name	Rajasthan
native name	राजस्थान
type	State
image seal	Seal of Rajasthan.jpg
map caption	Location of Rajasthan in India
image map1	Rajasthan locator map.svg
map caption1	Map of Rajasthan
coor pinpoint	Jaipur
coordinates type	region:IN-RJ_type:adm1st
coordinates display	inline,title
coordinates region	IN-RJ
subdivision type	Country
subdivision name
established title	Established
established date	1 November 1956
parts type	Districts
parts style	para
p1	33 total
seat type	Capital
seat	Jaipur
seat1 type	Largest city
seat1	Jaipur
leader title	Governor
leader name	Dr. Shivraj Patil
leader title1	Chief Minister
leader name1	Ashok Gehlot
leader title2	Legislature
leader name2	Unicameral (200 seats)
leader title3	Parliamentary constituency
leader name3	25
leader title4	High Court
leader name4	Rajasthan High Court
unit pref	Metric
area total km2	342269
area rank	1st
population total	68621012
population as of	2011
population rank	8th
population density km2	auto
timezone1	IST
utc offset1	+05:30
iso code	IN-RJ
blank name sec1	HDI
blank info sec1	0.537 (medium)
blank1 name sec1	HDI rank
blank1 info sec1	21st (2005)
blank name sec2	Literacy
blank info sec2	68% (20th)
blank1 name sec2	Official languages
blank1 info sec2	Marwaris, Rajasthani, Hindi
website	rajasthan.gov.in
footnotes	}}

Rājasthān (, ) the land of Rajasthanis, ("''the land of kings''" or "''the land of colours''"), is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert (Thar Desert), which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with Pakistan. The state is bordered by Pakistan to the west, Gujarat to the southwest, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to the northeast and Punjab to the north. Rajasthan covers an area of 132,150 sq mi or 342,239 km². The proportion of the state's total area to the total area of the country is 10.41 per cent.

Jaipur is the capital and the largest city of the state. Geographical features include the Thar Desert along north-western Rajasthan and the termination of the Ghaggar River near the archaeological ruins at Kalibanga of the Indus Valley Civilization, which are the oldest in the Indian subcontinent discovered so far.

One of the world's oldest mountain ranges, the Aravalli Range, cradles the only hill station of Rajasthan, Mount Abu, famous for Dilwara Temples, a sacred pilgrimage for Jains. Eastern Rajasthan has the world famous Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur, famous for its bird life and is a World Heritage Site and two famous national tiger reserves, Ranthambore and Sariska Tiger Reserve. Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949, when all erstwhile princely states ruled by Rajputs, known as Rajputana, merged into the Dominion of India.

Etymology

The first mention of word ''Rajasthan'' comes from the work of James Tod (''Annals'') in 1829 A.D. Rajasthan literally means a ''Land of Kingdoms''. George Thomas (''Military Memories'') was the first in 1800 A.D., to term this region as ''Rajputana''.John Keay in his book, ''India: A History'' stated that the Rajputana name was coined by the British, but that the word even achieved a retrospective authenticity: in an 1829 translation of Ferishta's history of early Islamic India, John Briggs discarded the phrase Indian princes, as rendered in Dow's earlier version, and substituted Rajpoot princes. Rajasthan was essentially the country of the Gurjars. R. C. Majumdar explained that the region was long known as ''Gurjaratra'' that is Country protected or ruled by the Gurjars, early form of Gujarat, before it came to be called Rajputana.

The only difference between erstwhile Rajputana and Rajasthan is that certain portions of what had been British India, in the former province of Ajmer-Merwara, were included. Portions lying geographically outside of Rajputana such as the Sumel-Tappa area were included in Madhya Pradesh.

History

The Indus Valley Civilization, one of the world's first and oldest civilizations, was located in parts of what is now Rajasthan. Kalibangan in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. It is believed that Western Kshatrapas (35–405 BC) were Saka rulers of the western part of India (Saurashtra and Malwa: modern Gujarat, Southern Sindh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan). They were successors to the Indo-Scythians, and were contemporaneous with the Kushans who ruled the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. The Indo-Scythians invaded the area of Ujjain and establish the Saka era (with Saka calendar), marking the beginning of the long-lived Saka Western Satraps state.

Traditionally the Meenas, Rajputs, Yadavs, Jats, Bhils, Gurjars, Bishnois and other tribes made a great contribution in building the state of Rajasthan. All these tribes suffered great difficulties in protecting their culture and the land. Millions of them were martyred trying to protect their land. Gurjars had been exterminated in Bhinmal and Ajmer areas fighting with the invaders. Bhils once ruled Kota. Meenas were rulers of Bundi and Dhundhar region.

Gurjars ruled many dynasties in this part of the country. In fact this region was long known as ''Gurjaratra''. Up to the tenth century almost the whole of North India, excepting Bengal, owned supremacy of Gurjars with their seat of power at Kannauj. Gurjar Pratihar Empire acted as barrier for Arab invaders from 6th to 11th century. The chief credit of Gurjara Pratihara empire lies in its successfully resistance to the foreign invasions from the west, from the days of Junaid. Historian Majumdar, say that this was frankly recognized by the Arab writers themselves. He further clears that historians of India have wondered at the slow progress of Muslim invaders in India, as compared with their rapid advance in other parts of the world. Now, there can be little doubt that it was the power of the Gurjara Pratihara army that effectively barred the progress of the Muslims beyond the confines of Sindh, their first conquest for nearly three hundred years.

The earlier contributions of warriors and protectors of the land Vishnois, Ahirs, Gurjars, Jats, Bhils and Meenas were neglected and lost in history due to stories of valour shown by certain specific clans in later years graining more prominence over older acts of bravery.

Rajasthan means the ''Land of the Kings.'' Modern Rajasthan includes most of Rajputana, which comprises mainly the erstwhile Rajput kingdoms as well as two Jat kingdoms and a Muslim kingdom. Marwar (Jodhpur), Bikaner, Mewar (Udaipur), Alwar and Dhundhar (Jaipur) were some of the main Rajput states. The Jats were rulers in Bharatpur and Dholpur. Tonk was ruled by a Muslim Nawab. Rajput families rose to prominence in the 6th century CE. The Rajputs put a very valiant resistance to the Islamic invasions and protected this land with their warfare and chivalry for more than 500 years. They also resisted Mughal incursions into India, but contributed to the slower than anticipated access to the Indian Subcontinent. Later the Mughals, with a technique based on a combination of treachery and skilled warfare were able to set firm a grip on northern India, including Rajasthan. The fighter spirit and valour of Rajputs impressed the Mughals to such an extent that even after defeating the Rajputs, the Mughals held their valour and value in the highest esteem. Mewar led other kingdoms in its resistance to outside rule. Most notably Rana Sanga fought the Battle of Khanua against Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire.

Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, the Hindu Emperor, also known as Hemu in the history of India was born in the village of Machheri in Alwar District in the year 1501. He had won 22 battles against Afghans, from Punjab to Bengal and had defeated Akbar's forces twice at Agra and Delhi in 1556, before acceeding to the throne of Delhi and establishing 'Hindu Raj' in North India, albeit for a short duration, from Purana Quila in Delhi. He was killed in the Second Battle of Panipat.

Maharana Pratap of Mewar resisted Akbar in the famous Battle of Haldighati {1576) and later operated from hilly areas of his kingdom. Bhils were Maharana's main allies during these wars. Most of these attacks were evenly met as the Mughal forces outnumbered Mewar Rajputs in all the wars fought between them. The Haldighati war was fought between 10,000 Mewaris and a 100,000 strong Mughal force (including many Rajputs like Kachwahas from Dhundhar).

Over the years the Mughals began to have internal disputes which took their concentration away at times. The Mughal Empire eventually weakened to which several groups across their kingdom saw opportunities to establish their power whilst the army was fighting somewhere else. The Rajputs saw this as an opportunity to reassert their independence. With the decline of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, Rajputana came under attack by the Marathas and Pindaris, and the Maratha general Scindia captured Ajmer.

The Rajput kings following a rapid defeat, concluded treaties with the British in the early 19th century, accepting British sovereignty in return for local autonomy. Following the Mughal tradition as well as its strategic location Ajmer became a province of British India, while the autonomous Rajput states, the Muslim state Tonk, and the Jat states (Bharatpur and Dholpur) were organized into the Rajputana Agency.

Rajasthan's formerly independent kingdom created a rich architectural and cultural heritage, seen even today in their numerous forts and palaces (Mahals and Havelis) which are enriched by features of Muslim and Jain architecture.

