Friday, December 14, 2007

the history of Modern India

The milestones of independent India
By Joydeep Gupta

Here is a snapshot of the major events in India during the last 60 years.

1947: India becomes independent, with Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister.In the largest forced migration in history, around 15 million people are displaced and an estimated 500,000 killed in Hindu-Muslim violence sparked by partition. The first war between India and Pakistan breaks out in Kashmir. It ends in 1948, with Kashmir divided along the line of control after an UN-brokered ceasefire.

1948: Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated. Chakravarti Rajagopalachari succeeds Louis Mountbatten as Governor General.Hyderabad joins Indian Union after military operation.

1949: Ceasefire in Kashmir becomes official with the signing of the Karachi Agreement between India and Pakistan on July 18.

1950: India constitution comes into effect. India becomes a republic on Jan 26.Rajendra Prasad becomes the first president of India.Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel passes away.

1951:India's first Five Year Plan is inaugurated in April.New Delhi hosts Asian Games.

1952: Nehru-led Congress easily wins the first election to the Lok Sabha.Air India is nationalised. Indian Airlines, the domestic carrier, is created.

1954: Nehru coins the term 'non-alignment' to define India's foreign policy as being equidistant from the US and the USSR.

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