The document explores the concept of diversity in India, highlighting the various forms of diversity including cultural, linguistic, and religious aspects while emphasizing that these differences contribute to the nation's strength and unity. It discusses how historical influences have shaped India's diverse landscape, as well as the importance of co-existence for social harmony and understanding. Additionally, it addresses challenges to diversity and existing mechanisms to promote unity within the country.

2. Look around your class.
֎ You will probably find students from every part of India.
֎ Maybe some from other countries as well.
֎ Each of you are different from one another
Different
Languages
Religions
Food
Habits
Kinds of
Clothes
Kinds of
Hobbies
Excellence
in
Different
Subjects
֎ You may excel in sports while your friend could be excellent in Mathematics.
֎ These differences make you unique and special.
֎ At the same time, all of you have one same thing in common. You study in the same class of the same school.

3.  The state of being different from one another and of being unique is called Diversity.
 Diversity is a range of many people, or things which are different from each other.
 It means people belonging to different classes, regions, religions etc.
Diversity is our strength
 To live with different groups is to experience co-existence.
 Co-existence helps to increase the level of understanding among the people.
 It acquaints us with each other’s traditions, customs and ways of life.
 We learn to respect each others’ way of life.
 We even adopt certain traditions from others.
 This helps to increase the feeling of unity in the society.
 This social unity helps us to face many natural and social calamities together.
Diversity

4. Inequality
 It arises when a person doesn’t have the resources and opportunities that are available to other persons.
 Example- Division of society on basis of caste system.
 E.g. A potter son is forced to remain a potter.

5. Diversity brings variety
Can you imagine how boring it would be?
If there was only one species of plant or animal on earth.
If all of us looked exactly the same.
Every time you went shopping, every shop sold the same things?
It is because of the existence of diversity that we have so much variety in
our lives.
Imagine that you and your friends are celebrating a friend's birthday party
by eating out. Each one of you want to have something different. So, what
do you do? You order each one's favourite dish and enjoy the assorted
platter. This is possible only when the restaurant offers diverse options.
Thus, when there is diversity we have more options to choose from.

6. DIVERSITY IN INDIA
 Our country is made up of people who belong to diverse backgrounds.
 India's diversity has always been her strength.
 In spite of this diversity, there is a basic unity which keeps us together.
 This unity is our heritage.
 Our heritage is very old and unique. It has evolved over 1000’s of years and is like a rich tapestry
 Social.
 Cultural.
 Economic.
 Political.
 Developments have added vibrant and colourful threads to this tapestry.

7. How did India become diverse?
 History tells us that many people have come from foreign lands and
settled in India.
 Since, Ancient times People travelled for different reasons.
 The places they LIVED IN
۴ may have been very cold, where no crops could grow.
۴ Very little rainfall could have led to drought and famine.
۴ Others may have moved looking for work.
۴ Wars could have also forced people to move.
۴ Many people also came to India lured by its tremendous wealth.

8. Indian culture has been influenced by people coming from outside and their cultures.
 People from Persia.
 Central Asia.
 Greece.
 Afghanistan.
 Tibet.
 Myanmar have come and settled in our country.
They adopted certain elements of our culture while retaining some elements of their own cultures and traditions as well.
This inter-mingling of cultures shaped the lives of people in different ways.
 New languages.
 dance forms.
 schools of music.
 Painting.
 cuisines and religions emerged.

9. Different
Types of
Diversity in
India
Physical
Diversity
Religious
Diversity
Linguistic
Diversity
Regional
Diversity
 India's diversity stems from historical influences, including waves of invasions, the emergence of religions, and Western colonialism.
 Geographically, the country's rugged terrain, river systems, coastline, and climate have also shaped distinct cultures, traditions, and
languages across regions.
India – Diversity and Unity

10.  India is characterized by diverse religious beliefs and practices.
 India is the birthplace of four of the world’s major religions, i.e. Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
 India is also home to people of many religions of the world, including a huge
population of Muslims( 3rd largest in the world) and Christians, along
with Jews, Parsis, etc.
 It reflects the country’s vast range of artistic expressions, from the
energetic Bhangra dance of Punjab to the elegant Odissi dance of
Odisha
 It includes enchanting festivals like Diwali, Eid, Holi, and Christmas,
which are celebrated with equal enthusiasm, resulting in a captivating
cultural amalgamation.
Religious Diversity:

