Milestones and Developments in India: A Look Back

From introducing India’s first engineless train to advancements in sports, medicine, and more, the year brought a variety of important milestones and breakthroughs. This article delves into some of the highlights that marked India’s progress.

Train 18: India’s First Engineless Train

On December 29, 2018, India’s first engineless train, “TRAIN 18,” made its inaugural journey. Manufactured at a cost of around 100 crore rupees, the train made history by reaching speeds over 180 kmph during its trial run, marking it as the country’s fastest train.

Celebrating National Farmers Day

The 23rd of December is celebrated as National Farmers Day, or Kisan Diwas, honoring former Prime Minister Lt. Chaudhary Charan Singh. This day pays tribute to farmers, the backbone of India and the cornerstone of the country’s Agrarian Economy.

Commemorative Coin for Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a commemorative 100 rupee coin in honor of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The coin is made up of 50% silver, 40% copper, 5% zinc, and 5% nickel, weighing 135 grams. It features the Ashoka Pillar Lion Capital and ‘Satyamev Jayate’ inscribed in Devanagari script, reflecting India’s rich cultural heritage.

Bogibeel Bridge: A Strategic Milestone

Inaugurated by PM Modi on 25th December 2018, the strategically important Bogibeel Bridge spans from Dibrugarh to Dhemaji districts of Assam. This 4.9 km long bridge over the Brahmaputra River is the second-longest rail-cum-road bridge in Asia, serving as a crucial communication link for several districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

Kannur Welcomes its International Airport

The newly built Kannur International Airport, spread over 2330 acres, situates Kerala as the only Indian state with four International Airports. The airport, located 30km from Kannur’s main town, opens new avenues for regional connectivity and tourism.

New Governor for RBI

Following the resignation of Urjit Patel on December 10th, 2018, the appointment committee of the Cabinet approved Shri Shaktikanta Das, a retired IAS officer and former Secretary Department of Economic Affairs, as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India for a three-year tenure.

Mary Kom and Manika Batra’s Sporting Achievements

AIBA World Women Boxing Gold medalist MC Mary Kom was honored with the title “Meethoileima” (par excellent queen) by the Manipur Government, marking her extraordinary achievements in boxing. In another significant achievement in sports, Manika Batra won the ‘Breakthrough Table Tennis Star’ award at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Star Awards in Incheon, South Korea, marking a historic moment for Indian table tennis.

Regulations on Online Sale of Medicines

The Delhi High Court passed a verdict banning the sale of online medicines by e-pharmacists across the country, emphasizing the need for regulatory oversight to ensure patient safety.

Appointment of the New Chief Election Commissioner

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Sunil Arora as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), succeeding O.P. Rawat. Arora, a 1980-batch IAS Officer, has worked across various ministries and departments, bringing a wealth of experience to his new role.

Constitution Day of India

On November 26, India celebrated the 69th anniversary of the adoption of its Constitution, recognizing the foundational law of the country. Known as Constitution Day, this observance marks the framing of the Constitution, primarily attributed to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who is revered as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.

Popular questions

TRAIN 18 is India’s first engineless train, and it became India’s fastest train by hitting a speed of over 180 kmph during a trial run.

National Farmers Day is celebrated in the honor of former Prime Minister Lt. Chaudhary Charan Singh. This day is a tribute to the farmers, the backbone of India and its agrarian economy.

The 100 rupee coin, made of 50% silver, 40% copper, 5% zinc, and 5% nickel, bears the Ashoka Pillar Lion Capital and ‘Satyamev Jayate’ inscription.

The Bogibeel Bridge is a strategic and infrastructural landmark, acting as a crucial communication link for several districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

Shri Shaktikanta Das, a retired IAS officer, succeeded Urjit Patel as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

With the inauguration of the Kannur International Airport, Kerala became the only Indian state with four international airports.

The Manipur Government honored the AIBA World Women Boxing Gold medalist MC Mary Kom with the title “Meethoileima.”

Indian player Manika Batra won the ‘Breakthrough Table Tennis Star’ award at the ITTF Star Awards.

Sunil Arora was appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India.

Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar is popularly known as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.