Partner Country of the Month November 2020: India
How to summarise India? The most populous country and largest democracy in the world is incredibly diverse, has a very long history and has brought forth several world religions. Yoga, the colonial past, Bollywood, the caste system, curry, and colourful saris are some of the things you may associate with India, but there is so much more to discover.
With the "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the wide diversity of countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that our students can explore during a semester abroad.
Table of contents
General facts and figures about India
Capital: New Delhi
Population: 1.47 billion (2025)
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)
You can find more facts, figures and information on Wikipedia or Incredible India.
Language matters: Hindi
- Hello - नमस्ते Namaste
- How are you - क्या हाल है? Kya haal hai? (colloquial) or आप कैसे हैं? Aap kaise hain? (polite)
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My name is ... - मेरा नाम ... है. Mera naam ... hai
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Thank you - धन्यवाद Dhanyavaad
You can find a free introduction to Hindi (including the Devanagari script) at merahindi.com.
There is no need to fear the language barrier, as our Indian partner universities offer most courses in English. In everyday life, you can also get by very well with English, a smattering of the local language and, above all, knowledge of the non-verbal means of communication ;)
Did you know that ....?
- at 20-40% of the population, India has the highest number of vegetarians in the world? Vegetarianism in India is mostly practiced for religious reasons. Regional differences exist: The amount of vegetarians is a lot higher in the north west than in the south east of the country. There is also a wide variety of diets (egg-free or with eggs, vegan, ...). Packaged foods are usually marked with green or red dots to make it easier to choose according to your own lifestyle.
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the number of people who travel by train in India every day is similar to the total population of Australia? With 7,325 stations and 13,198 trains, the Indian railroad system is the largest in Asia.
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the word shampoo derives from Hindi champo, meaning massage? Other words borrowed from Indian languages (sometimes with detours via other languages) in English include veranda, bungalow, jungle, lacquer, sugar and punch.
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the Taj Mahal resembles a mosque, but is not a mosque at all? This modern wonder of the world is a mausoleum, built in 1631 to commemorate Mumtaz Mahal, the great love of the Grand Mogul Shah Jahan.
Cooperation with TU Dresden
You can find all cooperations of TU Dresden in our database. Have a look at the experiences of our previous exchange students at Questionnaires. Professors at your faculty may have direct contacts to your partner university of choice and can advise you.
Our Indian partner university
- Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) in Chennai
- interdisciplinary cooperation via TUDworldwide
- for students of Computer Science or Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, there is funding available via Erasmus+ (worldwide)
Don't miss...
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.
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.
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.
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
NameMs Federica Serra
Infocenter/ Study abroad; TUDworldwide: America
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).
Visiting address:
Fritz Foerster Bau, Office 161 Mommsenstraße 6
01069 Dresden
Postal address:
TUD Dresden University of Technology International Office
01062 Dresden
Office hours:
- Tuesday:
- 09:30 - 11:30
- 12:30 - 14:30
- Thursday:
- 09:30 - 11:30
Please register at the SCS (FOE, floor 0).
Looking for first-hand information?
Would you like to know more about India? 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
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