11.  Caste plays a significant role in shaping the diverse fabric of Indian society.
 Caste and Jati is an intrinsic features of Indian society.
 People from four castes reside in India - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.
 There are more than 3,000 Jatis in India.
 These are hierarchically graded in different ways in different regions.
 The practice of the caste system is not confined to Hindus alone.
 Castes among Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and other communities also exist in India.
 Each caste and Jati has its own distinct customs, rituals, occupations, and social interactions.
 Marriage within one’s own caste or Jati has been a traditional practice to maintain social and cultural boundaries.
 While the Indian Constitution prohibits caste-based discrimination and ensures equal rights for all citizens, the influence of caste is still prevalent in
various aspects of Indian society.
Caste Diversity:

12. PHYSICAL DIVISIONS
OF INDIA
Mountains
1
Plains
2
Plateaus
3
Coastal Plains
4
Islands
5
Bay of Bengal
Arabian
sea

13. PHYSICAL DIVISIONS
OF INDIA
The Himalayan Mountains
1
The Northern Plains
2
The Peninsular Plateau
3
The Indian desert
4
The Coastal plains
5
Bay of Bengal
Arabian
sea
The Islands
6`

14.  India's geography is diverse, featuring towering mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, as well as vast
plains like the Indo-Gangetic along with the Deccan Plateau.
 The country also boasts a variety of climates and ecosystems, from the wettest areas of the northeast to the arid deserts of the west.
 India is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, home to around 8% of all recorded species.
 India has over 45,000 plants and 91,000 animal species, and various ecosystems.
 Our mountains are the source of our rivers, which provide water.
 Our plains grow food for the nation.
 The coastal areas provide fish.
 The peninsular plateau is a storehouse of essential minerals.
 No part of our country can flourish without the help and cooperation of the other parts.
 Our need for food, fuel, forest resources, and water makes us interdependent on each other.
Geographical Diversity and Biodiversity:

15.  More than 19,500 languages or dialects are spoken in India as mother tongue.
 121 languages are spoken by 10,000 or more people in India.
 Some states were also created on a linguistic basis.
 The government encourages every state language and culture.
 22 languages declared as official languages under the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
 The languages spoken by the Indian population can be divided into four language families:
 Austric family- Santhal, Munda, Ho, etc.
 Dravidian family -Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, etc.
 Sino-Tibetan family- Sikkimese, Sikkimese, Bodo, etc.
 Indo-European family- Hindi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Marathi, etc.
Linguistic Diversity:

16.  India is a country of great racial diversity, with a wide variety of different ethnic and linguistic groups.
 The population is primarily an admixture of the following races: Indo-Aryans, Dravidians, and Mongoloids.
 The country is also home to several tribal groups, each with distinct cultures and traditions.
Racial Diversity:

17.  Indian society is greatly heterogeneous along various regions and sub-regions differing from one another. Diversity can be seen in -
 Family Structure, Marriage Types and Rituals
 Festivals, Cuisine and food habits, Clothing, settlement patterns
 Literature, Epics, Drama, Cinema, and Theatre.
Diversity in Social Life:

19. Ladakh

20.  Geography
 Ladakh is a desert in the mountains in the east of Jammu and Kashmir.
 The agriculture is very little as this region does not receive any rain and is covered in snow for a large part of the year.
 People here keep sheep and goats.
 The goats in this region are special because they produce pashmina wool.
 The people in Ladakh carefully collect the wool of the goats and sell this to traders from Kashmir.
 Pashmina shawls are chiefly woven in Kashmir.
 It was considered a good trade route as it had many passes through which caravans travelled to Tibet.
 These caravans carried textiles and spices, raw silk and carpets.

21.  Religion:
 Buddhism reached Tibet via Ladakh.
 Ladakh is also known as “Little Tibet.”
 Islam was introduced in this region more than four hundred years ago.
 Ladakh has a very rich oral tradition of songs and poems.
 Local versions of the Tibetan national epic the Kesar Saga are performed and sung by both Muslims and Buddhists.

22. Kerala

23.  Geography:
 It is a state in the southwest corner of India.
 It is surrounded by the sea on one side and hills on the other.
 Economy:
 A number of spices like pepper, cloves and cardamoms are grown on the hills.
 It is spices that made this region an attractive place for traders.
 Jewish and Arab traders were the first to come here.

