Independence Day 2023: From Green Revolution to Amul's inception, historical events that shaped India

India is all set to celebrate its 77th Independence Day on 15 August 2023. The day marks the subcontinent’s sacrifice and bloodshed in gaining independence from the British Raj 76 years ago. As the country reeled under the heavy baggage of independence and the subsequent partition, its citizens suffered from extreme poverty and a lack of resources. Under the distinguished leadership of its leaders, the country not only became self-sufficient in food grains but also became a large producer of crops. The era saw the rise of several moments like the revolt in Siliguri’s Naxalbari, Chipko movement in the Garhwal region and JP Narayan’s agitation of 1974.

Furthermore, the country achieved a distinguished honour when sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar won his first Grammy. India got its Shahenshah in Amitabh Bachchan. In addition, moments like the Bangladesh Liberation War were a roadblock but it didn’t affect India’s aim to make its mark globally.

The Green Revolution started (1967)

The Green Revolution led to rapid increases in wheat and rice yields in India. It was made possible by the use of combined varieties of seeds along with the expanded use of fertilisers and other chemical inputs. It had a dramatic impact on incomes and food supplies in India in the 1960s after reeling from food scarcity for years. The resultant efforts not only made India self-sufficient in food grains, but also placed it among the largest producers of some key crops in the world.

Emergence of the Naxalbari movement (1967)

The Naxal movement was marked in India by an armed peasant revolt led by communists against local landlords and state authorities. This revolt occurred in Siliguri’s Naxalbari, a small village on the West Bengal-Nepal border. Following in line with the trend, the next decade witnessed the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) make use of violence and control to recruit a strange coalition of educated intellectuals and landless peasants in its ranks.

Eventually, in 2004, the merger of two major extreme left insurgent outfits birthed the Communist Party of India (Maoist) with its presence in many southern and central states.

Ravi Shankar wins a Grammy (1968)

Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar won his first Grammy for ‘Best Chamber Music Performance’ for West Meets East. One of the world’s greatest musicians, he was popularly known in the West as a friend of The Beatles.

Bangladesh was born (1971)

The Bangladesh Liberation War, also known as the ‘Bangladesh War of Independence’ began in the 1970s as tensions between different communities flared. Amidst the uproar, the elections saw the victory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, an iconic leader, popularly known as the ‘Founding Father of Bangladesh’. However, the reigning government refused to honour the verdict, leading to protests and demands for a separate nation. The nine-month-long war finally made Bangladesh a democratic nation.

Basic structure doctrine (1973)

In the landmark 1973 case of Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala, the Supreme Court released its basic structure doctrine. As per the judgement, the legislature could make no amendments or changes that violated the basic structure of Indian Constitution.

The Chipko movement began in India (1973)

The Chipko Movement was the result of a grassroots level effort by a group of women led by Gaura Devi in a remote village called Reni in Garhwal, high up in the Himalayas during the early 1970s. It was an attempt to end alienation from their forests. The protest triggered people to take part in the non-violent, environment-centred, largely women-led popular movement that fought against the destruction of forests for commercial gain, making it a huge success. As Sunderlal Bahuguna, the renowned Gandhian activist puts it, “ecology is the permanent economy.”

The angry young man emerges (1973)

Amitabh Bachchan’s starrer Zanjeer (1973) marked the emergence of an angry young man in Indian cinema. The screenwriter duo Salim-Javed made an excellent use of Bachchan’s character Vijay Khanna, a cop, to comment on the state of the society. This was the first of many hits for Bachchan, who rules the Bollywood industry even today.

Amul is born (1973)

The formation of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) Ltd. in 1973 led to unprecedented dairy sector success. With Anand Milk Union Limited (Amul) as the federation’s brand, the country witnessed a white revolution leading to a rise in milk availability along with improved incomes for dairy farmers.

India turns nuclear: Pokhran 1 (1974)

In 1974, under Indira Gandhi’s Prime Ministership, the country authorised a “peaceful nuclear explosion” in Pokhran, a village in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The action led to a global reaction, with India even facing sanctions for the same. However, it proved India’s nuclear abilities.

Jayprakash Narayan launches agitation (1974)

Jayprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, led the agitation against the Congress government in 1974. The struggle gained immense popularity and witnessed huge participation. The government ordered the police to repress the movement. This would further lead to the Emergency being imposed in India in 1975 for the duration of almost two years. It would also lead to the formation of the first non-Congress government in the centre.

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