2008 in India
Encyclopedia
Incumbents
- President of IndiaPresident of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
– Pratibha PatilPratibha PatilPratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J... - Prime Minister of IndiaPrime Minister of IndiaThe Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
– Manmohan SinghManmohan SinghManmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
February
- 2 February - The activists of Maharashtra Navnirman SenaMaharashtra Navnirman SenaThe Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is a political party based in Maharashtra operating on the motto of "Sons of the Soil". It was founded on the March 9, 2006 in Mumbai by Raj Thackeray after he left the Shiv Sena due to differences with Uddhav Thackeray and sidelining in major decisions like...
(MNS) try to disrupt a press conference of Samajwadi Party leader Amar SinghAmar SinghAmar Singh may refer to:* Amar Singh , Indian test cricketer* Amar Singh , Indian politician* Amar Singh, son of Maharana Pratap...
in MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. - 2 February - Baba Ram Rahim Gurmeet Singh, the head of the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha SaudaDera Sacha SaudaDera Sacha Sauda colloquially DSS) is a non-profit spiritual organization based in Sirsa, Haryana, India. The Dera Sacha Sauda was established by Shah Mastana Ji from Baluchistan in 1948, as a center for spiritual learning....
sect escaped a bomb blast near Nilokheri in Karnal district of Haryana. - 3 February - Members of teams trying to conduct social audit of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) were attacked in Manohar Thana block of Jhalwar district in Rajasthan.
- 5 February - The Orissa government decides to provide a monthly pension of Rs. 200 to HIV positive persons under the State-sponsored ‘Madhu Babu Pension Yojana.’
- 7 February - Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani RamadossAnbumani RamadossDr Anbumani Ramadoss had been the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of India from May, 2004 till he resigned his post in April 2009 and is a member of Parliament from the Rajya Sabha he belongs to the Pattali Makkal Katchi. Born on 9 October 1968 in Puducherry, Anbumani...
dedicates to the nation the first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) facility in the public sector set up at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. - 12 February - “Year of Russia in India” was inaugurated jointly by Prime Minister Manmohan SinghManmohan SinghManmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
and his Russian counterpart Victor Zubkov in New Delhi. - 13 February - Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Saifuddin Soz and Suresh Pachauri are made governors of West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, and Madhya Pradesh units of the Congress respectively.
- 15 February - The Election Commission issues notice to Congress president Sonia GandhiSonia GandhiSonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
seeking her response to an allegation that she had incurred disqualification as member of Parliament under Article 102(1)(d) of the Constitution for accepting the Order of Leopold (Belgium) from the King of Belgium in November 2006. - 19 February - Viswapati Trivedi becomes the Joint Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the National Aviation Company of India LimitedNational Aviation Company of India LimitedAir India Limited is a company that was formed as National Aviation Company of India Limited by the government of India to oversee the merger of Air India and Indian. The company was renamed as Air India Limited on October 26, 2010...
(NACIL. - 20 February - The former Queen Mother of Jaipur Gayatri DeviGayatri DeviGayatri Devi , often styled as Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur, was born as Princess Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar...
sat on a dharna near the Moti Doongri Fort protesting encroachment, by the land mafia, of land she donated. - 24 February - In an affidavit filed before the Gujarat High Court, the CID has officially implicated former Gujarat Additional Director General of Police, D. G. Vanzara, as the “chief conspirator” in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.
- 24 February - Tarun VijayTarun VijayTarun Vijay is an Indian author, social worker, famous freelance journalist, and parliamentarian. He was the editor of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh weekly in Hindi, Panchajanya, from 1986 to February 2008, and is a columnist of the newspaper The Times of India. He also writes for the Daily...
joins Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, the BJP’s newly created think tank, as its Director. He has been the Chief Editor of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh organ PanchjanyaPanchjanyaPanchjanya, , is the common name given to five most ancient vedic kshatriya tribes. It is supposed they are all descendants of the Five Folks and are known by that name for e.g. Yadav for descendants of Yadu, paurav for descendants of Puru and so on. Some scholars believe they were different...