The development of the frescos in Rajasthan is linked with the history of the Marwaris, who have also played a crucial role in the economic development of the region. Many wealthy families throughout Indian history have links to Marwar. These families include the legendary Birla, Bhandari, Bajaj, Mittal and Mirza families.

Geography

The main geographic features of Rajasthan are the Thar Desert and the Aravalli Range, which runs through the state from southwest to northeast, almost from one end to the other, for more than 850 km. Mount Abu is at the southwestern end of the range, separated from the main ranges by the West Banas River, although a series of broken ridges continues into Haryana in the direction of Delhi where it can be seen as outcrops in the form of the Raisina Hill and the ridges farther north. About three-fifths of Rajasthan lies northwest of the Aravallis, leaving two-fifths on the east and south.

The northwestern portion of Rajasthan is generally sandy and dry. Most of the region is covered by the Thar Desert, which extends into adjoining portions of Pakistan. The Aravalli Range does not intercept the moisture-giving southwest monsoon winds off the Arabian Sea, as it lies in a direction parallel to that of the coming monsoon winds, leaving the northwestern region in a rain shadow. The Thar Desert is thinly populated; the town of Bikaner is the largest city in the desert. The Northwestern thorn scrub forests lie in a band around the Thar Desert, between the desert and the Aravallis. This region receives less than 400 mm of rain in an average year. Temperatures can exceed 45 °C in the summer months and drop below freezing in the winter. The Godwar, Marwar, and Shekhawati regions lie in the thorn scrub forest zone, along with the city of Jodhpur. The Luni River and its tributaries are the major river system of Godwar and Marwar regions, draining the western slopes of the Aravallis and emptying southwest into the great Rann of Kutch wetland in neighboring Gujarat. This river is saline in the lower reaches and remains potable only up to Balotara in Barmer district. The Ghaggar River, which originates in Haryana, is an intermittent stream that disappears into the sands of the Thar Desert in the northern corner of the state and is seen as a remnant of the primitive Saraswati river.

The Aravalli Range and the lands to the east and southeast of the range are generally more fertile and better watered. This region is home to the Kathiarbar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion, with tropical dry broadleaf forests that include teak, ''Acacia'', and other trees. The hilly Vagad region lies in southernmost Rajasthan, on the border with Gujarat. With the exception of Mount Abu, Vagad is the wettest region in Rajasthan, and the most heavily forested. North of Vagad lies the Mewar region, home to the cities of Udaipur and Chittaurgarh. The Hadoti region lies to the southeast, on the border with Madhya Pradesh. North of Hadoti and Mewar is the Dhundhar region, home to the state capital of Jaipur. Mewat, the easternmost region of Rajasthan, borders Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Eastern and southeastern Rajasthan is drained by the Banas and Chambal rivers, tributaries of the Ganges.

The Aravali Range runs across the state from the southwest peak Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu), which is 1,722 m in height, to Khetri in the northeast. This divides the state into 60% in the northwest of the range and 40% in the southeast. The northwest tract is sandy and unproductive with little water but improves gradually from desert land in the far west and northwest to comparatively fertile and habitable land towards the east. The area includes the Thar Desert. The south-eastern area, higher in elevation (100 to 350 m above sea level) and more fertile, has a very diversified topography. in the south lies the hilly tract of Mewar. In the southeast, a large area within the districts of Kota and Bundi forms a tableland. To the northeast of these districts is a rugged region (badlands) following the line of the Chambal River. Farther north the country levels out; the flat plains of the northeastern Bharatpur district are part of an alluvial basin.

Language

Although not claasified as one of the scheduled constitutional languages Rajasthani language is still a dialect of the Indo-Aryan languages family. It is spoken by 130 million people in Rajasthan and other states of India.

Economy

Rajasthan's economy is primarily agricultural and pastoral. Wheat and barley are cultivated over large areas, as are pulses, sugarcane, and oilseeds. Cotton and tobacco are the state's cash crops. Rajasthan is among the largest producers of edible oils in India and the second largest producer of oilseeds. Rajasthan is also the biggest wool-producing state in India and the main opium producer and consumer. There are mainly two crop seasons. The water for irrigation comes from wells and tanks. The Indira Gandhi Canal irrigates northwestern Rajasthan.

The main industries are mineral based, agriculture based, and textiles. Rajasthan is the second largest producer of polyester fibre in India. The Bhilwara District produces more cloth than Bhiwandi, Maharashtra and the bhilwara is the largest city in suitings production and export. Several prominent chemical and engineering companies are located in the city of Kota, in southern Rajasthan. Rajasthan is pre-eminent in quarrying and mining in India. The Taj Mahal was built from the white marble which was mined from a town called Makrana. The state is the second largest source of cement in India. It has rich salt deposits at Sambhar, copper mines at Khetri, Jhunjhunu and zinc mines at Dariba, Zawar mines at Zawarmala for zinc, Rampura Aghucha (opencast) near Bhilwara. Dimensional stone mining is also undertaken in Rajasthan. Jodhpur sandstone is mostly used in monuments, important buildings and residential buildings. This stone is termed as "chittar patthar".

Rajasthan is now the preferred destination for IT companies and North India's largest integrated IT park is located in Jaipur and is named as Mahindra World City Jaipur covering nearly of land. Some of the companies operating in Rajasthan include Infosys, Genpact, Wipro, Truworth, Deutsche Bank, NEI, MICO, Honda Siel Cars, Coca Cola and Procter & Gamble.

Tourism

Rajasthan attracted 14% of total foreign visitors during 2009-2010 which is fourth highest in all states of India. It positioned fourth place also in Domestic tourist visitors. Endowed with natural beauty and a great history, tourism is a flourishing industry in Rajasthan. The palaces of Jaipur, lakes of Udaipur, and desert forts of Jodhpur, targarh fort (star fort) in bundi, Bikaner & Jaisalmer rank among the most preferred destinations in India for many tourists both Indian and foreign. Tourism accounts for eight percent of the state's domestic product. Many old and neglected palaces and forts have been converted into heritage hotels. Tourism has increased employment in the hospitality sector.

Rajasthan is famous for the majestic forts, intricately carved temples and decorated havelis, which were built by Rajput kings in previous ages, they were the soul of pre-Muslim era Rajasthan. Jantar Mantar, Dilwara Temples, Chittorgarh Fort, Lake Palace, bundi palace ,City Palaces, Jaisalmer [ancient miniature in bundi ] Havelis are part of the true architectural heritage of India. Jaipur, the Pink City, is noted for the ancient houses made of a type of sand stone dominated by a pink hue ,in budi maximum houses are painted blue. At Ajmer, the white marble Bara-dari on the Anasagar lake is exquisite. Jain Temples dot Rajasthan from north to south and east to west. Dilwara Temples of Mount Abu, Ranakpur Temple dedicated to Lord Adinath near Udaipur, Jain temples in the fort complexes of Chittor, Jaisalmer and Kumbhalgarh, Lodurva Jain temples, Bhandasar Temple of Bikaner are some of the best examples.

Rajasthan is often called a shopper's paradise. Rajasthan is famous for textiles, semi-precious stones and handicrafts. The attractive designs of jewellery and clothes are eye-catching and invite shoppers. Rajasthani furniture has intricate carvings and bright colours. Rajasthani handicrafts are in demand due to the intricate work on them. Above all, Rajasthan's shopping appeals to both tourists and people from other parts of India due to its cheap prices for quality goods.

Bikaner is famous for its namkeens, Jaipur for its jewellery, Jodhpur for sweets and Jaisalmer for yellow stone, wall paintings of bundi.

Culture

[[File:Rajasthani Dolls.JPG|thumb|Rajasthani Up-Down Dolls found in the road-side shops of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

Rajasthan is culturally rich and has artistic and cultural traditions which reflect the ancient Indian way of life. There is rich and varied folk culture from villages which is often depicted and is symbolic of the state. Highly cultivated classical music and dance with its own distinct style is part of the cultural tradition of Rajasthan. The music is uncomplicated and songs depict day-to-day relationships and chores, more often focused around fetching water from wells or ponds.

The Ghoomar dance from Udaipur and Kalbeliya dance of Jaisalmer have gained international recognition. Folk music is a vital part of Rajasthani culture. Kathputli, Bhopa, Chang, Teratali, Ghindr, Kachchhighori, Tejaji etc. are the examples of the traditional Rajasthani culture. Folk songs are commonly ballads which relate heroic deeds and love stories; and religious or devotional songs known as bhajans and banis (often accompanied by musical instruments like dholak, sitar, sarangi etc.) are also sung.

