The first woman in Indian history to be nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of India's Parliament) was Rukmini Devi Arundale. She was not only a renowned Indian dancer but also a theosophist, choreographer, and activist. Rukmini Devi Arundale made significant contributions to the revival of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, and her nomination to the Rajya Sabha was a testament to her influence and contribution to the cultural and artistic heritage of India.

1. The provisions related to Panchayati Raj have been discussed in the original Constitution under Part 9 by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 (Article 243). Part 9, under the heading ‘Panchayats’, contains provisions related to Panchayati Raj up to Articles 243-243O (243-243O).

2. Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated every year on 24 April in India as the foundation of democracy.

3. The Panchayati Raj system is the system of local self-government in rural India.

4. The Panchayati Raj system was implemented by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in Bagdhari village of Nagaur district of Rajasthan on 2 October 1959.

5. Local government form was first adopted in the states of Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

6. The concept of Panchayati Raj in the Indian Constitution is enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy.

7. The tenure of Panchayats is fixed for five years but it can be dissolved even before the tenure.

Part 1, Article 1 of the constitution says-“BHARAT means India, shall be union of states”. The states and the territories thereof shall be as specified in the first schedule. The territory of India shall comprise.

The word “Federal” is not used in the preamble of the constitution. But under Article 1, India is declared as a “Union of States”.