. - 26 February - Ratakonda Dayakar named India’s new Ambassador to Sweden. Dayakar is 1976 batch IFS officer.
- 26 February - Union Agriculture Minister Sharad PawarSharad PawarSharadchandra Govindrao Pawar , popularly known as SAHEB , is the president of the Nationalist Congress Party which he founded in 1999, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
predicts the foodgrain production to reach the record level of 219.32 million tonnes during 2007–08. - 27 February - Three teachers in Jalaun district in UP sent to jail under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. They were found to be discriminating against the dalit children by making SC students have their mid-day meal separately.
March
- 3 March - Central government launches Dhan Laxmi scheme in seven states. Under this scheme an insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh would be provided for the girl child at her birth. The scheme aims to improve the girl-child ratio.
- 5 March - S. M. KrishnaS. M. KrishnaSomanahalli Mallaiah Krishna , generally referred to as S. M. Krishna, is the Minister of External Affairs and a member of the Indian Parliament from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha. He was the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and the Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to...
resigns from his post of Maharashtra Governor. - 9 March - J. P. Chalasani is appointed the new chief executive of the Reliance PowerReliance PowerReliance Power Limited a part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, was established to develop, construct and operate power projects in the domestic and international markets...
, an Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group company. - 10 March - D. D. LapangD. D. LapangDr. Donwa Dethwelson Lapang , popularly known as Dr. D. D. Lapang, is a politician from Meghalaya, India, and the ex-chief minister of Meghalaya....
sworn in as the Chief Minister of a new Congress-led government in MeghalayaMeghalayaMeghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
. - 14 March - Hyderabad International AirportHyderabad International AirportRajiv Gandhi International Airport also known as Hyderabad International Airport, is an international airport near Shamshabad, about south of downtown Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India....
is inaugurated. - 18 March - Donkupar RoyDonkupar RoyDonkupar Roy is an Indian politician, formerly serving as Chief Minister of Meghalaya. He is the head of the United Democratic Party, a political party recognised in Meghalaya....
of the Meghalaya Progressive AllianceMeghalaya Progressive AllianceThe Meghalaya Progressive Alliance was the ruling coalition of political parties that formed the Government in the state of Meghalaya, India from 2008 to 2009. It was led by the Nationalist Congress Party and the United Democratic Party who are the second and third largest parties in the 8th...
(MPA) sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya. - 23 March - India test fires nuclear-capable surface-to-surface missile Agni-I having a range of 700 to 900 km.
- 24 March - The Sixth Pay Commission recommends increase in the salaries of all government employees by 40%.
- 25 March - Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan LalBhajan LalBhajan Lal was a politician and two-time chief minister from the northern Indian state of Haryana.-Early life:...
disqualified from the Haryana Vidhan Sabha under the anti-defection law - 26 March - Raghu Menon is new Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Air India and National Aviation Company India Ltd (NACIL).
- 26 March - Tata MotorsTata MotorsTata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Mumbai, India. Part of the Tata Group, it was formerly known as TELCO...
buys two British automobile manufacturing companies, JaguarJaguarThe jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
and Land RoverLand RoverLand Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
, from Ford, their American owners. - 27 March - Communist Party of IndiaCommunist Party of IndiaThe Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
(CPI) re-elects A. B. Bardhan as the general secretary for the fourth consecutive term.
April
- 3 April - Communist Party of India (Marxist)Communist Party of India (Marxist)The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
elects Prakash KaratPrakash KaratPrakash Karat , born on February 7, 1948 in Letpadan, Burma is a communist politician in India and the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of India since 2005.-Education and early career:...
as its general secretary for another term. - 27 April - According to the UK-based independent consultancy firm Brand FinanceBrand FinanceBrand Finance is an independent intangible asset valuation consultancy. It advises strongly branded organisations, or those with valuable intangible assets, on how to maximise their value through effective management of their brand and other intangible assets...