Rajasthan is known for its traditional, colorful art.wall painting in bundi . The block prints, tie and dye prints, Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, and Zari embroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and handicrafts, carpets, and blue pottery are some of the things commonly found here. Rajasthan is a shoppers' paradise, with beautiful goods found at low prices. Reflecting the colorful Rajasthani culture, Rajasthani clothes have a lot of mirror-work and embroidery. A Rajasthani traditional dress for females comprises an ankle length skirt and a short top, also known as a ''lehenga'' or a ''chaniya choli''. A piece of cloth is used to cover the head, both for protection from heat and maintenance of modesty. Rajasthani dresses are usually designed in bright colours like blue, yellow and orange.

The main religious festivals are Deepawali, Holi, Gangaur, Teej, Gogaji, Shri Devnarayan Jayanti, Makar Sankranti and Janmashtami, as the main religion is Hinduism. Rajasthan's desert festival is celebrated with great zest and zeal. This festival is held once a year during winter. Dressed in brilliantly hued costumes, the people of the desert dance and sing haunting ballads of valor, romance and tragedy. There are fairs with snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats and folk performers. Camels, of course, play a stellar role in this festival.

Administration

Government

The current government in Rajasthan is that of Indian National Congress. The current Chief Minister is Ashok Gehlot.

Politics

The Political life of Rajasthan is dominated by two major parties Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Indian National Congress.

Districts

Rajasthan is divided into 33 districts and seven divisions:

Ajmer Division: Ajmer, Bhilwara, Nagaur, Tonk.

Bharatpur Division: Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur.

Bikaner Division: Bikaner, Churu, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh.

Jaipur Division: Jaipur, Alwar, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Dausa.

Jodhpur Division: Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jodhpur, Pali, Sirohi.

Kota Division: Baran, Bundi, Jhalawar, Kota.

Udaipur Division: Banswara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Rajsamand

Demographics

{{IndiaCensusPop | title= Population Growth | 1951= 15971000 | 1961= 20156000 | 1971= 25766000 | 1981= 34262000 | 1991= 44006000 | 2001= 56507000 | 2011= 68621000 | estimate= | estyear= | estref= | footnote=Source:Census of India }} Rajasthan has a mainly Rajasthani population. Hindus account for 88.8% of the population. Muslims make up 8.5%, Sikhs 1.4% and Jains 1.2% of the population. The state of Rajasthan is also populated by Sindhis, who came to Rajasthan from Sindh province (now in Pakistan) during the India-Pakistan separation in 1947.

The mother tongue of the majority of people in Rajasthan is Rajasthani. Rajasthani and Hindi are the most widely used languages in Rajasthan. Rajasthani is used as a medium of instruction, along with Hindi and English, in some schools. Some other languages used in Rajasthan are Gujarati, Sindhi and Punjabi.

Education

During recent years, Rajasthan has made significant progress in the area of education. The state government has been making sustained efforts to improve the educational standard. In recent decades, the literacy rate of Rajasthan has increased significantly. In 1991, the state's literacy rate was only 38.55% (54.99% male and 20.44% female). In 2001, the literacy rate increased to 60.41% (75.70% male and 43.85% female). This was the highest leap in the percentage of literacy recorded in India (the rise in female literacy being 23%). At the Census 2011, Rajasthan had a literacy rate of 67.06% (80.51% male and 52.66% female). Although Rajasthan's literacy rate is below the national average of 74.04% and although its female literacy rate is the lowest in the country (closely followed by Bihar at 53.33%), the state has been praised for its efforts and achievements in raising both male and female literacy rates.

Rajasthan has nine universities and more than two hundred and fifty colleges, fifty five thousand primary and seven thousand four hundred secondary schools. There are forty-one engineering colleges with an annual enrollment of about 11,500 students. The state has twenty-three polytechnics and one-hundred and fifty-two Industrial Training Institute (ITIs) that impart vocational training to the students.

Flora and fauna

Though a large percentage of the total area is desert, and even though there is little forest cover, Rajasthan has a rich and varied flora and fauna. The natural vegetation is classed as Northern Desert Thorn Forest (Champion 1936). These occur in small clumps scattered in a more or less open forms. Density and size of patches increase from west to east following the increase in rainfall.

Some wildlife species, which are fast vanishing in other parts of India, are found in the desert in large numbers such as the Great Indian Bustard ''(Ardeotis nigriceps)'', the Blackbuck ''(Antilope cervicapra)'', the Indian Gazelle ''(Gazella bennettii)'' and the Indian Wild Ass.

The Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, spread over an area of 3162 km², is an excellent example of the ecosystem of the Thar Desert, and its diverse fauna. Great Indian Bustard, Blackbuck, chinkara, desert fox, Bengal fox, wolf, desert cat etc. can be easily seen here. Seashells and massive fossilized tree trunks in this park record the geological history of the desert. The region is a haven for migratory and resident birds of the desert. One can see many eagles, harriers, falcons, buzzards, kestrel and vultures. Short-toed Eagles ''(Circaetus gallicus)'', Tawny Eagles ''(Aquila rapax)'', Spotted Eagles ''(Aquila clanga)'', Laggar Falcons ''(Falco jugger)'' and kestrels are the commonest of these.

The Ranthambore National Park located in Sawai Madhopur, is one of the finest Tiger Reserves in the Country which became a part of Project Tiger in 1973.

The Sariska Tiger Reserve located in Alwar district, 200 km from Delhi and 107 km from Jaipur covers an area of approximately 800 km².The area was declared a National Park in 1979.

Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is a very small sanctuary in Sujangarh, Churu District, 210 km from Jaipur, in the Shekhawati region. This sanctuary is home to a large population of graceful Blackbuck. Desert Fox and desert cat can also be spotted along with typical avifauna such as partridge and sand grouse.

Wildlife

Rajasthan is also noted for National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. There are four national park and wildlife sanctuaries named the Keoladeo National Park of Bharatpur, Sariska Tiger Reserve of Alwar, Ranthambore National Park of Sawai Madhopur, and Desert National Park of Jaisalmer.

Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary are both known worldwide for their tiger population and considered by both wilderness lovers and photographers as the best places in India to spot tigers. At one point, due to poaching and negligence, tigers became extinct here, but recently 5 tigers have been shifted here . Prominent among the wildlife sanctuaries are Mount Abu Sanctuary, Bhensrod Garh Sanctuary, Darrah Sanctuary, Jaisamand Sanctuary, Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Jawahar Sagar sanctuary and Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary.

There are a variety of wildlife species in Rajasthan, notably including the apex predator Caracal, Caracal caracal.

Transport

Rajasthan is connected by many national highways. Most renowned being NH 8, which is India's first 4–8 lane highway. Rajasthan also has an inter-city surface transport system both in terms of railways and bus network. All chief cities are connected by air, rail and road.

By Air: There are four main airports at Rajasthan- Jaipur airport, Udaipur airport, Jodhpur airport and Kota airport. These airports connect Rajasthan with the major cities of India such as Delhi and Mumbai.

By Rail: Rajasthan is connected with the main cities of India by rail. Jaipur, Kota, Bikaner, Ajmer, Udaipur and Jodhpur are the principal railway stations in Rajasthan. Kota City is the only Electrified Section served by three Rajdhani Expresses and trains to all cities of India.

By Road: Rajasthan is well connected to the main cities of the country including Delhi, Ahmedabad and Indore by State and National Highways and served by Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) and Private operators.

Statistics

Population:68.6 million (2011 Census, estimated at more than 68 million now)

Cities and Towns: 222

Major cities: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner Bharatpur, Alwar, Bhilwara, Sri Ganganagar, Sikar and Hanumangarh.

Roads: 1,51,914 km. (8,798 km National Highway)

National highways crossing Rajasthan: Delhi-Ahmedabad, Agra-Bikaner, Jaipur-Bhopal, Bhatinda-Kandla, Shivpuri-Kota, Kota-Udaipur and Pali-Ambala.

Climate: Generally dry with monsoon during July–August

Districts: 33

Languages: English and Hindi commonly used, as well as indigenous Rajasthani languages, Braj Bhasha etc.

Literacy: 61.03%

See also

Districts of Rajasthan

Kathputli (Puppet)

Keoladeo National Park

List of people from Rajasthan

Marwaris

Rajasthani people

Rajasthani languages

Ranthambore National Park

Sariska Tiger Reserve

References

Gahlot, Sukhvirsingh. 1992. ''RAJASTHAN: Historical & Cultural''. J. S. Gahlot Research Institute, Jodhpur.

