NOV20
All country briefings

Asia · Country briefing

India

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

  • Capital
    New Delhi
  • Population
    ~1.4 billion
  • Time zone
    Asia/Kolkata (UTC +5.5)
  • Currency
    Indian rupee (INR)
India, with New Delhi marked
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Climate in November: Cool in the north, warm in the south; post-monsoon clarity in many regions.

New Delhi, the capital of India

The capital

New Delhi

Photo · Unsplash

Fun facts

What makes India a bit special.

  • Highest peak

    Kangchenjunga · 8,586m (in Himalayas)

  • Chillies

    India grows the world's spiciest

  • Wettest place

    Mawsynram gets 12m of rain a year

  • Invented

    The number zero (around 1,500 years ago)

  • Tigers

    Home to 70% of the world's wild tigers

  • Diwali

    Festival of lights, late October/November

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

  • 🐅

    Bengal tiger

    India's national animal

  • 🐘

    Indian elephant

    Has smaller ears than its African cousin

  • 🦚

    Indian peacock

    The national bird — tail can be 1.5m wide

  • 🦁

    Asiatic lion

    Only found in Gir Forest, Gujarat

  • 🐍

    Indian cobra

    Spreads its 'hood' when alarmed

School life

In a India classroom

Many Indian schools begin with a morning assembly. English is widely used as a school language.

Typical school day: Often 08:00–14:30, with shorter days in primary.

School year: Varies by state, commonly April to March or June to April.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

  • नमस्ते (Namaste)
    Hindi · nuh-muh-stay

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

  1. 01How many languages do you speak?
  2. 02What's your favourite festival?
  3. 03What food do you bring to school?
  4. 04What do you like to read?
  5. 05What do you do after school?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

  • ℹIndia has 22 official languages and hundreds more. There is no single 'Indian' experience.
  • ℹClimate, food, and dress vary enormously between states.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

  • Food

    • Dal
    • Rice
    • Roti
    • Dosa
    • Sweets like jalebi

  • Music

    • Hindustani and Carnatic classical
    • Bollywood
    • Regional folk

  • Sport

    • Cricket
    • Field hockey
    • Kabaddi

  • Festivals

    • Diwali
    • Eid
    • Christmas
    • Holi
    • Pongal
Reflection prompts
  • “How does language make your country feel?”
  • “What festival would you most want to share with us?”

Could your class meet India?

Choose Indiawhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.

Register your classroom