Jawaharlal Nehru, a follower of Gandhi, became India's first prime minister in 1947.
Gandhi wanted India to return to its old ways of life, with people living in villages and running small businesses and farms, while Nehru wanted India to become a great industrial power.
Nehru's vision came true and India is now one of Asia's most important industrial nations, with modern factories producing iron goods, cars, and textiles.
India has a highly developed educational system that specializes in science and technology.
Most of India's population still lives in villages, and many use tractors instead of animals to plow their fields.
Indira Gandhi, Nehru's daughter, served as prime minister from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 to 1984 and was the first woman prime minister of India; she was murdered in office.
Rajiv Gandhi, Indira's son, was prime minister from 1984 to 1989; he was murdered during the 1991 elections.
Atal Behari Vajpayee became India's prime minister in 1998, and Manmohan Singh Kohli replaced him in 2004.
Religious and political violence, particularly in Kashmir, have been ongoing issues.
India and Pakistan both claim parts of Kashmir, leading to conflicts and, later, peace talks in 2004.
Population growth is a major concern, with India's population exceeding one billion by the year 2000.