portugal Tagus
Key to the Mediterranean—Gibralter
Liverpool England Messey
Land of Cakes—Scotland
London England Thames
Land of Golden Fleece—Australia
Moscow Russia Moskva
Land of Maple Leaf—Canada
Montreal Canada St. Lawrence
Land of Morning Calm—Korea
Nanking China Yang-tse-kiang
Land of Midnight Sun—Norway
New Orleans U.S.A. Mississipi
Land of the Thousand Lakes—Finland
New York U.S.A. Hudson
Land of the Thunderbolt—Bhutan
Ottawa Canada Ottawa
Land of White Elephant—Thailand
Paris France Seine Land of Thousand Elephants—Laos
Philadelphia U.S.A Delaware Land of Rising Sun—Japan
Perth Australia Swan Loneliest Island—Tristan De Gunha (Mid-Atlantic)
Prague Czech Republic Vitava Manchester of Japan—Osaka
Quebec Canada St. Lawrence Pillars of Hercules—Strait of Gibraltar
Rome Italy Tiber Pearl of the Antilles—Cuba
Rotterdam The Netherlands New Moss Playground of Europe—Switzerland
Stalingrad Russia Volga Quaker City—Philadelphia
Shanghai China Yang-tse-kiang Queen of the Adriatic—Venice
Sidney Australia Darling Roof of the World—The Pamirs, Central Asia
Saint Louis U.S.A Mississippi Sugar bowl of the world—Cuba
Tokyo Japan Arakava Venice of the North—Stockholm
 24

Windy City—Chicago Radcliff Line India & Pakistan

Whiteman’s grave—Guinea Coast of Africa Maginot Line France & Germany
Yellow River—Huang Ho (China) Oder Niesse Line Germany & Poland
Sickman of Europe—Turkey Hindenberg Line Poland & Germany (at the time of First
World War)
Important Boundaries
38th Parallel North & South Korea
Durand Line Pakistan & Afghanistan 49th Parallel USA & Canada
MacMohan Line India & China

Continents: Some Facts

Continent Biggest Counrty Highest Peak Longest River
Asia China Mt. Everest (8848 m) Yangtze Kiang
Africa Algeria Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895 m) Nile
North America Canada Mt. Mckinley (6194 m) Mississippi Missouri
South America Brazil Mt. Acancagua (6960 m) Amazon
Europe Russia Mt. Elbrus (5642 m) Ob
Australia Australia Mt. Coscuisco (2228 m) Darling
Antarctica — Vinson Massif (5140 m) —

INDIAN GEOGRAPHY
 82°30' E longitude is considered as the Indian Standard
AREA AND LOCATION
Meridian. The local time of this longitude is taken as the
 India is in the southern parts of the Asian continent. In the Indian Standard Time (IST). This is 5½ hours ahead of the
west of India lies the Arabian Peninsula while in the east Greenwich Mean Time.
lies the Indo-China Peninsula.
T HE INDIAN STATES ON INT ERNAT IONAL
 India extends between 8°4' N and 37°6' N latitudes and
BOUNDARIES ARE:
between 68°7' E and 97°2' E longitudes.
 India, has a total geographic area of 32,87,263 sq. km.  Bordering Pakistan: Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab,
This is only 2.42 % of the total geographic area of the Rajasthan, Gujarat.
world but holds 17 per cent of the world’s population.  Bordering China: Ladakh, Him achal Pradesh,
 The 23½ºN, which is the Tropic of Cancer, runs across Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.
the country.  Bordering Nepal: Bihar, Uttarakhand, UP, Sikkim, West
 India has a length of 3214 km from north to south and Bengal.
2933 km from east to west. It has a land frontier of 15200  Bordering Bangladesh: West Bengal, M izoram,
km. Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam.
 The total length of the coastline of the mainland,  Bordering Bhutan: West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal
Lakshadweep Islands and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Pradesh, Assam.
is 7,516.6 km.  Bordering Myanmar: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,
 India ranks seventh among the countries of the world, in Manipur, Mizoram.
terms of the geographical extent.  Bordering Afghanistan: Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan-
 India is bordered on three sides by water and on one by occupied area).
land, it is also a peninsula.
 India shares its common border with Afghanistan and Important Passes
Pakistan in the north-west, China and Bhutan in the north,
Kashmir Burzi-La, Joji-La
and Bangladesh in the east. In the south, Sri Lanka is
Himachal Pradesh Bara La, Cha-La, Shipki-La
separated from India by a strait, known as the Palk Strait.
Uttarakhand Niti-La, Lipu-Lekh-La
 There are 28 States (After reorganisation of J&K in 2019)
and 8 Union Territories (After merger of Dadra & Nagar Sikkim Jelep-La, Nathu-La
Haveli and Daman & Diu in 2020). Arunachal Pradesh Bomdi-La
(2123) G.K.—4
25

Heighest Mountain Peaks of India Lucknow Gomti

Ludhiana Sutlej
Peaks Elevation• (in mts.) Nasik Godavari
Godwin Austin (K2) 8611 Pandharpur Bhima
Kanchenjunga 8598* Patna The Ganges
Nanga Parvat 8126* Sambalpur Mahanadi
Gasherbrum 8068* Srinagar Jhelum
Broad Peak 8047* Srirangapattam Cauveri
Dastegil 7885* Surat Tapti
Masherbrum (East) 7821* Varanasi The Ganges
Nanda Devi 7817 Vijaywada Krishna
Masherbrum (West) 7806*
Waterfalls of India
Rakoposhi 7788*
Kamet 7756 Waterfall Hgt (Mt.) River State
Saser Kangdi 7672 Jog/Gersoppa 260 Sharavati Karnataka
• Above mean sea level in metres. Rakim Kund 168 Gaighat Bihar
* Situated in Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK). Chachai 127 Bihad Madhya
Towns at River Banks Pradesh
Kevti 98 Mahanadi Madhya
Town River Pradesh
Agra Yamuna Sivasamudram 90 Cauveri Karnataka
Allahabad Confluence of the Kunchikal 45.5 Varani Karnataka
Ganges and the Yamuna
Ayodhya Saryu Important Lakes of India
Badrinath The Ganges
Name of lake State/UT
Kolkata Hooghly
Cuttuck Mahanadi Pulicat Lake Tamil Nadu & Andhra
Delhi Yamuna Pradesh Border
Dibrugarh Brahmaputra Sambhar Lake Rajasthan
Ferozepur Satluj Tso Moriri Lake Jammu & Kashmir
Guwahati Brahmaputra Vembanad Lake Kerala
Hardwar The Ganges Wular & Dal Lakes Jammu and Kashmir
Hyderabad Musi Chilka Lake Odisha
Jabalpur Narmada Kolleru Lake Andhra Pradesh
Kanpur The Ganges Loktak Lake Manipur
Kota Chambal Lonar Lake Maharashtra
Kurnool Tungbhadra Pangong Lake Ladakh

Rivers of India
Name Originates From Falls Into
Yamuna Yamunotri Ganga
Chambal Singar Chouri Peak, Vindhyan escarpment Yamuna
Ghaghara Matsatung Glacier Ganga
Kosi Near Gosain Dham Peak Ganga
Sabarmati Aravalis Gulf of Khambat
Krishna Western Ghats Bay of Bengal
Godavari Nasik district in Maharashtra Bay of Bengal
Caurey Brahmagir Range of Western Ghats Bay of Bengal
Tungabharda Western Ghats Krishna
Ganges Combines Sources Bay of Bengal
26

Name Originates From Falls Into

Sutlej Mansarovar Rakas lakes Chenab
Indus Near Mansarovar Lake Arabian Sea
Ravi Kullu Hills near Rohtang Pass Chenab
Beas Near Rohtang Pass Sutlej
Jhelum Verinag in Kashmir Chenab
Son Amarkantak Ganga
Brahmaputra Near Mansarovar Lake Bay of Bengal
Narmada Amarkantak Gulf of Khambat
Tapti Betul District in Madhya Pradesh Gulf of Khambat
Mahanadi Raipur District in Chhattisgarh Bay of Bengal
Luni Aravallis Rann of Kuchchh
Ghaggar Himalayas Near Fatehabad
Betwa Vindhyanchal Yamuna

Geographical Surnames

Bengal’s Sorrow Damodar River City of Lakes Srinagar

City of Palaces Kolkata Twin City Hyderabad-Secunderabad
Gateway of India Mumbai City of Seven Islands Mumbai
Pink City Jaipur Diamond Harbour Kolkata
Paris of India Jaipur Switzerland of India Kashmir
Manchester of India Ahmedabad Rice Bowl Chhattisgarh
Kashmir of South Kerala Fruit Bowl Himachal Pradesh
Son of Sea Lakshadweep Ganga of South Cauvery
Queen of Mountains Mussourie Pitsburg of India Jamshedpur
Iron City Jamshedpur City of Bridges Srinagar
Hollywood of India Mumbai Residence of God Allahabad
Scotland of East Meghalaya A Cross-road (Quadrivial)
City of Nababs Lucknow of National Highways Kanpur
City of Temples & Ghats Varanasi Heart of India Delhi
Land of Five Rivers Punjab Black River Sharda
City of Golden Temple Amritsar City of Festivals Madurai
Garden of India Bangaluru Queen of Deccan Pune
Spice Garden of India Kerala Sorrow of Bihar Kosi River

Some Major Irrigational and Multipurpose Projects

S.No. Name of Project Related State River

1. Bargi Project Madhya Pradesh Bargi
2. Beas Joint Venture of Haryana, Beas
Punjab and Rajasthan
3. Bhadra Karnakata Bhadra
4. Bhakra Nangal Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan Sutluj
5. Bhima I Maharashtra Pawana
6. Bhima II Maharashtra Krishna
7. Chambal Joint Project of M.P. and Rajasthan Chambal
8. Damodar Valley Project West Bengal and Bihar Damodar
9. Dulhasti Power Project Jammu and Kashmir Chenab
10. Farakka West Bengal Hooghly
 27

S.No. Name of Project Related State River

11. Gandak Bihar and U.P. Gandak
12. Ghataprabha Karnataka Ghataprabha
13. Hasdeo Bango Project Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Hasdeo
14. Hirakud Odisha Mahanadi
15. Jayakwadi Maharashtra Godavari
16. Kakrapara Gujarat Tapti
17. Kangsbati West Bengal Kangsbati and Kumari
18. Karjan Gujarat Karjan
19. Kosi Bihar Kosi
20. Koyana Maharashtra Koyana
21. Krishna Project Maharashtra Krishna
22. Kukadi Maharashtra Kukadi
23. Left Bank Ghagra Canal Uttar Pradesh Ghagra
24. Madhya Ganga Canal Uttar Pradesh Ganga
25. Mahanadi Delta Odisha (The irrigation scheme
Scheme will utilise releases from
Hirakund Reservoir)
26. Mahi Gujarat Mahi
27. Malaprabha Karnataka Malaprabha
28. Mayurakshi West Bengal Mayurakshi
29. Nagarjunasagar Andhra Pradesh Krishna
30. Panam Gujarat Panam
31. Parambikulam Aliyar Tamil Nadu and Kerala Perimbikulam
32. Pochampad Andhra Pradesh Godavari
33. Pong Dam Punjab Beas
34. Ramganga Uttarakhand Ramganga
35. Ranjit Sagar Dam (Thein Dam) Punjab Ravi
36. Rihand Uttar Pradesh Rihand
37. Sabarmati Gujarat Sabarmati
38. Sharda Sahayak U.P. Ghagra
39. Sone High Level Canal Bihar Sone
40. Tawa Madhya Pradesh Tawa
41. Tehri Dam Uttarakhand Bhagirathi
42. Tungabhadra Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Tungabhadra
43. Ukai Gujarat Tapti
44. Upper Krishna Karnataka Krishna
45. Upper Penganga Maharashtra Penganga
46. Uri Power Project Jammu and Kashmir Jhelum

Major Indian Crops

Crops Temp(°c) Water(cm) States where Produced
Wheat 15°-25° 60-90 Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana.
Rice 24°-26° 80-200 West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab
Maize 18°-21° 50-60 Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra
Jowar 20°-35° 40-60 Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka
Soyabean 25°-27° 50-120 Madhya Pradesh
Cotton 20°-30° 80-150 Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh
Tobacco 20°-25° 75-80 Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Uttar Pradesh
Tea 24°-30° 100-200 Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh
Ground Nut 15°-25° 60-130 Gujarat, Maharashtra
28

Mineral Wealth at a Glance (Metallic Minerals) NH 6 Kolkata-Dhule

NH 7 Varanasi-Kanyakumari (2369 km)
Mineral Chief Producers NH 8 De lhi-Mum bai (via J aip ur, Ba rod a a nd
Bauxite Odisha, Gujarat, Jharkhand Ahmedabad)
Chromite Odisha, Karnataka NH 9 Mumbai-Vijaywada
Coal Jharkhand, Odisha NH 10 Delhi-Fazilka
Copper Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh NH 24 Delhi-Lucknow
Diaspore Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
NH 26 Lucknow-Varanasi
Gold Karnataka
Iron Odisha, Karnataka, Goa Major Ports of Country
Lead Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh 1. Kolkata
Lignite Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir
2. Mumbai
Manganese Odisha, Karnataka
3. Nhava Sheva (J.L. Nehru Port)
Natural Gas Gujarat, Assam
Petroleum Gujarat, Assam, Andhra Pradesh 4. Tuticorin
Silver Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Gujarat 5. Chennai
Tungsten Rajasthan 6. Mormugao
Zinc Rajasthan, Maharashtra
7. New Mangalore
Zones and Headquarters of Indian Railways 8. Paradeep
9. Kandla
S.No. Zone Headquarters
10. Vishakhapatnam
1. Central Mumbai (Victoria Terminus)
2. Eastern Kolkata 11. Cochin
3. Northern New Delhi 12. Haldia
4. North-Eastern Gorakhpur 13. Ennore.
5. North-East Frontier Maligaon, Guwahati
6. Southern Chennai Major International Airports in India
7. South-Central Secunderabad
8. South-Eastern Kolkata International Airports City
9. Western Mumbai, Churchgate
Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi
10. East Coast Bhubaneswar
Anna International Airport Chennai
11. East Central Hajipur
Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji Amritsar
12. North Central Allahabad
International Airport
13. North Western Jaipur
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Hyderabad
14. South Western Bengaluru (Hubli)
Calicut International Airport Calicut
15. West Central Jabalpur
16. South East Central Bilaspur Chhatrapati Shivaji International Mumbai
17. Metro Railway Kolkata Airport
18. South Coast Railway Vishakhapatnam Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
Goa Airport in Vasco di Gama City Goa
Major National Highways Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Kolkata
International Airport
NH Connects
Thriuvananthapuram International Thiruvanan-
NH 1 New Delhi-Ambala-Jalandhar-Amritsar
Airport thapuram
NH 2 Delhi-Mathura-Agra-Kanpur-Allahabad-
Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Guwahati
Varanasi-Kolkata
International Airport
NH 3 Agra-Gwalior-Nasik-Mumbai
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ahmedabad
NH 4 Thane and Chennai via Pune and Belgaum
International Airport
NH 5 Kolkata-Chennai

  
 General Knowledge & General Awareness 29

INDIAN POLITY
In our Constituent Assembly, this twenty-sixth day of
INDIAN CONSTITUTION
November, 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give to
 Demand for a Constituent Assembly composed of the ourselves this constitution.”
people of India officially asserted by the Congress for the
Foreign Sources of Indian Constitution
first time in 1935.
 The election for Indian Constitution Assembly held in Foreign Subject
1946 according to the Cabinet Mission Plan. Sources
 The first session of the Assembly was held in New Delhi Britain Parliamentary system, collective
on December 9, 1946. Sachidanand Sinha was elected responsibilities of Cabinet
provisional chairman of the session. America Fundamental right, Independent Judiciary,
 On December 11, 1946, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected Judicial review
as the Permanent Chairman of the Constituent Assembly. Canada Division of powers
 The Constitution was framed by the Constituent Assembly Ireland Directive principles
of India, set-up in December 1946, in accordance with the Germany Emergency provisions
Cabinet Mission Plan, under the Chairmanship of Russia Fundamental duties
Sachidanand Sinha, initially. Australia Concurrent list
 The total membership of Constituent Assembly after
partition was 299, among them 70 were representatives IMPORTANT ARTICLES
from the Indian states and others from British India.
 The Chairman of the Drafting Committee was Dr. BR PART - I
Ambedkar, also called the Father of the Constitution.
UNION AND ITS TERRITORIES (ARTICLE 1 - 4)
 The Constituent Assembly took 2 years, 11 months and
 The Constitution says, “India, that is Bharat, shall be a
18 days to complete the Constitution.
Union of States”.
 The Constitution, adopted on 8th November, 1949,
 Parliament has the power to create any State, reduce it,
contained 395 Articles and Schedules.
change the name of boundaries of any State.
 The Constitution was delayed till 26th January because,
in 1929, on this day Indian National Congress demanded PART - II
Poorna Swaraj in Lahore Session under JL Nehru.
CITIZENSHIP (ARTICLE 5 - 11)
 Indian Constitution is a comprehensive document and it
 The Constitution provides for a single Citizenship.
is the lengthiest written Constitution in the World.
 Indian Citizenship can be acquire:
THE PREAMBLE 1. by birth
2. by descent
 The Preamble of the Constitution: “We the people of 3. by registration
India, having solemnly resolved to Constitute India into
4. by naturalisation
a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular Democratic Republic and
to secure to all its citizen: 5. by incorporation of territory
Justice, Social, economic and political;  Indian Citizenship can be lost by:
Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; 1. renunciation;
Equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote 2. termination — it takes place if a citizen of India
among them all; voluntary acquires the citizenship of another country;
Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the and
unity and integrity of the nation; 3. deprivation — if the Government terminates the citizenship.

29
 30

PART - III 1. to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and
institutions, the National Flag and the National
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (ARTICLE 12 - 35) Anthem;
 Following fundamental rights are enjoyed by every Indian
2. to cherish and follow the noble deeds which inspired
citizen, irrespective of caste, colour, creed and sex:
our national struggle for freedom;
1. Right to Equality: No special privileges, no distinction
3. to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and
on grounds of religion, caste, creed and sex.
integrity of India;
2. Right to Freedom: The right to freedom of expression
and speech, the right to choose one’s own profession, 4. to defend the country and render national service
the right to reside in any part of the Indian Union. when called upon to do so;
3. Right to Freedom to Religion: Except when it is in the 5. to promote harmony and the spirit of common
interest of public order, morality, health or other brotherhood amongst all the people transcending
conditions, everybody has the right to profess, practice religious, regional or sectional diversities and to
and propagate his religion freely. renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of
4. Cultural and Educational Rights: The Constitution women;
provides that every community can run its own 6. to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite
institutions to preserve its own culture and language. culture;
5. Right against Exploitation: Traffic in human beings 7. to protect and improve natural environment including
and forced labour and the employment of children under forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have
14 years in factories or mines, are punishable offences. compassion for living creatures;
6. Rights to Constitutional Remedies: When a citizen 8. to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the
finds that any of his fundamental rights has been spirit of inquiry and reform;
encroached upon, he can move the Supreme Court, 9. to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
which has been empowered to safeguard the
10. to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual
fundamental rights of a citizen (Article 32).
and collective activity so that the nation constantly
PART - IV rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.
DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY (ARTICLE 11. who is parent or guardian to provide opportunities for
36 - 51) education to his child or, as the case may be, ward
 Directive principles are not enforceable through courts. between age of six and fourteen years.
Main aim of Directive principles is to provide social and PART - V
economic base of a genuine democracy.
UNION (ARTICLE 52 - 151)
Some Important Directive Principles:
 Provisions for adequate means of livelihood for all citizens T HE PRESIDENT
(Art. 39).  The President is the Constitutional head of the Republic
 Right to work (Art. 41). of India. He is more or less the titular head of the
 Right to human condition of work and maternity relief executive.
(Art. 42).  He is the constitutional head but not the real executive.
 Right to a living wage and condition of work ensuring The real power is vested in the hands of the Council of
decent standard of life of worker (Art. 43). Ministers.
 Common Civil Code (Art. 44).  President is the first citizen of India.
 Prohibit consumption of liquor (Art. 47).  Qualifications: (i) Indian citizen, (ii) age not less than 35
 Prevent slaughter of useful cattle (Art. 48). years, (iii) should have qualification for election to Lok
 Organise Panchayati Raj (Art. 40). Sabha, (iv) should not hold any office of profit, (v) should
 Separate the judiciary from the executive (Art. 50). not be a Member of Parliament or State Legislature.
 Protect and maintain places of historic monuments (Art.  Election: Indirectly elected through Electoral College
49). consisting of elected members of both the Houses of the
 International peace (Art. 51). Parliament and elected members of the Legislative
PART - IV A Assemblies of the States.
 According to the 70th Amendment Act, 1992, the
FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES (ARTICLE 51A) expression ‘States’ include the National Capital Territory
 The fundamental duties for the Indian citizens have been of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Members
incorporated in the Constitution through the Constitution of the Legislative Councils have no right to vote in the
(42nd) Amendment Act, 1976. These duties are: Presidential election.
 31