24.  Religion:
 The Portuguese discovered the sea route to India from Europe when Vasco da Gama landed with his ship
here.
 People in Kerala practice different religions such as Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism
due to such historical influences.
 Chinese influence:
 The fishing nets used here look exactly like the Chinese fishing nets and are called cheena-vala.
 Even the utensil used for frying is called the cheenachatti and it is believed that the word cheena could have come
from China.

25. India's Gain through Unity and Diversity

26. UNITY IN DIVERSITY
 India, as we have seen, is a land of diversities.
 However, in spite of all the differences, we are bound together by one common identity –
We are Indians.
 A beautiful example of unity in diversity can be found in our struggle for freedom.
 The British ruled India for nearly 200 years. The people of India, belonging to all
o Religions.
o Castes.
o Regions.
o Races and Ethnicities.
came together to fight against the British rule, and eventually Bravest to win freedom

27. Some of our freedom fighters were women.
The freedom fighters were inspired by a single vision
“THAT OFA NEW AND UNITED INDIA”
When our country became free in 1947, the new leaders had just one
Goal in Mind:- To make every Indian
 From every state and religion.
 Young or old.
 Rich or poor.
FEEL PROUD OF BELONGING TO INDIA AND WORK
TIRELESSLY FOR ITS PROGRESS

28. What does India gain through its Unity and diversity?
 National Integration - Unity in diversity can inject the feeling of harmony and brotherhood, despite having cultural, regional, or social
differences among them.
 Global recognition - A country that is highly diverse but remains united not only builds a strong platform of growth but also attains
recognition at the global level. It becomes an example for the world to follow.
 Peaceful co-existence - The peaceful co-existence can only be maintained through unity in a diverse country.
 Economic growth: Diversity can bring economic advantages as well, as different regions of the country have their own strengths and
resources, leading to a more diversified economy.
 Tolerance and social cohesion: India's diversity can promote greater tolerance and understanding among different groups, leading to a
more cohesive society.
 Innovation: Diversity in perspective and background can lead to more creative thinking and spur innovation and progress. The diverse range
of languages and cultures also enables more effective communication with different parts of the world.

29. What are the factors that threaten India’s diversity?
Religious and
ethnic conflicts
Discrimination
and
marginalization
Forced
assimilation and
cultural
homogenization
Political
polarization
Climate change
and
environmental
degradation

30. What are the existing mechanisms to promote Unity and diversity in India?
 Constitutional mechanisms:
 Provisions for Geographical Unity: The spirit of the Constitution is that India is an "indestructible Union of the Destructible states”.
 Promoting ‘unity and integrity of the nation’ is one of the objectives stated in the preamble.
 Provisions for ethnic and Cultural Unity: Article 29 of the constitution mandates the state to protect the distinguished culture and
traditions of various ethnic groups.
 Provision for religious Unity: The constitution of India defines it as a secular country.
 As per Article 25 of the constitution, the people are allowed to preach and propagate any religion.
 Article 15, the state is directed to ensure that there shall be no discrimination on the ground of religion with any person.
 Provision for unity in diverse languages: The constitution of India doesn't impose any single language as a national language.
 Schedule 8 of the constitution recognizes 22 languages of our country.

31.  Policy mechanisms:
 ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’- Programme aims to enhance interaction & promote mutual understanding between people of different
states/UTs
 New Education Policy 2020- Has ‘3 Language formula’ in School Education.
 One Nation-One Ration Card- To promote inter-state mobility among the workforce.
 Establishment of bodies like National Integration Council, Inter-state Council.

32. Examples of Unity in Diversity in India
 Participation of women and men from different cultural, religious and regional backgrounds during India’s freedom
movement.
 Songs and symbols that emerged during the freedom struggle serve as a constant reminder of our country's rich
tradition of respect for diversity.
 Use of the Indian flag as a symbol of protest against the British by people everywhere.
 Jawaharlal Nehru in his book the Discovery of India said that Indian unity is not something imposed from the
outside but rather, "it was something deeper and within its fold, the widest tolerance of belief and custom was
practised and every variety acknowledged and even encouraged."
 Nehru coined the phrase, "Unity in Diversity" to describe the country.
 India's national anthem, composed by Rabindranath Tagore is another expression of the unity of India.
 “Jana Gana Mana” was translated by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore from Bengali to English in February
1919 at Madanapalle in the district of Chittoor.