Vol. 1980No. 021The long eighties
The India you were born into
Monday21 January1980
Look at 21 January 1980 sideways: books and publishing reveals the everyday scale of a year in which indira Gandhi's return to power coincided with a decade of accelerating technology, communications and social change.
Change dateThe Front Page
India in a changing political era
Democracy, public life and national institutions remain in focus
India’s political landscape was evolving through major debates over democracy, development and national unity.
This decade was announced to be observed as "International Decade of Water & Sanitation".
This decade was announced to be observed as "International Decade of Water & Sanitation".
India in Numbers
A snapshot of India when you were born.
In january 1980, 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 1980
Moment of the year · Hockey
India wins its eighth Olympic hockey gold
India won gold at Moscow.
198005 · 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.
QURBANI
Year 1980
Film of the year · 1980
Qurbani
Also in theatresAasha · Dostana · Karz · Shaan · The Burning Train · Khubsoorat
Song of the year · 1980
"Aap Jaisa Koi"
Also on the radio"Om Shanti Om" · "Dard-e-Dil" · "Humein Tumse Pyaar Kitna"
$ cat science-and-technology-1980
Satellites, television and national communications
What science and technology looked like in India in 1980.
Rohini reaches orbit
SLV-3 successfully placed the Rohini satellite in orbit on 18 July.
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 1980
Indira Gandhi
Returned to power as Prime Minister following Congress's decisive victory in the January elections.
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Served as Project Director for SLV-3, successfully putting the Rohini satellite into orbit on 18 July.
Sanjay Gandhi
Died in a plane crash on 23 June shortly after winning election as an MP and General Secretary of Congress.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Founded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in April and became its first national President.
Prakash Padukone
Became the first Indian to win the All England Open Badminton Championships.
Amitabh Bachchan
Maintained unmatched box-office success with releases like 'Dostana' and 'Shaan'.
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.
Zimbabwe becomes independent
18 APR
Zimbabwe gains independence from the United Kingdom.
1980, circled in red
The year India turned 33.