 Powers: He makes appointments to all the constitutional  The Prime Minister is the head of the Government and the
posts. head of the Council of Ministers.
 He can address either House of Parliament and dissolve  Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister and the
Lok Sabha. longest serving so far.
 All Bills passed by Parliament must receive his assent to
become an Act. UNION LEGISLATURE
 He issues ordinances when Parliament is not in session.  The Legislature of the Union, which is called ‘Parliament’
No Money Bill can be introduced in Lok Sabha without
consists of the President and the two Houses of Parliament
his recommendation.
known as the Council of states (Rajya Sabha) and the
 He appoints 12 members of special repute in the Rajya House of the People (Lok Sabha).
Sabha.
 He has the power of Pardon to a criminal in special cases. RAJYA SABHA
 The President holds the office for a period of five years.  The Rajya Sabha is the Upper House of the Parliament
He is eligible for re-election. and it is constituted of representatives from the States or
 He draws a fix salary per month with various allowances. the Constituent units of the Indian Union.
 He is also entitled to rent free official residence called  It is a permanent body, one third of its members retiring
Rashtrapati Bhawan. after every two years.
VICE-PRESIDENT  Its maximum strength is 250. Out of these, twelve members
are nominated by the President from well-known
 Article 63 of the Constitution stipulates a Vice-President personalities in the realm of Science, Art, Literature and
for India. Social Service. Rest of 238 representatives of the States
 The Vice-President acts as the ex-officio Chairman of the and Union Territories are elected.
Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
 Currently, the strength of the Rajya Sabha is 245.
 He is elected by an electoral college consisting of the
members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with LOK SABHA
the system of proportional represen-tation by means of  The Lok Sabha whose life is five years, is the Lower
the single trans-ferable vote. He must be a citizen of House of Parliament and comprises of members directly
India, not less than 35 years of age, and should be eligible elected by the people.
for election as a member of the Council of States.
 The House of the people (Lok Sabha) at present consists
 Disputes in connection with election of a president or a
of 543 directly elected members from the states and Union
vice-president are to be a dealt with in accordance with
Territories.
Article-71. Such disputes shall be decided by the Supreme
Court.  Two members of Anglo-Indian Community were
nominated by the President, but by the 104th amendment
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS of the constitution this provision have been abolished.
 The Constitution of India provides for a parliament system  The House of the People shall continue for five years
of government under which the President is only (unless sooner dissolved) from the date of its meeting and
Constitutional ruler and the real power is exercised by the no longer and the expiry of the said period of 5 years
Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. shall operate as dissolution of the House.
 Council of Ministers is composed of all Union Ministers—
the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES
State.
 There are several Parliamentary Committees to assist the
 The Council of Ministers is Collectively responsible to Parliament in its deliberations.
the Lok Sabha.
 These are appointed or elected by the respective Houses
 The Prime Minister is a link between the President and of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on a motion made or are
the Council of Ministers.
nominated by their presiding officers.
PRIME MINISTER  Among the Standing Committees, three are financial
Committees:
 The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in
the Parliament. (i) Public Account Committee;
 He is appointed by the President. Other Ministers are (ii) Estimate Committee;
appointed by the president on his advice. (iii) Public undertaking Committee.
 32

SPEAKER OF LOK SABHA  It is his duty to see that not a paisa is spent out of
consolidated fund of India or of a state without the
 Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from among its members.
authority of the appropriate legislature.
 The Speaker will have the final power to maintain order
 He is appointed by President of India.
within the House of the People and to interpret its rules
of procedure.  A person with long administrative experience and
 A Deputy-Speaker is also elected to officiate in absence knowledge of accounts is appointed.
of the Speaker.  Holds office for 6 yrs or till 65 yrs of age.
 G.V. Mavlankar was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha  The President can remove him only on the
(1952-1956). recommendation of the 2 houses of Parliament (as in case
of judge of Supreme Court).
SUPREME COURT  The CAG submits its reports to the President (in case of
 The Constitution provides for the Supreme Court, which accounts relating to the Union Government) or to the
consists of Chief Justice and 33 judges. They are appointed State Governors (for State Government Accounts).
by the President of India.  The first CAG of India was V Narahari Rao (1948-1954).
 The CAG is not eligible for further office under the Union
QUALIFICATION AND TENURE
or State Governments. The expenses of the office of the
 Eligibility conditions for a judge of the Supreme Court CAG is charged to the Consolidated Fund of India.
are that he must be : (i) a citizen of India; (ii) a judge of
a high court for a minimum period of 5 years; or (iii) an ATTORNEY GENERAL OF INDIA
advocate of a high court for at least ten years or a  The Attorney General of India is the first law officer of the
distinguished jurist. Government of India.
 Judges hold office till the age of 65.  Though he is not a member of cabinet he has the right to
 They can resign earlier or can be removed by the President speak in the House of Parliament, but he has no right to
on the recommendation of the two Houses of the Parliament vote.
by 2/3rd majority of the members present and voting.
 The Attorney General of India shall be appointed by the
Powers President and shall hold office during his pleasure.
 Original jurisdiction: Cases involving Government of  His duty shall be to give advice on such legal matter from
India and the states or cases involving the enforcement of time-to-time as may be referred to him by the President.
Fundamental Rights fall under original jurisdiction.  To be appointed as Attorney General, a candidate must be
 Appellate Jurisdiction: In cases which are brought to it qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme
in the form of appeals against the judgement of the lower Court.
courts—It hears appeals in civil and criminal cases.  The Attorney General can participate in proceedings of
 Advisory functions: the Supreme Court advises the the Parliament without the Right to Vote (Article 88).
President on the constitutionality of a particular legal  The first Attorney General of Independent India was MC
matter. However, its advice is not binding on the President. Setalvad (1950-1963).
Other Powers: PART - VI
1. it is a court of record and can punish for contempt of
itself; THE STATES (ARTICLE 152 - 237)
2. it can make rules for regulating the practice and procedure T HE GOVERNOR
of courts with the approval of the President; and
 The Governor is appointed by the President and holds
3. it can recommend to the President the removal of
office during the pleasure of the President.
chairman and members of the UPSC. Supreme Court
enjoys the power of judicial review (right of the court  Apart from the power to appoint the council of ministers,
which declares as unconstitutional, the laws passed by if the governor finds that the government of state cannot
the legislature and orders issued by executive) though be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the
it is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. constitution (Art. 356), he may send his report to the
 The first Chief Justice of India was H.J. Kania (1950-51). President who may assume to himself the functions of the
government of the state. (This is popularly known as
COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL (CAG) ‘President’s Rule’).
(ARTICLE 148-151)  Article 161 gives the Governor the power to grant pardons,
 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is guardian reprieves, remission of punishment to persons convicted
of the public purse. under the state law.
(2123) G.K.—5
33

 Article 171 states that the States where Legislative each State. But there may be a common High Court for
Councils exists, the Governor can nominate some members two or more States and Union Territory, if it is provided
from amongst those distinguished in literature, science, by a law of the Parliament. For example, the Chennai
arts, cooperative movement and social service. High Court has its Jurisdiction over the State of Tamil
Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
STATES LEGISLATURE (ARTICLE 168 - 212)
 The State Government has no control over it.
 The state legislature consists of Governor and legislative
 There are 25 High Courts in India.
assembly.
 The Calcutta High Court, established in 1862, is the
 In some state like Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
oldest High Court in India.
Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana have a legislative
council. THE PANCHAYATS (ARTICLE 243-243 O)
 The membership of the council should not be more than  Panchayati Raj was introduced in India with a view to
one-third of the legislative assembly but not less than 40. associate the people with administration at grass-root
 The legislative assembly of each state shall be composed level.
of members chosen by direct election on the basis of  It is a three-tier system as recommended by Balwant Rai
adult suffrage and the number of members shall not be Mehta Committee.
more than 500 or less than 60.  Introduced by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 which
 The assembly of Sikkim, Goa, Puducherry and Mizoram envisaged a three tier system of local governance.
have less than 60 members. These are:
HIGH COURTS (ARTICLE 214-232) 1. Gram Panchayat at the village level
 The High Court stands at the apex of the State Judiciary. 2. Panchayat Samiti at the block level
 As per the Constitution, there shall be a High Court in 3. Zila Parishad at the district level.

Jurisdiction and Seat of High Courts

Name Year Territorial Jurisdiction Seat

Allahabad 1866 Uttar Pradesh Prayagraj (Bench at Lucknow)
Bombay 1862 Maharashtra, Goa, Dadar Mumbai (Benches at Nagpur,
and Nagar Haveli and Panaji and Aurangabad)
Daman and Diu
Calcutta 1862 West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Kolkata (Circuit Bench at Port Blair)
Chhattisgarh 2000 Chhattisgarh Bilaspur
Delhi 1966 Delhi Delhi
Guwahati 1948 Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram Guwahati (Benches at Kohima,
and Arunachal Pradesh Aizawl and Itanagar)
Gujarat 1960 Gujarat Ahmedabad
Himachal Pradesh 1971 Himachal Pradesh Shimla
Jammu & Kashmir and 1928 Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh Srinagar and Jammu
Ladakh
Jharkhand 2000 Jharkhand Ranchi
Karnataka 1884 Karnataka Bengaluru (Circuit Benches at Dharwar and Gulbarga)
Kerala 1958 Kerala & Lakshadweep Ernakulam
Madhya Pradesh 1956 Madhya Pradesh Jabalpur (Benches at Gwalior and Indore)
Madras 1862 Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Chennai (Bench at Madurai)
Odisha 1948 Odisha Cuttack
Patna 1916 Bihar Patna
Punjab and Haryana 1966 Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Chandigarh
Rajasthan 1949 Rajasthan Jodhpur (Bench at Jaipur)
Sikkim 1975 Sikkim Gangtok
Uttarakhand 2000 Uttarakhand Nainital
Tripura 2013 Tripura Agartala
Meghalaya 2013 Meghalaya Shillong
Manipur 2013 Manipur Imphal
Telangana 2019 Telangana Hyderabad
Andhra Pradesh 2019 Andhra Pradesh Amravati
 34

THE MUNICIPALITIES (ARTICLE 243 P-243 ZG)  Consists of Chief Election Commissioner +2 Election
 Big cities have municipal corporations headed by the Commissioners. They all enjoy equal powers.
elected Mayor.  The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election
 For small towns there are elected boards or councils, in Commissioners are appointed by the President.
turn, elect their Presidents.  Election Commissioners are appointed for a term of 5 yrs.
 Introduced by the 74th Amendment Act, 1993 which  They are not eligible for re-appointment. Also, they cannot
envisages three types of urban local bodies, namely, hold any office of profit after their retirement.
municipality (nagar palika), city council (nagar  The Election Commission was established on 25th
panchayat). January, 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution.
 Municipal governance in India was first introduced in  The first Chief Election Commissioner was Sukumar Sen.
Madras in 1688.
Functions
PART - XIII
 Preparation of electoral rolls and keeping voters list
(ARTICLE 301 - 307) updated.
 In this part from Article 301-307 trade, commerce and  Recognition of various political parties and allotment of
intercourse within the territory of India are given. election symbols.

PART - XIV NITI AAYOG

 The Indian government has replaced Planing Commission
(ARTICLE 308 - 323) with a new institution named NITI Aayog (National
 In this part services under the union and the states are Institution for Transforming India).
given.  The Niti Aayog will comprise the following:
 Article 312: All India Services and Article 315: Public 1. Prime Minister of India as the Chairperson.
Service Commissions for the Union and for the States.
2. Governing Council comprising the Chief Ministers of
 The first Public Service Commission was set up in 1926, all the States and Lt. Governors of Territories.
on the recommendations of the Lee Commission. 3. Regional Councils will be formed to address specific
UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (UPSC) issues and contingencies impacting more than one
state or a region. These will be formed for a specified
 This Commission is responsible for:
tenure. The Regional Councils will be convened by
1. recruitment to all civil services and posts, under the the Prime Minister and will comprise of the Chief
Union Government by written examinations, interviews Ministers of States and Lt. Governors of Territories in
and promotions, and the region. These will be chaired by the Chairperson
2. advising the Government on all matters relating to of the NITI Aayog or his nominee.
methods of recruitment, principles to be followed in 4. Experts, specialists and practitioners with relevant
making promotions and transfers. Its Chairman is domain knowledge as special invitees nominated by
appointed by the President. the Prime Minister.
STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION (SSC)  The full-time organizational framework will comprise of,
in addition to the Prime Minister as the Chairperson:
 The Union Government has constituted a Staff Selection
Commission for recruitment to non-technical Class III 1. Vice-Chairperson : To be appointed by the Prime
posts in the central government and in subordinate offices. Minister.
 The Adm inistrative Reforms Comm ission had 2. Members : Full-time. : 3
recommended the setting up of such a Commission. 3. Part-time members : Maximum of 2 from leading
 The Commission has also been entrusted with the universities research organizations and other relevant
responsibility of making recruitment to Group ‘B’ services institutions in an ex-officio capacity. Part time members
like Assistants’ and Stenographers Grade ‘C’. will be on a rotational basis.
4. Ex Officio members : Maximum of 4 members of the
 The Commission has a chairman and two members.
Council of Ministers to be nominated by the Prime
ELECTIONS (ARTICLE 324-329) Minister.
 The Constitution provides for an independent election 5. Chief Executive Officer : To be appointed by the Prime
commission to ensure free and fair election to the Minister for a fixed tenure, in the rank of Secretary to
Parliament, the State legislature and the offices of President the Government of India.
and Vice-President. 6. Secretariat as deemed necessary.
 35

FINANCE COMMISSION  It shall be the duty of the Finance Commission to advice

 The constitution of the Finance Commission is laid down the President on matters such as the distribution between
in Art. 280. the Union and States of the net proceeds of taxes that is
 The chairman must be a person having experience in required to be shared.
public affairs; and the other four members also having
wide experience in financial matters.  The Finance Commission is not a permanent body. It is
 It consists of Chairman and 4 other members. dissolved after it has submitted its recommendations.

Important Amendments to the Constitution

First Amendment, 1951 : Added Ninth Schedule.

Twenty-second Amendment, 1969 : Formation of Meghalaya within the state of Assam was facilitated.
Twenty-sixth Amendment, 1971 : The privy and privileges of the former rulers of Indian States were abolished.
Thirty-first Amendment, 1973 : The upper limit of representation of states was raised from 500 to 525. The upper
limit for representation of the UTs was reduced from 25 to 20.
Thirty-sixth Amendment, 1975 : Sikkim was made a full-fledged state of Indian Union and it was included in the
First Schedule.
Thirty-eight Amendment, 1975 : This act led to the amendment of Article 123, Article 213 and Article 352 which
stated that the satisfaction of President or of Governor contained in these Articles
would be called in question in any court of law.
Forty-second Amendment, 1976 : This amendment was done in accordance with the recommendations of Swaran
Singh Committee and included a number of amendments.
Forty-third Amendment, 1977 : It provided for the restoration of the Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and High
Courts, curtailed by the enactment of the Constitution (Forty-Second Amendment)
Act, 1976.
Forty-fourth Amendment, 1978 : The right to property was deleted as Fundamental Right and was made a legal right.
Fifty-third Amendment, 1986 : The Act grants statehood to the Union Territory of Mizoram, thus making it the
23rd State of the Indian Unions.
Fifty-sixth Amendment, 1987 : The UT of Goa converted into Goa state through this amendment whereas Daman
and Diu were organised under a new UT.
Seventy-third Amendment, 1992 : It is concerning Panchayati Raj.
Seventy-fourth Amendment, 1992 : It is regarding Municipal Boards and Corporations.
Eighty-ninth Amendment, 2003 : It provides for constitution of a separate National Commission for Scheduled
Tribes. (Earlier, there was a combined National Commission for both SC/STs).
Ninety-first Amendment, 2003 : It is regarding restricting the total number of Ministers including Prime Minister/
Chief Minister in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures to 15% of the total number
of the Union or State Legislatures.
Ninety-sixth Amendment, 2011 : Amendment of 8th Schedule, it replaces ‘Orissa’ with ‘Odisha’.
Ninety-eight Amendment, 2013 : (Insert Article 371 J) To empower the Governor of Karnataka to take steps to
develop Hydrabad Karnataka Region.
Ninety-ninth Amendment, 2015 : The amendment is in toto quashed by Supreme Court on 16 October, 2015.
One hundredth Amendment, 2015 : Exchange of certain enclave territories with Bangladesh and conferment of citizen-
ship rights to residents of enclaves consequent to signing of Land Boundary
Agreement (LBA) Treaty between India and Bangladesh.
One hundredth and first : The act amends the Constitution to introduce “The Goods and
Amendment, 2016 Services Tax (GST).”
One hundredth and Third : The Act providing 10 per cent reservation in government jobs
Amendment, 2019 and educational institutions to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of General
Category, came into effect on January 14, 2019.
One hundredth and Fourth : It extends the reservation of seats for members from SC and ST in Lok Sabha
Amendment, 2019 and State Legislative Assemblies.
 36

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he,

NATIONAL SYMBOLS Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha-
NATIONAL EMBLEM Dravida-Utkala-Banga
 State emblem of India is an adaptation from the Sarnath Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
Lion Capital of Ashoka. It was adopted by the Government Uchhala-jaladhi-taranga.
Tava subha name jage,
of India on January 26, 1950. In the adapted form, only
Tava subha asisa mange,
three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from the
Gahe tava jaya gatha,
view. Jana-gana-mangala-dayak,
 The wheel (Dharma Chakra) appears in relief in the centre jaya he Bharata bhagya vidhata,
of the abacus with a bull on the right and a horse on the Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
left. Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he.
 The bell-shaped lotus has been omitted. The words NATIONAL SONG
‘‘Satyameva Jayate’’ meaning ‘‘Truth alone triumphs’’ are  Bankim Chandra Chatterji’s ‘Vande Mataram’ which was
inscribed below the Emblem in Devanagari script. a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for
NATIONAL FLAG freedom, has been adopted as National Song. It has an
equal status with the National Anthem.
 The National Flag of India is a horizontal tricolour of
Vande Mataram
deep saffron (Kesari), white and dark green in equal
Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja-shitalam,
proportion. Shasya shyamalam, Mataram
 In the centre of the white band there is a wheel in navy Shubhrajyotsna, pulkita yaminim,
blue colour. It has 24 spokes. Phulla kusumita drumadalashobhinim,
 The ratio of the length and the breadth of the flag is 3 : Subhasinim sumadhura—bhashinim,
2. Its design was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of Sukhadam, Varadam, Mataram.
India on July 22, 1947.  National Bird and Animal of India: Peacock and Tiger.
 National Aquatic Animal: Dolphin
NATIONAL ANTHEM
 National Flower: Lotus
 Rabindranath Tagore’s song ‘Jana-gana-mana’ was adopted  National Calendar: It was adopted on March 22, 1957.
by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of It has 365 days in the year and the first month of the year
India on January 24, 1950. is Chaitra.

  
 General Knowledge & General Awareness 37

GENERAL SCIENCE

PHYSICS

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES  The motion of a car on a road is translational whereas the

 Physical quantities may be divided in two classes: motion of a top, spinning on its axis is rotational.
1. Scalar Quantities 2. Vector Quantities
SPEED
 A scalar quantity is one which has only magnitude.
 It is a scalar form of velocity and is defined as the distance
 A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction.
travelled in one second.
 Force, Velocity, Momentum, Acceleration are examples of
vector quantities. distance travelled
 Speed =
 Mass, length, time, volume, speed, energy, work are time required
examples of scalar quantities.  SI unit of speed is m/s.
UNITS VELOCITY
 All measurements in physics require standard units.
 The distance covered by an object in a specified direction
 In 1960, the General Conference of Weights and Measures
in unit time interval is called velocity.
recommended that a metric system of measurements called
the International System of Units, abbreviated as SI units,  The SI unit of velocity is m/s.
be used.  Velocity is a vector quantity.

