Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

22 results found

Pandit, Vijaya Lakshmi

(Encyclopedia)Pandit, Vijaya Lakshmi vĭjīˈə läkˈshmē pŭnˈdĭt [key], 1900–1990, Indian diplomat, sister of Jawaharlal Nehru. She played an active role in the Indian National Congress before Indian indepe...

Lakshmi

(Encyclopedia)Lakshmi: see Hinduism.

Sri Vijaya

(Encyclopedia)Sri Vijaya, maritime Indonesian city and kingdom. It was prominent as a trading partner with China from the 7th cent. until it was conquered by the Javanese Majapahit empire in the 14th cent. ...

Lakshmi Bai

(Encyclopedia)Lakshmi Bai or Laxmibai, c.1828–58, maharani of Jhansi. Born into a Brahmin family of Benares (now Varanasi) and named Manakarnika, she had an unconventional childhood, receiving an education and ma...

Mittal, Lakshmi Narayan

(Encyclopedia)Mittal, Lakshmi Narayan, 1950–, Indian steel tycoon. He worked at his father's small Kolkata (Calcutta) steel mill before he bought (1976) a mill in Indonesia and began to build his steel empire. He...

Laxmibai

(Encyclopedia)Laxmibai: see Lakshmi Bai.

Sailendra

(Encyclopedia)Sailendra sīlĕnˈdrä [key], name of a dynasty in Indonesia and SE Asia. The dynasty appeared in central Java in the 7th cent. and had consolidated its position by the mid-8th cent. The Sailendras, ...

Dunant, Jean Henri

(Encyclopedia)Dunant, Jean Henri zhäN äNrēˈ dünäNˈ [key], 1828–1910, Swiss philanthropist and founder of the International Red Cross, b. Geneva. In 1862 appeared his Un souvenir de Solférino (tr. The Orig...

Diwali

(Encyclopedia)Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs; one of the most popular holidays in South Asia. Extending over five days, it marks the beginning of the new year in the Vikrama ...

Palembang

(Encyclopedia)Palembang pälĕmbängˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 1,144,047), capital of South Sumatra province, on SE Sumatra, Indonesia. The island's largest city, it is a deepwater port on both banks of the Musi Riv...

Browse by Subject