TataTata GroupTata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Tata Group is one of the largest companies in India by market capitalization and revenue. It has interests in communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy,...
is one of the largest global brands. Tata is ranked 57th among top 100 brands. - 28 April - Iranian President Ahmadinejad arrives in India.
- 28 April - IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
sets a world record by sending 10 satelliteSatelliteIn the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s into orbit in a single launch. - 30 April - Polar Satellite Launch VehiclePolar Satellite Launch VehicleThe Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle , commonly known by its abbreviation PSLV, is an expendable launch system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation . It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing satellites into sun synchronous orbits, a service that...
(PSLV-C9) successfully puts all the 10 satellites into orbit.
May
- 5 May - President Pratibha PatilPratibha PatilPratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J...
presents Padma VibhushanPadma VibhushanThe Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
awards to Pranab MukherjeePranab MukherjeePranab Kumar Mukherjee is the current Finance Minister of India and leader of the current Lok Sabha.Mukherjee is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Prices, Security, Unique Identification Authority of India,...
, Sachin TendulkarSachin TendulkarSachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
and Asha BhosleAsha BhosleAsha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
. - 8 May - Jerome Bonnafont, the French Ambassador to India, puts forward the proposal of a large scale nuclear cooperation between India and France
- 13 May - Bomb blasts rock Jaipur. About 80 people are killed in serial blasts.
- 18 May - The bruised body of social activist and member of NGO Vikas Sahyog Kendra, Lalit Kumar MehtaLalit MehtaLalit Mehta was and Indian RTI activist, who was killed brutally near Palamau on May 14, 2008.He was a prominent member of The Right to Food Campaign, working in the Vikas Sahyog Kendra in Palamau District and was using his Right to information to expose scams in National Rural Employment...
was found in Kandra forest in Palamau in Jharkhand. Mehta was involved in social audit of NREGS and is suspected to have been killed by those having "vested interests." - 20 May - Calling Chattisgarh government's Salwa JudumSalwa JudumSalwa Judum refers to a militia in Chhattisgarh, India, which is aimed at countering the naxalite violence in the region...
vigilante campaign against naxalism as “an abdication of the state itself”, an experts group of the Planning Commission called for its immediate scrapping. - 21 May - Railway Minister Lalu Prasad YadavLalu Prasad YadavLalu Prasad Yadav is an Indian politician from Bihar. He was the Minister of Railways from 2004 to 2009 in the ruling United Progressive Alliance government, and the President of the Rashtriya Janata Dal political party...
announces cash awards amounting to Rs.17.40 crore for officers and staff of all zonal railways. - 22 May - Following resounding victory of the Trinamool Congress in the panchayat elections in Nandigram area, violence erupts in Purbo Medinipur district. In clashes between workers of Trinamool and the Communist Party of India (Marxist)Communist Party of India (Marxist)The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
five persons were injured. - 23 May - Prithvi II, a nuclear-capable, 350-km range surface-to-surface ballistic missileBallistic missileA ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
, is successfully test-fired. - 23 May - The Union Environment and Forests Ministry has decided to create four new tiger reserves at (1) the Sunabeda Tiger ReserveSunabeda Tiger ReserveThe government of India has approved the Sunabeda Tiger Reserve, a tiger reserve in the state of Orissa.-References:*http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/24/stories/2008052453930700.htm...
in OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, (2) the Shahyadri Tiger Reserve in MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, (3) the Pilibhit Tiger ReservePilibhit Tiger Reserve-Introduction:Pilibhit is one of the few well forested districts in Uttar Pradesh. According to an estimate of year 2004, Pilibhit district has over 800 km2 forests, constituting roughly 23 per cent of the district’s total area....
