The book in the hands of the reader is a valuable collection of Questions and Answers that help the reader know about India from its earliest civilizations to the present day democratic set up in India. It addresses all types of readers from Research Scholars to enthusiastic students of History, those preparing for IAS, IFS, IPS etc. and also those preparing for TV Quiz like KBC2 and other competitive games based on knowledge. Indeed it is a first attempt of its kind, looking at the large encyclopedic volume of questions and answers it contains. Volume I Part I of the book (History of India) covers all periods of History from ancient India to the present day renunciation episode of Sonia. It has a special coverage of Mahatma Gandhi, his assassination, his various movements for India’s freedom, without forgetting the noblest work he did in South Africa. The tragic end of Kalpana Chawla, the attack by terrorists on India’s temple of democracy i.e. the parliament, are all notable sections of the book. this part has a detailed History of Jammu and Kashmir through Questions and Answers with circumstances that led to terrorism, the ‘Intifada’ phase and the subsequent ‘Fidayeen’ attacks. Special sections covering Mother Teresa and her beatification, Swami Vivekananda and his speeches in the ‘Parliament of Religion’ (1983) & Sister Nivedita are other attractions. A brief section on the births and deaths of India’s intellectuals/saints like Tulsidas, Mirabai etc. add to the merits of the book. Volume 2 Part I (Religions) enriches the reader about various faiths in our country and contains the names of all 5 conches of the Pandavas and that of Lord Krishna, the names of Krishna’s 8 queens and Prophet Muhammad’s 12 wives, the 12 Apostles of Jesus, the 10 Commandments, the 8-fold path of the Buddha, the 6 Shankracharyas, the 24 Tirthankuras of Jainism and the 5 seats of Sikh Polity along with contents of the ‘Dasam Grantham’ and the names of all the poets/gurus whose verses constitute the ‘Guru Granth Saheb’ of the Sikhs. Part II (Indian Cinema) of this Volume begins with the invention of movie and starting from the first movies known in India, it has all the first like the first film to receive President’s Godl Medal, the first woman to act in Indian Cinema etc. It has the lists of the winners of Dada Saheb Phalke Awards along with 48†to 51: National Awards and 47th to 50th (Golden Jubilee) Filmfare Awards with special coverage of some mega films. Part III (Cricket) of the Volume includes the first Test series of History giving names of the batsman who played the first Test bal of the History, the bowler who bowled the first Test ball and the one who took the first Test wicket, the fielder who took the first Test catch, the wicketkeeper who made the first Test stump as also the first ever Test 100 of Test History. Records in all fields like batting bowling fielding in Tests, LOIs and WC matches are exhaustively given. Players who played for 2 countries, related players, birthdays of 700 cricketers, and ‘Wisden Player of the Year’ awards further enrich this part. Chapter 1, Cricket (India), interests the reader with lovable achievements of precious cricketers from Prince KS Ranjit Sinhji to Viru the ‘Multan ka Sultan’ or ‘Najafgarh ka Raja’ as we call him out of love. The ‘Duckworth-Lewis Rule’ and the names of various cricket grounds all over the world have been taken with the help of some websites. The reader also finds the background of naming the England-Australia Test series as the ‘Ashes’. The Book will undoubtedly be a valuable asset to every library in India and abroad.
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