India — books & literature

The story of India

India's story stretches back to the Indus Valley Civilisation of circa 2500 BCE, one of the world's earliest urban cultures, followed by the Vedic age that shaped much of Hindu thought and the Sanskrit language. Successive empires , the Maurya under Ashoka, the Gupta "golden age", and later the Mughal Empire from 1526 , left monuments, philosophy, and administration that still echo today. India is also the birthplace of four major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. European trading companies arrived from the 1600s, and the British Crown formally ruled from 1858 until a decades-long independence movement led by figures such as Mahatma Gandhi won freedom on 15 August 1947, followed by the difficult partition that created Pakistan. India adopted its constitution and became a republic on 26 January 1950, and has since grown into the world's largest democracy , a nation of hundreds of languages, faiths, and traditions, now also a fast-growing economy and spacefaring power.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 2500 BCE

   Indus Valley Civilisation flourishes at cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.

2. circa 1500 BCE

   Vedic period begins, shaping early Hindu religious and social traditions.

3. circa 268 BCE

   Ashoka the Great rules the Maurya Empire at its height, later embracing Buddhism.

4. 1526

   Babur founds the Mughal Empire after the First Battle of Panipat.

5. 1600

   The British East India Company is chartered and begins trading in India.

6. 1857

   The Indian Rebellion (First War of Independence) challenges Company rule.

7. 1947

   India gains independence from Britain on 15 August; partition creates Pakistan.

8. 1950

   India adopts its constitution and becomes a republic on 26 January.

9. 1991

   Sweeping economic liberalisation reforms open India to global markets.

10. 2023

    Chandrayaan-3 lands near the Moon's south pole, a world first for any nation.

Top 10 things to know about India

1. India is the most populous country on Earth, having surpassed China in 2023.
2. It is the largest democracy in the world, with elections spanning hundreds of millions of voters.
3. The Indus Valley Civilisation was one of the earliest urban cultures, alongside Egypt and Mesopotamia.
4. India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
5. The constitution recognises 22 scheduled languages; Hindi and English are used for national administration.
6. The Taj Mahal, a 17th-century Mughal mausoleum, is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
7. India runs one of the world's largest film industries, centred on Mumbai ("Bollywood").
8. ISRO, India's space agency, landed a craft near the Moon's south pole in 2023.
9. Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine both originated in ancient India.
10. India's geography ranges from the Himalayas in the north to tropical coastlines and the Thar Desert.

Famous people from India

Say it in India's language

Did you know?

• ★India recognises 22 official languages and hundreds more regional languages and dialects.
• ★In 2023, Chandrayaan-3 made India the first country to land a craft near the Moon's south pole.
• ★India's national game-changing postal and rail networks are among the largest in the world.

India culture

• Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated nationwide each autumn to mark the victory of light over darkness.
• Holi, the festival of colours, welcomes spring with public celebrations across the country.
• Cricket is by far the most popular sport, drawing massive followings for domestic and international matches.
• Cuisine varies enormously by region, from the rich curries of the north to the rice-and-spice dishes of the south.

Why read India's books

India's literary tradition spans ancient Sanskrit epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, classical poetry, and a modern era of Nobel-winning and internationally celebrated authors writing in dozens of languages. Its book shelves reflect that same depth and diversity.