During British colonial rule (approximately 1757-1947), the British referred to the Indian subcontinent as "India." This term was derived from the river Indus, which marked the western boundary of British India. The British colonial administration used "India" as the official name.
"Hindustan", as the term Hindu itself, entered the English language in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the term as used in English referred to the Subcontinent. "Hindustan" was in use simultaneously with "India" during the British era.
Before the Constitutional Assembly in 1949, the country was known as Bharat, India, and Hindustan. While a good number of the drafting committee members preferred the old name, Bharat, many others favoured India. That's what led to the Constituent Assembly choosing both the names.
The British officials too picked up the two terms and started using them officially. However, this naming did not meet the approval of Indian leaders due to the implied meaning of 'Hindustan' as the land of Hindus. They insisted that the new Dominion of India should be called 'India', not 'Hindustan'.
According to Mahabharata the popular story states that India was called Bharatvarsha after the king named Bharata Chakravarti. Bharata was a legendary emperor and the founder of Bharata Dynasty and an ancestor of the Pandavas and Kauravas. He was son of King Dushyanta of Hastinapur and Queen Sakuntala.
"How The British Took Over India" - TREVOR NOAH (from "Afraid Of The Dark" on Netflix)
Why is India called Meluha?
Most scholars suggest that Meluhha was the Sumerian name for the Indus Valley Civilisation. Finnish scholars Asko and Simo Parpola identify Meluhha (earlier variant Me-lah-ha) from earlier Sumerian documents with Dravidian mel akam "high abode" or "high country".
The official name of the Republic of India was derived from the Sanskrit name 'Sindhu' which referred to the Indus River. By the time the Persians conquered both, the then Indian subcontinent and Greece in the 5th century BCE, 'Sindhu' became 'Hindus' to mark the 'land of Hindus'.
The term Hodu in Esther 1:1 is a biblical name of India, which is derived from the word Hindu, referring to the inhabitants of the Sindhu River of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Columbus believed he had found a new route to India, and described the peoples he met as “Indians.” No matter — his momentous discovery launched European exploration and colonization of the American continents.
The Greeks referred to India as 'Indika,' derived from 'Sindhu' or Indus. Their usage influenced the spread of 'India' as an international name for the subcontinent.
The oldest name for India is Bharat, mentioned in sacred Hindu texts like the Mahabharata and Puranas. It is derived from King Bharata, a legendary ruler of ancient India. The name stands for unity, heritage, and self-rule.
In 1946, the Royal Navy in India went on strike due to poor working conditions and low pay. There was also violence and fighting between Hindus and Muslims, which further strained British control. On August 15th, 1947, India became an independent country.
People from India are called Indian or their specific group (Tamil, Malayali, etc). India is not in the Middle East. People living in the US who's heritage is from India are called Indian-American, NRI, the name of their specific ethnicity, or just plainly Indian, or just plainly American.
“The British changed Bharat's name to India,” Bansal said in a parliamentary session. “Our country has been known by the name 'Bharat' for thousands of years. … The name 'India' was given by the colonial Raj and is thus a symbol of slavery.”
The word Hindu is an exonym, and while Hinduism has been called the oldest surviving religion in the world, it has also been described by the modern term Sanātana Dharma ( lit. 'eternal dharma'). Vaidika Dharma ( lit. 'Vedic dharma') and Arya dharma are historical endonyms for Hinduism.
The correct answer is President. Article 52 says there shall be a president of India. The President is known as the first citizen of India because he/she represents our country. He is the constitutional head of the nation.
"Hindustan" was the name by which the Persians referred to India. The original Sanskrit name of the river Indus is "Sindh", which was changed to "Hind" in Persian.
The name Bharat is an ancient Sanskrit word that many historians believe dates back to early Hindu scriptures. It has been used to refer to a part of the country that lies between the mountains and the sea, where the descendants of - it is believed - King Bharata lived.
India is often called "the land of mystery" due to its rich history, diverse culture, and numerous enigmatic sites and phenomena. This includes ancient ruins, spiritual practices, and unexplained occurrences that have captivated imaginations for centuries.