in Uttar PradeshUttar PradeshUttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and (4) the Ratapani Tiger ReserveRatapani Tiger ReserveThe Ratapani Tiger Reserve, located in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, is one of the finest teak forests in the state and is a short drive away from the capital Bhopal. Previously a Wildlife Sanctuary since 1976, the government of India upgraded the Ratapani Wildlife...
in Madhya PradeshMadhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
. Besides, Nagarahole National Park in Karnataka to be upgraded as a separate reserve. - 23 May - President Pratibha PatilPratibha PatilPratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J...
starts her maiden visit to Jammu and KashmirJammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the... - 23 May - A week ahead of first anniversary of police firing on agitating Gujjars violence erupts in RajasthanRajasthanRājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. Four GujjarGujjarThe Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
protesters and one policeman killed in clashes in Bharatpur district. The tally goes up to 17 later. - 24 May - Eighteen killed and 38 others injured in police firing in DausaDausaDausa is a city and administrative headquarters of Dausa District in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is 55 km from Jaipur,240 km from Delhi and situated at NH-11. It is also known as "Dev Nagari."- History :...
district of Rajasthan in the ongoing Gujjar-police clashes. - 25 May - The Bhartiya Janta Party comes to power in KarnatakaKarnatakaKarnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. In the assembly elections held earlier in the week, BJP win 110 seats. Congress is second with 80.
June
- 4 June - The government announces an increase in petrol, diesel and LPG prices by Rs 5, Rs 3 and Rs 50 respectively.
July
- 22 July - The United Progressive AllianceUnited Progressive AllianceThe United Progressive Alliance is a ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the government of India. The coalition is led by the Indian National Congress , which is currently the single largest political party in the Lok Sabha...
led government in India survives a crucial no-confidence voteMotion of no confidenceA motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
based on disagreements between Indian National CongressIndian National CongressThe Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and Left FrontLeft FrontThe Left Front is an alliance of Indian leftist parties. After a 34-year reign in West Bengal, the Left Front was swept from power in the 2011 election...
over the Indo-US nuclear deal. - 25 July - 2008 Bangalore serial blasts2008 Bangalore serial blasts2008 Bangalore serial blasts occurred on 25 July 2008 in Bangalore, India. A series of nine bombs exploded in which two people were killed and 20 injured...
: A series of seven bomb blasts rock BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
killing 2 and injuring 20 and on the next day, a number of bomb blasts in AhmedabadAhmedabadAhmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Gujarat, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, kills 45 and injures over 160 people.
August
- 3 August - 2008 Naina Devi temple stampede2008 Naina Devi temple stampedeA human stampede at the Hindu temple of Naina Devi occurred on 3 August 2008 in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. 162 people died when they were crushed, trampled, or forced over the side of a ravine by the movement of a large panicking crowd. Witness accounts suggest that events were...
: A stampede at a HinduHinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple at Naina DeviNaina DeviNaina Devi is a town and a municipal council in Bilaspur district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.-Demographics:As of the 2001 India census, Naina Devi had a population of 1161. Males constitute 63% of the population and females 37%. Naina Devi has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher...
in Bilaspur, Himachal PradeshBilaspur, Himachal PradeshBilaspur is a city and a municipal council in Bilaspur district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.-Geography:Bilaspur is located at . It has an average elevation of 673 metres . It is hot in summer and cold in winters. It rains mostly in July to august .It lies near the reservoir of...
, kills 162 and injures 400.
October
- 12 October - Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVIBenedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
announces the canonizationCanonizationCanonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
of Sister Alphonsa Muttathupadathu, the first woman of IndianDemographics of IndiaThe demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
origin to be canonizedCanonizationCanonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
as a saint by the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, and the first canonized saint of the Syro-Malabar Catholic ChurchSyro-Malabar Catholic ChurchThe Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India is an East Syrian Rite, Major Archiepiscopal Church in full communion with the Catholic Church. It is one of the 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in the Catholic Church. It is the largest of the Saint Thomas Christian denominations with more than 3.6...