Somani, Ram Vallabh. 1993. ''History of Rajasthan''. Jain Pustak Mandir, Jaipur.

Tod, James & Crooke, William. 1829. ''Annals & Antiquities of Rajasthan or the Central and Western Rajput States of India''. 3 Vols. Reprint: Low Price Publications, Delhi. 1990. ISBN 81-85395-68-3 (set of 3 vols.)

Mathur, P.C., 1995. ''Social and Economic Dynamics of Rajasthan Politics'' (Jaipur, Aaalekh)

Video of Rajasthan, India . http://www.youtube.com/DjBobbyLosAngeles#p/u/6/jxjZlzQl-Zw

External links

RajasthanTalkies.com

Category:States and territories of India Category:States and territories established in 1956

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{{infobox company | company name	Yash Raj Films Private Limited | company_logo 200px | company_type Private| parent | owner | foundation Mumbai, Maharashtra in 1970| location_city Mumbai| location_country India | key_people Yash Chopra(Founder & chairman)Aditya Chopra(Vice Chairman) Sahdev Ghei(Vice President of Distribution)Rafiq Gangjee(Vice President, Marketing and Communications |
subsid	|industry Entertainment| products FilmsMusic| revenue | operating_income | homepage www.yashrajfilms.com }}

Yash Raj Films (YRF) is an Indian Entertainment company set up by Yash Chopra, an Indian film director and producer who is considered an entertainment mogul in India.

Initial years

Initially Yash Chopra worked for his brother's production company (''B.R. Films'') and set up his own company in the year 1976. This production company had three consecutive hits in 2004 and in 2005 had two box office hits.

The corporation of Yash Raj Films

''Yash Raj Films'' has also launched its own music label called ''Yash Raj Music'' and produces DVDs, videos and VCDs under the ''Yash Raj Films Home Entertainment'' label. ''YRF Home Entertainment'' has acquired the rights for classics created by Raj Kapoor and his production company ''R.K. Films'', as well as B.R. Chopra and his production company ''B.R. Films''. In 2006, Yash Raj films unveiled its new film studio. As of 2007, they now sell their music in digital format through the site along with DVDs and Audio CDs. They have also started selling their music on iTunes. In May 2007, they tied up with The Walt Disney Company to co-produce animation movies in India.

In 2004 the ''Hollywood Reporter'' placed ''Yash Raj Films'' on number 27 in a survey ''Biggest Film Distribution Houses'' in the world; it is India's biggest production company as of 2006. Yash Chopra and Aditya Chopra topped the power list of India as stated by the February 2005 edition of the Filmfare Magazine. Various subsidiaries of YRF are:

Yash Raj Films

Yash Raj Music

Yash Raj Studio - Mumbai

Yash Raj Home Video

Yash Raj Television

YRF Intl. Ltd.

Yash Raj Films USA, inc.

Y-Films, a production house created in April 2011 to provide a platform for young talent and innovative marketing.

Offices

YRF has additional offices in Delhi, Jalandhar, Jaipur, Amravati, Indore, Bangalore, Secunderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Cochin in India; the United Kingdom; the United States; and the United Arab Emirates.

Yash Raj Studios

On realizing the lack of a proper film shooting studio during their years of film making, the company gradually went on to build their dream film production studio, Yash Raj Films Studios, which is located in Mumbai city. Yash Raj Studios, built in the year 2006, is primarily owned by the chairman and founder of the company, Yash Chopra. The first film to be shot in the studio was ''Fanaa'' (2006). The studio was created and designed by Aditya Chopra and his then wife, Payal Khanna and is equipped with high technology film shooting equipment and goods. The studio sprawling over and towering up to seven floors is used to shoot films for the company and is also rented for other film makers and television shoots.

Joint Venture with Dubai Holdings

Yash Raj Films Pvt Ltd. announced its joint venture with Dubai Infinity Holdings to build an entertainment district in the Gulf city. The entertainment district would comprise theme park attractions, a movie palace, unique hotels and many other India genre entrainment concepts. The first phase of the entertainment district is scheduled to be completed by 2012. All the components of the district would be themed around Yash Raj Films banner

Board Of Directors

Yash Chopra (also chairman and founder)

Sanjeev Kohli (also Senior Consultant and Director)(Formerly CEO)

Aditya Chopra (also vice chairman & son of Yash Chopra)

Uday Chopra (son of Yash Chopra)

Other Key People

Avtar Panesar - Vice President of International Operations

Vaibhav Rajput -Head of Operations - The Americas

Films Produced by Yash Raj Films

See also

Yash Chopra

Yash Raj Films International

Yash Raj Films USA

Y-Films

Notes

External links

Official Site

Yash Raj Films on Facebook

Yash Raj Films on YouTube

Yash Raj Films on Twitter

Category:Bollywood Category:Film production companies of India Category:Companies based in Mumbai Category:Yash Raj Films Category:Companies established in 1970

de:Yash Raj Films fr:Yash Raj Films hi:यश राज फ़िल्म्स id:Yash Raj Films zh:雅什－拉吉影片公司

name	Shahrukh Khan
other names	Shah Rukh Khan, King Khan, SRK
birth date	November 02, 1965
birth place	New Delhi, India
years active	1988–present
spouse	Gauri Khan (1991–present)
occupation	Actor, producer, television presenter }}

Shahrukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "The King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films.

Khan began his career appearing in several television serials in the late 1980s. He made his film debut in ''Deewana'' (1992). Since then, he has been part of numerous commercially successful films and has earned critical acclaim for many of his performances. Khan has won fourteen Filmfare Awards for his work in Indian films, eight of which are in the Best Actor category (a record). In 2005, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri for his contributions towards Indian Cinema.

Khan's films such as ''Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'' (1995), ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998), ''Chak De! India'' (2007), ''Om Shanti Om'' (2007) and ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' (2008) remain some of Bollywood's biggest hits, while films like ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' (2001), ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (2003), ''Veer-Zaara'' (2004), ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' (2006) and ''My Name Is Khan'' (2010) have been top-grossing Indian productions in the overseas markets, thus making him one of the most successful actors of India.

Since 2000, Khan branched out into film production and television presenting as well. He is the founder/owner of two production companies, Dreamz Unlimited and Red Chillies Entertainment. Globally, Khan is considered to be one of the biggest movie stars, with a fan following numbering in the billions and a net worth estimated at over . In 2008, ''Newsweek'' named him one of the 50 most powerful people in the world.

Biography

Khan was born in 1965 to Muslim parents of Pathan descent in New Delhi, India. His father, Taj Mohammed Khan, was an Indian independence activist from Peshawar, British India. According to Khan, his paternal grandfather was originally from Afghanistan. His mother, Lateef Fatima, was the adopted daughter of Major General Shah Nawaz Khan of the Janjua Rajput clan, who served as a General in the Indian National Army of Subash Chandra Bose. Khan's father came to New Delhi from Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar before the partition of India, while his mother's family came from Rawalpindi, British India. Khan has an elder sister named Shehnaz.

Growing up in Rajendra Nagar neighbourhood, Khan attended St. Columba's School where he was accomplished in sports, drama, and academics. He won the ''Sword of Honour'', an annual award given to the student who best represents the spirit of the school. Khan later attended the Hansraj College (1985–1988) and earned his Bachelors degree in Economics (honors). Though he pursued a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia, he later opted out to make his career in Bollywood.

After the death of his parents, Khan moved to Mumbai in 1991. In that same year, before any of his films were released, he married Gauri Chibber, a Hindu, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on 25 October 1991. They have two children, son Aryan (b. 1997) and daughter Suhana (b. 2000). According to Khan, while he strongly believes in Allah, he also values his wife's religion. At home, his children follow both religions, with the Qur'an being situated next to the Hindu deities.

In 2005, Nasreen Munni Kabir produced a two-part documentary on Khan, titled ''The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan''. Featuring his 2004 Temptations concert tour, the film contrasted Khan's inner world of family and daily life with the outer world of his work. The book ''Still Reading Khan'', which details his family life, was released in 2006. Another book by Anupama Chopra, ''King of Bollywood: Shahrukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema'', was released in 2007. It describes the world of Bollywood through Khan's life.

