Atal Behari Vajpayee
Prime Minister

(pronounced "AH-tahl beh-HAH-ree vaj-PAY-ee")

"Nations achieve greatness when their people learn to dream lofty dreams and to strive hard— and make sacrifices, when necessary—to realize those dreams, without getting disheartened by the difficulties along the way and without ever letting their faith in their nation's destiny falter."

India dominates the southern part of the Asian continent, with an area of 3,287,590 sq km (1,269,346 sq mi). It is bordered to the northwest by Pakistan and to the north– northeast by China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The country's geography can be divided into three main regions: Himalayan Mountains, the Indo-Gangetic Plains, and the Deccan Plateau.

India's population was estimated at 1,045,845,000 in 2002, second only to China. Approximately 73% of the people live in rural areas, but there are nearly 30 urban centers, each with more than a million people...