Aug 14, 2024
By: Kapil Yadav
India adopted the Constitution on November 26, 1949, and enforced it on January 26, establishing itself as a democratic republic with a federal structure. This day is celebrated as Republic Day. Later, between 25 October 1951 and 21 February 1952, the first ever Lok Sabha elections were held in India. Jawahar Lal Nehru became the first democratically elected Prime Minister of India.
The Green Revolution, initiated by 'Father of Green Revolution’, Norman Borlaug, caused significant increments in agricultural production and made India self-sufficient in food grains. It introduced high-yield crop varieties and advanced farming techniques which are still the base of Indian agriculture.
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In 1962 India established the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR), which later became ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) in 1969. Later, in 1975 India launched Aryabhata, India’s first satellite.
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Faced with a balance of payments crisis, India initiated many economic reforms that included liberalising trade, privatising state-owned enterprises, and encouraging foreign investment. These policies helped India’s transition into a global economy and led to rapid economic growth.
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In the year 1974 India conducted its first nuclear test under the code name "Smiling Buddha." The next major nuclear tests by India were in 1998, after which India declared itself a nuclear weapons state, which significantly altered regional and global geopolitics.
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The IT and software services industry grew rapidly, positioning India as a global leader in this sector. This period saw substantial economic growth and a rise in the global profile of Indian companies.
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For the first time, India got a woman president. Pratibha Patil, a distinguished politician and lawyer, served as India’s first female president from 2007 to 2012.
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Chandrayaan-1, India’s first lunar probe, was launched on October 22, 2008, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It aimed to explore the Moon’s surface and map its composition.
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In 2016, the Indian government announced demonetisation. Aiming to combat black money and corruption by invalidating the ₹500 and ₹1000 notes, causing economic disruption but opening the gates for the development of online payments infrastructure.
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India implemented one of the largest nationwide lockdowns of the world to control the spread of COVID-19. India also started nationwide vaccination drives but faced challenges with managing the crisis, including a severe second wave in 2021. The pandemic had significant impacts on public health, the economy, and society.
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In April 2023, India surpassed China in terms of population making it the most populated country in the world. Before India, this title was defended by China for more than 75 years. This demographic change will present both, opportunities and challenges, for India in future.
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