Some Important Units ACCELERATION

 The velocity of a body changes due to change in its
S.No. Units Quantity
speed or direction or both. The rate of change of the
1. Metre Length velocity of a body is called its acceleration.
2. Kilogram Mass
3. Second Time change in velocity
 Acceleration =
4. Ampere Electric Current time taken
5. Candela Luminous Intensity
6. Newton Force
FORCE AND MOTION
7. Joule Workdone
8. Watt Power GRAVITATIONAL FORCE
9. Coulomb Electric Charge
 It is the force of attraction between two masses.
10. Volt Potential Difference
11. Ohm Electrical Resistance  It is gravitational force that holds the moon in its orbit
12. Farad Capacitance round the earth and the earth in its orbit round the sun.
13. Henry Inductance  Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation states that every
14. Lumen Luminous Flux particle in the universe attracts every other particle with
 Very small distances are measured in micro-meters or a force that is directly proportional to the product of their
(microns) (µm), angstroms (Å), nanometers (nm) and masses and inversely proportional to the square of the
femtometres (fm). distance between them.
 The value of G is 6.67 × 10–11 SI units.
MOTION
 When a body changes its position with respect to something CENTRIPETAL FORCE
else as time goes on, we say the body is in motion.  The force acting towards the centre on a particle executing
 There are two types of motion—translational (linear) and uniform circular motion is called centripetal force and is
rotational (spin). given by
37
 38

mv
2 NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION
F
r First Law
where, m = Mass of the object
 Every object continues in its state of rest or of uniform
v = Speed
motion in a straight line if no net force acts upon it. It is
r = Radius of the Circular Path also known as law of inertia.
 In case of the moon, gravitational force between the earth  Examples: 1. An unwary passenger in a fast-moving bus
and the moon acts as the centripetal force. falls forward when it stops suddenly. This happens because
 Centripetal force always acts on the particle performing the feet of the passenger come to rest suddenly whereas
circular motion. his upper part of body continues to be in motion. 2. A
CENTRIFUGAL FORCE person getting down from a moving bus has to run some
distance, in the direction of the bus, before stopping. If
 The pseudo force that balances the centripetal force in
he does not run he is bound to fall because his feet come
uniform circular motion is called centrifugal force.
to rest whereas his body continues to be in motion.
 Centrifugal force is directed away from the centre along
the radius. Momentum
 The centrifugal force is zero exactly at the poles and  The momentum of a body is defined as the product of its
maximum at the equator. mass and velocity.
WEIGHT Second Law
 The weight of a body is the force with which the earth
 This law states that “the rate of change of momentum of
attracts the body towards its centre.
a body is proportional to the applied force and takes
 The mass of a body is a constant quantity whereas its place in the direction of the force.”
weight varies slightly from place-to-place on the earth.
 If we express force (F) in Newtons, mass (m) in kilograms
 The weight of a body is maximum at the poles and and acceleration (a) in metres per second squared, we can
minimum at the equator. This variation in weight is due
write the second law as; F = ma.
to:
 In travelling the same distance, a car consumes more fuel
1. the shape of the earth.
on a crowded road than on a free road. This happens
2. the rotation of the earth about its axis. because the car has to stop and start quite often on a
 The weight of an object is less at high elevations than at crowded road. The repeated acceleration requires a force
sea level. (second law), which ultimately comes from the fuel. On
 At the centre of the earth, the weight of a body would be a free road the car runs at almost uniform speed requiring
zero. fewer accelerations and hence less fuel consumption.
 On the surface of the moon the value of the acceleration
Third Law
due to gravity is nearly one-sixth of that on earth and,
therefore, an object on the moon would weigh only one-  This law states that “to every action there is an equal and
sixth its weight on the earth. The mass of an object on the opposite reaction.”
moon would be the same as on earth.  When a bullet is fired from a gun, equal and opposite
 The weight of a body would be more if the earth stopped forces are exerted on the bullet and the gun.
rotating. Conversely, if the speed of rotation were higher,  The engine in a jet aeroplane works on the same principle
the weight would be less. as a rocket but there is a difference in the method of
 A person weighs more in a lift, which is accelerating upward. obtaining the high velocity as jet.
 An astronaut feels weightless in a spaceship because he
IMPULSE
is not pushing against anything.
 If a force acts on a body for a very short time, then the
FRICTION product of force and time is called the impulse.
 Friction is the force which opposes the relative motion of Impulse= Change in momentum
two surfaces in contact. = Force × Time
 It is friction between the ground and the soles of our
shoes that makes walking possible and it is lack of friction Application of Impulse
that makes our feet slip on highly polished surfaces. 1. A cricket player draws his hand back while catching.
 Friction in machines wastes energy and also causes wear 2. A person jumping on hard cement floor receives more
and tear. This friction is reduced by using (1) lubricants, injuries than a person jumping on muddy or sandy
and (2) ball bearings. floor.
 39

 Racing cars are build low and with wide wheel bases to
WORK, POWER AND ENERGY reduce the risk of overturning at sharp bends.
WORK  While crossing a river in a boat, passengers are not allowed
 Whenever a force acting on a body displaces it, work is to stand. This keeps the CG of the system (boat and
said to be done. passengers) low and ensures stability.
Work = Force × Distance moved in the direction of force. ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES
 Work is a scalar quantity and its SI unit is Joule (J).  In the case of a satellite, the centripetal force is provided
POWER by the gravitational pull of the earth.
 Power is defined as the rate of doing work.  If the speed of a satellite is more than 11.2 km/s or 25,000
miles/hour, the satellite would escape the earth entirely
Work done and would never come back. This is called escape velocity.
Power =
Time taken  The existence of gaseous atmosphere on the earth is due
 The SI unit of power is Watt (W) and is also measured in to the high value of its escape velocity.
horse power.
Geostationary Satellites
1 HP = 746 W
 Geostationary satellites are stationary with respect to an
ENERGY observer on the earth. Their time period is 24-hour. There
 Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. height above the surface of earth is 36,000 km. They are
always in equatorial plane and their orbits are circular.
Kinetic Energy They are also called parking orbits.
 The energy possessed by an object due to its motion is
called kinetic energy and is described by the expression DENSITY AND RELATIVE DENSITY
1 2 DENSITY
KE = mv ; where, m = mass of the object
2  The mass per unit volume of a substance is called its
v = speed density.

Potential Energy Mass

Density =
 Potential energy is the energy possessed by the body by Volume
virtue of its position, configuration or any condition of  The SI unit of density is kilogram per metre cubed
stress or strain. (kg/m3).
 There are many examples of potential energy. A stone  The relative density of a substance is the ratio of the
held at some height above the ground has potential energy. density of the substance to the density of water.
Water in an elevated reservoir possesses potential energy.  Relative density has no unit.
Transformation of Energy PRESSURE
S.No. Equipment Transformation  Pressure is defined as force acting per unit area.
1. Dynamo Mechanical energy into electrical Force
energy Pressure =
Area
2. Microphone Sound energy into electrical
 The SI unit of pressure is newton per metre squared or
energy
pascal.
3. Loud Speaker Electrical energy into sound
energy  Broad wooden sleepers are placed below the rails to reduce
4. Electric Bulb Electrical energy into light and the pressure exerted by the weight of a train.
heat energy  The pressure of water increases with depth, therefore
5. Battery Chemical energy into electrical bottom of a dam is made much thicken than the top.
energy  The pressure exerted on an enclosed liquid at one place
6. Electrical Motor Ele ctrical energy into is transmitted equally throughout the liquid. This is called
mechanical energy Pascal’s Principle.
 Hydraulic presses, hydraulic brakes, hydraulic door
CENTRE OF GRAVITY closers, etc. are applications of the Pascal’s Principle.
 The centre of gravity of a body is the point where the  At high attitudes where atmosphere pressure is less nose
whole weight of the body can be considered to act. bleeding may occur due to the greater pressure of blood.
 40

 In an aircraft flying at high altitude, normal atmospheric  The melted wax of a candle is drawn up into the wick by
pressure is maintained by the use of air pumps. If this capillary action. Oil rises up a lamp wick for the same
were not done, the crew and passengers would experience reason.
difficulty in breathing and consequently face dangers.  If one end of a sugar cube is dipped into tea, the entire
 Atmospheric pressure is measured with an instrument cube is quickly wet on account of capillary action.
called the Barometer.
VISCOSITY
ARCHIMEDE’S PRINCIPLE  The force which opposes the relative motion between
 This principle states that when a body is wholly or partially different layers of liquid or gases is called viscous force.
immersed in a fluid, it experiences an upthrust (upward  Viscosity is the property of liquids and gases both.
force) equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.
 An iron nail sinks in water whereas a ship made of iron BERNOULLI’S THEOREM
and steel floats. This is due to the fact that a ship is  According to Bernoulli’s theorem, in case of streamline
hollow and contains air and, therefore, its density is less flow of incompressible and non-viscous fluid (ideal fluid)
than that of water. through a tube, total energy (sum of pressure energy,
 The density of sea water is more than that of river water, potential energy and kinetic energy) per unit volume of
due to this a ship sinks less in sea water. It is for this fluid is same at all points.
reason that a ship rises a little when it enters a sea from 1. When a bowler spins a ball, it changes its direction
a river. (swings) in the air due to unequal pressure acting on it.
 It is because of the higher density of sea water that it is
easier to swim in the sea. HEAT
 A balloon filled with a light gas, such as hydrogen, rises  Heat is that form of energy which flows from one body
because the average density of the balloon and the gas is to other body due to difference in temperature between
less than that of air. The balloon cannot rise indefinitely the bodies. The amount of heat contained in a body
because the density of the air decreases with increasing depends upon the mass of the body.
altitude. At a certain height, where the density of air is
equal to the average density of the balloon, it ceases to TEMPERATURE
rise and drifts sideways with the wind.  The temperature of a body is the quantity that tells how
 When an ice block floats in water the water level will hot or cold it is with respect to some standard body.
remain the same when all the ice melts into water. MEASUREMENT OF TEMPERATURE
 A hydrometer is an instrument used for measuring the  Temperature is measured by a thermometer.
relative density of liquids.
 A thermometer may be graduated in following scales—
 A special type of a hydrometer called Lactometer is used
1. The upper and lower points of centigrade scale are
for testing milk by measuring its density.
100°C and 0°C.
SURFACE TENSION 2. The upper and lower points of Fahrenheit scale are
 Surface tension is that property of liquids owing to which 212°F and 32°F.
they tend to acquire minimum surface area. 3. The upper and lower points of Reaumur scale are 80°R
 Surface tension is caused by molecular attractions. and 0°R.
 When a paint brush is dipped in water all its hair spread 4. The upper and lower points of Kelvin scale are 373K
out but when it is taken out it is covered with a thin film and 273K.
of water which contracts due to surface tension and pulls 5. The upper and lower points of Rankine scale are 672°
the hair together. Ra and 460° Ra.
 Liquid drops, such as raindrops, oildrops, drops of molten  At –40 degrees both celsius and Fahrenheit scales will
metals, dewdrops etc. are all spherical because their surface show identical readings.
tend to contract in order to have minimum surface area.  Water cannot be used in a thermometer becaues it freezes
For a given volume, a sphere has the minimum surface at 0°C and also because of its irregular expansion.
area.
THERMAL EXPANSION
 Soaps and detergents lower the surface tension of water.
This increases the wetting power of water or its ability to  Solids, liquids and gases generally expand when heated
detach dirt particles from clothes and untensils. and contract when cooled.
 The force of attraction between unlike molecules is called  Gaps have to be left in railway tracks to make allowance
adhesion and that between like molecules cohesion. for expansion, otherwise the rails will buckle. Allowance
 41

is made for the expansion of long steel bridges. One end  When sweat evaporates from the skin it draws much heat
of such bridge is fixed while the other rests on rollers. from the body and produces a cooling sensation.
 Telephone wires sag more in summer than in winter due  In summer, water is stored in pitchers for cooling. Water
to thermal expansion. oozes out of the pores of the pitchers and cools on
evaporation.
EXPANSION OF WATER
 The rate of evaporation increases with increase in
 Water has its minimum volume and maximum density at temperature.
4°C.
REFRIGERATOR
TRANSMISSION OF HEAT
 In a refrigerator, cooling is produced by the evaporation
 There are three ways of heat transm ission: of a volatile liquid, freon, inside a copper coil (evaporator),
1. Conduction; 2. Convection; 3. Radiation. which surrounds the freezer.
Conduction  The cooling unit (freezer) in a refrigerator is fitted near
the top to cool the whole of the interior.
 In this process, heat is transferred from one place to other
place by the successive vibration of the particles of the RELATIVE HUMIDITY
medium without bodily movement of the particles of the  Relative humidity is defined as the ratio of the mass of
medium. water vapour in a given volume of air to the mass required
 Conduction takes place mainly in solids. for saturating the same volume of air at the same
 Air is a very bad conductor of heat. The good insulating temperature.
properties of wool, cotton, etc. are mainly due to the air  Relative humidity is measured with an instrument called
spaces they contain. the hygrometer.

Convection PRESSURE COOKER

 In this process, heat is transferred by the actual movement  The boiling point of a liquid depends on external pressure.
of particles of the medium from one place to other place.  When the atmospheric pressure is 76 cm of mercury, water
 In liquids and gases heat is transmitted by convection. boils at 100°C. But when the pressure is increased, the
boiling point of water is raised.
Radiation  In a pressure cooker, water boils at temperatures higher
 In this mode of heat transmission heat is transferred from than 100°C due to increased pressure. The increased boiling
one place to another without effecting the intervening temperature allows water to hold more heat which cooks
medium. food faster.
 At higher altitudes, atmospheric pressure is reduced. This
HEAT CAPACITY lowers the boiling point of water and food takes much
 The heat capacity of a body is defined as the heat required longer to cook.
to raise the temperature of the body by 1K. Its SI unit is
J/K. WAVE MOTION
SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY  Wave motion may be defined as the transfer of energy
 The specific heat capacity of a substance is the heat without the net transfer of matter.
required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of the  If the particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to the
substance by 1K. direction of propagation of wave, the wave is called
 Its SI unit is J/kg K. transverse wave.
 It is because of its high specific heat capacity that water  Light waves are transverse waves.
is used as a cooling liquid in car engine.  If the particles of the medium vibrate in the direction of
propagation of wave, the wave is called longitudinal
LATENT HEAT wave.
 It is defined as the amount of heat absorbed or given out  Sound waves are longitudinal waves.
by a body during the change of state.
 Each gram of ice that melts absorbs 336 J of heat. ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE
 Electromagnetic waves include an enormous range of
EVAPORATION frequencies—from radio waves with frequencies less than
 Water can change into the vapour state either by boiling 105 Hz to gamma rays having frequencies greater than
or by evaporation at lower temperatures. 1020 Hz.
 42

 All electromagnetic wave have the same speed (3 × 108  Small concave mirrors are used by dentists for examining
m/s) in vacuum. The relation v = n holds good for all teeth.
electromagnetic waves.  Concave parabolic mirrors are used in searchlight and
RADIO AND TELEVISION TRANSMISSION headlamps of cars.
 Radio waves sent out by radio stations are reflected by  Convex mirrors are also used as rear view mirrors in
the ionosphere and can be received anywhere on the vehicles.
earth. REFRACTION
 At night the radio reception improves because the layers
 When a ray of light passes from one medium to other it
of the ionosphere are not exposed to sunlight and are
suffers a change in direction at the boundary of separation
more settled.
of two media. This phenomenon is called refraction.
 Radar (Radio detection and ranging) employs high
 When a ray passes from one medium to another optically
frequency radio waves for detecting objects like ships
denser medium, e.g., from air to water or glass, it bends
and aeroplanes.
towards the normal. Conversely, a ray passing from water
 In microwave oven, when the waves fall on the food,
or glass into air is bent away from the normal.
these are absorbed by water, fats, sugars and certain other
molecules whose consequent vibrations produce heat.  Rivers appear shallow, coin in a beaker filled with water
Since heating occurs inside the food, without warming appears raised, due to refraction.
the surrounding air, the cooking time is greatly reduced.  Another effect of refraction is the apparent upward bending
 In microwave oven, food cannot be cooked in metal of the immersed portion of a stick when dipped in water.
vessels because the metal blocks out the microwaves.  It is due to refraction, produced by the earth’s atmosphere,
that the sun is visible for several minutes after it has set
LIGHT below the horizon. Thus, atmospheric refraction tends to
lengthen the day.
 Light is a form of energy which is propagated as
electromagnetic waves.  When the sun (or moon) is near the horizon, it appears
elliptical, i.e., with the vertical diameter less than the
 Light is a transverse wave.
horizontal diameter. This happens because rays from the
 Speed of light in vacuum is 3 × 108 m/s. lower edge of the sun are bent more than those from the
 Light takes 8 minute 16.6 second to reach from sun to upper edge (Atmospheric Refraction).
earth.
 One of the most interesting effects of atmospheric refraction
REFLECTION and Mirage is a combined effect of atmospheric refraction
 When light is incident upon a surface, part of it is reflected. and total internal reflection.
But certain surfaces like mirrors and polished metals reflect DISPERSION
almost all the light incident upon them.
 White light consists of seven colours—violet, indigo,
 The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence is
blue, green, yellow, orange and red. These colours are
equal to the angle of reflection.
called the spectrum of the white light.
 To see full image in a plane mirror, a person requires a
 Violet has the minimum wavelength (or maximum
mirror of at least half of his height.
frequency) and red the maximum wavelength (or minimum
INCLINED MIRROR (NO. OF IMAGES) frequency).
 When an object is placed between two inclined mirrors,  Due to different speeds, the colours are refracted through
several images of the object are formed. different angles and therefore, when a narrow beam of
white light passes through a glass prism, it is split up into
CURVED MIRRORS its constituent colours. This separation of light into
 There are two types of curved spherical mirrors—1. colours is called dispersion.
Concave Mirror, 2. Convex Mirror.
 Concave mirror can concentrate the sun’s radiation falling COLOUR OF OBJECTS
on it at one point, it can be used as a burning glass.  We see objects because of the light they reflect.
 Concave mirrors are also used in solar cookers.  When a rose is viewed in white light, its petals appear red
 Large concave mirrors are used in reflecting telescopes and the leaves appear green, because the petals reflect the
for observing and photographing distant stars and other red part of the white light and leaves reflect the green
heavenly bodies. part. The remaining colours are absorbed. When the same
 Concave mirror is also used as a shaving or make-up mirror. rose is viewed in green light, the petals will appear black
 43

and the leaves green. In blue or yellow light both the reach an observer. Thus, at sunset, blue, green and other
petals and leaves will appear black. colours having been scattered only red and some orange
 Red, blue and green are primary colours. light reach us and the sun appears a deep orange-red.
 In outerspace, i.e., beyond the atmosphere, there is nothing
LENSES to scatter the sunlight and therefore the sky appears dark
 There are mainly two types of lenses: and stars are visible even in the presence of the sun.
1. Convex or Converging Lens
INTERFERENCE OF LIGHT
2. Concave or Diverging Lens
 The superposition of two (or more) waves of the same
 Converging or convex lens is used as a magnifying glass.
kind that pass the same point in space at the same time
 Power of a lens is its capacity to deviate a ray. Power of is called interference.
a lens is measured as the reciprocal of the focal length.
 Beautiful colours seen in soap bubbles and oil films on
1 water are produced due to the interference of white light
P=
f reflected by these surfaces.
 SI unit of power of lens is dioptre (D).  LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of
 The power of a converging lens is positive and that of a Radiation) is an optical device which produces an intense
diverging lens is negative. beam of coherent monochromatic light.
 For all positions of the object, the images formed by  Examples of Interference of Light: Holography, Laser.
diverging (concave) lens are virtual, erect and diminished.
DIFFRACTION OF LIGHT
EYE
 When a beam of light passes through a narrow slit or an
 The light entering the eye is focused by the eye-lens to
aperture, it spreads out to a certain extent into the region
form an image on the retina.
of geometrical shadow. This is an example of diffraction,
 In front of the eye, lens is the coloured part of eye, called
i.e., of the failure of light to travel in a straight line.
the iris, which automatically adjusts the size of the pupil
to the intensity of light falling on it.
 In bright light the iris automatically shuts tighter, reducing SOUND
the amount of light entering the pupil. This protects the  Sound waves are longitudinal and cannot travel in
retina from getting damaged. vacuum. The transmission of sound requires a medium :
 When a person enters a dark room after being in bright air, liquid or solid.
light, he is not able to see clearly for a while because the
 The longitudinal mechanical waves which lie in the
iris is unable to dilate the pupil immediately.
frequency range 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz are called audible or
 Least distance of distinct vision is 25 cm. sound waves. These waves are sensitive to human ear.
DEFECTS OF VISION  The longitudinal mechanical waves having frequencies
 A person suffering from long sight (hyper-metropia) can less than 20 Hz are called Infrasonic. These waves are
clearly see objects at infinity but cannot see near objects produced by sources of bigger size such as earthquakes,
clearly. This defect is caused by the eyeball being too volcanic eruptions, ocean waves etc.
short and can be corrected by wearing converging lenses.  The longitudinal waves having frequencies greater than
 In the case of a person suffering from short sight (myopia), 20,000 Hz are called ultrasonic waves. Human ear cannot
the eye ball is too long and distant objects are focused detect these waves. But some animals such as cats, dogs,
in front of the retina. This defect can be corrected by bats can detect these waves.
wearing diverging lenses.
 Astigmatism: Curvature of cornea becomes irregular and PITCH
image is not clear. Cylindrical lens is used.  The pitch (shrillness of a sound) depends on its frequency.
SCATTERING OF LIGHT  A sound of higher frequency has a higher pitch.
 When light falls on atoms and molecules, it is scattered  The pitch of a woman’s voice is higher than that of a man.
in all directions.
LOUDNESS
 Scattering of light is maximum for violet colour and
minimum for red colour.  The relative loudness of a sound is measured in decibels
 Blue colour of sky is due to scattering of light. (db).
 In the evening, the sun is lower in the sky and its light  All stringed instruments, such as the violin, sitar, guitar,
has to traverse a longer path through the atmosphere to etc. have sound boxes attached to increase the loudness.
 44

