- By Akansha Pandey
- Thu, 14 Aug 2025 04:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
From waging a long and determined struggle for independence to celebrating its 79th year of freedom, India has witnessed a transformation of historic proportions, making its story one of the most extraordinary nation-building stories in history. In the 78 years since 1947, the nation has evolved from a newly independent state facing socio-economic challenges into a modern, confident and globally respected power. India’s journey has been marked by grit, vision and the unwavering spirit of its people.
The progress of India spans every sphere of national life, from launching ambitious space missions that place us among the elite spacefaring nations, to emerging as one of the world’s top five economies, leading the way with UPI for a cashless society and providing top-quality medical care, which earned the country a reputation of "pharmacy of the world." India’s achievements are as diverse as the country itself. It has built an extensive network of highways, airports, and metro systems that rival global standards and created a talent pool sought after by leading companies worldwide.
Let's take a look at some key achievements of India over the past 78 Years.
Drafting Indian Constitution
Among India's key achievements, the first is the Indian Constitution. A document that defines the principal, function and structure of the Indian government. It earned India the title of the world's largest secular and democratic country. After the Constitution was drafted, India was ready to run the nation on its own terms. It created a framework that defined the fundamental rights and duties of the government and its citizens. The initial draft of the Constitution was prepared by the assembly's constitutional advisor, BN Rau and the final draft was primarily authored by the drafting committee chaired by Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The Indian Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949 and came into effect on January 26, 1950.
First Lok Sabha Election
After its independence in August 1947, India, the world's largest democracy, held its first general elections from October 25, 1951, to February 21, 1952, which was another major achievement.
As a result of these elections, the first session of the Lok Sabha officially began on May 13, 1952. At that time, the lower house had 489 seats, and 173 million voters were eligible to vote. The Indian National Congress (INC) won a landslide victory by winning 364 seats, and Jawaharlal Nehru became the first democratically elected Prime Minister of India.
The first Lok Sabha was dissolved on April 4, 1957, after completing its 5-year term.
First Rocket Launch
The Indian space program began on November 21, 1963, when the first rocket was launched from Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. It was a US-made Nike-Apache Rocket. With the help of these rockets, it became possible to study the real state of the atmosphere with rocket-based instruments. This was the first milestone in the space journey of modern India, the credit for which goes to Dr Vikram Sarabhai and his then colleague and former President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who also led the foundation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Space Exploration
India began to take steps toward space exploration and, in 1969, established its space agency, ISRO. It was through ISRO that India launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975.
Another successful event marked in 2008, when India achieved a historic feat with its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1. Following this success, India's third lunar exploration mission, Chandrayaan-3, was also successfully launched in 2023. And the story of space exploration is glowing day by day in India, with the country planning its first human spaceflight, Gaganyaan Mission.
Defence Power
After independence, India worked hard to build up its defence capabilities. As a result, India now has the second-largest military in the world.
The Indian armed forces have fought and won several major wars since independence. From Operation Smiling Buddha in 1974 (India's first nuclear test) to other significant missions, India's defence forces have proven their strength and achieved victory.
Since its independence, India has also begun developing its air defence systems. This includes surface-to-air missiles like the homegrown Akash system, long-range interceptors like the S-400, short-range systems like MANPADS, and anti-aircraft guns.
Modern Indian air defence is now a powerful and strong system that includes an Integrated Air Command and Control System, advanced drone systems, and much more.
Green And White Revolution
The Green Revolution, which began in 1967, made India self-sufficient in food grains. Earlier, despite being an agricultural country, India was dependent on grain imports to feed its huge population. Today, thanks to this revolution, India is the largest global producer of pulses and the second largest producer of rice, wheat and sugarcane.
Similarly, the White Revolution was the world's most important dairy development program launched in 1970. Led by the National Dairy Development Board, this program made India self-sufficient in milk production and proved to be one of the largest rural development programs.
India’s Economic Growth
After 78 years of independence, India has emerged as the fourth-largest economy in the world in 2025 and is on the way to becoming the third-largest economy by 2030. Also, India has seen the growth of cashless systems like UPI and is on the way to promoting them globally.
Healthcare And Medication
Since its independence, India has made great achievements in healthcare and medicine. There has been a significant improvement, with much lower death rates for infants, newborns, and mothers.
India has also become a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry, known for producing generic drugs and vaccines. This leadership became especially clear after the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, India was officially certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for eradicating polio in 2014.
Initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat scheme and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission are now taking India's healthcare system on a path to become even stronger.
Education
India has made incredible strides in education, with the literacy rate jumping from a mere 18 per cent in 1951 to over 77 per cent by 2020.
During this time, the country also expanded its network of top-tier educational institutions like the IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) and IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management). Key laws were also introduced, such as the Right to Education Act, which made education free and compulsory for children.
Moving beyond traditional academics, the focus has also shifted towards practical skills. In 2020, India implemented a New Education Policy that heavily emphasises quality learning and skill development.
Sports
From time to time, India has made its mark globally in sports. From its historic run of winning eight Olympic gold medals in hockey between 1928 and 1980, to winning gold medals in games like badminton and javelin throw, India has maintained its strong presence.