India Events 1950-1957

Question 1

Why is the year 1950 of significance to India?

Answer 1

This is because, in 1950 India declared itself a Sovereign, Democratic and Republic state with the adoption of the Constitution of India.

Question 2

What was done on that day?

Answer 2

A salute of 21 guns and the unfurling of the Indian National Flag by Dr. Rajendra Prasad heralded the historic birth of the Indian Republic on that day. Thereafter 26th of January was proclaimed a national holiday and was recognized as the Republic Day of India.

Question 3

When the first general elections conducted?

Answer 3

The first general elections were conducted in 1951.

Question 4

What was the result of the elections?

Answer 4

Congress registered a thumping victory by winning 364 of the 489 seats. Jawaharlal Nehru became India’s first prime minister.

Question 5

What does railway nationalization mean?

Answer 5

Railway Nationalization is the act of taking rail transport assets into public ownership. The Indian railways network was nationalized in 1951 and was initially divided into three zones.

Question 6

Which is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India?

Answer 6

Nuclear Power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India.

Question 7

What was Asia’s first nuclear reactor?

Answer 7

India designed and built Asia’s first nuclear reactor, Apsara nuclear reactor, on August 4, 1956. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Nehru. Conceptualized by Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha in 1955 and built with the assistance from UK at Trombay. It played a key role in various programmes with the applications in power, agriculture and health.

Question 8

What were the First Asian Games? Explain

Answer 8

The 1951 Asian Games officially known as the First Asian Games, was a multi-sport event celebrated in New Delhi, from 4 to 11 March 1951. The Games received names like First Asiad and 1951 Asiad.

Question 9

The games were opened by whom?

Answer 9

The Games were officially opened by Indian President Rajendra Prasad at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

Question 10

Total how many athletes had participated in the Asian Games?

Answer 10

A total of 489 athletes from 11 National Olympic Committees competed in 12 sports.

Question 11

What was India’s Performance in the First Asian games?

Answer 11

India was ranked second with 15 gold medals in this edition of the Asiad. India won gold medals in Athletics, Diving, Football, Swimming, and Water Polo. Sachin Nag won gold in swimming in this edition.

Question 12

What are Namboodiripad and his cabinet known for?

Answer 12

Namboodiripad and his cabinet are known for their introduction of the Land Reform Ordinance.

Question 13

What does Kerala boast today?

Answer 13

Kerala boasts today, India’s highest literacy rate, low infant mortality rate, high life expectancy, and best sex ratio.

Question 14

How many months was Namboodiripad the Chief Minister of Kerala?

Answer 14

For 28 months, Namboodiripad was the Chief Minister of Kerala.

Question 15

Who is Dalai Lama?

Answer 15

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. He is regarded as the reincarnation of Lord Buddha and is seen as the continuation of Tibetan religion, culture, and history.

Question 16

Tibet has been subjugated by which Chinese imperial dynasties?

Answer 16

Historically, Tibet has been subjugated by China multiple times by various Chinese imperial dynasties starting with the Yuan dynasty and ending with the Qing dynasty.

Question 17

Why Tibet is important to China?

Answer 17

Tibet has a very strategic position from the military perspective as it is located at a high altitude above the Indian subcontinent. It is also the source of the largest river- Yangtze. Tibet has large resources of lithium and gold.

Question 18

What is 14th Dalai Lama’s name?

Answer 18

Tenzin Gyasto

Question 19

Where Dalai Lama is living currently?

Answer 19

Dalai Lama is in Dharamshala, northern India.

Question 20

What was the extent of The first five-year plan?

Answer 20

The first five-year plan was from 1951 to 1956.

Question 21

What was the focus of the first five-year plan?

Answer 21

It mainly focused on the development of the primary sector such as - irrigation and energy, agriculture and community development, transport and communications, industry, social services, and rehabilitation of landless farmers.

Question 22

What was the extent of the second five-year plan?

Answer 22

The second five-year plan was from 1956 to 1961.

Question 23

What was the focus of the second five-year plan?

Answer 23

It laid the foundation for economic modernization to better serve India’s long-term growth plans. Launched in 1956, it was based on the Mahalanobis model that advocated rapid industrialization with a focus on heavy industries and capital goods.

Question 24

What is Doordarshan? Explain.

Answer 24

Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster funded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and one of Prasar Bharati’s two divisions. It was established on 15 September 1959

Question 25

Which was the first Indian film that was nominated for the Oscars?

Answer 25

Mother India was the first Indian film that was nominated for the Oscars.

Question 26

For which category was the film nominated in the Oscars?

Answer 26

For the category - Best Foreign Language Film Oscar- the film was nominated in the Oscars.

Question 27

Who directed the film and who were the actors in it?

Answer 27

The film was directed by Mehboob Khan. The actors in the film were - Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, and Raaj Kumar.

Question 28

Which territories were under Portuguese rule?

Answer 28

Goa, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli were the territories that were under Portuguese rule.

Question 29

What was the operation for the Annexation of Goa? Explain it.