. - 22 October Launched Chandrayaan-1 from Satish Dhawan Space CentreSatish Dhawan Space CentreThe Satish Dhawan Space Centre is the launch centre for the Indian Space Research Organisation . It is located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, north of Chennai in South India. It was originally called Sriharikota High Altitude Range , and was sometime known as Sriharikota Launching Range...
, SriharikotaSriharikotaSriharikota is a barrier island off the coast of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It houses India's only satellite launch centre in the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and is used by the Indian Space Research Organisation to launch satellites using multi-stage rockets such as the Polar...
, Andhra PradeshAndhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
at 06:22 IST (00:52 UTC). The vehicle was successfully inserted into lunar orbit on 8 November 2008.
November
- November 26–29 – 2008 Mumbai attacks2008 Mumbai attacksThe 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...
: 175 people were killed and over 308 wounded in more than ten coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's largest city, carried out by Islamic terrorists from PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Full date unknown
- Mumbai Urban Transport ProjectMumbai Urban Transport ProjectThe Mumbai Urban Transport Project is a project formulated by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority to bring about improvement in traffic and transport situation in Mumbai metropolitan region with the assistance of World Bank...
is completed. - Bangalore International Airport is completed.
- Sheila Dixit won the DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
Assembly elections for the third consecutive time.
Arts and Literature
- 3 February - Inaugurating the tenth Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for documentary, short and animation films at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi announced that a dedicated channel for short films in the Eleventh Plan is under consideration.
- 14 February - The Government decides to extend visa of exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, for another six months. Her visa was to expire on 17 February.
- 19 February - The K.K. Birla Foundation decides to give the following awards:(1) The Sixteenth Vachaspati Puraskar for 2007 to Swami Rambhadracharya for his work SribhargavaraghaviyamSribhargavaraghaviyamŚrībhārgavarāghavīyam , literally Of Paraśurāma and Rāma, is a Sanskrit epic poem composed by Jagadguru Rambhadracharya in the year 2002. It consists of 2121 verses in 40 Sanskrit and Prakrit metres and is divided into 21 cantos of 101 verses each...
(Mahakavyam).(2)The 2007 Bihari Puraskar to Hindi poet Yashwant Vyas for his Hindi novel Comrade Godse. (3) The Shankar Puraskar for 2007 to Prof. R.S. Tripathi for his work Baudh Darshan Prasthan. - 20 February - Bengali poet and novelist Sunil GangopadhyaySunil GangopadhyaySunil Gangopadhyay , is a celebrated Indian poet and novelist.-Early life:...
elected president of the Sahitya AkademiSahitya AkademiThe Sahitya Akademi ', India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India...
. - 8 May - The Delhi high courtDelhi High CourtThe High Court of Delhi was established on 31 October 1966. The High Court of Delhi was established with four judges. They were Chief Justice K. S. Hegde, Justice I. D. Dua, Justice H. R. Khanna and Justice S. K. Kapur.-History:...
quashed three criminal proceedings initiated against the artist M. F. Husain for allegedly hurting public sentiments through some of his nude paintings that were perceived as obscene. - 25 May - Pakistani rock band Junoon performs in SrinagarSrinagarSrinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
on the occasion of opening of the Institute of Kashmir Studies at the Kashmir University. - 15 October - Aravind AdigaAravind AdigaAravind Adiga is an Indian writer and journalist. His debut novel, The White Tiger, won the 2008 Man Booker Prize.-Early life and education:...
, is awarded the 2008 Man Booker PrizeMan Booker PrizeThe Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
for his debut novel, The White TigerThe White TigerThe White Tiger is the debut novel by Indian author Aravind Adiga. It was first published in 2008 and won the Man Booker Prize in the same year. The novel provides a darkly comical view of modern day life in India through the narration of its protagonist Balram Halwai...
.