SPEED OF SOUND SUPER CONDUCTORS

 The presence of water vapour in the air increases the  The resistance of metals to flow of electricity reduces
speed of sound. with decreasing temperature. At temperatures near absolute
 Sound travels faster through warm air than through cold zero, metals have almost zero resistance and became super
air. The speed of sound is higher on a hot day than on conductors.
a cold day.
SEMI-CONDUCTORS
 Thunder is heard much after the flash of lightning is seen
 Certain materials, such as silicon and germanium, have
because of the wide difference in the speeds of light and
electrical resistivity intermediate between those of
sound.
conductors and insulators. These materials are termed as
REFLECTION OF SOUND semi-conductors.
 When a sound wave is reflected by a distant obstacle,  Semi-conductors are good insulators in their pure
such as a wall or a cliff, an echo is heard. crystalline form but their conductivity increases when
 To hear echo, the minimum distance between the observer small amounts of impurities are added to them.
and reflector should be 17 m.
ELECTRIC CURRENT
 Exploration of underwater gas and oil is done by detecting
 Electric current is simply the flow of electric charge. In
the echoes of shock waves produced by explosions on the
solid conductors the flow of electrons and in fluids the
water surface.
flow of ions as well as electrons constitute the current.
 Bats emit ultrasonic waves of frequencies up to 80,000
 SI units of electric current is Ampere (A).
Hz and use the reflection of these waves (echoes) to
determine the presence and distance of objects on their ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE
way and from them respectively.  When electric current flows through a conductor, e.g., a
DOPPLER EFFECT metallic wire, it offers some obstruction to the current.
This obstruction offered by the wire is called its electrical
 The Doppler effect is the change in frequency of a wave
resistance.
(sound or light) due to the motion of the source or
observer.  SI unit of Resistance is ohm.
 It is due to the Doppler effect that the whistle of a train OHM’S LAW
appears shriller when it approaches a listener than when  If physical conditions like temperature, intensity of light
it moves away from him. etc. remains unchanged then electric current flowing
through a conductor is directly proportional to the
ELECTRICITY potential difference across its ends.
 Electricity produced by friction between two dissimilar ELECTRIC MOTOR
objects is known as static electricity. Depending on the  In an electric motor, electrical energy is converted into
nature of the objects, one acquires a positive charge and mechanical energy.
the other an equal negative charge. For example, if a glass  Electric fans, mixers, washing machines, etc. work on
rod is rubbed with silk, the rod acquires positive charge electric motors.
and the silk an equal negative charge.
 Lightning is a gigantic electric discharge occurring INVERTER
between two charged clouds or between a charged cloud  An inverter is a device which converts DC to AC. The
and the earth. inverters used in homes and offices are specially designed
to:
CONDUCTOR 1. Convert DC from a battery to AC, and
 Conductors are those materials which allow electricity 2. Charge the battery.
(charge) to pass through themselves.
FUSE
 Metals conduct electricity because they have a large
 Electric fuse is a protective device used in series with an
number of conduction or free electrons.
electric appliance to save it from being damaged due to
INSULATORS high current.
 Insulators are those materials which do not allow  A fuse is a short piece of wire made of a tin-lead alloy,
electricity to flow through themselves. Insulators have no which has a low melting point.
free electrons.  Fuses are always connected in the live wire in series.
 45

COST OF ELECTRICITY ATOMIC ENERGY

 The consumption of electrical energy in a house is  India today ranks sixth in the atomic energy programmes.
measured in the unit kWh. It has developed the required know-how and expertise to
 Kilowatt hour is equal to the energy consumed in the manufacture nuclear weapons, but it believes in the
circuit at the rate of 1 kilowatt for 1 hour. peaceful uses of atomic power. The Atomic Energy
Commission was set-up in the country in 1948 under the
MAGNETISM Chairmanship of Dr. H. J. Bhabha.
 A magnet attracts and holds pieces of iron but does not  Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC): The Bhabha
attract pieces of copper. Atomic Research Centre at Trombay near Mumbai
 Iron, cobalt, nickel and certain alloys are strongly magnetic (Maharashtra) has four research reactors: (i) APSARA—
whereas copper, wood, glass, etc. are non-magnetic. It is the first atomic reactor in Asia; (ii) CIRUS—It is a
joint Indo-Canadian project; (iii) PURNIMA II—a zero
 Our earth behaves as a powerful magnet whose south pole
is near the geographical north pole and whose north pole energy fast reactor, and (iv) DHRUVA—a high power
is near the geographical south pole. completely indigenous nuclear research reactor with most
advanced laboratories in the world. Another fast breeder
reactor KAMINI at Kalpakkam has been constructed.
ATOMIC & NUCLEAR PHYSICS
Today India is the seventh country in the world and the
 Atom consists of three fundamental particles electron, first developing nation to have mastered the fast breeder
proton and neutron. All the protons and neutrons are reactor technology.
present in the central core of atom called nucleus. Electrons  Nuclear Power: Under Nuclear Power Corporation
revolve around the nucleus. of India Limited (NPCIL) there are seven nuclear
 The total number of protons in the nucleus is called power stations in operation in six States:
atomic number (Z). (i) Tarapur—Maharashtra, (ii) Rawatbhata —Rajasthan,
 The total number of proton and neutrons in the nucleus (iii) Kalpakkam—Tamil Nadu, (iv) Narora—U.P.,
is called mass number (A). (v) Kakrapara—Gujarat, (vi) Kaiga—Karnataka and
 Ernest Rutherford, discovered nucleus by the scattering (vii) Kudankulam—Tamil Nadu.
of -particles from gold foil.  Heavy Water: Heavy water is one of the essential input
RADIOACTIVITY for Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) used both
as a coolant and moderator. The first heavy water plant
 Henry Bacquerel (1896) observed that a photographic
was set-up in 1962 in Nangal. Subsequently 7 more plants
plate blackened, when placed near double sulphate of
have been set-up at (i) Baroda, (ii) Tuticorin, (iii) Kota,
potassium and uranium. He further observed that uranium
(iv) Talcher, (v) Thal, (vi) Hazira and (vii) Manuguru.
emitted special kind of rays. They were called Becqueral
rays.  Research and Development Centres: Four research centres
namely (i) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay
 Pierre and Marie Curie observed that the radiation from
(Maharashtra), (ii) Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic
pitchblende was four times stronger than uranium. In
Research, Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu), (iii) Centre for
1898, they finally discovered two new substances—
Advanced Technology, Indore (Madhya Pradesh),
Polonium and Radium. These newly discovered substances
(iv) Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre at Kolkata (West
were called radioactive substances and this property of
Bengal) are focal points of research and development
these substances was named radioactivity.
work in nuclear energy and related discipline.
 No radioactive substance emits both  and  particles
simultaneously.  India’s Nuclear Explosions: On May 18, 1974 India
conducted her first underground nuclear explosion at
X-RAYS Pokhran (Rajasthan) in the Thar desert, 20 km. away from
 X-rays are electromagnetic radiations having wavelength Jaisalmer, at a depth of more than 100 metres. The
from a fraction of an Angestrom to about 100Å. They successful explosion made India the sixth nuclear nation
were discovered by Rontgen during his studies on the in the world.
electrical discharge phenomena in gases—he found that  India conducted 5 nuclear explosion tests at Pokhran in
an unknown radiation was produced when electrons two phases on May 11 and May 13, 1998 and became a
collided with the walls of the tubes. nuclear power state.
46

IMPORTANT INVENTIONS
Name of Invention Inventor Nationality Year
Aeroplane Orville & Wilbur Wright U.S.A. 1903
Ball-Point Pen John J. Loud U.S.A. 1888
Barometer Evangelista Torricelli Italy 1644
Bicycle Kirkpatrick Macmillan Britain 1839-40
Bifocal Lens Benjamin Franklin U.S.A. 1780
Car (Petrol) Karl Benz Germany 1888
Celluloid Alexander Parkes Britain 1861
Cinema Nicolas & Jean Lumiere France 1895
Clock (mechanical) I-Hsing & Liang Ling-Tsan China 1725
Diesel Engine Rudolf Diesel Germany 1895
Dynamo Hypolite Pixii France 1832
Electric Lamp Thomas Alva Edison U.S.A. 1879
Electric Motor (DC) Zenobe Gramme Belgium 1873
Electric Motor (AC) Nikola Tesla U.S.A. 1888
Electro-magnet William Sturgeon Britain 1824
Electronic Computer Dr. Alan M. Turing Britain 1943
Film (moving outlines) Louis Prince France 1885
Film (musical sound) Dr. Le de Forest U.S.A. 1923
Fountain Pen Lewis E. Waterman U.S.A. 1884
Gramophone Thomas Alva Edison U.S.A. 1878
Helicopter Etienne Oehmichen France 1924
Jet Engine Sir Frank Whittle Britain 1937
Laser Charles H. Townes U.S.A. 1960
Lift (Mechanical) Elisha G. Otis U.S.A. 1852
Locomotive Richard Trevithick Britain 1804
Machine Gun James Puckle Britain 1718
Microphone Alexander Graham Bell U.S.A. 1876
Microscope Z. Janssen Netherlands 1590
Motor Cycle G. Daimler Germany 1885
Photography (on film) John Carbutt U.S.A. 1888
Printing Press Johann Gutenberg Germany c.1455
Razor (safety) King C. Gillette U.S.A. 1895
Refrigerator James Harrison & Alexander Catlin U.S.A. 1850
Safety Pin Walter Hunt U.S.A. 1849
Sewing machine Barthelemy Thimmonnier France 1829
Ship (steam) J.C. Perier France 1775
Ship (turbine) Hon. Sir C. Parsons Britain 1894
Skyscraper W. Le Baron Jenny U.S.A. 1882
Slide Rule William Oughtred Britain 1621
Steam Engine (condenser) James Watt Britain 1765
Steel Production Henry Bessemer Britain 1855
Steel (stainless) Harry Brearley Britain 1913
Submarine David Bushnell U.S.A. 1776
Tank Sir Ernest Swinton Britain 1914
Telegraph M. Lammond France 1787
Telegraph Code Samuel F.B. Morse U.S.A. 1837
Telephone (perfected) Alexander Graham Bell U.S.A. 1876
Television (mechanical) John Logie Baird Britain 1926
Television (electronic) P.T. Farnsworth U.S.A. 1927
Thermometer Galileo Galilei Italy 1593
Transformer Michael Faraday Britain 1831
Transistor Bardeen, Shockley & Brattain U.S.A. 1948
Washing Machine (elec.) Hurley Machine Co. U.S.A. 1907
Zip-Fastener W.L. Judson U.S.A. 1891
 47

Important Discoveries

Discovery Discoverer Nationality Year

Aluminium Hans Christian Oerstedt Denmark 1827

Atomic number Henry Moseley England 1913
Atomic structure of matter John Dalton England 1803
Chlorine C.W. Scheele Sweden 1774
Electromagnetic induction Michael Faraday England 1831
Electromagnetic waves Heinrich Hertz Germany 1886
Electromagnetism Hans Christian Oersted Denmark 1920
Electron Sir Joseph Thomson England 1897
General theory of relativity Albert Einstein Switzerland 1915
Hydrogen Henry Cavendish England 1766
Law of electric conduction Georg Ohm Germany 1827
Law of electromagnetism Andre Ampere France 1826
Law of falling bodies Galileo Italy 1590
Laws of gravitation & motion Isaac Newton England 1687
Laws of planetary motion Johannes Kepler Germany 1609-10
Magnesium Sir Humphry Davy England 1808
Neptune (Planet) Johann Galle Germany 1846
Neutron James Chadwick England 1932
Nickel Axel Cronstedt Sweden 1751
Nitrogen Daniel Rutherford England 1772
Oxygen Joseph Priestly, C.W. Scheele England, Sweden 1772
Ozone Christian Schonbein Germany 1839
Pluto Clyde Tombaugh U.S.A 1930
Plutonium G.T. Seaborg U.S.A 1940
Proton Ernest Rutherford England 1919
Quantum Theory Max Planck Germany 1900
Radioactivity Antoine Bacquerel France 1896
Radium Pierre & Marie Curie France 1898
Silicon Jons Berzelius Sweden 1824
Special theory of relativity Albert Einstein Switzerland 1905
Sun as centre of solar system Copernicus Poland 1543
Uranium Martin Klaproth Germany 1789
Uranus (Planet) William Herschel England 1781
X-rays Wilhelm Roentgen Germany 1895

Scientific Instruments

Name of Instrument Used for

Altimeter measuring altitude
Ammeter measuring strength of an electric current
Anemometer measuring the velocity of wind
Audiometer measuring level of hearing
Barometer measuring atmospheric pressure
 48

Name of Instrument Used for

Callipers measuring the internal and external diameters of tubes
Calorimeter measuring quantity of heat
Compass finding out direction
Dynamo converting mechanical energy into electrical energy
Galvanometer detecting and determining the strength of small electric currents
Hydrometer measuring specific gravity of a liquid
Hygrometer measuring the humidity in the atmosphere
Lactometer measuring the purity of milk
Manometer measuring the gaseous pressure
Micrometer measuring minute distances, angles, etc.
Microscope seeing magnified view of very small objects
Photometer measuring intensity of light from distant stars
Pyrometer measuring high temperatures
Radar detecting and finding the presence and location of moving objects like aircraft, missile, etc.
Radiometer measuring the emission of radiant energy
Rain Gauge measuring the amount of rainfall
Seismograph measuring and recording the intensity and origin of earthquake shocks
Sextant measuring altitude and angular distances between two objects or heavenly bodies
Spectrometer measuring the refractive indices
Spherometer measuring the curvature of spherical objects/surface
Sphygmomanometer measuring blood pressure
Stethoscope ascertaining the condition of heart and lungs by listening to their function
Stroboscope viewing objects that are moving rapidly with a periodic motion as if they were at rest
Tachometer measuring the rate of revolution or angular speed of a revolving shaft
Telescope viewing magnified images of distant objects
Thermocouple measuring the temperature inside furnaces and jet engines
Thermometer measuring human body temperature
Thermostat regulating constant temperature
Ultrasonoscope measuring utrasonic sounds
Viscometer measuring the viscosity of a fluid
Voltmeter measuring potential difference between two points.

CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS MIXTURES
 An element may be defined as a substance which is made  A material containing two or more elements or compounds
by same type of atoms and it can neither be broken into, in any proportion is a mixture.
nor built from two or more simpler substances by any  The components of a mixture can be separated by physical
known physical or chemical methods, e.g., copper, silver, means like filtration, sublimation and distillation.
hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, gold, iron etc.
ATOMIC STRUCTURE
COMPOUNDS
ATOM
 A compound may be defined as a substance which contains
two or more elements combined in some fixed proportion  Atom is the smallest part of the element that takes part in
by weight and which can be decomposed into two or a chemical reaction. Atom of an element can not be
more elements by any suitable method. changed into that of another element by a chemical or
physical means. It does not exist in free state.
 The properties of a compound are entirely different from
those of the elements from which it is made. MOLECULE
 Some common examples of compounds are water, sugar,  A molecule is the smallest part of an element or compound
salt, aspirin, chloroform, alcohol and ether. that is capable of existing independently.
(2123) G.K.—7
49

ATOMIC WEIGHT (OR ATOMIC MASS) positive metallic ion. According to modern theory, an
 The atomic mass of an element is the number of times its acid is a compound which yields hydrogen ions (protons)
atom is heavier than 1/12th of the mass of carbon (C12) to a base in a chemical reaction. In a water solution, an
atom. acid tastes sour, turns blue litmus red and produces free
 The unit used to measure atomic mass is called atomic hydrogen ions.
mass unit, i.e., amu. Acid Sources
ELECTRON Citric Acid Lemons or Oranges
 The electron is a fundamental particle of an atom which (Citrus Fruits)
carries a unit negative charge. It was discovered by J.J. Lactic acid Sour milk
Thomson in 1897. Tartaric acid Grapes
Acetic acid Vinegar
PROTON
Maleic acid Apples
 It is a fundamental particle of an atom carrying a unit Oxalic acid Tomato
positive charge. It was discovered by Rutherford and Formic acid Red ants
Goldstein in 1886.
NEUTRON BASES
 It is a fundamental particle of an atom carrying no charge.  Such compounds which gives salt and water with acid
It was discovered by Chadwick in 1932. known as bases. Bitter in taste, turns red litmus paper into
blue, contains replaceable hydroxyl group.
ISOTOPES  Some important bases are sodium hydroxide, potassium
 The atoms of the same element having different mass hydroxide, sodium carbonate and ammonium hydroxide.
numbers are called isotopes.  All alkalies are bases but all bases are not alkalies because
ISOBARS all bases are not soluble in water.
 Elements having the same atomic mass but differ in atomic
SALTS
number are called isobars.
 Salts are ionic compounds containing a positive ion
ISOTONES (cation) and a negative ion (anion).
 Elements having the same number of neutrons are called  When an acid reacts with a base, a salt and water are
isotones. formed. This reaction is called neutralization since the
acid and base neutralize each other’s effect.
OXIDATION AND REDUCTION
 Oxidation is a process in which a substance adds on ELECTROLYSIS
oxygen or loses hydrogen. In modern terms, oxidation is  The process of decomposition of an electrolyte by the
the process in which a substance loses electrons. passage of an electric current through its molten state or
 Reduction is a process in which a substance adds on its aqueous solution is called electrolysis.
hydrogen or loses oxygen. In modern terms, reduction is  Device through which electric current is passed known as
the process in which a substance gains electrons. electrodes.
 Oxidation and reduction always occur simultaneously. If
one substance is oxidised, another is reduced. The reaction METALLURGY
in which this oxidation-reduction process occurs is called
a redox reaction.  Metals occur in nature, in the native (in free state) as well
as in the combined state.
 Oxidising agents are substances which bring about the
oxidation of other substances, e.g., Potassium  Naturally occurring materials containing metals are called
Permanganate, Potassium Dichromate, Nitric Acid, minerals.
Hydrogen Peroxide, etc.  A mineral from which a given metal is obtained
 Reducing agents are substances which bring about the economically is called an ore.
reduction of other substances, e.g., hydrogen sulphide,  The process of extraction of a metal in a pure state on a
hydrogen, carbon, sulphur dioxide, etc. large scale from its ore by Physical and Chemical means
is called metallurgy.
ACIDS, BASES AND SALTS  The rocky and siliceous matter that associated with the
ACID ore is known as gangue.
 An acid is any compound that can react with a base to  Substance that is added to ore to remove the gangue is
form a salt, the hydrogen of the acid being replaced by known as flux.
 50

 The process of removal of gangue from the ore is known to form carbo-xyhaemoglobin, which is not decompassed
as concentration. by any of the processes in the body.
 Calcination is the heating of the ore in the absence of air. HYDROCARBONS
This method is employed for obtaining the metal oxides
from carbonates and hydroxides.  Compounds of carbon and hydrogen are called
hydrocarbon.
 Roasting is the heating of the ore in the presence of air.
On roasting, part of the ore is oxidised to form an oxide.  A natural source of hydrocarbon is petroleum obtained
This oxide is then reduced to the metal. from sedimentary rocks.
 The industrial reduction process for obtaining metal from  Compounds having the same molecular formula but differ
the treated ore is called smelting. in properties due to different structural formula known as
isomers and this property is called isomerism.
AMALGUM
SATURATED HYDROCARBONS (ALKANES)
 An alloy in which one of the component metals is mercury
is known as amalgum.  Containing single covalent bonds only.
 Such compounds are, in general, called alkanes for
IRON AND STEEL instance, Methane, Ethane, Propane, Butane.
 Iron is extracted from its ores by the blast furnace process.
UNSATURATED HYDROCARBONS
 Iron obtained from blast furnace is called pig iron or cast
iron containing about 5% carbon.  Containing multiple bonds.
 Pure iron is called wrought iron which does not contain  Compounds with double bonds are called alkenes, e.g.
carbon more than 0.2%, or any other impurities or ethylene, propyene etc. and triple bond containing
constituents. compounds are called alkynes, e.g. acetylene, propyne etc.
 Steel contains 0.25% – 2% carbon and varying amounts  Benzene is an unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbon with the
of other elements. structure.
 Compounds derived from benzene are called aromatic
CARBON AND ITS COMPOUNDS compounds.
ALLOTROPY FUELS
 Such substances which having the same chemical
properties, but differ in physical properties, known as Solid Fuels
allotropes and this property is called allotropy.  These contain carbon and, during combustion, form mainly
DIAMOND carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide with a large amount
of heat.
 Diamond is the purest form of carbon.
 Examples of solid fuels are wood, coal, coke and paraffin
 It is non-conductor of heat and electricity.
wax.
 It is the hardest natural substance.
 It burns in air at 900°C and gives out CO 2. Liquid Fuels

GRAPHITE (BLACK LEAD)  These are basically mixtures of several hydrocarbons.

