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Indian literature
(Encyclopedia)Indian literature. Oral literature in the vernacular languages of India is of great antiquity, but it was not until about the 16th cent. that an extensive written literature appeared. Chief factors in...Desai, Morarji Ranchhodji
(Encyclopedia)Desai, Morarji Ranchhodji dĕsīˈ [key], 1896–1995, Indian political leader. He joined the government in 1956, becoming minister of finance (1958–63). He returned to government in 1967 as deputy...Narayan, Jaya Prakash
(Encyclopedia)Narayan, Jaya Prakash, 1902–79. Indian political leader. He was a founder (1934) of the Congress Socialist party and later (1952) the Indian Socialist party. He was an opponent of Indira Gandhi and ...Singh, Vishwanath Pratap
(Encyclopedia)Singh, Vishwanath Pratap sĭng [key], 1931–2008, Indian politician and prime minister (1989–90). As finance minister under Rajiv Gandhi (1984–87) he pursued policies of economic liberalization....caste
(Encyclopedia)caste [Port., casta=basket], ranked groups based on heredity within rigid systems of social stratification, especially those that constitute Hindu India. Some scholars, in fact, deny that true caste s...Giri, Varahagiri Venkata
(Encyclopedia)Giri, Varahagiri Venkata vərähäˈgərē vĕnˈkətä gēˈrē [key], 1894–1980, president of India (1969–74). He earned a law degree in Ireland, where he practiced law. After participating in t...Mukherjee, Pranab Kumar
(Encyclopedia)Mukherjee, Pranab Kumar, 1935–2020, Indian political leader. He was a lawyer, college teacher, and journalist before entering politics, and from 1972 (except for 1986–88) was a member of the Congr...Vajpayee, Atal Bihari
(Encyclopedia)Vajpayee, Atal Bihari äˈtäl bihärˈē väjˈpīˌ [key], 1926–2018, Indian politician, prime minister of India (1996, 1998–2004). He began his career as a journalist, entering politics as an u...Harijans
(Encyclopedia)Harijans hârˈĭjănzˌ [key] [children of God], in India, individuals who are at the bottom of or outside the Hindu caste system. They were traditionally sweepers, washers of clothes, leatherworkers...Prabhakaran, Velupillai
(Encyclopedia)Prabhakaran, Velupillai vĕˈlo͞opĭl-lī präbhäˈkärän [key], 1954–2009, Tamil nationalist guerrilla leader in Sri Lanka. Involved as a youth in protests against discrimination against Sri Lan...Browse by Subject
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