Film career

Background

Khan studied acting under celebrated Theatre Director Barry John at Delhi's Theatre Action Group (TAG). In 2007, John commented thus on his former pupil, "The credit for the phenomenally successful development and management of Shahrukh's career goes to the superstar himself." Khan made his acting debut in 1988 with the television series, ''Fauji'', playing the role of Commando Abhimanyu Rai. He went on to appear in other television serials, such as the 1989 serial, Aziz Mirza's ''Circus'', which depicted the life of circus performers. The same year, Khan also had a minor role in the made-for-television English-language film, ''In Which Annie Gives it Those Ones'', which was based on life at Delhi University and was written by Arundhati Roy. When Khan appeared in those teleserials, people found in him some resemblance with legendary actor Dilip Kumar and also compared his acting style with the thespian.

1990s

Upon moving from New Delhi to Mumbai in 1991, Khan made his Bollywood movie debut in ''Deewana'' (1992). The movie became a box office hit, and launched his career in Bollywood. His performance won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award. He went on to star in ''Maya Memsaab'', which generated some controversy because of his appearance in an "explicit" sex scene in the movie.

In 1993, Khan won acclaim for his performances in villainous roles as an obsessive lover and a murderer, respectively, in the box office hits, ''Darr'' and ''Baazigar''. In Khan's entry in Encyclopedia Britannica's "Encyclopedia of Hindi Cinema" it was stated that "he defied the image of the conventional hero in both these films and created his own version of the revisionist hero." ''Darr'' marked his first collaboration with renowned film-maker Yash Chopra and his banner Yash Raj Films, the largest production company in Bollywood. ''Baazigar'', which saw Khan portraying an ambiguous avenger who murders his girlfriend, shocked its Indian audience with an unexpected violation of the standard Bollywood formula. His performance won him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award. In that same year, Khan played the role of a young musician in Kundan Shah's ''Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'', a performance that earned him a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance. Khan maintains that this is his all-time favourite among the movies he has acted in. In 1994, Khan once again played an obsessive lover/psycho's role in ''Anjaam'', co-starring alongside Madhuri Dixit. Though the movie was not a box office success, Khan's performance earned him the Filmfare Best Villain Award.

In 1995, Khan starred in the two biggest hits of the year in India. His first release was Rakesh Roshan's ''Karan Arjun''. The film, which dealt with reincarnation, became the second-highest grossing film of the year. He followed it with Aditya Chopra's directorial debut, the romance ''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge''. A major critical and commercial success, the movie became the year's top-grossing production in India. In 2007, it entered its twelfth year in Mumbai cinemas. By then the movie had grossed over 12 billion rupees, making it one of India's biggest movie blockbusters. ''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'' won ten Filmfare Awards, and Khan's performance as a young NRI who falls for Kajol's character while on a college vacation, won him his second Best Actor Award. In 2005, ''Indiatimes Movies'' ranked the movie amongst the ''25 Must See Bollywood Films'', citing it as a "trendsetter of sorts". In that same year's retrospective review by Rediff, Raja Sen stated, "Khan gives a fabulous performance, redefining the Lover for the 1990s with great panache. He's cool and flippant, but sincere enough to appeal to the junta. The performance itself is, like the best in the business, played well enough to come across as effortless, as non-acting."

1996 was a disappointing year for Khan as all his movies released that year failed to do well at the box office. This was, however, followed by a comeback in 1997. He saw success with Subhash Ghai's social drama ''Pardes'' – one of the biggest hits of the year – and Aziz Mirza's comedy ''Yes Boss'', a moderately successful feature. His second project with Yash Chopra as a director, ''Dil to Pagal Hai'' became that year's second highest-grossing movie, and he won his third Filmfare Best Actor Award for his role as a stage director who falls in love with one of his new actresses.

In 1998, Khan starred in Karan Johar's directorial debut, ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'', which was the biggest hit of the year. His performance won him his fourth Best Actor award at the Filmfare. He won critical praise for his performance in Mani Ratnam's ''Dil Se''. The movie did not do well at the Indian box office, though it was a commercial success overseas. Khan's only release in 1999, ''Baadshah'', was an average grosser.

2000s

Khan's success continued with Aditya Chopra's 2000 film, ''Mohabbatein'', co-starring Amitabh Bachchan. It did well at the box office, and Khan's performance as a college teacher won him his second Critics Award for Best Performance. He also starred in Mansoor Khan's action film ''Josh''. The film starred Khan as the leader of a Christian gang in Goa and Aishwarya Rai as his twin sister, and was also a box office success. In that same year, Khan set up his own production house, ''Dreamz Unlimited'' with Juhi Chawla (see below). Both Khan and Chawla starred in the first movie of their production house, ''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani''. His collaboration with Karan Johar continued in 2001 with the family drama ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'' which was the second biggest hit of the year. He also received favourable reviews for his performance as Emperor Asoka in the historical epic, ''Asoka'', a partly fictionalised account of the life of Ashoka the Great (304 BC–232 BC).

In 2002, Khan received acclaim for playing the title role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's award-winning period romance, ''Devdas''. This was the third Hindi movie adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's well-known novel of the same name, and surfaced as one of the biggest hits of that year. Khan also starred opposite Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit in the family-drama ''Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam'', which did well at the box office. In 2003, Khan starred in the moderately successful romantic drama, ''Chalte Chalte''. That same year, he starred in the tearjerker, ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'', written by Karan Johar and directed by Nikhil Advani. Khan's performance in this movie as a man with a fatal heart disease was appreciated. The movie proved to be one of the year's biggest hits in India and Bollywood's biggest hit in the overseas markets.

2004 was a particularly good year for Khan, both commercially and critically. He starred in Farah Khan's directorial debut, the action comedy ''Main Hoon Na''. The movie did well at the box office. He then played the role of an Indian officer, Veer Pratap Singh in Yash Chopra's love saga ''Veer-Zaara'', which was the biggest hit of 2004 in both India and overseas. The film relates the love story of Veer and a Pakistani woman Zaara Haayat Khan, played by Preity Zinta. Khan's performance in the film won him awards at several award ceremonies. In that same year, he received critical acclaim for his performance in Ashutosh Gowariker's drama ''Swades''. He was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for all three of his releases in 2004, winning it for ''Swades''.

In 2006, Khan collaborated with Karan Johar for the fourth time with the melodrama ''Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna''. It did well in India and much more so in the overseas market, becoming the biggest Bollywood hit in the overseas market of all-time. His second release that year saw him playing the title role in the action film ''Don: The Chase Begins Again'', a remake of the 1978 hit ''Don''. The movie was a success.

Khan's success continued with a few more highly popular films. One of his most successful works was the multiple award-winning 2007 film, ''Chak De! India'', about the Indian women's national hockey team. Earning over Rs 639 million, ''Chak De! India'' became the third highest grossing movie of 2007 in India and won yet another Filmfare Best Actor Award for Khan. The film was a major critical success. In the same year Khan also starred in Farah Khan's 2007 film, ''Om Shanti Om''. The film emerged as the year's highest grossing film in India and the overseas market, and became India's highest grossing production ever up to that point. It earned him another nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony. His 2008 release, the romantic drama ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' was a box office success. His only 2009 release was ''Billu'' where he played film superstar Saahil Khan who is reunited with his childhood friend Billu played by Irrfan Khan.

2010s

Khan's next film was ''My Name Is Khan'', his fourth collaboration with director Karan Johar and the sixth movie in which he is paired with Kajol. Filming commenced in December 2008 in Los Angeles and ended in October 2009. While on one shoot in Los Angeles, along with his wife Gauri and director Karan Johar, he took a break from filming to attend the 66th Golden Globe Awards, held in Los Angeles, on 11 January 2009, where he was introduced as the ''King of Bollywood''. Khan introduced ''Slumdog Millionaire'', a movie he had previously turned down, along with a star from the film, Freida Pinto. ''My Name Is Khan'' was released on 12 February 2010. Based on a true story, and set against the backdrop of perceptions on Islam post 11 September attacks, ''My Name Is Khan'' stars Khan as Rizwan Khan, a Muslim man suffering from Asperger syndrome who sets out on a journey across America on a mission to meet the country's President and clear his name. During a promotional visit to the United States, Khan was detained at Newark Airport, New Jersey because of the similarity of his last name to known terrorists. Upon release, the film received positive reviews from critics and became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in the overseas market. Khan won his eighth Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his portrayal, thereby joining Dilip Kumar as the record holder in this category. He has completed filming for Anubhav Sinha's science fiction ''Ra.One'' opposite Kareena Kapoor, which is due for release on 26 October 2011. While shooting for the film, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Yash Raj Studios, to watch Khan at work.

