Vol. 1961No. 200New nation, new ambition
The India you were born into
Wednesday19 July1961
One way into 19 July 1961: the year's unfinished questions. Behind that everyday lens sits a year in which national integration and scientific development remained central as India expanded its institutions and infrastructure.
Change dateThe Front Page
India builds a young republic
Democratic institutions and development remain central
India was consolidating its democratic institutions, pursuing planned development and shaping its role in the post-colonial world.
Kalpana Chawla, first Indian women astronaut (STS 87), was born in Karnal.
Kalpana Chawla, first Indian women astronaut (STS 87), was born in Karnal.
India in Numbers
A snapshot of India when you were born.
In july 1961, a litre of petrol cost Loading… and a local phone call cost Loading….
Benchmark value; verify against the original census/official source 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 1961
Moment of the year · Hockey
Indian hockey rebuilds after the 1960 Olympic silver
India remained a leading international side.
196105 · 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.
JUNGLEE
Year 1961
Film of the year · 1961
Junglee
Also in theatresGanga Jamuna · Hum Dono · Professor · Sasural · Kabuliwala · Gharana
Song of the year · 1961
"Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par"
Also on the radio"Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar" · "Main Zindagi Ka Saath" · "Teri Pyari Pyari Surat Ko"
$ cat science-and-technology-1961
Television and the beginning of the space age
What science and technology looked like in India in 1961.
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 1961
Jawaharlal Nehru
Ordered Operation Vijay in December to liberate Goa, Daman, and Diu from Portuguese rule.
V. K. Krishna Menon
Oversaw the military operation to integrate Goa into the Indian Union as Defence Minister.
Satyajit Ray
Released 'Teen Kanya' and directed a documentary celebrating Rabindranath Tagore's birth centenary.
Vikram Sarabhai
Formulated plans for establishing specialized space research facilities in South India.
Lata Mangeshkar
Recorded popular soundtracks across multiple regional Indian languages.
Homi J. Bhabha
Promoted international scientific cooperation on peaceful atomic applications.
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.
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
12 APR
The Soviet cosmonaut completes the first human orbital flight.
1961, circled in red
The year India turned 14.