India at 80: Time to confront the issues it is facing

Baby steps were taken in the field of sports, education, technology and science. At the 1960 Rome Olympics, Milkha Singh won hearts, though he failed to secure a medal. It was the golden era of hockey and football. In cricket, India defeated New Zealand under the able leadership of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. It was the time when the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) were established. The first rocket was fired from Thumba space centre, and then the Indian Space Research Organisation came into existence and landmark progress was made in nuclear energy, along with the initiation of the historic Green Revolution.