Producer

Khan turned producer when he set up a production company called ''Dreamz Unlimited'' with Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza in 1999. The first two of the films he produced and starred in: ''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' (2000) and ''Asoka'' (2001) were box office failures. However, his third film as a producer and star, ''Chalte Chalte'' (2003), proved a box office hit.

In 2004, Khan set up another production company, ''Red Chillies Entertainment'', and produced and starred in ''Main Hoon Na'', another hit. The following year, he produced and starred in the fantasy film ''Paheli'', which did poorly. It was, however, India's official entry to the Academy Awards for consideration for Best Foreign Language Film, but it did not pass the final selection. Also in 2005, Khan co-produced the supernatural horror film ''Kaal'' with Karan Johar, and performed an item number for the film with Malaika Arora Khan. ''Kaal'' was moderately successful at the box office. His company has further gone on to produce ''Om Shanti Om'' (2007), ''Billu'' (2009), ''Always Kabhi Kabhi'' (2011), as well as his forthcoming releases ''Ra.One'' and ''Don 2: The Chase Continues''.

Apart from film production, the company also has a visual effects studio known as ''Red Chillies VFX''. It has also ventured into television content production, with shows like, ''The First Ladies'', ''Ghar Ki Baat Hai', and ''Knights and Angels''. Television advertisements are also produced by the company.

In 2008, Red Chillies Entertainment became the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the BCCI-backed IPL cricket competition.

Television

In 2007, Khan replaced Amitabh Bachchan as the host of the third series of the popular game show ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'', the Indian version of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''. The previous had hosted the show for five years from 2000–05. On 22 January 2007, ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' aired with Khan as the new host and later ended on 19 April 2007.

On 25 April 2008, Khan began hosting the game show ''Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?'', the Indian version of ''Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?'', whose last episode was telecasted on 27 July 2008, with Lalu Prasad Yadav as the special guest.

In February 2011, he began hosting Zor Ka Jhatka, the Indian version of the American game show Wipeout, on Imagine TV.

Awards and nominations

Apart from acting awards, Khan has been awarded several honours which include the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India in 2005. In April 2007, a life-size wax statue of Khan was installed at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, London. Another statue was installed at the Musée Grévin in Paris, the same year. During the same year, he was accorded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) award by the French government for his “exceptional career”. There are also statues in Hong Kong and New York

In October 2008, Khan was conferred the ''Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka'' which carries the honorific Datuk (in similar fashion to "Sir" in British knighthood), by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, the head of state of Malacca in Malaysia. Khan was honoured for "promoting tourism in Malacca" by filming ''One Two Ka Four'' there in 2001. Some were critical of this decision. He was also honoured with an honorary doctorate in arts and culture from Britain's University of Bedfordshire in 2009.

Filmography

Film actor

''Maya Memsaab'' ''Anjaam'' ''Karan Arjun'' ''English Babu Desi Mem'' ''Gudgudee'' ''Duplicate (1998 film) ''Baadshah'' ''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' ''One 2 Ka 4'' ''Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam'' ''Chalte Chalte (2003 film) ''Yeh Lamhe Judaai Ke '' ''Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye'' ''Alag'' ''Chak De ''Krazzy 4'' ''Luck by Chance'' ''Dulha Mil Gaya'' ''Always Kabhi Kabhi'' ''Koochie Koochie Hota Hain''

style="background:#B0C4DE;"	Year	Film	Role	Notes
rowspan="5"	1992	Deewana (1992 film)>Deewana''	Raja Sahai
''Idiot (1992 film)	Idiot''	Pawan Raghujan
''Chamatkar''	Sunder Srivastava
''Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman''	Raju (Raj Mathur)
''Dil Aashna Hai''	Karan
rowspan="5"	1993	|	Lalit Kumar
''King Uncle''	Anil Bhansal
''Baazigar''	Ajay Sharma/Vicky Malhotra
''Darr''	Rahul Mehra
''Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa''	Sunil
1994	|	Vijay Agnihotri	Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role
rowspan="7"	1995	|	Arjun Singh/Vijay
''Zamana Deewana''	Rahul Malhotra
''Guddu''	Guddu Bahadur
''Oh Darling	Yeh Hai India!''	Hero
''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge''	Raj Malhotra
''Ram Jaane''	Ram Jaane
''Trimurti (film)	Trimurti''	Romi Singh
rowspan="4"	1996	|	Vikram/Hari/Gopal Mayur
''Chaahat''	Roop Rathore
''Army (film)	Army''	Arjun
''Dushman Duniya Ka''	Badru
rowspan="5"	1997	|		Special appearance
''Koyla''	Shankar
''Yes Boss''	Rahul Joshi
''Pardes (film)	Pardes''	Arjun Saagar
''Dil To Pagal Hai''	Rahul
rowspan="4"	1998	Duplicate'' ||	Bablu Chaudhry/Manu Dada	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role
''Achanak (1998 film)	Achanak''	Himself
''Dil Se''	Amarkant Varma
''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai''	Rahul Khanna
1999	|	Raj Heera/Baadshah	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
rowspan="6"	2000	|	Ajay Bakshi
''Hey Ram''	Amjad Ali Khan
''Josh (2000 film)	Josh''	Max
''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega''	Rahul
''Mohabbatein''	Raj Aryan Malhotra
''Gaja Gamini''	Himself
rowspan="3"	2001	|	Arun Verma
''Asoka (2001 film)	Asoka''	Asoka
''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...''	Rahul Raichand
rowspan="4"	2002	|	Gopal
''Devdas (2002 film)	Devdas''	Devdas Mukherjee
''Shakti (2002 film)	Shakti: The Power''	Jaisingh
''Saathiya''	Yeshwant Rao
rowspan="2"	2003	Chalte Chalte'' ||	Raj Mathur
''Kal Ho Naa Ho''	Aman Mathur
rowspan="4"	2004	|	Dushant
''Main Hoon Na''	Maj. Ram Prasad Sharma
''Veer-Zaara''	Veer Pratap Singh
''Swades''	Mohan Bhargava
rowspan="5"	2005	|	Himself	Special appearance
''Kaal (2005 film)	Kaal''
''Silsilay''	Sutradhar
''Paheli''	Kishenlal/The Ghost
''The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan	The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan''	Himself (Biopic)
rowspan="4"	2006	|		Special appearance in song "Sabse Alag"
''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''	Dev Saran
''Don: The Chase Begins Again''
''I See You (film)	I See You''
rowspan="3"	2007	India''	Kabir Khan
''Heyy Babyy''	Raj Malhotra
''Om Shanti Om''	Om Prakash Makhija/ Om Kapoor
rowspan="4"	2008	|		Special appearance in song "Break Free"
''Bhoothnath''	Aditya Sharma
''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi''	Surinder Sahni/Raj
''Kismat Konnection''	Narrator
rowspan="2"	2009	|	Himself	Guest appearance
''Billu''	Sahir Khan
rowspan="3"	2010	|	Pawan Raj Gandhi (PRG)	Extended appearance
''My Name Is Khan''	Rizwan Khan
''Shahrukh Bola Khoobsurat Hai Tu''	Himself
rowspan="3"	2011	|		Special appearance in song "Antenna"
''Ra.One''	G.One
''Don 2: The Chase Continues''	Don
2012	|	Rocky	Post-production

Producer

''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' (2000)

''Asoka'' (2001)

''Chalte Chalte'' (2003)

''Main Hoon Na'' (2004)

''Kaal'' (2005)

''Paheli'' (2005)

''Om Shanti Om'' (2007)

''Billu'' (2009)

''Always Kabhi Kabhi'' (2011)

''Ra.One'' (2011)

''Don 2: The Chase Continues'' (2011)

Television appearances

''Dil Dariya'' (1988)

''Fauji'' (1988) ... Abhimanyu Rai

''Doosra Keval'' (1989) ... Keval

''Circus'' (1989)

''In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones'' (1989)

''Kareena Kareena'' (2004) ... Special appearance

''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' (2007) ... Host

''Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?'' (2008)  .... Host

''Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout'' (2011) ... Host

See also

List of Indian Actors

Newark Airport Incident

Notes

Bibliography

Nasreen Munni Kabir. ''The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan'' (Documentary, 2005).

''Shahrukh Khan – Still Reading Khan''. A1Books Distributor 2007. ISBN 9788187107798.

Gahlot, Deepa; Agarwal, Amit. ''King Khan SRK''. Augsburg Weltbild 2007. ISBN 9783828988699.

Ghosh, Biswadeep. ''Hall of fame: Shahrukh Khan'' (in English). Mumbai: Magna Books, 2004. ISBN 8178092379.

