India

1. India's only female prime minister was assassinated

Indira Gandhi was India's first and only female prime minister. She was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru – India's first prime minister– not the child of leader Mahatma Gandhi as her surname might suggest. She served from 1966-1977 and was re-elected in 1980 before being assassinated in 1984 while still in office.

2. Mother Teresa's sari is still symbolic

Mother Teresa first donned her famous sari in 1948; it's now the uniform for nuns in her order, the Missionaries of Charity. Born in Macedonia in 1910, Mother Teresa – also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta – was a Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She devoted her life to helping the poor in the city of Calcutta, although her methods were considered controversial by some.

3. Indian weddings are a colourful occasion

A woman may be forbidden from housework while any colour from the bridal mendhi (henna) is on her hands. Indian weddings are often colourful extended occasions that can last for anything from 3 days to a full week. The ceremonies start with the Ganesh pooja, Usually, a private ceremony that takes place with the couple and their close families to honour good fortune, followed by the mendhi ceremony the next day where henna patterns are painted on the bride and her female friends and family. That evening, there's often the sangeet- a musical night to welcome all the wedding guests, with the main ceremony and reception happening on the third day.

4. The country is third in the world for billionaires

India now boasts 6,884 ultra-high-net-worth individuals with assets over US $30 million and claims to have 140 billionaires- ranking the country third in the world for billionaires, behind the USA and China.

5. The majority of the population is Hindu

Nearly 80 percent of India's population are Hindu, 15 percent are Muslim and millions more are Sikh, Jain or Christian.

6. Not just one national language

In India, there isn’t one national language- the constitution states there are 23 official

languages. While Hindi is the most widely spoken and the language of the central government in India, no language is more official than the others. According to the constitution, each of the 22 local languages (plus English) are of equal importance.

7. The sari is over 5000 years old

The sari dates back to at least 3000 BCE. Sari wearers often choose the colour of their garment based on the occasion. Red is often worn by brides to symbolise fertility and prosperity.

six-women-in-india-wearing-colourful-sari

8. Improvement in literacy

India has an adult literacy rate of nearly 75 percent. While the country has made significant improvements over the years, it has yet to meet the worldwide average literacy rate of 86.5 percent.

9. The origins of chess

It is claimed that the game of chess originated in India some 1,500 years ago. It is said to be based on the 7th-century war game called chaturanga that flourished in northwestern India at the time.