1-5
1. When the British in the colonial city of Delhi introduced a bounty on cobras to eliminate them from the city due to their growing population, it resulted in a cobra population boom. The bounty was greater than the cost of breeding a cobra, and the citizens were breeding them to sell to the government. The term “Cobra Effect” was then coined for such incentives or schemes that exacerbate the problem they were introduced to address – Source
2. The archaic Chinese and Japanese names for India, Tianzhu and Tenjiku respectively,translate to “heaven center(of)” (i.e. spiritual center) in reference to the Indian origins of Buddhism. – Source
3. Nokku kooli is an unofficial labor norm in Kerala under which you need to pay the labor union even if work is being done mechanically or by in house employees. – Source
4. The Hindi words choli(blouse, worn with sari) and pallu(end piece in the sari) are derived from the names of Tamil clans/dynasties, Cholas and Pallavas respectively – Source
5. The water between India and Sri Lanka in Palk Strait is only 3 feet to 30 feet deep. It was reportedly passable on foot until 1480 AD when a cyclone moved some sand around. – Source
6-10
6. The New Lucky restaurant in Ahmadabad is built upon a cemetery. It is peculiar in the sense that the establishment is just not built on top of cemetery, but there are graves scattered between the tables. – Source
7. Thums Up is the market leader of cola brands in India even though Coke bought and de-marketed it so that coke can take over its position. – Source
8. When advertising agency ASP won this advertising contract, Sylvester Da Cunha and Eustace Fernandez, decided to create a mascot that would grab the attention of every housewife in the country. Since the ad campaign planned to use hand painted outdoor hoardings which were to be changed frequently with current events ASP realized that the mascot should be easy to draw and memorable. Thus, the Amul girl was born. – Source
9. Christians first arrived in India during the 1st century AD. Christians of India were also represented in the first council of Nicaea. It is speculated that the first Christians arrived in India following the ~20,000 Jews(Cochin Jews) who fled to India. Their intention was to convert these Jews, but there are accounts of them converting some high profile members of society in Kerala. – Source
10. As per the originally written ending for the move Sholay, Thakur Baldev Singh was to kill Gabbar Singh. This had to be changed to the police arriving at the last moment after the Censor Board objected to the vigilante-nature of the original ending. – Source
11-15
11. Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel are the first Indians to play baseball in the Major League Baseball in USA. Their story is now a major Walt Disney movie. – Source
12. Raj Babbar is Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, one of the most powerful parliamentary bodies that decides on matters related to Indian Armed forces. Asaduddin Owaisi is also an esteemed member of this committee. Also adding to his only documented contribution to the committee was to abandon top-level defence briefing to “catch flights”: –Source
13. Chaudhary Prem Singh from Ambedkar Nagar, Delhi has never lost an election since 1958 and is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest continuously elected representative. – Source
14. The term “Aaya Ram Gaya Ram” for political party hoppers was coined when Gaya Lal a member of the Legislative Assembly from Haryana in 1967 changed party thrice in a fortnight –Source
15. There are only Indian movies on IMDb’s top 250 list, Lagaan, Rang de Basanti, and 3 Idiots, all starring Aamir Khan. – Source
16-20
16. One can send live bees and even internal organs of humans via Indian Postal Service –Source
17. During Godhra riots, Hindus protected a mosque in Muzzaffarpur, Bihar from vandalism –Source
18. Shah Nawaz Bhutto, Father of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (first elected PM of Pakistan) was Dewan or prime minister of the Princely State of Junagadh. He tried his best to merge Junagadh with Pakistan but finally fled to Pakistan and Jungadh got merged with India – Source
19. Chennai is synonymous with Kidney trade and there is a place locally better known by the name of ‘Kidneyvakkam’ or kidneyville since reportedly 90 survivors came forward with charges of organ fraud by brokers.. – Source
20. “Hindu Kush”, the 500 miles long mountain range between Afghanistan and Pakistan literally means ‘Kills the Hindu’, a reminder of the days when Indian slaves from the Indian subcontinent died in the harsh weather typical of the Afghan mountains while being transported to Central Asia. – Source
21-25
21. Ancient Egyptians used tamed and trained cheetahs for hunting. This tradition was passed on and kept alive until the 20th century by Indian Royalty. – Source
22. “Arabic numerals” are actually “Hindu numerals” and Arabs call the system, correctly, “Hindu numerals.” – Source
23. The Hindu gods are considered legal entities with basic rights. Gods have legal guardians, own property, and can be sued in a court in India. – Source
24. In ancient India, Diabetes was called “madhumeha” or “honey urine” as the urine would attract ants. Indian physicians Sushruta and Charaka identified Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes as separate conditions for the first time in 400-500 CE. – Source
25. India successfully fought turmeric and basmati Patents in USA, neem patents in Europe and subsequently created the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) & a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library. Soon 900 Yoga asanas videos will also be added. – Source
25-30
26. Rajesh Kumar Sharma and Laxmi Chandra have been running a free school under a metro bridge in New Delhi for those who can’t afford a public education for the last 3 years. 70 of his 140 students are now learning in Government schools. – Source
27. The Mumbai Dabbawalas being a six sigma organization is a myth. – Source
28. ‘The Polyester Prince’, a biography of Dhirubhai Ambani is not available for sale in India because of the threats of endless litigation by Ambani brothers. The book has an ambivalent look at the rise of the late Dhirubhai Ambani and the growth of Reliance. – Source
29. The day after a state of emergency was declared in India, the Bombay edition of The Times of India in its obituary column carried an entry that read “D.E.M O’Cracy beloved husband of T.Ruth, father of L.I.Bertie, brother of Faith, Hope and Justica expired on 26 June”. – Source
30. P.V. Narasimha Rao who severed as the ninth prime minister of India was fluent in many Indian languages and was able to speak in 17 languages, including English, French, Arabic, Spanish, German, Greek, Latin and Persian. – Source