Chopra, Anupama. ''King of Bollywood : Shah Rukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema'' (English). New York: Warner Books, 2007. ISBN 9780446578585.

External links

Category:1965 births Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian film producers Category:Indian Muslims Category:Indian Premier League franchise owners Category:Indian singers Category:Indian television actors Category:Indian voice actors Category:Indian television presenters Category:Indian people of Afghan descent Category:Jamia Millia Islamia alumni Category:Living people Category:Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Category:Pashtun people Category:People from Delhi Category:People from Peshawar Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri Category:University of Delhi alumni Category:Indian game show hosts

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name	Katrina Kaif
birth date	July 16, 1984
birth place	Hong Kong
ethnicity	British Indian
nationality	British
occupation	Model, Actress
yearsactive	2003 – present
homepage	}}

Katrina Kaif (born 16 July 1984) is a British Indian actress and former model who appears in Indian films, mainly in the Hindi-language film industry. She has also appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. She was voted the sexiest Asian woman in the world by ''Eastern Eye'' in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Being a British citizen, she works in India on an employment visa.

Kaif made her acting debut with Kaizad Gustad's box office failure ''Boom''. She tasted success in 2007 with Vipul Shah's ''Namastey London'' and Anees Bazmee's ''Welcome''. She has since appeared in films like ''New York'' (2009) and ''Rajneeti'' (2010). While the former earned Kaif her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination, the latter emerged as her biggest commercial success so far.

Personal life

Kaif was born to a Indian Kashmiri father, Mohammed Kaif, and an English mother, Susanna Turcotte, both of whom are British citizens. Her parents divorced when she was very young. Kaif once stated, "My dad, unfortunately, and not out of choice, has had no influence on our upbringing, on our religious or social or moral bearings." Kaif has seven siblings; a brother and six sisters. From Hong Kong, she and her family moved to China, then to Japan. From there she went (by boat) to France when she was 8, and thereafter lived for a few months at a time in Switzerland, Kraków, Berlin, Belgium, and many other East European countries. Then she moved with her family to Hawaii, and eventually to her mother's home country of England. Although it is often assumed that Kaif is from London, she lived there only for three years before finally moving to Mumbai. In 2011, she confirmed she was single.

Career

Modeling and early film career (1998-2004)

Kaif began her modeling career at age fourteen; her first assignment was for a jewelry campaign. She continued modeling in London under a contract with the Models 1 Agency and did campaigns for houses such as La Senza and Arcadius, and even walked on the London Fashion Week.

Kaif's modeling work led to her discovery by London-based filmmaker Kaizad Gustad, who gave her a part in his film ''Boom'' (2003). The film, which starred Amitabh Bachchan and Gulshan Grover, failed to make an impact. She then moved to Mumbai and was offered a number of modeling assignments, but filmmakers were hesitant to cast Kaif due to her poor command of Hindi.

Breakthrough (2005-2006)

In 2005, Kaif made a cameo in Ram Gopal Verma's drama ''Sarkar'', as Abhishek Bachchan's girlfriend. The same year, she landed her first major role in David Dhawan's adaptation of ''Cactus Flower'', ''Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya'', where she was paired opposite Salman Khan. The film also featured Sushmita Sen, Arshad Warsi, Isha Koppikar and Sohail Khan in lead roles. Upon release, the film became a moderate success with Taran Adarsh, a prominent film critic, praising Kaif as a "complete revelation". The following year, she was paired opposite Akshay Kumar for the first time in Raj Kanwar's box-office flop ''Humko Deewana Kar Gaye''. However, for her portrayal of Jia A. Yashvardhan, Adarsh wrote, "Taking giant strides as an actor, Katrina is, without doubt, the star of the show. It's her magnetic presence and dependable performance that you carry home once the show has ended."

Success (2007- present)

In 2007, Kaif appeared in Vipul Shah's romantic-comedy ''Namastey London'', portraying a British Indian girl named Jasmeet "Jazz" Malhotra, alongside Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Clive Standen. Upon its release, the film became a major hit, with Nikhat Kazmi, of the The Times Of India praising the chemistry between the leading couple. She next played a supporting role in Anil Sharma's melodrama ''Apne''. Featuring Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Kirron Kher and Shilpa Shetty, the film was a box-office hit.

Her next release was David Dhawan's unofficial remake of ''Hitch'', ''Partner'', where she starred alongside Salman Khan, Govinda, and Lara Dutta. This too was box-office success. Her final film of 2007, ''Welcome'', directed by Anees Bazmee and co-starring Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Anil Kapoor, was declared a blockbuster in India.

Her first release of 2008 was Abbas-Mustan's hit action-thriller ''Race''; she played Saif Ali Khan's secretary, Sophia, who is secretly in love with his hostile stepbrother (played by Akshay Khanna). The film also featured Anil Kapoor, Bipasha Basu and Sameera Reddy in leading roles. Despite its success, Kazmi wrote, "Katrina is too pale as the blousy secretary who comes into her own only when she gets seductive with a ''Touch me, kiss me'' tenor. "

Kaif was next seen in Anees Bazmee's action comedy ''Singh Is Kinng'', portraying Akshay Kumar's love interest and Ranvir Shorey's fiancée. After its release, the film was declared a blockbuster and emerged as the third highest grossing film of 2008. Kaif's final release of the year, Subhash Ghai's ''Yuvvraaj'', was a commercial failure, but its script made its way into the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for artistic merit, original screenplay with a substance, and the film as a whole.

Kaif's first release for 2009 was Kabir Khan's terrorism drama ''New York'', with John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh. It was a critical and commercial success in both India and overseas. Kaif's performance was highly praised: Taran Adarsh wrote, "Katrina gives you the biggest surprise. Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time." For her performance, Kaif received her first nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Actress category.

She next had a cameo in the star-studded action-thriller ''Blue'', popularly known as India's first underwater thriller, with Akshay Kumar and Zayed Khan. However, it was declared a flop.

In November 2009, she appeared along with Ranbir Kapoor, in Rajkumar Santoshi's blockbuster comedy ''Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani'', as Jennifer Pinto. Critics mostly praised her fresh chemistry with Kapoor rather than her own performance. Her final release that year was Priyadarshan's star-studded ''De Dana Dan'' with Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal and Neha Dhupia. Despite a good opening, the film failed to do well at the box office.

Kaif's first film of 2010 was Prakash Jha's political thriller ''Raajneeti'', where she appeared opposite Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal. The film is a modern-day adaptation of The Mahabharata set against the political backdrop of Delhi. Nana Patekar, Manoj Bajpai and Shruti Seth also played starring roles. Upon release, the film performed extremely well at the box office, and earned Kaif favourable reviews for her portrayal of the dynamic Indu Sakseria.

Her last release was Farah Khan's brainless comedy ''Tees Maar Khan'' with Akshay Kumar. The film was released on 24 December 2010. The film received mainly negative reviews and was declared a flop. However, Kaif's item number ''Sheila Ki Jawani'' became a major chartbuster.

On 15 July 2011, she was seen alongside Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin in Zoya Akhtar's road adventure ''Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara''. which was a critical and box office success. She will also be featured in Yash Raj Films's ''Mere Brother Ki Dulhan'' opposite Imran Khan and Ali Zafar.

Voice

It should be noted that due to her poor knowledge of Hindi (and other Indian languages), Kaif's voice was often dubbed by another actress. However, with the exception of ''De Dana Dan'' she has used her own voice for all of her films since ''New York''. Earlier, she had dubbed for films like ''Namastey London'' and ''Apne''.