During combustion, they form carbon dioxide and water.
 It is good conductor of heat and electricity.
 Liquid fuels are obtained as different fractions during the
 Graphite is used in making lead pencils.
distillation of petroleum.
 Graphite is also used as electrodes, lubricant, moderators,
electrotyping and carbon arc.  Examples of liquid fuels are kerosene oil, petrol, diesel
oil and alcohol.
AMORPHOUS FORMS OF CARBON
Gaseous Fuels
1. Wood Charcoal – Obtained from wood
2. Sugar Charcoal – Obtained from cane sugar  Gaseous fuels do not leave ash on burning and have high
3. Bone or Animal Charcoal – Obtained from animal bones content of heat.
4. Coke Charcoal – Obtained from coal  The main gaseous fuels are liquefied petroleum gas (LPG,
mainly a mixture of propane and butane and used in
CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) homes for cooking, water gas (CO + H 2), producer gas (CO
 Carbon monoxide is an active poison and is very + N2), coal gas (mixture of hydrogen, methane, ethylene,
dangerous as it is a colourless and odourless gas and can carbon monoxide, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide)
not, therefore, be easily detected. and natural gas (mixture of methane, ethane, propane and
 The extremely poisonous nature of carbon monoxide is a butane with traces of higher hydrocarbons obtained from
result of its combining with the haemoglobin of the blood oil well, above petroleum).
 51

PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS 2. Silica  22%

 Natural gas contains about 80% methane and 10% ethane, 3. Alumina  7.5%
the remaining 10% being a mixture of higher gaseous 4. Magnesia  2.5%
hydrocarbons. 5. Ferric Oxide  2.5%
 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is natural gas filled in  A small amount of gypsum is added to slow down the
cylinders under high pressure. setting of cement.
 The quality of petrol for use in car engines is denoted by  Cement containing excess amount of lime cracks during
their anti-knock properties. setting while cement containing less amount of lime is
 To increase octane number, tetra ethyl lead (TEL) is added weak in strength.
to petrol.  Cement containing no iron is white but hard to burn.
HEAVY WATER POLYMERS AND PLASTICS
 Chemically heavy water is deuterium oxide.  A polymer is a large molecule, built up from many
 Heavy water is used in nuclear reactors as a moderator hundreds of thousands of small unit called monomeric
because it slows the fast moving neutrons. units or monomers.
Hard and Soft Water  The process of formation of polymers from monomers is
called polymerization.
 Water which produces lather with soap solution readily is
called soft water.  Plastics are cross-linked polymers and very tough.
 Water which does not produce lather with soap solution  Some examples of plastics are — Celluloid, Bakelite and
readily is called hard water. Vinyl Plastics.
 The hardness of water is due to presence of the RUBBER
bicarbonates, chlorides and sulphates of calcium and
magnesium.  Natural and Synthetic rubbers are examples of polymers.
 Temporary hardness of water is due to the presence of  Natural rubber is isomer of isoprene.
bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium.  When the natural rubber is heated along with sulphur
 Permanent hardness of water is due to presence of called vulcanisation. The resulting rubber is elastic, hard
sulphates, chlorides, nitrates of calcium and magnesium. and strong.
 Synthetic rubbers are made by polymerisation of
GLASS chloroprene, styrene and butadiene mixtures and
 Ordinary glass is solid mixture of silica, sodium silicate isobutylene.
and calcium silicate.
 Soft glass is a soda-lime silicate glass. It melts at low SOAPS
temperature. It is used in manufacturing of bottles, test  The soaps are sodium salts of higher fatty acids. They are
tubes etc. useful only in soft water as they form an insoluble
 Hard glass is potash lime silicate and melts at high precipitate in hard water. This precipitate consists of salts
temperature in comparison to soft glass and is used in of calcium and magnesium of higher fatty acids. No lather
manufacturing of flask etc. or emulsion is formed and washing is not possible.
 Flint glass is a lead potash silicate and is used in
manufacturing of prism, lens and optical instruments. Some Importants Alloys
 Pyrex glass is a mixture of sodium aluminium borosilicates.
Alloys Composition
It is used in manufacturing of high quality equipments in
laboratory because it does not melt at very high Brass Cu, Zn
temperature. Bronze Cu, Sn
 Safety glass is prepared by placing a layer of transparent Gun metal Cu, Sn, Zn
plastic glass between two layers of glass by means of a Bel metal Cu, Sn
suitable adhesive. It is used in making wind screen of German silver Cu, Zn, Ni
automobiles, aeroplanes, trains etc. Dutch metal Cu, Zn
CEMENT Aluminium Al, Cu
 The approximate composition of Portland cement is: Nichrome Ni, Fe, Cr, Mn
1. Calcium Oxide  62% Chromium steel Cr, C, Fe
 52

Chemical Formulae, Commercial Name of Chemical Compounds

Commercial Name Chemical Compounds Chemical formulae
Common salt Sodium chloride NaCl
Baking soda Sodium bicarbonate NaHCO 3
Washing soda Sodium carbonate Na2CO3 . 10H2O
Caustic soda Sodium hydroxide NaOH
Chilli salt peter Sodium nitrate NaNO 3
Soda ash Sodium carbonate Na 2CO 3
Hypo Sodium thiosulphate Na2S2O3 . 5H2O

BIOLOGY

BRANCHES OF BIOLOGY CELL THEORY

(a) Anthropology: Deals with the scientific study of man  Cell is the basic unit of structure of all living organisms.
and the mankind. According to the cell theory, all organism are composed
(b) Agronomy: Deals with the management of farms and of cells and cell products and growth and development
science of crop production. results from the division and differentiation of cells.
(c) Apiculture: Deals with the process of bee keeping for  Cells membrane surrounds all living cells.
commercial purposes.  Nucleus is the most important cell organelle which controls
(d) Entomology: Deals with the structure, habits and and coordinates all cell activities and also concerned
classification of insects. with the transmission of heredity characters.
(e) Eugenics: Deals with improving the human race.  Mitochondria, ribosomes, lysosomes and dictyosomes are
(f) Pathology: Deals with the nature of disease, their present in plant and animal cells.
causes, symptoms, effects, their cure and control.  Only plant cells have cell wall, chloroplast and vacuole.
(g) Physiotherapy: Deals with the treatment of diseases,  Viruses constitute a difficulty since in many ways they
body weakness or defects with the help of massage and are intermediate between living and dead matter.
exercise etc.  The cell is said to be made up of a substance called
(h) Sericulture: Deals with the production of raw silk Protoplasm which has two main constituents cytoplasm
from silkworm. and nucleus, and is bounded by a cell membrane on outside.
(i) Pharmacology: Deals with the knowledge and  Cells take up the raw materials for metabolism through
manufacture of drugs. the cell membrane from extracellular fluid surrounding
(j) Occupational therapy: Deals with treating the them.
physically handicapped or injured persons through  Cytoplasm inside is responsible for maintaining the
exercise etc. internal distribution of organelles and also for free cell
(k) Psychology: Deals with the study of human mind, its movements.
behaviour and mental qualities.  Mitochondria inside provides energy for reactions inside
(l) DNA finger printing: Technique to help identify a the cell. Ribosomes are responsible for the synthesis of
person on the basis of genes. proteins.
 The Endoplasmic Reticulum helps in addition of other
ANIMALS/PLANTS sugar units to proteins and their transportation to other
parts of the cell.
 The organisms that closely resemble one another are
placed in one group, the groups which have similarities
are combined together into larger groups, and these into
FOOD
still larger ones. The most inclusive category is kingdom.  It is a nutritive substance taken by an organism for growth,
Other major categories, in descending order are: phylum, work, repair and maintaining life processes. It provides
class, order, family, genus, and species. Man belongs to energy to do work and maintain body heat, provides
Animal kingdom, chordata division or phylum, Mammalia materials for the growth of the body, makes necessary
class, Primates order, Hominidae family, Homo genus and materials for reproduction and provides materials for the
Sapiens species. repair of damaged cells and tissues of our body.
 53

 Carbohydrates: For a normal person, 400 to 500 gms of  Minerals: Some of the important minerals needed by our
carbohydrates are required daily but for sportspersons, body are — iron, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, sodium,
growing children and nursing mothers, it is on higher potassium, zinc, copper, magnesium, chloride, fluoride
side. and sulphur.
 Proteins: They are complex organic compounds made up  We get most of the minerals in combined form from plant
of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. The building sources. Deficiency of these minerals causes many diseases.
blocks of Protein are Amino acids and there are large  Energy Requirements: The energy requirement of a body
number of amino acids.
varies according to age, sex, lifestyle, occupation, climate
 Proteins are essential for the growth of children and and special situations like pregnancy and lactation.
teenagers, and for maintenance and making good the wear
and tear of the body tissues in adults. Age Energy requirements
 An adult needs about 1 gm of protein per kg of body 5 years 6000 kJ per day
weight. 11 years 9000 kJ per day
 Fats: They are esters of long chain fatty acids and an 18 years 11000 kJ per day
alcohol called glycerol. Fats also contain atoms of carbon, Adult (normal work) 9600 kJ per day
hydrogen and oxygen. Adult (heavy work) 12000 kJ per day
 The main function of fats in the body is to provide a Adult (very heavy work) 16000 kJ per day
steady source of energy and for this purpose, they are
deposited within the body.  Vitamins: They act as catalysts in certain chemical
 One gm of fat gives 37 kilojoules of energy which is more reactions of metabolism in our body.
than double of that given by carbohydrates.  They don't provide energy to our body nor form body
 Fats, the richest source of energy to our body, can be tissues.
stored in the body for subsequent use. Fats, soluble in  More than 15 types of vitamins are known and only 2
organic solvents and insoluble in water, also supply fat- vitamins — D and K can be formed in our body.
soluble vitamins to our body.

Vitamin Necessity Source

Vitamin A For maintaining healthy eyesight, Cod liver oil, fish, eggs, milk,
normal skin and hair carrot, leafy vegetables.
Vitamin B 1 For growth, carbohydrate metabolism, Milk, soya-food, meat, whole
functioning of heart, nerves and muscles. cereals, green vegetables.
Vitamin C For keeping teeth, gums and joints healthy, for Citrus fruits, guava, tomatoes.
increasing resistance of body to infection
Vitamin D For normal growth of bones and teeth Milk, eggs, butter, cod liver oil, sun light.
Vitamin E For normal reproduction, functioning of Green leafy vegetables, milk,
muscles and protection of liver butter, tomato.
Vitamin K For normal clotting of blood and normal functioning of liver Green leafy vegetables, soyabean, tomato.

 Roughage: Though it does not provide any energy to the DEFICIENCY DISEASES
body, yet keeps the digestive system in order, by helping  These occur due to deficiency of some nutrients in the
in retaining water in the body and preserving constitution. diet or some hormone due to hypo activity or damage to
 The main source of roughage are salads, cabbage, corn endocrine glands.
cob, porridge, vegetables and fruits with stems. Diet Deficiency Disease
Protein Kwashiorkor
DISEASES Protein-energy Marasmus
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES malnutrition
Vitamin A Night-blindness,
 They are the diseases which can be transmitted from
Xerophthalmia
reservoirs of infection or infected person to the healthy
Vitamin B1 Beri-Beri
but susceptible persons.
Vitamin B2 Cheilosis
 The disease causing agent or the pathogen can be
Vitamin B5 Pellagra
transmitted directly or indirectly.
Vitamin C Scurvy
 54

Vitamin D Rickets (in children), Measles 10 days Droplet infection

(in adult) Osteomalacia Mumps 12-26 days Droplet infection
Vitamin K Hypothrombinemia Rabies 1-3 months Bite of rabied animal like
dogs, monkeys, cats
Iron Anaemia
Influenza 24-28 hours Air-borne
Iodine Goitre
Fluoride Dental caries DISEASES CAUSED BY PROTOZOA
Calcium and Affects formation  Amoebiasis (Amoebic dysentery), Malaria, Kala-azar,
phosphorus of bones and teeth Trypanosomiasis and Giardiasis are main diseases caused
Hormone Deficiency Disease by Protozoans.
Insulin Diabetes  Malaria is a parasitic infection.
Thyroxine Cretinism (child), Goitre
STH Dwarfism, Gigantism SYSTEM OF HUMAN BODY
ALLERGIC DISEASE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
 In these diseases, body becomes hypersensitive to some  The digestive system consists of alimentary canal and
foreign agents, allergens, which cause inflammation when digestive glands. Alimentary canal is about 8-10 meters
come in contact with the body or enter inside the body. long tube of varying diameter. Food is taken in through
 Foreign agents can be dust, pollens, certain-foods, serum, mouth.
certain drugs or fabrics.  The tongue helps in ingestion, chewing, tasting and
 The unfavourable response of the body to allergens is swallowing of food and mixing of food and saliva.
called allergic reaction. Asthma and hay fever are allergic  Salivary glands secret saliva which helps in digestion of
diseases. starch. Gastric glands present in the mucosa of the stomach,
provide acidic medium for the food digestion.
BACTERIAL DISEASES
 Liver, the largest sized, reddish brown gland of body,
 Bacteria are minute organisms which are known to cause
secrets bile. Liver is present in the right upper part of the
a number of diseases:
abdomen. The bile secreted by the liver is stored in gall
Disease Incubation Spread bladder. It helps in the emulsification and digestion of
period through fats.
Tuberculosis 2-10 weeks Air-borne,droplet  Pancreas is the second largest gland in human body and
infection secretes pancreatic juices. Intestine also secret juices.
Diptheria 2-6 days Air-borne droplet
infection RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Cholera 6 hours to Contaminated food and  Oxygen is needed for the oxidation and expelling of
2-3 days water. House flies carbon dioxide is necessary to avoid its-accumulation.
are the vectors
This process of exchange of gases between the environment
Leprosy Upto 5 years Prolonged and
intimate contact and the body, is called respiration.
Whopping 7-14 days Droplet infection  In some unicellular organisms like aerobic bacteria,
cough amoeba, hydra, etc. there is direct exchange of gases
Tetanus 3-21 days Entry of cysts through between the carbon dioxide of the body and oxygen of
any wound made by water.
sharp object, dog bite
or fall on the road  There is no blood for transport of gases. However, in
Typhoid 1-3 weeks Directed and Contact larger and complex form of animals, specialised respiratory
Plague 2-6 days Rats and bed-bugs organs are developed.
transmit the germs  Amphibians respire through skin, fishes through gills and
Pneumonia 1-3 days Air-borne mammals, birds and reptiles through lungs.
 A normal adult inspires or expires about 500 ml of gas
VIRAL DISEASES with each breath and about 72 breathes per minutes.
Disease Incubation Spread
period through
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
 Main components of the circulatory system are heart,
Chicken-pox 12-20 days Direct contact with
infected persons or blood vessels and blood.
infected objects  Heart is a thick, muscular, contractile and automatic
Smallpox 12 days Droplet infection pumping organ. In birds and mammals, heart is divided
Poliomyalitis 7-14 days Direct and oral into four chambers.
 55

 Arteries are thick walled blood vessels which always carry  Bones contain organic as well as inorganic matters. With
the blood away from the heart to various body parts. advancing age, the inorganic matter's share increases,
 Veins are thin walled blood vessels which always carry causing the bones to become more brittle.
the blood from various parts generally to the heart.  Long bones such as humerus and femur are hollow while
 In an adult healthy person, the normal rate of heart beat small bones are solid.
at rest is about 70-72 times per minute.
EXCRETORY SYSTEM
BLOOD  In men, excretory system is formed of one pair of kidneys,
 It is red, opaque, somewhat sticky and viscous fluid in the one pair of ureters, a urinary bladder and a urethra. Kidney
body of animals. is about 10 cm long, bean shaped, dark-red and slightly
 It is slightly alkaline (pH = 7.4), heavier than water (sp flattened structure.
gr = 1.05) and five times more viscous than distilled  Sweet glands, oil glands, lungs and liver also act as
water. additional excretory organ.
 Blood forms 6 to 10% of the body weight.  In case of kidney failure, a man can treated by hemodialysis
 An adult, on average, has about 6.8 litres of blood. or transplantation of a kidney from a donor's body.
 Blood contains plasma and blood corpuscles with the
former occupying 55-60% of the volume. NERVOUS SYSTEM
 Plasma transports food components, metabolic wastes and  The system which controls and coordinates the body
hormones; keeps constant level of pH of blood, maintains functions, retains memory and receives and sends signals,
body temperature and helps in blood clotting. is called the nervous system.
 Erythrocytes or red blood corpuscles (RBCs), leukocytes  The nervous system comprises brain, spinal cord, nerves
or white blood corpuscles (WBCs) and blood platelets are and nerve fibres.
other parts of the blood.  Human brain weighs about 1200 to 1400 gm. Main parts
 Due to the presence of iron containing pigment of the brain are cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla
haemoglobin, RBCs are red in colour. The RBCs are oblongata.
crucial for ex-change of oxygen and carbon dioxide. WBCs  Cerebrum controls voluntary function and is site of
are nucleated and non-pigmented cells. They are larger in intelligence, will power, emotions, etc.
size than RBCs but far less in number (1 : 600).  Cerebellum controls involuntary functions like heart beat,
 WBCs play an important role in immune system of the respiration, etc.
body. Blood platelets cause the coagulation of blood and
 Spinal cord is about 45 cm long and about 35 gm in
clot formation to prevent excessive bleeding.
weight. It conducts impulses to and from the brain and
 Human blood is divided into four main Groups—A, B, controls reflex actions of the body.
AB and O.
 Various cranial (arising from ending into brain) and spinal
 The plasma of Group A blood contains an anti-B factor
nerves (arising from spinal cord) control smell, vision,
and vice-versa, so that people of Groups A and B cannot
movements of body parts, taste and hearing.
accept each other's blood.
 Group AB contains neither anti-A nor anti-B factor and REPRODUCTION SYSTEM
people with this group can receive transfusions from both  In this type of reproduction, there is formation and fusion
but can give to neither. of sex cells, called gametes.
 Group O contains both anti-A and anti-B and can receive  Organism develops from the zygote through embryo
blood only from Group O but can donate blood to all formation.
Groups. Group O is called universal donor because they
 It generally involves two parents — male and female.
can donate to all the Groups.
 The offsprings are different from the parent as variations
 Group AB is called universal acceptor because they can
appear due to new combinations of genes. So, it plays an
accept blood from all Groups.
important role in evolution.
SKELETON SYSTEM  All higher plants and animals reproduce sexually.
 The frame or the hard structure of the human body is
composed from the bones and the organs of making such CHROMOSOMES
frame are called skeleton system.  Plants and animals have fixed number of chromosomes
per cell.
Bones  Genes are located on chromosomes and are responsible
 Bone is the hardest tissue of the body and form the largest for transfer of characteristics from one cell to the next
section of the body weight. either in the same organism or from parents to offspring.
 56

 Man has 23 pairs of chromosomes, of which one pair is  Every individual has his own pattern, so that fingerprinting
sex chromosomes. can match blood to a particular person, and patterns are
 Males child inherits X chromosomes from the female inherited from parent to child, allowing the method to
parent and Y from the male parent. identify relationships between individuals.
 Female child receives a X chromosome each from either IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION
of its parents.
 When a sperm and an egg are made to fertilize outside a
 Mendel was the first scientist to explain transmission of living body (usually a test tube), it is called in-vitro
units from reproductive cells of the parents to the off- fertilization.
springs.
 This process has been used to impregnate several females
CLONING who could not do so through natural means.
 It is the process of producing genetically identical copies
of a biological material, starting from a single cell. The Diseases and the Parts of Body they Affect
original genes are transplanted and thus one can produce AIDS—Immune system of Gout—Joints of bone
organisms of known and desirable characteristics. body Jaundice—Liver
Arthritis—Inflammation of Meningitis—Brain or spinal
GENETIC ENGINEERING joints cord
 It is the method of artificial synthesis of new genes and Asthma—Lungs Pleurisy—Pleura (inflamma-
their subsequent transplantation or methods of correcting Cataract—Eyes tion of)
the defective genes. Polio—motor neurons
Conjunctivitis—Eyes
 It has helped in producing plants and animals with specific Pneumonia—Lungs
Diabetes—Pancreas
characters. Pyorrhoea—Sockets of teeth
Diphtheria—Throat
 So, crippling hereditary diseases can also be cured like Tuberculosis—Lungs
Glaucoma—Eyes Typhoid—Intestine
hemophilia etc.
Eczema—Skin Malaria—Spleen
DNA FINGERPRINTING Goitre—Front of the neck Leukaemia—Blood
 It consists of examining repetitive DNA in the genome for (due to enlargement of Rickets—Bones
variations in the length of restriction fragments. thyroid gland)

