Vol. 2009No. 059Millennium turn
The India you were born into
Saturday28 February2009
Begin 28 February 2009 with public spaces. It is a quieter route into an India where india was adapting to the global financial crisis while its democratic institutions continued their regular cycle.
Change dateThe Front Page
India in a connected century
Growth, security and technology shape the national story
India was adapting to a more connected economy and society while facing significant questions of security and development.
India in Numbers
A snapshot of India when you were born.
In february 2009, a litre of petrol cost Loading… and a local phone call cost Loading….
Interpolated placeholder between benchmark years; replace with annual UN WPP estimate before publication. Not a census count. Source: current India population working dataset.
Prices from the month you were born, listed the way the kirana shop would have written them.
- The Hindu archive
- National archival records
- Press and public memory
04 · Sport
India on the field in 2009
Moment of the year · Chess
Viswanathan Anand remains undisputed classical world champion
Anand retained the world title after his 2008 defence.
200905 · Cinema & music
What India was watching and humming
The film everyone queued for that month, and the song that played from every cassette player that year.
3 IDIOTS
Year 2009
Film of the year · 2009
3 Idiots
Also in theatresLove Aaj Kal · Wanted · Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani · Kaminey · Delhi-6 · Wake Up Sid
Song of the year · 2009
"Tum Mile"
Also on the radio"Aaj Din Chadheya" · "Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai" · "Aahun Aahun"
$ cat science-and-technology-2009
The mobile internet arrives
What science and technology looked like in India in 2009.
Technology moves closer to daily life
Computing, communication and consumer electronics were gradually moving from specialist institutions toward ordinary homes, offices and public life.
Faces of 2009
A. R. Rahman
Won two Academy Awards (Best Original Score and Best Original Song) for 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
Manmohan Singh
Re-elected as Prime Minister as the UPA alliance won an increased majority in the general election.
Nandan Nilekani
Appointed Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to build the Aadhaar system.
Aamir Khan
Starred in '3 Idiots', which became the highest-grossing Indian film of all time up to that point.
Saina Nehwal
Became the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series title by winning the Indonesia Open.
M. S. Dhoni
Led India to the No. 1 ranking in ICC Test Team Rankings for the first time.
09 · BEYOND INDIA
Beyond India
Before the internet put the world in our pockets, news from abroad arrived through telegrams, radios, television sets and eventually phones.
Barack Obama is inaugurated
20 JAN
Barack Obama takes office as the 44th president of the United States.
2009, circled in red
The year India turned 62.