BCG / C-LS / gr8ss2w07-16

Name: _________________________________________
Grade 8
Roll No.: _____ Div.: ____ Date ____ /____ / _______ social
2021-22 2022-23 studies
2023-24 2024-25
Topic: India Events - 1950-1975
07
2025-26
Wkst No.

Part 1 - 1950-1955

Political Events

1) 1950 – India becomes a republic.

Though India became a free nation on August 15, 1947, it declared itself a
Sovereign, Democratic and Republic state with the adoption of the Constitution
on January 26, 1950.
A salute of 21 guns and the unfurling of the Indian National Flag by Dr. Rajendra
Prasad heralded the historic birth of the Indian Republic on that day. Thereafter
26th of January was proclaimed a national holiday and was recognized as the
Republic Day of India.
The Constitution gave the citizens of India the power to choose their own
government and paved the way for democracy. Dr. Rajendra Prasad took oath
as the first President of India.

2) First general elections

India took a democratic leap by conducting its first general elections in 1951.
It was conducted under the provisions of the Indian Constitution, which was
adopted on 26 November 1949. Elections to most of the state legislatures took
 place simultaneously. Congress registered a thumping victory by winning 364
of the 489 seats. Jawaharlal Nehru became India’s first prime minister.

Economic Events

1951 - Railway network nationalization

Railway nationalization is the act of taking rail transport assets into public ownership.
Several countries have at different times nationalized part or all of their railway
system.
The Indian Railways network was nationalized in 1951 and was initially divided into
three zones. Indian Railways is now one of the world’s largest railway networks
comprising 119,630 km of tracks and 7,216 stations.

1) 1956 - Asia’s first nuclear reactor

Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after coal, gas,
hydroelectricity and wind power.
India designed and built Asia’s
first nuclear reactor Apsara nuclear
reactor on August 4, 1956. It was
inaugurated by Prime Minister
Nehr u. Apsara marked the
beginning of the nuclear era in
India.
 BCG / C-LS / gr8ss2w07-16

Name: _________________________________________
Grade 8
Roll No.: _____ Div.: ____ Date ____ /____ / _______ social
2021-22 2022-23 studies
2023-24 2024-25
Topic: India Events - 1950-1975
08
2025-26
Wkst No.

Conceptualized by Dr.Homi Jehangir Bhabha in 1955 and built with assistance

from the UK at Trombay. It played a key role in various programmes with
applications in power, agriculture and health. It was also used to study moon
rock samples of the Apollo mission and meteor remnants that fell to Earth in
Orissa in 2003.

Cultural Events

1) India hosted the first-ever Asian Games in the year 1951 in New Delhi.
The 1951 Asian Games officially known as
the First Asian Games, was a multi-sport event
celebrated in New Delhi, from 4 to 11 March
1951. The Games received names like First
Asiad and 1951 Asiad.
The Games were officially opened by Indian
President Rajendra Prasad at the Dhyan Chand
National Stadium.
A total of 489 athletes from 11 National Olympic Committees competed in 12
sports.
Japan topped the medal table with 24 gold, 21 silver and 15 bronze medals.
A total of 169 medals were awarded.
India was ranked second with 15 gold medals in this edition of the Asiad.
India won gold medals in Athletics, Diving, Football, Swimming and Water
polo
Sachin Nag won a gold in swimming in this edition.
1. Why is the year 1950 of significance to India?

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2. When was the first general elections conducted in India? What was the
outcome?

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3. What does railway nationalization mean?

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4. Who was behind the creation of India’s first nuclear reactor, Apsara?

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5. How was India’s performance in the 1951 Asian games?

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