II. India ID Questions

Jawaharlal Nehru

First PM of India and a central figure in Indian politics before and after its independence. He was a leader of the Indian independence movement under Mahatma Gandhi and ruled India from its establishment as an independent nation in 1947 until his death in 1964.

Narendra Modi

Indian politician who is the 14th and current prime minister of India. He is a leader of the BJP, Hindu Nationalist. Important because he is credited with encouraging economic growth. But his administration has been criticized for failing to improve health, poverty, and education.

Congress Party

One of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress was founded in 1885 during British rule or "raj." Some traits of this party are elitist and dynastic, Gandhi and Nehru families ruling for decades.

BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party is one of the two major political parties in India, along with the INC. Formed in 1980, it is a major political party with a right-wing political position. It strongly adheres to cultural nationalism through social conservatism and integral humanism.

Partition

The 1947 division of the Bengal province of British India into East Pakistan and West Bengal. It was significant because it led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India (later Republic of India.)

The "Emergency" Period

The 21 month long period in 1975 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency across the country. It began with a case against her for election malpractice

Caste

The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories from highest to lowest; Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and the Shudras. For centuries, caste dictated almost every aspect of Hindu religious and social life with each group occupying a specific place in the hierarchy.