Achievements of India After Independence

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : Aug 14, 2023, 9:57

The page will provide information about achievements of India after Independence. After years of struggle, India got its independence on 15th August 1947. Under British Raj, we were left in a much worse state than the history books narrate. We were robbed of our share of development that the world was embracing.

Know Achievements of India after Independence, just like the phoenix, India rose from the ashes and made its place as a powerful, progressing country in the world.

Indian’s Achievements after Independence

Immediately after India gained Independence, the citizens had the right to vote and select the government they wanted to rule themselves. But Americans offered right to Indians after 150 years of attaining Independence.

One of the frontiersperson who ensured freedom for India from British rule was Mahatma Gandhi, who believed in non-violence or satyagraha. Another freedom fighter of India was Pandey, who initiated the real battle for the country's freedom in 1857, though India evolved into a free nation in 1947.

Top 10 Achievements of India after Independence

Given below are the primary achievements of India after Independence since 1947. It includes building up of a new Indian constitution, green revolution, development of science and technology, etc.

Indian Constitution:

  • The first in the list of India achievements after Independence is when it launched its Constitution on 26th January 1951.
  • It laid down the framework that demarcates the fundamental political code, rights, and duties of the government and the citizens.
  • Our Constitution earned us the title of the largest secular, democratic country in the world.

Green Revolution:

  • The Green Revolution was introduced in the year 1967.
  • Despite being an agricultural state, India was food-deficient and relied heavily upon imports of food grains to feed the large population.
  • The Green Revolution made India a self-sufficient nation.
  • Today, India is the largest producer of pulses and the second-largest producer of rice, wheat, and sugarcane globally.

Polio Eradication:

  • In 1994, India accounted for 60% of the world’s Polio cases.
  • Within two decades, India got the “Polio-free certificate” from the World Health Organization in 2014.
  • The vigilant movement to prevent Polio dramatically increased the life expectancy from 32 years (1947) to 68.89 years.

Space and Technology:

  • The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was founded on 15th August 1969, giving new flight to space research in India.
  • In 1975, India launched its first space satellite, “Aryabhata”, and never looked back. Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to go to Space in 1986, and at present, the best indigenous technology-based launch vehicles have been manufactured under the Make in India programme.
  • In 2008, India set a world record of sending 10 satellites in orbit in a single mission through PSLV-C9.
  • We successfully launched satellites like Chandrayaan to the moon and became the first country to reach Mars in our first attempt through Mangalyaan.

Right to Education:

  • India has come a long way in making education a crucial part of Indian development.
  • The Right to Education Act, 2010 affirms education as a fundamental right of every child, providing free and compulsory elementary education to all.

Powerful Defence:

  • After independence, India strengthened its defence so that history does not repeat itself.
  • In 1954, India launched the Atomic Energy Program, becoming the first nation to do so.
  • In 1974, India conducted “Smiling Buddha”, its first nuclear test, making its place on the list of five nuclear-powered nations.
  • This is one of the biggest achievements of India since 1947.
  • Today, India has the 2nd largest military force and largest voluntary army in the world.

Gender Justice:

  • India has taken progressive steps to promote gender equality.
  • The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 and Domestic Violence Act, 2005 have discouraged social evils.
  • Many government programs like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao work on eliminating gender bias in the country.

Nuclear program:

  • India experimented with its first nuclear bomb in Rajasthan's Pokhran in 1974.
  • India became the world's sixth nuclear power with the operation "Smiling Buddha."
  • AEC (Atomic Energy Commission) and DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) executed more nuclear studies called "Pokhran-II" in Rajasthan in 1998.

Operation Flood or White Revolution:

  • Operation Flood was the world's most prominent dairy evolution program, established in 1970.
  • National Dairy Development Board of India achieved milestones with the project.
  • India evolved into a self-sufficient milk production country due to the White Revolution, among the largest rural development agendas.

Advancement in life expectancy:

  • One of the achievements of India is making considerable progress in enhancing the life expectancy of Indians over the years.
  • In 1947, the average life expectancy of Indians was roughly 32 years. But in 2022, it has increased to 70 years.
  • India has tremendously improved its people's health results as per WHO.

ISRO formation and satellite launch:

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was created in 1969.
  • ISRO replaced Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR).
  • Vikram Sarabhai provided ISRO with a critical path to operate as an agent of growth.
  • India launched its first native satellite called Aryabhatta in 1975 with the help of the USSR, which was manufactured entirely in India.

The achievements of India since 1947 are bright examples of our great potential. Be it Mangalyaan or Yoga, Olympics or Beauty Pageants, India is constantly breaking records and making history. With thriving cultures and beliefs, India moves further, united, to new heights of success.

Important Facts on India's Achievement after Independence

Some of the significant achievements of India after Independence have been mentioned below briefly:

  • The year 1951 marked the creation of the Indian Railways.
  • India has the busiest and most extensive rail networks worldwide, operating in over 7000 stations.
  • The first general election in India was held in 1951.
  • The Apsara nuclear reactor, Asia's first nuclear reactor, was developed in 1956.
  • Chandrayaan 1 was founded in 2008 on the moon.
  • The father of Indian Economic Planning, Sir M Visvesvaraya, aided in shaping the Indian economy in its most potent form.

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FAQs on Achievements of India After Independence

Q.1. What are the major achievements of India after Independence in infrastructure?

India has the largest railway network in Asia. The major achievements of India after Independence include the following:

  • The Golden Quadrilateral Highway Network connects the four metropolitan cities-New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai.
  • Various irrigation projects and dams have improved water connectivity in the country.
  • India has 40 heritage sites recognised by UNESCO.

Q.2. How many individual Olympic gold medals has India won?

India has won two individual gold medals:

  • Abhinav Bindra: Men’s 10m. Air Rifle (2008)
  • Neeraj Chopra: Men’s Javelin Throw (2020).

Q.3. Which Indian achievement is most important to the world today?

India invented the number zero and the number system. It performs a prominent role in mathematics as the additive identity of the real numbers, integers, and many other algebraic forms.

Q.4. What are the most recent achievements of India?

  • India has become the largest Digital Market in the world.
  • India is now the fastest-growing Startup Ecosystem.
  • India ran the world’s largest vaccine drive against Covid-19.

Q.5. What are the 5 achievements of India?

Launching of the Indian Constittuon, eradication of polio, developing of green revolution, right to education for everyone, innovation of science and technology are the 5 achievements of India.

Q.6. What were some significant achievements of India?

Some major achievements of India after Independence included:

  • Vivek Express, the Longest rail in India, officially started in 2011.
  • The Bharatiya Mahila Bank, India's first women commercial bank, began its functioning in 2013.
  • The country was announced 'polio free' by WHO in 2014.