SPACE RESEARCH
First in Space
 First creator of rules regarding space research Isaac Newton
 First artificial satellite launched in space Sputnik-1 (1957)
 First living being sent in space Louika (a dog)
 Firstever manned spacecraft Vostok-I
 First man in space Yuri Gagarin U.S.S.R. (1961)
 First woman in space Valentina Tereshkova U.S.S.R. (June 1963)
 First man who moved in space out of the spacecraft Alexi Livonov U.S.S.R. (June 1965)
 First person to land on moon Neil Armstrong, America (21st July, 1969)
 First fourwheeled carriage without human Leunokhev-I U.S.S.R. (1970)
being on moon
 First space lab in orbit Skylab (America, 1973)
 First space shuttle Columbia (America, 1981)
 First Indian (man) in space Squadron leader—Rakesh Sharma
(13th April, 1984)
 First Indian (Woman) in space Kalpana Chawla (19th Nov., 1997)
 First American woman in space Sailyride (1983)
 First spacecraft on Mars Pathfinder (6 July, 1997)
 First woman who lead spacecraft Allin Collis (America)
 First spacecraft without man Shenzoo, China (20th Nov. 1999)
 57

Indian Space Programme : At a Glance

Satellite Date Type Launch Vehicle Result
Aryabhatta 19-04-75 Scientific Cosmos successful
Bhaskara I 07-06-79 Geosurvey Cosmos successful
Rohini 10-08-79 Geosurvey S.L.V.3 unsuccessful
Rohini D-1 18-07-80 Geosurvey S.L.V.3 successful
Rohini 31-05-81 Scientific S.L.V.3 successful
Apple 19-06-81 Communication Ariane successful
Bhaskara II 20-11-81 Geosurvey Cosonos successful
INSAT-1A 10-04-82 Multipurpose Delta unsuccessful
Rohini 17-04-83 Scientific S.L.V.3 successful
INSAT-1B 30-08-83 Multipurpose Space Shuttle successful
SROSS I 24-03-87 Technical ASLV-D1 unsuccessful
IRS-1A 17-03-88 Remote sensing Vostok successful
SROSS II 17-07-88 Technical ASLV-D2 unsuccessful
INSAT-1C 21-07-88 Multipurpose Ariane-4 unsuccessful
INSAT-1D 12-06-90 Multipurpose Delta successful
IRS-1B 29-08-91 Remote sensing Vostok successful
INSAT-2A 10-07-92 Multipurpose Ariane successful
IRS-ID 29-09-97 Remote sensing PSLV successful
INSAT-3B 22-03-2000 Multipurpose Ariane successful
G-SAT-1 18-04-2001 Multipurpose GSLV-D successful
MAT SAT 12-09-2002 Meteorology PSLVC-4 successful
INSAT-3E 28-09-2003 Communication Ariane-5 successful
Cartosat-1 & hamsat 05-05-2005 Maping and Communication PSLV-C6 successful
CARTOSAT-2 10-01-2007 Communication PSLV-C7 successful
Cartosat-2A 28-04-2008 Communication PSLV-C9 successful
Chandrayaan-I 22-10-2008 Maping and Scientific PSLV-C11 successful
Oceansat-2 24-09-2009 Remote Sensing PSLV-C14 successful
CARTOSAT-2B 12-07-2010 Communication PSLV-C15 successful
RESOURCESAT-2 20-04-2011 Remote Sensing PSLV-C16 successful
GSAT-12 15-07-2011 Communication PSLV-C17 successful
Megha-Tropiques 12-10-2011 Maping and Scientific PSLV-C18 successful
RISAT-1 26-04-2012 Remote Sensing PSLV-C19 successful
Spot-6 09-09-2012 Remote Sensing PSLV-C21 successful
Saral 25-02-2013 Scientific PSLV-C20 successful
GSAT-7 30-08-2013 Defence Ariane-5 successful
MOM 5-11-2013 Mapping PSLV-C25 successful
GSAT-14 05-01-2014 Communication GSLV-D5 successful
IRNSS-1B 04-04-2014 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C24 successful
Spot-7 30-06-2014 Remote Sensing PSLV-C23 successful
GSAT-16 07-12-2014 Communication Ariane-5 successful
IRNSS-1D 28-03-2015 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C27 successful
GSAT-6 27-08-2015 Communication GSLV-D6 successful
Astrosat 28-09-2015 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C30 successful
GSAT-15 11-11-2015 Communication Ariane-5 successful
TELEOS-1 16-12-2015 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C29 successful
IRNSS-1E 20-01-2016 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C31 successful
IRNSS-1F 10-03-2016 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C32 successful
IRNSS-1G 28-04-2016 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C33 successful
Cartosat-2 & others 22-06-2016 Mapping and Scientific PSLV-C34 successful
 58

Satellite Date Type Launch Vehicle Result

insat-3DR 08-09-2016 Meteorology GSLV-F05 successful
Scatsat-1 & others 26-09-2016 Multipurpose PSLV-C35 successful
RESOURCESAT-2A 07-12-2016 Remote Sensing PSLV-C36 successful
CARTOSAT-2 & 103 others 15-02-2017 Multipurpose PSLV-C37 successful
GSAT-9 06-05-2017 Communication GSLV MK-II successful
GSAT-19 05-06-2017 Communication GSLV MK-III-D1 successful
CARTOSAT-2E 23-06-2017 Earth observation Satellite PSLV-C38 successful
GSAT-17 29-06-2017 Earth observation Satellite Ariane-5 ECA successful
Cartosat-2F & others 12-01-2018 Multipurpose PSLV-C40 successful
GSAT-6A 29-03-2018 Communication GSLV-F08 successful
GSAT-7A 19-12-2018 Military Satellite GSLV-MK-II-F11 successful
Chandrayaan-2 22-07-2019 Lunar Exploration GSLV MK-III M01 —
Cartosat-3 27-11-2019 Earth Imagine Satellite PSLV-C47 successful
GSAT-30 17-01-2020 Communication Ariane-5 successful
EOS-01 07-11-2020 Earth Observation PSLV-C49 successful
Amezonia & 19 others 28-02-2021 Communication PSLV-C51 successful
EOS-04 14-02-2022 Earth Observation PSLV-C52 successful

COMPUTER
 The computer is the system of that electronic device 2. Central processing unit–CPU.
through which various informations are processed on the 3. External Memory unit.
basis of a definite set of instructions called program and 4. Output unit.
mathematical (numerical) and non-mathematical both types  The CPU of the computer is called brain of the computer
of informations are processed. and sometimes CPU is also called Micro Processor of the
 The first mechanical computer was composed or fabricated computer.
by Blaise Pascal in 1642 and it is called Pascalene.  The data is entered through the input unit in the computer
 But in 1833, Charles Babbage first time conceived an and through the central processing unit with the help of
automatic calculator or computer. External Memory Unit datas are arranged and processed.
 Charles Babbage is called the father of modern computer.  Ultimately by the output unit these datas or informations
 Herman made an electronic tabulating machine based on are issued or released.
punch cards which operates automatically.
PARTS OF COMPUTER
 In 1937, first mechanical computer Mark-I was fabricated  Monitor : The monitor of the computer is like a television
by Howard Akeen. in which the picture appears in the form of doted points
 The most outstanding contribution in the development of on the screen and these are called pixels.
modern computer goes to John Wan Newmaan who  Hard Disc and Floppy Disc : The Hard Disc is the
brought the 2nd revolution in the area of computer in permanent disc in the computers while the Floppy Disc
1951. is the disc utilised when datas or informations are to be
 He discovered EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable transferred from one computer to another.
Automatic Computer) and utilised the stored program and  Mouse : The mouse of the computer is like the remote
the binary number system in the computer. control of TV through which computer is directly regulated
or controlled without utilising the key-board.
FUNCTIONS OF COMPUTER
 Printer : The printer is a device which prints any documents
 1. Collection and composition (input) of datas; or processed informations of the computer.
2. Storage of datas.
3. Processing of datas. SOME HIGH LEVEL LANGUAGES
4. Retrieval or output of the proccessed informations and 1. FORTRAN : This language was developed for solving
datas. the mathematical formulae very quickly and
conveniently.
UNITS OF COMPUTER 2. COBOL : This language was developed for the
1. Input unit. commerical purposes. For the processing of this
 59

language a group of sentences is selected called  By WAN all the comptuers of a large area are connected
paragraph and all paragraphs composed are called a like the computers of all the offices of a city or town etc.
section, while all sections composed are called a  In India a very large computer network namely INDONET
division. has been installing through which all the main towns and
3. BASIC : In basic a definite part of the prescribed cities has to be interlinked.
instruction is only inserted in the computer.
COMPUTER TERMINOLOGY
4. ALGOL : This was basically fabricated and designed
for the complex algebraic calculations.  Bit : The bit is a unit of measurement of the electronic
data. One bit is either 0 or 1 but not both. On composing
5. PASCAL : It is an amplified and modified form of
8 bits, 1 byte is formed.
ALGOL.
 Bug : The Bug is the error in the computer program or
6. COMAL : This computer language is used for the
system and its eradication is called Debug.
students of secondary level.
 Byte : Total eight bits compose a byte. Thus 8 bits = 1
7. LOGO : This language is used for children and kids
byte.
for drawing Graphic line diagrams.
 CD-ROM : A CD like of music CD in which data can be
8. PROLOG : This language is developed in 1973 in stored substantially called CD-ROM. In a CD with
France and is used for Artificial Intelligence which is comparison to floppy extremely more datas can be stored
capable and equivalent to the logical program. but one problem in it is that one time recorded data can
9. FORTH : This language was invented by Charles not be deleted or modified.
Mure which is frequently used in all types of the  Chip : It is a thin slice on which by a special mechanism
works in the computer. a circuit is designed which is normally made from Silicon.
COMPUTER VIRUS  Memory System : The place where computer data and
program are temporarily kept is called Memory system.
 The computer virus is an electronic code which is used
Usually memory is implied from RAM.
to abolish or erradicate the inclusive informations or
programs of the computer.  Modem : The device which converts digital signals into
analogue signals and vice-versa is called Modem.
 Some important computer viruses are Micheleanjalo, Dork
Avangor, kilo, filip, Macmug, Scores, Casecade, Jeruslem,  RAM : It is Random Access Memory (a place) where
Date crime, Coloumbs crime, Internet virus, Pachcom, datas to be processed are kept temporarily and it is unstable
memory.
Pach EXE, COM-EXE, Marizuana, C-brain, bloody,
Chenge Mungu and Desi etc.  ROM : It is Read Only Memory and it is stable or Non-
valatile memory which doesn't ended after power off.
COMPUTER NETWORKING  Scanner : It is a device through which graphic image is
 There are two types of networkings which are usually transformed to digital image and the scanners are of
occur—Local Area Networking (LAN) and Wide Area usually two types one desktop and another hand operating.
Networking (WAN).
PROGRAMING
 Computers perform phenomenal feats of calculation, but
they do not do so in a complicated way.
 They actually carry out very simple operations, such as
addition and subtraction.
 They achieve their fantastic computing power by carrying
out these operations at incredible speed.
 The programme, or set of instructions for operating the
computer, is therefore written as a sequence of very simple
steps.
Several computer languages have been developed for
different applications, including BASIC, COBOL,
FORTRAN and PASCAL. Writing programmes is very
 By LAN all the computers of the same buildings are skilled and time-consuming work.
connected like the computers of university premises,  But for most typical computer applications ready-written
computers of offices etc. programmes are available, called “packages”.

  
60 General Knowledge & General Awareness

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
FIRST IN THE WORLD
 First Chinese visitor to India Fahien
 First foreign invader of India Alexander, the Great (Greek)
 First person to climb Mt. Everest Tenzing Norgay (India) and Edmund Hillary (New
Zealand) (1953)
 First atom bomb dropped at Hiroshima (Japan)
 First man in the space Yuri Gagarin (former USSR)
 First woman in the space Valentina Tereshkova (former USSR)
 First person to walk in the space Alexei Leonov (former USSR)
 First person to land on the moon Neil Armstrong (USA)
 First and the only woman to have Santosh Yadav (Indian; May 12, 1992; May
climbed Mt. Everest twice 10, 1993)
 First person on Mt. Everest without oxygen Phu Dorjee (Indian; May 9, 1984)
 First person to climb Mt. Everest twice Nawang Gombu
 First person to climb Mt. Everest Chhewang Nima Sherpa (19 times)
maximum times
 First President of the USA George Washington
 First woman Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka)
 First person to swim across Mathew Webb
English Channel
 First woman to swim across English Channel Gertrude Caroline Ederle
 First woman to climb Mt. Everest Junko Tabei (Japan)
 First woman to climb Mt. Everest Alison Hargreaves (Briton: May 13, 1995)
alone and without oxygen supplies
 First Aeroplane to fly around the Voyager (Dec. 1986)
world without refuelling
 First test-tube Baby Louise Brown (UK; 1978)
 First all-talking Film Jaz Singer (1927)
 First Secretary-General of the UN Trygve Lie (Norway: 1946-53)
 First woman President of the UN Vijayalakshmi Pandit (India: 1953)
General Assembly
 First woman to reach North Pole Ann Bancroft (1986)
 First person to reach North Pole Robert Peary
 First person to reach South Pole Amundsen (1911)
 First woman to command Spacecraft in Space Ellin Collins

SUPERLATIVES (WORLD)
(The Largest, Biggest, Smallest, Longest, Highest)

Airport Largest King Fahd International Airport, Dammam (Saudi Arabia)

Animal, Tallest Giraffe (Average height 6.09 m)
Largest and Heaviest Blue Whale (190 tonnes)
Longest recorded Boot lace Worm (55 m)
Fastest Cheetah (Approximately 100 km/hr)
60
 61

Bay, With max. shore line Hudson Bay (Canada: 12268 km)
With maximum area Bay of Bengal (India: 217 million hc)
Bridge, Highest Sidu River Bridge (China: 1627 ft)
Building, Tallest Burj Khalifa (Dubai, 818 meter)
Canal, Big ship (longest) Suez Canal (160 km)
Busiest Kiel Canal (North Sea)
Canyon/Gorge, Deepest Hells Canyon, Snake River (Idaho : 7900 ft)
Largest Grand Canyon (Colarado River; USA; 446 km)
Church, Largest Basilica of St. Peter (Vatican City Rome-- Area 23000 sq.m.)
City, Largest in Area Jiuquan Gansu, China (Area 1,67,996 Sq km)
Continent, biggest Asia (30,928,605 km2)
Smallest Australia Mainland (Area 8,426,635 km 2)
Country, Largest in Population China (over 138.5 crore)
Largest in Area Russia (17,075,000 sq. km)
With largest electorate India (over 90 crores)
Smallest independent State of Vatican City (109 acre)
With most land frontiers China (16)
Dam, Largest (concrete) Grand Coulee Dam (1272 m on Columbia River (Washington State,
USA)
Highest Jinping-I (305 m)
Delta, Largest Sundarban’s Ganga-Brahmaputra delta (1,05,000 sq. km)
Desert, Largest Sahara (N. Africa; maximum length 5,150 km EW; maximum width
3,200 km NS)
Diamond, Largest The Cullinan (3106 carats)
Dome, Largest Singapore National Stadium (310 m)
Epic, Longest Mahabharata
Fish, Largest fresh water Plabeuk (China, Laos and Thailand)
Most abundant Bristle mouth
Most venomous Stone Fish (Indo-Pacific Waters)
Film, Most Oscars Ben Hur (11 Oscars–1959); Titanic (11 Oscars–1998); The Lord of
Rings : The Return of the King (11 Oscars—2003).
Fountain, Tallest King Fahd's Fountain (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Fruit, Most nutritive Avocado (Vitamins A, C, E and Proteins; Central and South America)
Least nutritive Cucumber
Goldmine, Largest in area Grasberg Mines (Fapua, Indonesia)
Gulf, Largest Gulf of Mexico (1,544,000 sq. km)
Hotel, Tallest JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai (355 meter, 77 Floor)
Largest (with most rooms) Hotel Rossiya (Moscow; Russia; 12 storey; 3,200 rooms)
Island, Biggest Greenland (now known as Kalaatdlit Nunaat---2,175,000 sq km)
Lake, Largest Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran border: 37.18 lakh km 2)
Deepest Baikal (Siberia)
Largest (fresh water) Superior Lake (USA---Canada border: 82,350 km 2)
Library, Biggest United States Library of Congress (Washington D.C. founded in
1800, contains 101 million items)
Biggest non-statutory New York Public Library
Mountain, Highest peak Mt. Everest (8848 m; Nepal)
Highest range Himalayas, Asia (upto 4200 m)
Greatest mountain range Himalaya-Karakoram (96 out of 109 peaks over 7315 m are here)
 62

Museum, Largest American Museum of Natural History, New York

Ocean, Largest and Deepest The Pacific (Area: 166,240,000 km2; Depth: 10,924 m)
Peninsula, Largest Arabia (3.25 million sq. km)
Park, Largest National Park of North-Eastern, Greenland (972000 km 2)
Places, Coldest (annual mean) Polus Nedostupnosti (Antarctica ---58oC)
Driest (annual mean) Desierto de Atacame (near Calama; Chile; rainfall nil)
Hottest (annual mean) Dallol (Ethiopia; 34.4oC mean temperature)
Rainiest (annual mean) Mowsyrnam near Cherapunji (Meghalaya; India; 11873 mm)
Windiest The Commonwealth Bay (Gales reach 320 km/ph)
Planet, Biggest Jupiter (equatorial diameter 142984 km)
Brightest, hottest and Venus
nearest to Earth
Nearest to Sun Mercury
Most satellites Saturn (82)
Plateau, Highest Tibetan Plateau (Central Asia: 4900 m)
Platform, Longest (rail) Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh; India, 1355.4 m. long)
Port, Largest Port of New York and New Jersey (USA)
Port, Busiest Rotterdam (Netherlands)
Railway Line, Longest Trans-Siberian Railway (Moscow-Nakhodka: 9438 km)
Railway Station, Largest Grand Central Terminal (New York City; 19 hc)
Highest Condor (Bolivia; 4786 m)
Religion, Oldest Hinduism
Religion, Largest Christianity
Rivers, Longest (i) Nile (6650 km) (ii) Amazon (6437 km)
Road, Longest Pan American Highway (from Alaska-Brasila: 24140 km)
Sea, Largest South China Sea (2,974,600 sq. km)
Largest (inland) Mediterranean
Stadium, Largest Strahov stadium at Prague (Czechoslovakia 240,000 spectators)
Star, Brightest Sirius A (also called Dog Star)
Swimming Longest English Channel
Telescope, Largest (radio) Five Hundred meter Apertune Spherical Telescope (FAST), China.
Largest (solar) Kitt Peak National Observatory, (Arizona; USA)
Largest refractor At Yerkes observatory (Wisconsin; USA; 18.9 m)
Temple, Largest Angkor Wat (Cambodia: 402 acres)
Tower, Tallest Tokyo Sky Tree (634 m.)
Train, Fastest Japan’s magnetically levitated (magler) train (Speed over 500
km/hr)
Tunnel, Longest (railway) Gotthard Base Rail Tunnel (Switzerland; 57.1 km)
Largest (road) Laerdal, Norway (24.51 km)
Volcano Greatest concentration in Indonesia
Highest (extinct) Cerro Aconcagua (6960 m; Andes)
Highest (dormant) Volcan Llullaillaco (6723 m; Argentina-Chile)
Highest (active) Ojos del Salado (Chile-Argentina)
Waterfall, Highest Salto-Angel (in Venezuela on a branch of river Carrao, depth 807 m.)
Largest Khone Falls (Laos; width 10.8 km)
Zoo, Largest Etosha Reserve (Namibia; area 10 million hc approx.).
 63

