It is not really possible to briefly describe India on just one website. The largest democracy in the world, colonial past, religious diversity, Bollywood, caste system, "curries", ... all buzzwords that many people associate with India, but which cannot even begin to describe the country of many contrasts. With the "Partner country of the month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the countries and partner universities of TU Dresden, which are not always the first choice of our exchange students.

General facts and figures about India

Capital: New Delhi
Population: 1.4 billion
Official language: Hindi and English and 21 other officially recognized languages, some of which serve as official languages at regional level (e.g. Gujarati, Tamil and Urdu).
National holidays: January 26(Republic Day), August 15(Independence Day),
October 2(Gandhi Jayanti)
Currency: Rupee (INR), 1€ = 86 rupees and 82 paise

You can find more facts and figures on wikipedia, Incredible India or Statista, for example.

© Julia Paternoster

A short Hindi language course:

• Hello - Namaste
• How are you - क्या हाल है? (Kya haal hai? - colloquial) or आप कैसे हैं? (

  Aap kaise hain? - polite)

• My name is ... - मेरा नाम ... है (Mera naam ... hai.)

• Thank you - धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad)

You can find a free introduction and many lessons at https://www.learning-hindi.com/. The Duolingo app, for example, also offers Hindi, but you should already be familiar with the Devanagari script. There are also textbooks from the Teach yourself series, as well as for the language itself. The VHS Dresden offers Hindi courses on an irregular basis.

But don't worry, most of the courses offered at universities in India are in English and you can get by very well in everyday life as long as you know a few snippets of the local language and, above all, know how to use non-verbal means of communication well ;)

© Julia Paternoster

Did you know that ....?

• India has the highest number of vegetarians in the world at 29%-40%? For religious reasons, there are also a wide variety of egg-free/without, completely vegan, etc. Packaged foods are usually marked with green or red dots to make it easier to choose according to your own habits.

• the number of people who travel by train in India every day is equal to the total population of Australia? With more than 7,172 stations, over 23 million passengers daily on 12,617 trains, the Indian railroad system is the largest in Asia.

• the word shampoo comes from a Hindi word ( champu in Sanskrit) and means massage? Other words borrowed from Indian languages (sometimes with detours via other languages) in German include veranda, bungalow, jungle, kohl, sugar and punch.

• the Taj Mahal resembles a mosque, but is not a mosque at all? The modern wonder of the world is a mausoleum, built in 1631 to commemorate the great love of the Grand Mogul Shah Jahan: Mumtaz Mahal.

• in West Bengal cows have to have a photo ID? This is to make it more difficult to smuggle cows to Bangladesh, where they are slaughtered for their meat. The export of cows is illegal in India.

Cooperation with TU Dresden

You can find an overview of all TU Dresden collaborations that you can use for exchanges in our database. It is also often worth asking professors in your own faculty who have direct contacts with the desired partner university.

Central student exchange with Indian universities:

• Indian Institute of Technology in Madras
• Indian Institute of Technology Mandi

Don't miss...

© Julia Paternoster

The Golden Temple in Amritsar: Hari Mandir is the highest shrine of the Sikhs in Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab. Every day, up to 100,000 people of all origins and religions are fed here free of charge. The atmosphere is unique.

Jodhpur Fort and the Blue City: The Jodhpur Fort towers high above the city and offers a very good (audio) tour to immerse yourself in history. It also offers a fantastic view over the Blue City.

© Julia Paternoster

The temples of Kajuraho: The temples of Kajuraho are a little off the beaten track in India, which is why they were only rediscovered in 1830. Today they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Dakshinachitra Museum in Chennai: an open-air museum where the traditional life of South India comes to life. Here you can immerse yourself in the architecture, art, crafts and customs of South Indian traditions. You can also watch craftsmen and artists at work and even try your hand at it yourself.

© Julia Paternoster

a (guided) excursion to the Himalayas: many pilgrimage tours lead through the mountain ranges and offer not only strenuous mountain hikes and breathtaking views, but also a fantastic insight into the history of Hinduism.

[A/N: We have about 50 more tips, because India is big and diverse. You'll never get bored and there's something new to discover and learn every day].

If you want to get a foretaste, we recommend the Indian Association Dresden , which regularly organizes events in Dresden and also celebrates Diwali and Holi with you, for example. You can also try out cricket in Dresden.

Let's cook...

Given the size of the country, the diversity and the very different cultures, it is extremely difficult, if not almost impossible, to name a typical national dish for India. But what is certain is that there are very tasty dishes everywhere and everyone is sure to bring home their personal favorite dish! Incidentally, the "typical" curry is a term coined by the British during their colonial rule. In India, the dishes tend to bear the name of the ingredients (e.g. alu gobhi for a "curry" with potatoes and cauliflower), even if everyone knows what is meant.

© Julia Paternoster

Nevertheless, we thought we'd pick out two of our favorite dishes for you: Mattar Paneer (peas with cheese). You can make the paneer yourself or buy it. And a classic: Dal Tadka- "only" a lentil dish, but a unique taste when cooked well.

*If you're short of ingredients in your kitchen, you'll have no problem finding them in Dresden's larger Asian markets ;)

Contact

Have you had a great time in India? Successfully spent your semester abroad in Pune? What is your favorite dish from India? How many Bollywood movies have you watched? Do you have tips for places and experiences that are not to be missed? We would be happy to share your experiences here, on social media or, if you want, in info events for other TUD students. Get in touch with us:

© Sven Ellger/TUD

Advice on studying abroad

Name

Ms Federica Serra

Infocenter/ Study abroad; TUDworldwide: America

Send email

Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).

Contact Information

Organization Name

International Office

International Office

Address work

Visiting address:

Fritz Foerster Bau, Office 161 Mommsenstraße 6

01069 Dresden

Show map of this location.

Address postal

Postal address:

TUD Dresden University of Technology International Office

01062 Dresden

work Tel.

Office hours:

Tuesday:

09:30 - 11:30

12:30 - 14:30

Thursday:

09:30 - 11:30

Please register at the SCS (FOE, floor 0).

Office hours by phone:

Keine Sprechzeit zwischen 20. - 28.02.2025

Looking for first-hand information?

Would you like to know more about …? Ask our alumni ambassadors - TUD alumni who are active in many countries around the world and can give you information and advice for your stay abroad.

Getting in touch is very easy: On this interactive world map, markers indicate the cities where our alumni ambassadors live. There is a short profile with contact information for each ambassador.

Partner countries archive

Did you miss a partner country? No problem! Here you can read up on all articles.