Sport
- 11 August - Shooter Abhinav BindraAbhinav BindraAbhinav Singh Bindra is an Indian shooter from Zirakpur, Mohali, Punjab and is the current World and Olympic champion in the 10 m Air Rifle event...
wins the gold in the 10 m Air Rifle event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He became the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games. - 20 August - Wrestler Sushil KumarSushil Kumar (wrestler)Sushil Kumar Solanki is an Indian World Champion wrestler who won the gold medal in the 66 kg freestyle competition at the FILA 2010 World Wrestling Championships and a bronze medal in the Men's 66kg Freestyle Wrestling event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Kumar defeated Leonid Spiridonov of...
wins a bronze medal in the Men's 66 kg Freestyle Wrestling category at 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. - 21 August - Boxer Vijender Kumar became the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal when he won bronze medal in the middleweight category at 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
- 7 October - Cricketer Sourav GangulySourav GangulySourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
announces retirement from Test Cricket. - 17 October - Cricketer Sachin TendulkarSachin TendulkarSachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
becomes the leading scorer in Test Cricket and also becomes the first batsman to score 12,000 runs in Test CricketTest cricketTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
. - 2 November - Cricketer Anil KumbleAnil KumbleAnil Kumble is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian Test cricket team. He is a right-arm leg spin bowler and a right-hand batsman. He is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in both Test and One Day International matches...
announces retirement from Test Cricket.
Deaths
- 1 January - Pratap Chandra ChunderPratap Chandra ChunderPratap Chandra Chunder was a union minister of India, educationist and author. He served in Morarji Desai Ministry from 1977 to 1980 as a cabinet minister with education and social welfare portfolios.-Family and education:...
, Minister, educationalist and author (b.19191919 in IndiaEvents in the year 1919 in India.-Events:* 13 April - At the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in the Punjab, British and Gurkha troops massacre 379 Sikhs.-Unknown dates:...
). - 29 January - Bharath GopiBharath GopiV. Gopinathan Nair, popularly known as Bharath Gopi was an Indian film actor, producer, and director. He was one of the first actors to be associated with the New Wave cinema movement in Kerala....
, 71, actor, director and producer (b.19371937 in IndiaEvents in the year 1937 in India.-January to June:*2 January - Chandrashekhara Kambara, poet, playwright, folklorist and film director.*22 February - Sabitri Chatterjee, actress....
). - 1 February - Russi KaranjiaRussi KaranjiaRustom Khurshedji Karanjia was an Indian journalist and editor. He typically signed his reports as "R. K...
, journalist and editor (b.19121912 in India-Events:On February 14, 1912 His Majesty the King of Britain George V gave a speech in the British Parliament about his visit to the imperial colonies and expressed his trust to India people and government he saw during his visit to India in 1911....
). - 5 February - Maharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
, 90, spiritualist, founder of Transcendental MeditationTranscendental MeditationTranscendental Meditation refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique, a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement...
(b.19171917 in India-Events:*20 August - The secretary of state for India makes the announcement that British policy in India calls for the gradual development of self-governing institutions and the progressive realization of responsible government.-Births:...
). - 9 February - Baba AmteBaba AmteMurlidhar Devidas Amte, popularly known as Baba Amte was an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for his work for the rehabilitation and empowerment of poor people suffering from leprosy....
, 93, social activist (b.19141914 in India-Events:* Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returns to India from South Africa to spearhead the Indian independence movement.* In August India as the British colony sends troops to Europe to participate as the British fighting partner in World War I against Germany. This force was a part of the British...
). - 25 February - Hans Raj KhannaHans Raj KhannaJustice Hans Raj Khanna was a judge of the Supreme Court of India . In the Habeas Corpus case during the Indian Emergency, four other judges went with the government view that even right to life stood abrogated during Emergency...
, 95, Supreme Court Judge (b.19121912 in India-Events:On February 14, 1912 His Majesty the King of Britain George V gave a speech in the British Parliament about his visit to the imperial colonies and expressed his trust to India people and government he saw during his visit to India in 1911....