CAPITAL & CURRENCIES

Country Capital Currency Country Capital Currency

 Afghanistan Kabul Afghani  Iceland Reykjavik Krona
 Albania Tirana Lek  India New Delhi Rupee
 Algeria Algiers Dinar  Indonesia Jakarta Rupiah
 Angola Luanda New Kwanza  Iran Teheran Rial
 Argentina Buenos Aires Peso  Iraq Baghdad Dinar
 Armenia Yeravan Dram  Ireland Dublin Euro
 Australia Canberra Dollar  Israel Jerusalem Shekel
 Austria Vienna Euro  Italy Rome Euro
 Azerbaijan Baku Manat  Jamaica Kingston Dollar
 Bahrain Manama Dinar  Japan Tokyo Yen
 Bangladesh Dhaka Taka  Jordan Amman Dinar
 Barbados Bridgetown Dollar  Kazakhstan Akmola Tenge
 Belarus Minsk Ruble  Kenya Nairobi Shilling
 Belgium Brussels Euro  Korea (S) Seoul Won
 Benin Porto Novo Franc  Korea (N) Pyongyang Won
 Bhutan Thimphu Ngultrum 1  Kyrgyzstan Bishkek Som
 Bolivia La paz Dollar  Kuwait Kuwait City Dinar
 Botswana Gaborone Pula  Laos Vientiane Kip
 Brazil Brasilia Real  Latvia Riga Euro
 Bosnia Sarajevo Dinar  Lebanon Beirut Pound
Herzegovina  Liberia Monrovia Dollar
 Bulgaria Sofia Lev  Libya Tripoli Dinar
 Cambodia Phnom-Penh Riel  Lithuania Vilnius Litas
 Canada Ottawa Dollar  Luxembourg Luxembourg Euro
 Chile Santiago Peso  Macedonia Skopje Dinar
 China Beijing Yuan  Malawi Lilongwe Kwacha
 Colombia Bogota Peso
 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Ringgit
 Congo Brazzaville Franc
 Maldives Male Rufiyaa
 Croatia Zagreb Kuna
 Mali Bamako Franc
 Cuba Havana Peso
 Mauritius Port Louis Rupee
 Cyprus Nicosia Euro
 Mexico Mexico City Peso
 Czech Prague Koruna
 Moldavia Chisinau Leu
Republic
 Mongolia Ulan Bator Tugrik
 Denmark Copenhagen Krone
 Morocco Rabat Dirham
 Ecuador Quito Sucre
 Mozambique Maputo Metical
 Egypt Cairo Pound
 Myanmar Nay Pyi Taw Kyat
 Estonia Tallinn Euro
 Namibia Winohoek Dollar
 Ethiopia Addis Ababa Birr
 Nepal Kathmandu Rupee
 Fiji Suva Dollar
 Netherlands Amsterdam Euro
 Finland Helsinki Euro
 France Paris Euro  New Zealand Wellington Dollar
 Georgia Tbilisi Lari  Nigeria Abuja Naira
 Germany Berlin Euro  Norway Oslo Krone
 Ghana Accra Cedi  Oman Muscat Rial
 Greece Athens Euro  Pakistan Islamabad Rupee
 Guatemala Guatemala Quetzal  Panama Panama City Balboa
City  Peru Lima New Sole
 Guyana George Town Dollar  Philippines Manila Peso
 Hungary Budapest Forint  Poland Warsaw Zloty
64

Country Capital Currency Country Capital Currency

 Portugal Lisbon Euro  Taiwan Taipei Dollar
 Qatar Doha Riyal  Tanzania Dodoma Shilling
 Romania Bucharest Leu  Thailand Bangkok Baht
 Russia Moscow Ruble  Tunisia Tunis Dinar
 Saudi Arabia Riyadh Rial  Turkey Ankara Lira
 Senegal Dakar Franc  Turkmania Ashikabad Manat
 Slovakia Bratislava Euro  Uganda Kampala Shilling
 Spain Madrid Euro  Ukraine Kiev Hyrvnia
 Sri Lanka Colombo Rupee  United Arab Abu Dhabi Dirham
 Sudan Khartoum Dinar Emirates
 U.K. London Pound Sterling
 Suriname Paramaribo Guilder
 U.S.A. Washington Dollar
 Sweden Stockholm Krona
 Uruguay Montevideo Peso
 Switzerland Berne Swiss Francs
 Uzbekistan Tashkent Som
 Syria Damascus Pound
 Venezuela Caracas Bolivar
 South Africa Capetown Rand
 Vietnam Hanoi Dong
(Legislative)  Yemen Sana’a Rial
Pretoria  Zimbabwe Harare Dollar
(Administrative)  Congo (Zaire) Kinshasa Zaire
 Tadzhikistan Dushanbe Ruble  Zambia Lusaka Kwacha

GEOGRAPHICAL EXPLORATIONS/DISCOVERIES

Place Explorer/Discoverer Nationality Year

America Christopher Columbus Italy 1492
Hawaii Islands (Sandwich Islands) Captain James Cook England 1778
Newfoundland John Cabot England 1497
New Zealand Abel Janszoon Tasman Holland 1642
North Pole Robert Peary USA 1909
Sea Route to India Vasco da Gama Portugal 1498
(via Cape of Good Hope)
South Pole Roald Amundsen Norway 1911

NATIONAL MONUMENTS OF SOME FAMOUS COUNTRIES

Monument Country Monument Country
Great Wall of China China Pyramid (Giza) Egypt
Taj Mahal (Agra) India Kinder Disk Denmark
Emperial Palace (Tokyo) Japan Leaning Tower of Pisa Italy
Opera House (Sydney) Australia Statue of Liberty (New York) USA
Eiffel Tower (Paris) France Kremlin (Moscow) Russia

INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES OF SOME PROMINENT COUNTRIES

Country Intelligence Agency
 India Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), Intelligence Bureau (I.B.), Central Bureau of Investigation (C.B.I.)
 Pakistan Inter Service Intelligence (I.S.I.)
 U.S.A. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
 Britain Military Intelligence (M.I.)-5 and 6, Special Branch, Ultra, Joint Intelligence Organisation
(2123) G.K.—9
65

 Israel Mosad
 Egypt Mukhabarat
 Japan Nicho
 Russia K.G.B. (Komitel Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosty) (Committee for State Security)
 Canada Security Intelligence Service (SIS)
 S. Africa Bureau of State Security (BSS)
 Iran Sabak
 Iraq Al-Mukhabarat
 Australia Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)
 France S.D.E.C.E.
 Spain C.E.S.I.D.

 Marathi 71.8
MAJOR LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD AND
 Urdu 69.2
THEIR SPEAKERS
 Vietnamese 68
Listing the languages spoken by approximately 1% of
humankind (those spoken by more than 60,000,000  Tamil 66.7
people), this table enumerates speakers of each tongue  Italian 64.8
as a primary language.
 Persian 61.5
Language Speakers (millions)  Malay 60.7
 Chinese 1,298.6 Source : The World Almanac 2019
 Spanish 442.4
 English 378.3 IMPORTANT NEWS AGENCIES
 Arabic 315.3
 Hindi 260.0
OF THE WORLD
 Bengali 242.7
 Portuguese 222.7 Agency Country
 Russian 153.9
PTI, UNI, UNIVARTA India
 Japanese 128.2
Antara Indonesia
 Lahnda 118.2
 Punjabi (Western) 93 Tanjug Serbia
 Javanese 84 Associated Press (AP) America
 Korean 77.2
 French 76.8 Reuters, NAFEN United Kingdom
 German 76.0 Angence France Press France
 Telugu 74.8 (AFP)
 Turkish 78.5 TASS Russia

NAME OF PARLIAMENTS OF SOME COUNTRIES

Country Name of Parliament Country Name of Parliament

Afghanistan Shora Iran Majlis (Islamic Consultative Assembly)
Argentina National Congress Israel Knesset
Australia Federal Parliament Japan Diet
Austria National Assembly Myanmar Pyithu Hluttaw (People’s Assembly)
Bangladesh Jatiya Sansad Nepal Rashtriya Panchayat
India Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha The Netherlands States-General
Bhutan Tshogdu (National Assembly) Norway Storting
Britain House of Commons and House of Lords Poland Sejm
Canada House of Commons and Senate Russia Federal Assembly (Council of the Fed-
China National People Congress eration and State Duma
Denmark Folketing South Africa National Assembly and Senate
66

Country Name of Parliament Country Name of Parliament

Spain Cortes Generales U.S.A. Congress (Senate and House of Repre-
Sweden Riksdag sentatives)

Switzerland Federal Assembly (Nationalrat and Ethiopia Federal Council and House of Repre-
Standerat) sentatives

North Korea Supreme People’s Iceland Alpingi

Assembly Bulgaria National Assembly
South Korea National Assembly Cuba National Assembly of People’s Power

LARGEST AND SMALLEST COUNTRIES (Top 5)

Largest Country Largest Country Smallest Country Smallest Country
(Area-wise) (Population-wise) (Area-wise) (Population-wise)
Russia China Vatican City Vatican City
Canada India Monaco Tuvalu
China USA Nauru Palau
United States Indonesia Tuvalu San Marino
Brazil Brazil San Marino Liechstein

RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD

Religion Member Percentage Religion Member Percentage
Christianity 2.4 billion 33.0% Buddhism 521 million 7.0%
Islam 1.7 billion 23.6% Sikhism 25 million 0.36%
Hinduism 1.01 billion 14%

NATIONAL EMBLEMS OF IMPORTANT COUNTRIES

Country National Emblem Country National Emblem
America Golden Rod Australia Kangaroo
Ireland Shamrock Italy White Lily
Israel Candelabrum Iran Rose
Canada White Lily Great Britain Rose
Chile Candor and Huemul Germany Corn Flower
Japan Chrysanthemum Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Bird
Denmark Beach Turkey Crescent and Star
The Netherlands Lion New Zealand Kiwi, Fern Southern Cross
Norway Lion Nepal Kukri
Pakistan Crescent Poland Eagle
France Lily Belgium Lion
Bangladesh Water Lily Mongolia The Soyombo
Russia Double headed eagle Lebanon Cedar Tree
Sudan Secretary Bird Syria Eagle
India Lioned Capital

FIRST IN INDIA
 The first Indian to get the Nobel Prize for Literature Rabindra Nath Tagore
 The first Indian to get the Nobel Prize for Physics C.V. Raman
 The first Indian to get the Nobel Prize for Peace Mother Teresa
 The first Indian to get the Nobel Prize for Economics Amartya Sen
 The first Indian to get Special Oscar award (1992) Satyajit Ray
 67

 The first and the last Indian Governor-General of free India C. Rajagopalachari
 The first woman to become the Governor of a State Smt. Sarojini Naidu
 The first Indian Chief of the Army Staff General K.M. Cariappa
 The first ever woman to become the Chief Minister of a State Smt. Sucheta Kripalani
 The first Indian woman President of UN General Assembly Smt. Vijaylakshmi Pandit
 The first Indian to become the President of Dr. Nagendra Singh
International Court of Justice
 The first Indian woman to swim across the Ms. Aarti Saha
English Channel
 The first Indian girl to become Miss Universe Miss Sushmita Sen
 The first Indian girl to become Miss World Rita Faria
 The first Indian to swim across the English Channel Mihir Sen
 The first Field Marshal S.H.F.J. Manekshaw
 The first Indian recipient of Victoria Cross Khudadad Khan
 The first Indian to conquer Mt. Everest Sherpa Tenzing (May 29, 1953)
 The first Indian Cosmonaut (man) Rakesh Sharma (April 3, 1984)
 The first Indian Cosmonaut (woman) Kalpana Chawla (Nov. 19, 1997)
 The first woman to climb Mt. Everest Miss Bachendri Pal (May 23, 1984)
 The first ICS Satyendranath Tagore
 The first to address the UN General Assembly in Hindi Atal Bihari Vajpayee
 The first Newspaper Bengal Gazette (Jan 27, 1780)
 The first Postage Stamp issued In 1852
 The first Telegraph line laid In 1851 (Calcutta-Diamond Harbour)
 The first Railways run April 16, 1853 (Bombay-Thane)
 The first Electric Train run 1925 (Bombay-Kurla)
 The first Atomic Power Station Tarapore (Maharashtra)
 The first passenger-cum-cargo ship made in India Harshavardhan
 The first Satellite Aryabhatta (1975)
 The first President of the Indian National Congress W.C. Banerjee
 The first President of Indian Republic Dr. Rajendra Prasad
 The first woman judge of the Supreme Court Ms Fatima Bibi
 The first to climb Everest without oxygen Phu Dorjee (1987)
 The first film (movie) Raja Harishchandra
 The first film (talkie) Alam Ara
 The first Metro Railway Calcutta Metro Railway
 The first Test-tube baby, scientifically documented Born on August 6, 1986 at
K.E.M. Hospital, Bombay
 The first TV Centre At Delhi
 The first Indian to get an Oscar Bhanu Athaiya
 The first woman pilot in IAF Ms Harita Kaur Deol
 The first woman to get Olympic Medal Karnam Malleswari
 The first woman Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer
 First Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat

SUPERLATIVES (INDIA)
Highest, Biggest, Largest and Longest in India

 Award for Gallantry, highest Param Vir Chakra

 Award, highest civilian Bharat Ratna
 Bank, with largest number of branches State Bank of India
 68

 Road Bridge, Longest Bhupen Hazarika Bridge, Assam (9.15 km)

 Road and Rail Bridge, Longest Bogibeel Bridge, Brahmaputra River, Assam
 Cattle Fair, Largest Sonepur (Bihar)
 City, Most Populous Mumbai metropolis
 Corridor, Longest Rameshwaram Temple corridor (4,000 ft.)
 Desert, Largest Thar (Rajasthan)
 Dam, Longest Hirakud Dam (Odisha)
 Delta, Largest Sunderban’s Delta
 Dome, Largest Gol Gumbaj (Bijapur)
 Dam, Highest Tehri Dam (260 m)
 Gateway, Highest Buland Darwaja at Fatehpur Sikri (176 ft.)
 Fresh Water Lake, Largest Wular Lake (Kashmir)
 Literacy, Highest Kerala (94%)
 Museum, Largest Indian Museum (Kolkata)
 Mosque, Biggest Jama Masjid (Delhi)
 Peak, Highest** K-2 (Pak-Occupied Kashmir)
 Platform, Longest At Gorakhpur, NE Railway (1335.4 mtrs)
 Railway Bridge, longest Vembanad Bridge, Kerala (4.6 km)
 River, Longest*** The Ganges (2525 Km)
 Rainfall, Highest (annual mean) Mowsynram near Cherrapunji (1178 cm)
 Road Longest Grand Trunk Road (1,500 miles)
 State, with maximum forest cover Madhya Pradesh
 State, with maximum density of population Bihar
 Telescope, Largest in Asia Vainu Bappu Telescope (at Kavalur: Chennai) 2.34m
 Tunnel, Longest (Road) Chenani-Nashri Tunnel (9.28 kms, J & K)
 Tunnel, Longest (Railway) Qazigund to Banihal (11.21 kms) Jammu & Kashmir.
 Tallest Minaret Qutub Minar (Delhi 72.5 m.)
 Waterfall, Highest Gersoppa Waterfall (Karnataka: 960 ft.)
 Zoo, Largest Zoological Gardens (Kolkata)

** Highest peak in the world is Mount Everest, which is in Nepal. K-2 is the second highest peak in the world. It is 8,611 metres high.
*** Indus and Brahmaputra (each 2900 km). Both of them, however, cover a long distance outside India .

TABLE OF PRECEDENCE
1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Prime Minister
4. Governors of States within their respective states
5. Former Presidents
5A. Deputy Prime Minister
6. Chief Justice of India, Speaker of Lok Sabha
7. Cabinet Ministers of the Union, Chief Ministers of States within their respective States
Deputy Chairman NITI Aayog, former Prime Ministers
Leaders of opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha
7A. Holders of the Bharat Ratna Decoration
8. Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and High Commissioners of Commonwealth Countries accredited
to India, Chief Ministers of States outside their respective States
9. Judges of the Supreme Court
10. Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chief Minister of States, Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha, Members of the NITI
Aayog, Minister of State of the Union and Other Minister in the Ministry of Defence.
 69

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

FOREIGN INDIAN

Book Author Book Author

 As You Like It William Shakespeare  Ain-i-Akbari Abul Fazal
 A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens  Anand Math Bankim Chandra
 Ben Hur Lewis Wallace Chatterjee
 Das Kapital Karl Marx  Arthashastra Kautilya
 David Copperfield Charles Dickens  A Suitable Boy Vikram Seth
 Hamlet William Shakespeare  Bhagwat Gita Ved Vyas
 Iliad Homer  Chidambara Sumitranandan Pant
 Inferno A. Dante  Devdas Sarat Chandra Chatterjee
 In Memoriam Lord Tennyson  Discovery of India Jawaharlal Nehru
 Ivanhoe Walter Scott  Ganadevata Tarashankar
 Julius Caesar William Shakespeare Bandopadhyaya
 Geet Govind Jaya Dev
 Lady Chatterley’s D.H. Lawrence
 Geetanjali R. N. Tagore
Lover
 Glimpses of World Jawaharlal Nehru
 Lajja Taslima Nasreen
History
 Les Miserable Victor Hugo
 Godaan Prem Chand
 Leviathan Thomas Hobbes
 Gul-e-Nagma Firaq Gorakhpuri
 Lolita V. Nobokov
 Harsh Charita Bana Bhatta
 Lycidas John Milton
 India Divided Dr. Rajendra Prasad
 Mein Kampf Adolf Hitler
 Justice of Peace Janardan Prasad Singh
 Moor’s Last Sigh Salman Rushdie
ke Aansu
 Mother Maxim Gorky
 The Judgement Kuldip Nayyar
 Mother India Katherine Mayo
 Kadambari Bana Bhatta
 Nana Emile Zola
 Kagaz Te Kanwas Amrita Pritam
 Odyssey Homer  Kamayani Jai Shankar Prasad
 Origin of Species Charles Darwin  Kitni Nawon S. H. Vatsyayan
 Othello William Shakespeare Mein Kitni Bar
 Paradise Lost John Milton  Kumar Sambhav Kalidas
 Paradise Regained John Milton  Mahabharata Ved Vyas
 Path to Power Margaret Thatcher  Malgudi Days R.K. Narayan
 Pickwick Papers Charles Dickens  Meghdoot Kalidas
 Razor’s Edge Somerset Maugham  Mritunjaya B.K. Bhattacharya
 Republic Plato  Mudrarakshasa Vishakhadatta
 The Tempest William Shakespeare  Prison Diary Jaya Prakash
 Time Machine H.G. Wells Narayan
 Tom Sawyer Mark Twain  Raghuvansha Kalidas
 Treasure Island R.L. Stevenson  Rajtarangini Kalhana
 Twelfth Night William Shakespeare  Ramayana Balmiki
 Unto This Last John Ruskin  Ramcharit Manas Tulsidas
 Utopia Thomas More  Rukh Te Rishi Harbhajan Singh
 Wealth of Nations Adam Smith  Satyarth Prakash Swami Dayanand
 Wonder that A.L. Basham  Sur Sagar Surdas
was India  The Guide R.K. Narayan

IMPORTANT DATES AND DAYS OF THE YEAR

 JANUARY 23 National Day of Patriotism

5-11 Road Safety Week 26 Republic Day
12 National Youth Day 30 Martyr's Day
15 Army Day  FEBRUARY
15-21 Pin Code Week 1-14 Oil Conservation Fortnight
70

14 Valentine's Day 6 World Habitat Day (Ist Monday)

 MARCH 8 Indian Air Force Day
4 National Safety Day 14 World Standard Day
8 International Women’s Day 15 International Day of Rural Women
15 Consumers’ Day 16 World Food Day
16 Immunisation Day 24 United Nations Day
21 World Forest Day 27 Infantry Day
28 World Thrift Day
22 World Day for Water
31 Anti-Terrorism Day
24 World Meteorological Day
1-7 Preservation of Blindness Week
 NOVEMBER
2 All Saints Day
 APRIL
14 Children’s Day
7 World Health Day
15-21 National Cooperative Week
7-13 Handloom Week
19-25 Quami Ekta Week
14-20 Fire Service Week
20 Child Rights Day
18 World Heritage Day
26 Constitution Day
22 World Earth Day
 DECEMBER
 MAY 1 World AIDS Day
1 May Day 3 World Day for the Disabled
5 National Labour Day 4 Naval Day
8 World Red Cross Day 7 Flag Day
11 National Technology Day 8 SMRC Day
15 International Day of the Family 10 Human Rights Day
17 World Telecommunication Day 14 National Energy Conservation Day
24 Commonwealth Day
31 World No-Tobacco Day INDIAN DEFENCE
 JUNE
 The Supreme Command of the Armed Forces is vested in
5 World Environment Day
the hands of the President of the Country.
21 World Yoga Day  The responsibility for national defence, however, rests with
26 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit the Cabinet. All important questions having a bearing on
Trafficking defence are decided by the Cabinet Committee on Political
 JULY Affairs, which is presided over by the Prime Minister.
11 World Population Day  The Defence Minister is responsible to Parliament for all
 AUGUST matters concerning the Defence Services.
1-7 World Breast feeding Week  All the administrative and operational control of Armed
Forces are exercised by the Ministry of Defence. The
10 Sanskrit Divas
three services—Army, Navy and Air Force function
15 Independence Day
through their respective service head-quarters headed by
20 Sadbhavana Divas the chief of Staff.
 SEPTEMBER  The post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was created in
1-7 National Nutrition Week 2019.
5 Teachers' Day
8 International Literary Day Indian Army Commands
14 Hindi Diwas Command HQ Location
23 World Deaf Day Eastern Command Kolkata
27 World Tourism Day Western Command Chandigarh
 OCTOBER Northern Command Udhampur
2 Gandhi Jayanti Southern Command Pune
International Day of Non Violence Central Command Lucknow
Anti-Leprosy Day Training Command Shimla
4 World Animal Day South-Western Command Jaipur
 71