Awards

Filmfare Awards

Nominated 2010: Filmfare Best Actress Award for ''New York''

Star Screen Awards

Winner 2010: Star Screen Awards, Entertainer of the year

2011: Star Screen Award for Best Actress (Popular Choice) for ''Raajneeti'' and ''Tees Maar Khan''

Zee Cine Awards

Winner

2008: Zee Cine Awards, British Indian Actor Award

Nominated

2005: Zee Cine Award for Most Promising Debut for ''Sarkar''

2011: Zee Cine Award for Best Actor - Female for ''Raajneeti''

IIFA Awards

Winner

2008: Style Diva of the Year

Nominated

2008: IIFA Best Actress Award for ''Namastey London''

2009: IIFA Best Actress Award for '' Singh Is Kinng''

2011: IIFA Best Actress Award for '' Raajneeti''

Stardust Awards

Winner

2006: Stardust Breakthrough Performance Award (Female) for ''Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya''

2010: Stardust Awards, Best Actress - Popular Award for ''New York'' &''Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani''

Nominated

2009: Stardust Award for Star Of The Year for '' Singh Is Kinng''

2009: Stardust Award for Best Actress In A Negative Role for ''Race''

2010: Stardust Star of the Year Award – Female for ''New York'' &''Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani''

Apsara Film and Television Producers Guild Awards

Winner 2011: Apsara Awards: Hindustan Times Reader's Choice Entertainer Of The Year Award (Female)

Nominated

2009: Apsara Award for Best Actress In Supporting Role for '' Race''

Other awards

Winner 2006: Idea Zee F Awards, Fashion Diva of the Year

2008: Sabsey Favourite Kaun Awards, Sabsey Favourite Heroine for ''Singh Is Kinng''

2008: Apsara Film Producers Guild of India Awards, Style Diva of the Year

2009: Rajiv Gandhi Award 2009: Sabsey Favourite Kaun Awards, Sabsey Favourite Heroine 2009: ASSOCHAM Award, Performing Excellence

Nominated 2010: Big Star Entertainment Award for BIG Star Most Entertaining Film Actor (Female) for ''Rajneeti'' 2010: Big Star Entertainment Award for New Talent of the Decade (Female)

Filmography

''Malliswari (2004 film) ''Sarkar (film) ''Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye'' ''Namastey London'' ''Race (2008 film) ''New York (film) ''Raajneeti'' ''Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'' ''Ek Tha Tiger''

Year	! Film	! Role	! Notes
2003	Boom (2003 film)>Boom''	Rina Kaif/Popdi Chinchpokli
2004	Malliswari'' ||	Princess Malliswari	Telugu language>Telugu film
rowspan="3"	2005	Sarkar'' ||	Pooja
''Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya''	Sonia
''Allari Pidugu''
rowspan="2"	2006	|	Jia A. Yashvardhan
''Balram vs. Taradas''
rowspan="4"	2007	|	Jasmeet "Jazz" Malhotra
''Apne''	Nandini Sarabhai
''Partner (2007 film)	Partner''	Priya Jaisingh
''Welcome (2007 film)	Welcome''	Sanjana Shetty
rowspan="4"	2008	Race'' ||	Sophia
''Singh Is Kinng''	Sonia Singh
''Hello (film)	Hello''	Story-teller
''Yuvvraaj''	Anushka Banton
rowspan="4"	2009	New York'' ||	Maya Shaikh	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
''Blue (2009 film)	Blue''	Nikki
''Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani''	Jennifer "Jenny" Pinto
''De Dana Dan''	Anjali Kakkad
rowspan="2"	2010	|	Indu Sakseria/Pratap
''Tees Maar Khan''	Anya Khan
rowspan="4"	2011	|	Laila
''Mere Brother Ki Dulhan''	Dimple Dixit
''Bodyguard (2011 film)	Bodyguard''
''Main Krishna Hoon''	Radha
	2012	|		Filming

References

External links

Category:1984 births Category:Anglo-Indian people Category:British people of Indian descent Category:Hindi film actors Category:Living people Category:Hong Kong people Category:Kashmiri people Category:People from Hawaii Category:British actors

ar:كاترينا كايف bn:ক্যাটরিনা কাইফ da:Katrina Kaif de:Katrina Kaif el:Κατρίνα Καΐφ es:Katrina Kaif fr:Katrina Kaif gu:કૅટરિના કૈફ hi:कैटरीना कैफ id:Katrina Kaif it:Katrina Kaif jv:Katrina Kaif ml:കത്രീന കൈഫ്‌ mr:कत्रिना कैफ no:Katrina Kaif pl:Katrina Kaif ru:Каиф, Катрина sd:قطرينه ڪيف fi:Katrina Kaif ta:கேட்ரீனா கய்ஃப் te:కత్రినా కైఫ్

Name	Anushka Sharma
Occupation	Model, Actress
Birth place	Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Birth date	May 01, 1988
Nationality	Indian
Yearsactive	2008–present
Website	}}

Anushka Sharma ( ; born 1 May 1988) is an Indian actress and former model who appears in Hindi films. In 2008, she was signed by Aditya Chopra for a three-film contract and made her screen debut in Chopra's ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi''. She later received acclaim for her role as Shruti Kakkar in ''Band Baaja Baaraat'' (2010). Both films fetched her a Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare Awards ceremony.

Early life and background

Sharma was born in Bangalore, but her parents are from Garhwal, Uttarakhand. Her father, Col. Ajay Kumar Sharma, is an army officer and her mother Ashima Sharma is a housewife. She has an elder brother named Karnesh, who was a state-level cricketer and now, is in the Merchant Navy. She studied in Army School and graduated with specialization in arts from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She later moved to Mumbai to further pursue her modelling career, where she currently resides.

Career

Sharma says she originally wished to make it big in the modeling world but had no strong aspirations for films. She began her modeling career at the Lakme Fashion Week as a model for Wendell Rodricks's Les Vamps Show and was picked to be Rodricks's finale model at the Spring Summer '07 Collection. Since then she has done campaigns for Silk & Shine, Whisper, Nathella Jewelry and Fiat Palio.

Her first acting role was in Aditya Chopra's ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' (2008) opposite Shahrukh Khan. Her performance was appreciated with film critic Taran Adarsh stating, "Anushka looks the character and surprises you with a confident performance. It's no small achievement to share screen space with an actor of the caliber of SRK and Anushka manages it very well from start to end." Her second film, ''Badmaash Company'', also under Yash Raj Films, was released on May 7, 2010. Harshita Kohli of StarBoxOffice.com said, "Anushka Sharma goes from ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' housewife to super hot chic in ''Badmaash Company''." While Taran Adarsh added, "Anushka is a revelation. She looks stunning, her performance is livewire and the chemistry with Shahid is electrifying."

}}

She starred in her third Yash Raj Film, ''Band Baaja Baaraat'', directed by Maneesh Sharma and co-starring debutant Ranveer Singh. ''Band Baaja Baaraat'' was released on December 10, 2010 to positive reviews and became a sleeper hit. This time Adarsh wrote, "Anushka is truly wonderful. The toughest part of her job must have been to speak like a typical Delhi Punjabi girl and she does it so skillfully. For the first time in her 3-film career, a film rests mainly on Anushka's shoulders, as opposed to her prior films , and she handles the responsibility so well." For her performance, she received her second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress and earned several awards and nominations at different award ceremonies.

In December 2009, she began shooting for ''Patiala House'', her first venture outside of Yash Raj with Nikhil Advani and Akshay Kumar. ''Patiala House'' was released on February 11, 2011. Despite the film's lukewarm performance at the box office, Sharma received positive reviews. Nikhat Kazmi of The Times Of India wrote, "Anushka Sharma’s vivacity may have an after taste of her bubbling Band Baaja Baraat act but her passage from Janakpuri’s dhinchak girl to Southall’s siren is sweet and smooth. Watch out for the girl; she’s truly on a roll."

As of June 2011, she is set to re-unite with her ''Band Baaja Baarat'' gang Ranveer Singh and Maneesh Sharma for Yashraj Films's 2011 release ''Ladies vs Ricky Bahl''.

Filmography

''Badmaash Company'' ''Patiala House''

Year !! Title !! Role !! Other notes
2008	''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi ''	Tani Sahni
rowspan="2"	2010	|	Bulbul Singh
''Band Baaja Baaraat''	Shruti Kakkar
rowspan="2"	2011	|	Simran
''Ladies VS Ricky Bahl''
2011	''Matru Ki Biwi Ka Mann Dola" & Yash Raj'' (untitled film)

Awards and nominations

Filmfare Awards

Nominated 2009: Filmfare Best Actress Award; ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' 2009: Filmfare Best Female Debut Award; ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' 2011: Filmfare Best Actress Award; ''Band Baaja Baaraat''

Star Screen Awards

Nominated

2008: Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Female; ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi''

2011: Star Screen Award for Best Actress; ''Band Baaja Baaraat''

IIFA Awards

;Winner 2011: IIFA Award for Best Actress; ''Band Baaja Baaraat''

Apsara Film and Television Producers Guild Awards

;Winner 2009: Best Debut (Female); ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' 2011: Best Actress in a Leading Role; ''Band Baaja Baaraat''

Zee Cine Awards

Nominated 2011: Zee Cine Award for Best Actor – Female; ''Band Baaja Baaraat''

References

External links

Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian actors Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian Hindus Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Indian female models Category:People from Bangalore Category:Bangalore University alumni Category:People from Mumbai

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