DH@75: How historic milestones were covered over years

In 1948, a feisty businessman was thinking of turning a prime property into a cinema hall, but the lure of journalism was stronger. Deccan Herald, Bengaluru’s first English-language daily, came up in a tumultuous era and overcame many challenges to reach its 75th-year milestone.

Jawaharlal Nehru had willed that a part of his ashes should be immersed in the Ganga, and the rest buried in the soil all over India. When they were brought to Bangalore in 1964, they were taken in a procession in the city, even as the world kept asking, “After Nehru, who?

George Fernandes in shackles when he was arrested in Calcutta on June 10, 1976 in the Baroda Dynamite Case, almost a full year after Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency on June 25, 1975. Deccan Herald maintained its independent editorial stand during the Emergency.

India’s Space odyssey began in 1962, with the founding of INCOSPAR, which later became ISRO. India launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975, and its own first rocket into space in 1981. In 1984, Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space, aboard a Soviet spacecraft. When PM Indira Gandhi asked Sharma, “How does Bharat look from space?”, Sharma replied, “Saare Jahan Se Achha!”

On the night of December 2-3, 1984 India’s worst industrial disaster, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, occurred, killing more than 2,000 immediately, over 8,000 in the next two weeks, and injuring over 500,000. Many continue to suffer health issues even today

Bengaluru’s journey as the nation’s S&T capital began with the Tata Institute (later, IISc) in 1909 and progressed through the establishment of the likes of HAL and ISRO. In 1976, R K Baliga established Electronics City. Bengaluru’s reinvention as the Silicon Valley of India began then and progressed through the 1980s with the likes of Infosys and Wipro setting up shop here. India’s first Software Technology Park was set up here in 1986.

The nationalisation of 14 banks on July 19, 1969 was one small step for Indira Gandhi and one giant leap to ensure widespread access to banking and bank credit.

The founding of the Republic, with the adoption of the Constitution on January 26, 1950. The Preamble of the Constitution, with its promise of Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for all, featured prominently on the top of the DH front page.

The founding of the Republic, with the adoption of the Constitution on January 26, 1950. The Preamble of the Constitution, with its promise of Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for all, featured prominently on the top of the DH front page.

The Mysore Kingdom of Pre-Independence India acquired the boundaries of modern Karnataka and became Mysore State on November 1, 1956, following the States’ Reorganisation. Mysore State was renamed Karnataka on November 1, 1973. Devaraj Urs was Chief Minister at the time.

The November 26, 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai was India’s own 9/11 moment. It was the most dastardly act of Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorism against India

The December 13, 2001 terrorist attack on India’s Parliament led to a 10-month eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between India and Pakistan.

The December 26, 2004 tsunami caused enormous devastation, killing some 228,000 people in a matter of a few hours as it hit coastlines, along the Indian Ocean.

The Godhra train burning incident on Feb 27, 2002, in which 59 Hindu pilgrims were killed, and the Gujarat riots that began the next day, remain an indelible blot, just as the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the wake of Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

India conducted its first nuclear test on May 18, 1974 endured three decades of Western sanctions against it, and defiantly, conducted a second round of nuclear tests on May 11 & 13, 1998 declaring itself a Nuclear Weapons State.

India’s triumph in the 1983 World Cup, when Kapil’s Devils humbled the mighty West Indians, was a defining moment not just for Indian cricket, but for the nation’s can-do spirit.

Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa, or popularly, Kuvempu, became in 1967 the first Kannada writer to win the Jnanpith Award. Since then, eight Kannada litterateurs have been awarded the Jnanpith, second only to the tally of Hindi writers (11).

Covid-19 was the first pandemic to hit India, and the world, in a century, and the first time ever the entire nation was locked down. The pandemic lasted three waves over two years, with its most intense phase in the summer of 2021.