Indian Air Force Commands Indian Navy Commands

Command HQ Location Command HQ Location
Western Air Command New Delhi Eastern Naval Command Vishakhapatnam
Sout-Western Air Command Gandhinagar Western Naval Command Mumbai
Central Air Command Allahabad Southern Naval Command Cochin
Eastern Air Command Shillong
Southern Air Command Thiruvananthapuram
Training Command Bengaluru

Commissioned Ranks in Defence Services

Army Navy Air Force
General Admiral Air Chief Marshal
Lieutenant-General Vice-Admiral Air Marshal
Major-General Rear-Admiral Air Vice-Marshal
Brigadier Commodor Air Commodor
Colonel Captain Group Captain
Lieutenant-Colonel Commander Wing Commander
Major Lt.Commander Squadron Leader
Captain Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant
Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant Flying Officer

Internal Security Organisations of India

S. No. Name of Organisation Year of Creation Headquarters

1. Assam Rifles (A.R.) 1835 Shillong
2. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 1939 New Delhi
3. Territorial Army 1948 In different States
4. Indo-Tibetan Border Police 1962 New Delhi
5. Home Guard 1962 In different States
6. Coast Guard 1978 New Delhi
7. Border Security Force (B.S.F.) 1965 New Delhi
8. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) 1969 New Delhi
9. National Security Guard 1984 New Delhi
10. Police — In different States

Army Institutes
1. Sainik Schools 33 places in India
2. Rashtriya Indian Military College Dehradun
(prepare for entrance to N.D.A.)
3. National Defence Academy (three services) Khadakwasla, Pune
4. Indian Military Academy (Army) Dehradun
5. Officers Training Academy (3 services) Short Courses Chennai
6. National Defence College New Delhi
7. The College of Combat Mhow
8. The College of Military Engineering Kirkee
9. Military College of Telecommunication Engineering Mhow
10. The Armoured Corps Centre and School Ahmed Nagar
11. The School Artillery Deolali
12. The Infantry School Mhow and Belgaum
13. College of Material Management Jabalpur
 72

Air Force Institutions

 Air Force Academy Hyderabad  Helicopter Training School Hakimpet
 Flying Instructors School Tambaram, Chennai  The College of Air Warfare Secunderabad
 Air Force Administrative College Coimbatore  Air Force Technical College Jalahalli

UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION (UNO)

 The United Nations (UN) is an association of states which 2. Security Council

have pledged themselves to maintain international peace 3. Economic and Social Council
and security and cooperate in solving international 4. Trusteeship Council
political, economic, social cultural and humanitarian 5. International Court of Justice, and
problems towards achieving this end. 6. Secretariat.
 Trygve Lie of Norway (1946-52) was the first Secretary- 1. General Assembly: It consists of representative of all
General of the UN. members of the UN. Each member country has only
 Origin: UN Charter was signed by 50 members on June one vote. It meets once a year and passes UN Budget.
26, 1945. Poland signed the charter later to become one It is the main place for discussions and policy making
of the original 51 member-states. It officially came into in the UN.
existence on October 24, 1945. 2. Security Council: It is the Executive body of the UN
 UN Charter: The Charter is the Constitution of the UNO and is mainly responsible for maintaining international
and contains its aims and objectives and rules and peace and security. It has 15 members, 5 of which
regulations for its functioning. (USA, UK, France, Russia and China) are permanent
members. The 10 non-permanent members are elected
 Aims and Objectives: They are security, welfare and
by General Assembly for two-year term and are not
human rights.
eligible for immediate re-election.
 Headquarters: New York.
3. Economic and Social Council: It has 54 members
 Flag: The flag is light blue in colour, and emblazoned in elected by General Assembly.
white, in its centre is the UN symbol—a polar map of
4. Trusteeship Council: It looks after interest of the people
world embraced by twin olive branches open at the top.
in areas not yet independent and leads them towards
 Official Languages: The official languages of the UN self-government.
are: English, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Spanish.
5. International Court of Justice: It has 15 judges, no
However, working languages are English and French only.
two of whom may be nationals of the same state. They
 Present Membership: At present 193 countries are are elected by General Assembly and Security Council
members of the UNO. South Sudan is the latest entrant to for a term of 9 years. The Court elects its President and
this world organisation. Vice-President for a 3-year term.
 Main Organs of the UNO: There are six main organs: 6. Secretariat: It is the Secretariat of the UN and is headed
1. General Assembly by the Secretary General.

Some Important UN Agencies

UN Agencies Headquarters Year of

Establishment

 United Nations Organisations (U.N.O.) New York 1945

 International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.) Washington 1945
 World Health Organisation (W.H.O.) Geneva 1948
 Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Rome 1943
 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Geneva 1919
 UNESCO Paris 1946
 Universal Postal Union (UPU) Berne 1874
 UNIDO Vienna 1967
 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Vienna 1957
(2123) G.K.—10
73

 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) New York 1965

 UNICEF New York 1946
 International Maritime Organisation (IMO) London 1948
 World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Geneva 1951
 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Geneva 1947
 World Trade Organisation (WTO) Geneva 1995
 International Development Association (IDA) Washington D.C. 1960
 World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Geneva 1967

Famous International Organisations

International Organisations Headquarters Year of

Establishment
 International Court of Justice The Hague 1945
 International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Montreal 1947
 International Finance Corporation (IFC) Washington 1956
 Arab League Cairo 1945
 Commonwealth of Nations London 1931
 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) Washington D.C. 1944
 Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) 1971
 European Economic Community (EEC) Geneva 1957
 Red Cross Geneva 1863
 Interpol Lyons 1923
 Asian Development Bank (ADB) Manila 1966
 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Brussels 1949
 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Jakarta 1967
 South Asian Association for Regional Kathmandu 1985
Cooperation (SAARC)
 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Singapore 1989
 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Paris 1961
Development (OECD)
 Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Vienna 1960
 Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Minsk 1991
 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Switzerland 1894
 European Union (EU) Brussels Changed form of EEC
Established in 1958
 Amnesty International (AI) London 1961
 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Beijing 2001
 BRICS Development Bank Shanghai 2014

AWARDS AND HONOURS

NATIONAL AWARDS  This is India’s highest civilian award. It is given for

exceptional work on art, literature, science and recognition
BHARAT RATANA of public service of the highest order.
 Bharat Ratna is India’s highest Civilian Award. It was
 The emblem, the Sun and the rim are of platinum. The
first awarded in 1954.
inscriptions are in burnished bronze.
 The actual award is designed in the shape of a peepal leaf
with Bharat Ratna inscribed in Devanagri script in the  Government servants are not eligible for it. The table
Sun Figure. shows the recipients of the award:
 74

Bharat Ratna Award Winners  Padma Vibhushan: This award is given for exceptional
and distinguished service in any field, including service
1. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan 1954 rendered by Govt. servants.
2. C. Rajagopalachari 1954
3. Dr. C.V. Raman 1954
 Padma Bhushan: This award is given for distinguished
4. Dr. Bhagwan Das 1955 service of a high order in any field, including service
5. Dr. M. Visvesvaraya 1955 rendered by Govt. servants.
6. Jawahar Lal Nehru 1955  Padma Shri: This award is given for distinguished service
7. Govind Ballabh Pant 1957 in any field, including service rendered by Government
8. Dr. D.K. Karve 1958 servants.
9. Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy 1961
10. Purushottam Das Tandon 1961 Gallantry Awards
11. Dr. Rajendra Prasad 1962
 Param Vir Chakra: The highest award for bravery or
12. Dr. Zakir Hussain 1963
13. Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane 1963 some daring and pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice
14. Lal Bahadur Shastri 1966 in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or
15. Indira Gandhi 1971 in the air.
16. V.V. Giri 1975  Mahavir Chakra: It is the second highest decoration and
17. K. Kamraj 1976 is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence
18. Mother Teresa 1980
of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air.
19. Acharya Vinoba Bhave 1983
20. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan 1987  Vir Chakra: It is the third in order of awards given for
21. M.G. Ramachandran 1988 acts of gallantry in the presence of enemy, whether on
22. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar 1990 land, at sea or in the air.
23. Dr. Nelson R. Mandela 1990  Ashok Chakra: This medal is awarded for the most
24. Rajiv Gandhi 1991 conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of
25. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel 1991
valour or self-sacrifice on land, at sea or in the air but not
26. Morarji R. Desai 1991
27. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad 1992
in the presence of enemy.
28. Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhai Tata 1992  Vishishta Sewa Medal: It is awarded to personnel of all
29. Satyajit Roy 1992 the three Services in class I, II and III in recognition of
30. Shri Gulzari Lal Nanda 1997 distinguished service of the “most exceptional” and
31. Mrs. Aruna Asaf Ali 1997 “exceptional” and a “high” order respectively. Prefixes
32. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam 1998 Parma and Ati are added before first two categories of
33. M.S. Subbalakshmi 1998
medals respectively.
34. C. Subramaniam 1998
35. Jaya Prakash Narayan 1999  Jeewan Raksha Padak: Awarded for meritorious acts or
36. Prof. Amartya Sen 1999 a series of acts of a human nature displayed in saving life
37. Pt. Ravi Shankar 1999 from drowning, fire and rescue operations in mines etc.
38. Gopinath Bardoloi 1999
39. Lata Mangeshkar 2001
40. Bismillah Khan 2001 OTHER NATIONAL AWARDS
41. Bhimsen Joshi 2009
42. C.N.R. Rao 2014 SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARDS
43. Sachin Tendulkar 2014  These prizes are awarded annually to the authors of the
44. Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya 2015 most outstanding books of literary merit published in
45. Atal Bihari Vajpayee 2015
each of the 24 languages recognised by the Akademi.
46. Pranab Mukherjee 2019
47. Bhupen Hazarika 2019  There are also two awards for Sanskrit and English. The
48. Nanaji Deshmukh 2019 award, in form of a casket containing an inscribed copper
plate and a cheque of ` 1 lakh is given to the author or
REPUBLIC DAY AWARDS his/her heir.
Padma Awards DADA SAHEB PHALKE AWARD
They fall in line after the Bharat Ratna. They are also  The award carries a cash prize of ` 10 lakh, a Shawl and
discontinued in 1977 along with the Bharat Ratna and award Swarna Kamal.
was started again in 1980.  Mrs Devika Rani Roerich was the first person to receive
There are three Padma Awards: Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969.
 75

 The award for 2019 has been given to bollywood actor GANDHI PEACE PRIZE
Rajinikanth.  The government instituted this ` 1 crore prize on the
lines of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.
BHARATIYA JNANPITH AWARD
 It is the highest Civilian International award by the Govt.
 Instituted in 22nd May, 1961, carries a cash prize of ` 11 of India.
lakh, a citation and a bronze replica of Vagdevi
(Saraswati). MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2021
 Instituted by a literary organisation in India.  South African novelist and writer Damon Galgut was on
November 3, 2021 awarded the prestigious Booker Prize
SARASWATI SAMMAN for the year 2021 for his well-acclaimed novel ‘The
 Given for outstanding literary works, value ` 15 lakh. Promise’, receiving £ 50,000. He is the third South African
to win the prize, after J.M. Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer.
KALINGA PRIZE
INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE FOR PEACE, DISARMAMENT
 This award is given each year by the UNESCO and
AND DEVELOPMENT
founded by former Odisha Chief Minister late Shri Biju
 The award was instituted in the memory of Mrs. Indira
Patnaik for popularisation of science.
Gandhi to foster creative cooperation among nations of
the world.
INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

NOBEL PRIZES Highest Honours of Some Countries

 These Prizes were instituted in 1901 by a Swedish scientist,
Dr. Alfred Nobel; the discoverer of Dynamite. Country Highest Honour
 Six prizes are awarded annually for (i) Chemistry, (ii) India Bharat Ratna
Physics, (iii) Medicine, (iv) Literature, (v) Peace and (vi) Pakistan Nishan-e-Pakistan
Economics —started since 1969. Kuwait Mubarak-Al-kabir Medal
 Indians Honoured with Nobel Prize: So far, following Saudi Arabia Shah Abdul Aziz Medal
Indians have been honoured with these prizes. Their names Argentina The Order of Sona Martin
are (i) Rabindra Nath Tagore for Literature, for his book Nicaragua Augusto-Caesar Sandino Order
‘Gitanjali’, in 1913, (ii) Dr. C.V. Raman for Physics in Vietnam The Order of the Golden Star
1930, for his discovery of ‘Raman Effect’, (iii) Mother Hungary The Order of Banner
Teresa for Peace in 1979, (iv) Prof. Amartya Sen in 1998 Britain Member of British Empire,
for Economics and (v) Kailash Satyarthi for Peace in Victoria Cross
2014. In addition, four non-resident Indians have also Japan Order of Moulovenice Sun
been awarded the Nobel Prize. They are: (i) Hargobind Denmark Order of Diana Brog
Khurana for Medicine in 1968, (ii) Subramanian France Legend of Honour
Chandrasekhar for Physics in 1983, (iii) Venkatraman America Presidential Medal of Freedom
Ramkrishnan for Chemistry in 2009, (iv) Abhijit Vinayak Germany Pore Lee Merit Iron Cross
Banerjee for Economics in 2019. The Netherlands Netherlands Lion

SPORTS

OLYMPICS Olympic meet in the modern series was held in 1896 in

 First of all these games were held by the Greeks in 776 Athens, the Capital of Greece. Since then, they are
B.C. on Mount Olympus in honour of the Greek God being held every four years except for breaks during
Zeus. In this way, the history of Olympic Games is about world wars.
twenty eight hundred years old. These games continued  The Olympic flag is white in colour with five coloured
to be held every four years until 394 A.D. when these rings, each ring symbolic of a continent. Summer as well
games were stopped by a royal order of the emperor of as Winter Olympics are held in the same year.
Rome.  The 2020 Olympic Games was held at Tokyo in 2021.
 The modern Olympic Games which started in Athens in  The official Olympic Motto is Citius, Altius, Swifter,
1896, are the result of the devotion and dedication of a Higher, Stronger. The Head Office of International
French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin and the first Olympic Committee (IOC) is at Lausanne (Switzerland).
 76

COMMONWEALTH GAMES  The 2018 Commonwealth Games officially known as the

 The Commonwealth Games are held every four years, in XXI Commonwealth Games or Gold Coast 2018, which is
the year in which Asian Games are held. All the held in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, between 4 to
Commonwealth Countries (former colonies of Britain) 15 April 2018.
can take part in it. ASIAN GAMES
 The first Commonwealth Games were held in 1930 at  After the Second World War, most of the Asian Countries
Hamilton (Canada). gained independence. On the lines of Olympic Games,
 There are currently 54 members of the Commonwealth of Asian Games were planned every four years.
Nations, and 71 teams participated in the games.  India hosted the first Asian Games in 1951.

WORLD CUP CRICKET

 The first Cricket World Cup was organised in England in 1975. A separate women’s Cricket World Cup has been held
every 4 years since 1973.
List of Cricket World Cup
Year Venue Winner/Runner
1975 England West Indies beat Australia
1979 England West Indies beat England
1983 England India beat West Indies
1987 India & Pakistan Australia beat England
1992 Australia Pakistan beat England
1996 India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka Sri Lanka beat Australia
1999 England Australia beat Pakistan
2003 South Africa Australia beat India
2007 West Indies Australia beat Sri Lanka
2011 India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh India beat Sri Lanka
2015 Australia, New Zealand Australia beat New Zealand
2019 England England beat New Zealand
2023 India (to be held)

HOCKEY WORLD CUP  Derby : Horse Race

 The first Hockey World Cup was organised in Barcelona  Grand National : Horse Streple Chase Race
(Spain) in 1971. Women’s Hockey World Cup has been  Jules Rimet Trophy : World Soccer Cup
held since 1974.  King’s Cup : Air Races
 Merdeka Cup : Football
FOOTBALL WORLD CUP
 Swaythling Cup : Table Tennis (Men)
 The Football World Cup is organised by FIFA (Federation
 Ryder Cup : Golf
of International Football Association). The World Cup is
 Thomas Cup : Badminton
called ‘Jules Rimet Cup’ named after the name of FIFA
President Jules Rimet. The first Football World Cup was  U. Thant Cup : Tennis
organised in Uruguay in 1930.  Walker Cup : Golf
 In 1942 and 1946, the Football World Cup was not played  Wightman Cup : Lawn Tennis
due to World War II.  Rothman’s Trophy : Cricket
 Brazil is the only nation to have participated in every  European Champions Cup : Football
World Cup so far. The 2018 Football World Cup held in  Grand Prix : Table Tennis
Russia. France on July 15, 2018 clinched their second  Edgbaston Cup : Lawn Tennis
FIFA World Cup title, beating Croatia 4-2 in the highest-  Grand Prix : Lawn Tennis
scoring final since 1996.
National
IMPORTANT CUPS & TROPHIES  Agha Khan Cup : Hockey
International  Beighton Cup : Hockey
 American Cup : Yacht Racing  Bombay Gold Cup : Hockey
 Ashes : Cricket  C.K. Naydu Trophy : Cricket
 Davis Cup : Lawn Tennis  Deodhar Trophy : Cricket
 77

 Duleep Trophy : Cricket Stadiums and Places

 Durand Cup : Football Associated with Sports
 Dhyan Chand Trophy : Hockey
 Dr. B.C. Roy Trophy : Football (Junior) Name of Sports Place
Stadium
 Ezra Cup : Polo
Arun Jaitley Stadium Cricket Delhi
 Guru Nanak Cup : Hockey
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Athletics Delhi
 Holkar Trophy : Bridge Shivajee Stadium Hockey Delhi
 Irani Trophy : Cricket National Stadium Hockey etc. Delhi
 Indira Gold Cup : Hockey Ambedkar Stadium Football Delhi
 Murugappa Gold Cup : Hockey Brabourne Stadium Cricket Mumbai
 Nehru Trophy : Hockey Wankhede Stadium Cricket Mumbai
National Stadium Hockey etc. Mumbai
 Nixan Gold Cup : Football
Eden Garden Cricket Kolkata
 Rani Jhansi Trophy : Cricket
Green Park Stadium Cricket Kanpur
 Ranji Trophy : Cricket Keenan Stadium Cricket Jamshedpur
 Rangaswami Cup : Hockey Nehru (Chepauk) Stadium Cricket Chennai
 Ramanujan Trophy : Table Tennis Barabati Stadium Cricket Cuttack
 Rene Frank Trophy : Hockey Lords, Oval, Leeds Cricket Britain
 Rohinton Baria Trophy : Cricket Hedingle Manchester Cricket Britain
Black Heath Rugby London
 Rovers Cup : Football
Football
 Santosh Trophy : Football Henley Boat race England
 Subroto Cup : Football Wimbledon Lawn Tennis London
Wembley Stadium Football London
SPORTS TERMS White City Dog-race England
 Badminton: Mixed doubles; Deuce; Drop; Smash; Let; Aintree Horse-race England
Foot work; Setting. Tentbridge Cricket England
 Base Ball: Pitcher; Put out, Strike; Home; Bunt. Patnee Martlake Boat-race England
Tibankham Rugby England
 Billiards: Cue; Jigger; Pot; Break; In Baulk; In Off;
Football
Cannons. Sandy Lodge Golf Scotland
 Boxing: Upper cut; Round; Punch; Bout; Knock down; Forest Hill Tennis New York
Hitting below the belt; Ring. Brooklyn Baseball New York
 Bridge: Finesse; Dummy; Revoke; Grand Slam; Little Melbourne Cricket Australia
Slam; No Trump; Rubber. Name of Playing Compound of
 Chess: Bishop, Gambit; Checkmate; Stalemate. Different Games
 Cricket: L.B.W. (leg before wicket); Creases, Popping-
Name of Related Sports
creases; Stumped; Bye; Leg-Bye; Googly; Hattrick;
Compound
Maiden over; Drive; Bowling; Duck; Follow-on; No ball;
Court Lawn Tennis, Badminton, Netball, Hand ball,
Leg Break; Silly point; Cover point; Hit-wicket; Late- Volleyball, Squash, Kho-Kho, Kabaddi
cut; Slip; Off-spinner; In-swing. Diamond Baseball
 Football: Off Side; Block; Drop-kick; Penalty-kick (or Ring Boxing, Skating, Wrestling, Circus, Riding display
goal kick); Corner-kick; Free-kick; Dribble; Thrown-in; Course Golf
Foul. Board Table Tennis
 Golf: Boggy; Foursome; Stymic; Tee; Put; Hole; Niblic; Pool Swimming
Caddie; Links; The green; Bunker. Alley Bowling
Mat Judo, Karate II
 Hockey: Carried; Short Corner; Bully; Sticks; Off side;
Arena Horse Riding
Roll in; Striking Circle; Under-cutting; Dribble.
Vellodrum Cycling
 Horse racing: Jockey; Punter. Field Polo, Football, Hockey
 Polo: Bunker; Chukker; Mallet. Track Athletics
 Tennis: Back hand drive; Volley; Smash; Half-volley; Pitch Cricket, Rugby
Deuce; Service; Let; Grand Slam. Rink Ice Hockey

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