). - 27 February - Sujatha RangarajanSujatha RangarajanSujatha was the pseudonym of the Tamil writer S. Rangarajan, author of over 100 novels, 250 short stories, ten books on science, ten stage plays, and a slim volume of poems. He was one of the most popular writers in Tamil literature, and a regular contributor to topical columns in Tamil...
, 72, author, short story writer and playwright (b.19351935 in IndiaEvents in the year 1935 in India.-Births:*19 January - Soumitra Chatterjee, actor.*3 May - Sujatha Rangarajan, author, short story writer and playwright .*18 July - Jayendra Saraswathi, Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham....
). - 19 March - RaghuvaranRaghuvaranRaghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
, 49, actor (b.19481948 in IndiaEvents in the year 1948 in the Republic of India.-Events:*30 January - Assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: The spiritual leader of India Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by Nathuram Godse....
). - 25 March - K. T. MuhammedK. T. MuhammedK. T. Muhammed , popularly known as KT, was a famous Malayalam playwright and screenwriter. He had scripted about 40 stage plays, including Idhu Bhumiyanu , considered to be his masterpiece...
, playwright (b.19271927 in India-Events:* 12 November - Mahatma Gandhi made his first and last visit to Ceylon.* The commission is formed to consider further steps toward self-rule of India. No Indian member is included.-Births:* 24 January - J...
). - 19 May - Vijay TendulkarVijay TendulkarVijay Tendulkar was a leading Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marāthi...
, 80, playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist and social commentator (b.19281928 in India-Births:*6 January - Vijay Tendulkar, playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist and social commentator .*28 August - Mambillikalathil Govind Kumar Menon, physicist and policy maker....
). - 27 June - Sam ManekshawSam ManekshawField Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC "Sam Bahadur" was a Field Marshal of the Indian Army. His distinguished military career spanned four decades and five wars...
, 94, first Field Marshal of the Indian Army (b.19141914 in India-Events:* Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returns to India from South Africa to spearhead the Indian independence movement.* In August India as the British colony sends troops to Europe to participate as the British fighting partner in World War I against Germany. This force was a part of the British...
). - 29 July - Ishmeet Singh SodhiIshmeet Singh SodhiIshmeet Singh Sodhi was the winner of Amul STAR Voice of India 2007. Hailing from Ludhiana , Punjab, India, Singh had won the Star Plus show in 2007. He also participated in another Reality Show called Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar. Ishmeet's first album was a religious Gurbani album called Satgur...
, 18, winner Amul STAR Voice of IndiaAmul STAR Voice of IndiaStar Voice of India was an Indian Television singing competition that premiered on 18 May 2007 and ended on 24 November 2007. It was the first Indian singing competition produced by STAR Plus. The show was directed by Gajendra Singh, creator of the famous Sa Re Ga Ma Pa series...
in 2007 (b.19891989 in IndiaEvents in the year 1989 in the Republic of India.-Incumbents:* President of India – R. Venkataraman* Prime Minister of India – Rajiv Gandhi until December 2, V. P. Singh-Events:...
). - 1 August - Ashok MankadAshok MankadAshok Vinoo Mankad was a former Indian cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he played for India in 22 Test matches....
, 61, Test cricketTest cricketTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
er (b.19461946 in IndiaEvents in the year 1946 in India.-Events:* January - Royal Air Force Mutiny of 1946 of British and Indian air force units* 11 February - I.N.A...
). - 1 August - Harkishan Singh SurjeetHarkishan Singh SurjeetHarkishan Singh Surjeet was a communist politician from Punjab, India. He was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India from 1992 to 2005 and was a member of the party's Political Bureau from 1964 to 2008.-Pre-1947 career:Born to a Basi Jat family in Bundala, Jalandhar district,...
, 92, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)Communist Party of India (Marxist)The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
(b.19161916 in India-Events:* The Hindus leading the Indian National Congress Party hammer out an alliance - the Lucknow Pact - with India's Muslim League.-Births:*13 February - Jagjit Singh Aurora, military commander ....
