1. Presentatio
n based on
a contest
entry by
Varun
Mehta

2. Structure of the
presentation
•Some background facts and figures
•Challenges that India faces right now
•India’s diversity in spirituality
•Diversity in culture

3. Some interesting
facts
 Regarded by historians as the "oldest living civilization of
Earth", the Indian tradition dates back to 8000 BC
 7th largest country by geographical area
 2nd most populous country with over 1.2 billion people.
 Largest democracy in the world
• The birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism,
and Sikhism
• Median age for the UK:40 years. India: 26 years
• Home to Mohandas Gandhi and Nehru- leaders of non
 violent resistance against British rule over India

4. •Also home to communal violence after the Independence in
1947, which split India into India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
•Despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation,
environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread
corruption, rapid economic development is fueling India's rise
on the world stage.
•In 2010, the Indian economy rebounded robustly from the
global financial crisis and growth exceeded 8% year-on-year in
real terms.
•Long term challenges: widespread poverty, inadequate
physical and social infrastructure, limited non-agricultural
employment opportunities, insufficient access to quality basic
and higher education, and accommodating rural-to-urban
migration.

5. A short video by
Incredible India
group
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIWs-38t2-
o&feature=related

7. Diversity in Religion
•Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other
1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Bahá'í Faith are
also influential but their numbers are smaller.
•Despite the strong role of religion in Indian
life, atheism and agnostics also have visible influence along with
a self-ascribed tolerance to other people.

8. Over 150 festivals and
fairs celebrated every
year in India

9. Diversity in festivals
Popular religious
Within hinduism:
festivals:
 the Hindu festivals  Sri Ramakrishna, a
of Diwali, Ganesh prominent Hindu saint once
Chaturthi, Holi, Dussehra wrote, "There can be as
, many Hindu Gods as there
are devotees to suit the
moods, feelings, emotions
 Islamic festivals of Eid ul- and social backgrounds of
Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Mawlid the devotees." So in some
an-Nabī ways Hinduism is a
polytheistic religion.
 Christian festivals of
Christmas and days of  Similarly, the festivals
observances such range from orthodox Diwali
as Good Friday are celebration
observed throughout the
country.

11. Diversity in language

12. Diversity in Language
• The principal official language is Hindi.
• English is the secondary official language.
•
•Several hundred mother tongues in India
•30 main languages with at least 1 million speakers
• 122 languages with 10,000 speakers.
•

13. Diversity in Food

14. Diversity in Clothing