1-5
1. M. A. Yousuf Ali was Kerala business man, who lobbied the Abu Dhabi government for a crematorium for Hindus and helped secure land to build Churches for the Christian community in the region. – Source
2. Mithun Chakraborty was the first husband of actress Sridevi. – Source
3. RSS formed an organization called ‘Muslim Rashtriya Manch’ in 2002 – Source
4. The Hollywood movie “Mission to Mars” that was released in 2000 cost $28 million more than India’s actual mission to Mars – Source
5. The street dogs in India are a distinct and ancient breed of dogs known as Indian Pariah Dogs. It is thought to be one of the few-remaining examples of mankind’s original domesticated dog. – Source
6-10
6. Khandoba is a deity of the Deccan worshipped by Marathas, peasant Kunbis, shepherd Dhangars, Ramoshis (“denotified tribe”), former “untouchable” Mahars and Mangs, Kolis, Brahmins, Gaikwads/Holkars, Jains & Muslims. The temple priests are never Brahmin and in Jejuri, Pune, a Muslim family traditionally looks after the horses of the god. – Source
7. Female literacy in India in 1901 was 0.6 percent. – Source
8. The first woman Hindi film music composer (1935) who had trained under pioneer Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, had to change her name from Khorshed Minocher-Homji to Saraswati Devi, as Parsis were against girls’ involvement with that industry. – Source
9. Hiring a Contract Killer cost between $35 to $900 in India – Source
10. The 2013 Tripura Legislative Assembly election holds the record for country’s highest-ever voter turnout, 93.57% – Source
11-15
11. Indian hockey team toured New Zealand in 1934. They played 48 matches in New Zealand, Australia and Ceylon, out of which they won all 48. They scored a total of 584 goals, with just 40 goals scored against them. Dhyan Chand scored 201 of those 584 goals. – Source
12. Standard Fireworks based in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu is the world’s largest manufacturer of pyrotechnic products (fireworks). – Source
13. There are claims of a tiny subspecies of elephant living in the mountains of southern India that only grows to a height of 5 feet. The Kallana. – Source
14. In Bhopal last year, a bull gored an old man to death, a day after he had hurled hot water on it. Then the bull followed the man when he was being taken to a hospital and later reached the crematorium during his funeral – Source
15. Vava Suresh, a snake wrangler from Kerala has caught 30,000 snakes including 300 king cobras, has survived over 250 snake bites and has had to be put on the ventilator at least five times, declined a government job offer, because then he would not be able to help people when the need arises. – Source
16-20
16. India has donated more than 800 million USD for disaster relief to other countries since 2004 – Source
17. The most Baptist state in the world isn’t Mississippi in USA. It’s Nagaland in India where 75% of the population is member of a Baptist church. – Source
18. According to the Christian history 3 of the 12 apostles (original 12 disciples chosen by Christ) are buried in Turkey and one is buried in India. The Santhome Basilica, Santhome in Chennai houses the tomb of Thomas the Apostle. – Source
19. The largest soup kitchen in the world is in India. The Langar at the Golden Temple feeds about 100,000 daily. – Source
20. Oman’s leading corporate house founder is actually the only Hindu Sheikh in the world who traces his roots to the Indian state of Gujarat from where his family set sails 143 years ago. – Source
21-25
21. Elite Football League of India is a professional American football League. There are 8 teams from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. – Source
22. In Mizoram and Manipur, every fifty years, armies of bamboo rats descend upon rural areas and devour everything in their path. This is very closely related to the fruiting cycle of bamboo trees. This often leads to famine. The most recent spate of flowering of the bamboo species began in May 2006, and the state government and the Indian Army attempted to prevent a famine. – Source
23. The list of English-speaking countries in order of total speakers features India at #2 and Pakistan at #3 – Source
24. Gulabi Gang is a group of Indian women vigilantes and activists who attack abusive husbands and fight against child marriages, the dowry system, and female illiteracy. – Source
25. The Pandyan Empire, an ancient south Indian dynasty, was both the longest lasting empire (1850 years) and considered by contemporary historians as the richest country in the world. –Source
26-30
26. Half of the world’s ships end up in the shipyards of Alang in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat to be salvaged for money. – Source
27. Of the top 30 deadliest recorded cyclones in history, 22 were located in the Bay of Bengal, amounting to roughly 23,00,000 deaths in India and Bangladesh. – Source
28. Kashmir switches between two capital cities during a year depending on the season. Jammu in the winter and Srinagar in the summer. – Source
29. Kota Rani, the last Hindu ruler of Kashmir, was forced to marry her attacker, Shah Mir. As a wedding gift, she cut herself open and offered her intestines. – Source
30. A tribe called the Brokpas living in Kashmir are considered to be the last surviving racially pure Aryans and that German women travel to Kashmir to get impregnated by the men of the tribes – Source