). - 29 August - Jayshree GadkarJayshree GadkarJayshree Gadkar was a noted Marathi movie actress and a star of Marathi cinema in the 1960s.-Early life:...
, actress (b.19421942 in IndiaEvents in the year 1942 in India.-Events:* March - Freedom fighter Jawaharlal Nehru's daughter Indira marries a Parsi lawyer and freedom fighter, Feroze Gandhi against her father's wishes....
). - 27 September - Mahendra KapoorMahendra KapoorMahendra Kapoor was an Indian playback singer.In a career spanning five decades, his repertoire extended to 25,000 songs in various regional languages, including memorable hits like ‘Chalo ek baar phir se Ajnabi ban jayen hum dono’ Gumrah, ‘Neele gagan ke taale’ Hamraaz, and in various...
, 74, playback singerPlayback singerA playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
(b.19341934 in IndiaEvents in the year 1934 in India.-Events:*15 January - There is an 8.4 earthquake in India and Nepal in which more than 10,000 people die.*7 April - Mahatma Gandhi suspended his campaign of civil disobedience.-Full date unknown:...
). - 26 November - Hemant KarkareHemant KarkareHemant Karkare was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad. He was killed during the 2008 Mumbai attacks after being shot three times in the chest...
, Vijay SalaskarVijay SalaskarVijay Salaskar was a Senior Police Inspector and encounter specialist serving with the Mumbai police. He was widely credited with killing 75–80 criminals in encounters — most of these were members of the Arun Gawli gang...
, Ashok KamteAshok KamteAshok Kamte was the Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police for the East Region. He was killed in terrorist action during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. His bravery was honoured with the Ashoka Chakra on 26 January 2009.... - 27 November - V. P. SinghV. P. SinghVishwanath Pratap Singh was the seventh Prime Minister of India and the 41st Raja Bahadur of Manda.-Early life:...
, 77, tenth Prime Minister of IndiaPrime Minister of IndiaThe Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
(b.19311931 in IndiaEvents in the year 1931 in India.-Events:*25 January - Mohandas Gandhi released again.*10 February - New Delhi becomes the capital of India.*4 March - British viceroy of India and Mohandas Gandhi negotiate....
) - 28 November - Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan,31, NSG commando
- 1 December - H. SridharH. SridharH. Sridhar, was a sound engineer from India and known for his work with the Indian Musician A R Rahman.Sridhar was the Chief Audio Engineer at Media Artists. A mathematics graduate, with keen interest in electronics and formal music training, he started a professional sound engineering career in...
, 50, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n sound engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - 10 December - Munawwar Hasan, 44, Indian politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. - 17 December - Ved Prakash GoyalVed Prakash GoyalVed Prakash Goyal was an Indian politician and the Union Minister of shipping in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in India from 2001-2003. He was the treasurer of Bharatiya Janata Party for a long time. He was a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India.- Early life :He...
, 82, Indian politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. - 27 December - Sahu MewalalSahu MewalalSahu Mewalal was an Indian Olympian footballer who plied his trade at Kolkata . His playing position was striker and he was known for his excellent fitness, bicycle kicks and goal scoring abilities....
, 82, Indian footballer. - 29 December - Manjit BawaManjit BawaManjit Bawa , born in Dhuri, Punjab, India, was an Indian painter .-Biography:Manjit bawa born in 1941 dhuri,Punjab.Bawa's older brothers encouraged him to pursue art. He studied fine arts at the College of Art, New Delhi between 1958 and 1963, where his professors included Somnath Hore, Rakesh...
, 67, Indian painterArtistAn artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. - 31 December - Premjit LallPremjit LallPremjit Lall was a professional tennis player from India.Lall reached the Junior final at the 1958 Wimbledon Championships. He played on the India Davis Cup team from 1959 until 1973...
, 68, Indian tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player.