Answer 29

The “armed action” was code-named Operation Vijay by the Indian Armed Forces. It involved air, sea, and land strikes for over 36 hours, and was a decisive victory for India, ending 451 years of rule by Portugal over its remaining territories in India - Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli. Twenty-two Indians and Thirty Portuguese were killed. In India, this action is referred to as the “Liberation of Goa”.

Question 30

What is Sino-Indian War also known as?

Answer 30

Sino-Indian Border Conflict

Question 31

What was the Sino-Indian War? Explain.

Answer 31

The Sino-Indian War was between China and India and began in 1962. Chinese troops invaded Kashmir and captured Aksai Chin. India was underprepared for this invasion and, on November 21, 1962, a ceasefire was declared along the McMahon Line after China withdrew its troops.

Question 32

When and who started the Green Revolution in India?

Answer 32

In March 1963, American agronomist Dr. Norman Borlaug kickstarted the Green Revolution in India.

Question 33

What was Green Revolution?

Answer 33

The Green Revolution was a period when agriculture in India was converted into an industrial system due to the adoption of modern methods and technology.

Question 34

What is the full form of IIM?

Answer 34

Indian Institute of Management

Question 35

Name the Indian National conglomerate established in 1966?

Answer 35

Reliance Industries Limited is an Indian conglomerate established in 1966.

Question 36

What does RIL’s diverse business include?

Answer 36

RIL’s diverse business includes energy, petrochemicals, natural gas, retail, telecommunications, mass media, and textiles.

Question 37

Explain the Liberation of Bangladesh.

Answer 37

East Pakistanis fought for independence from Pakistan and achieved it on March 26, 1971, under the Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Rahman declared East Pakistan’s independence as the state of Bangladesh on 26 March 1971.

Question 38

When and who signed the Simla Agreement?

Answer 38

The Simla Agreement was signed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan on 2nd July 1972.

Question 39

What terms did India and Pakistan commit to under the Simla agreement of 1972?

Answer 39

Under the Simla agreement of 1972 both the countries undertook to avoid conflict and confrontation which had marred relations in the past, and to work towards the establishment of durable peace, friendship and cooperation.

Question 40

What was Operation Smiling Buddha? Explain.

Answer 40

Operation Smiling Buddha was the assigned code name of India’s first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974. The bomb was detonated on the army base Pokhran Test Range, in Rajasthan, by the Indian Army under the supervision of several key Indian generals.

Question 41

Why was India under the international spotlight after Pokhran 1 nuclear bomb test?

Answer 41

The test became the center of attention as there was widespread outrage and concern over the move since this nuclear bomb was tested by the country, which was outside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and the experiments took place without any warning to the international community.

Question 42

What was India’s first satellite and when it was launched?

Answer 42

Aryabhata was India’s first satellite, named after the famous Indian astronomer. It was launched on 19 April 1975.

Question 43

The Government of India nationalized how many banks

and at which date?

Answer 43

The Government of India nationalized 14 commercial banks with the effect from midnight on 19 July 1969.

Question 44

Why did the Indian Government nationalize the largest commercial banks in the country?

Answer 44

By the 1960s, the Indian banking industry had become an important tool to facilitate the development of the Indian economy. Also, these banks contained 85 percent of bank deposits in the country. Thus, the Indian Government nationalize the largest commercial banks in the country.

Question 45

Who led the White revolution in India? How did the White revolution help dairy farmers?

Answer 45

In 1970, India saw the White Revolution(Operation Flood)- the world’s biggest dairy development program, pioneered by Verghese Kurien. It transformed India from a milk deficient nation into the world’s largest milk producer. The White Revolution in India helped in reducing malpractice by traders and merchants. It also helped in eradicating poverty and made India the largest producer of milk and milk products.

Question 46

When the Project Tiger was started? During whose tenure was it started?

Answer 46

Project Tiger campaign was launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tenure to curb the extinction of the Royal Bengal Tiger population.

Question 47

What was the purpose of Project Tiger?

Answer 47

As the Bengal Tiger is the national animal of India, this project aimed to stem the dwindling population of big cats and work to increase their numbers. This project aimed at ensuring a viable population of Bengal tigers in their natural habitats, protecting them from extinction, and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage forever.

Question 48

Who started the Chipko moment in Uttarakhand in the 70s?

Answer 48

Gauri Devi started the Chipko Movement in Uttarakhand in the 70s.

Question 49

What is the ideology of the Chipko Movement?

Answer 49

The Chipko Movement was based on an ideology of protecting the environment with one’s blood and bones.

Question 50

Write in brief about the history of the Chipko Movement.

Answer 50

In 1730 AD in a small village close to Jodhpur in Rajasthan. When the ruler of Marwar, Maharaja Abhay Singh, ordered the cutting down of the local Khejri trees for the sake of building his new palace, Amrita Devi, along with her three young daughters, laid down their lives in protest. They soon inspired a large section of their community to follow in protest.

Question 51

The Chipko Movement has become an example for ecological movements across India and the world. Can you explain this statement?

Answer 51

In the following decades, however, the movement found itself being echoed in varying capacities in large parts of India and the world. Here are three such environmental movements which were inspired by the Chipko Movement :
1. Appiko Movement
2. Campaign to save trees in North 24 Parganas
(West Bengal)
3. Chipko Movement in Japan