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STUDENT SPEAK
 

Republic Day for me is a day off from school. On this day in the morning I only get up when the sound of 21 bullets strikes my ears. I just sit in front of the TV and watch the parade. I really enjoy this day.

In the parade tableaus of different states depicting their culture come after the display by the armed forces.

The brave kids also get awards from the President of India and are given a chance to sit on the elephants back. These children are so lucky. I wish I could also get a chance like this. Last year I went to meet the President with my uncle. He was so happy to see me as he loves children.

He gave me a card which stated the meaning of success. I really enjoy this day. This year also I am planning to go and watch the parade with my parents.

(Tanya Sachdeva, 8, The Banyan Tree School)
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2500 -1500 BC: Mohenjo-daro, Harappa flourished in Indus Valley 1500 BC: First wave of Aryan immigration into India begins 326 BC: Alexander the Great invades India 322-182 BC: Mauryan dynasty, the first historical dynasty in the history of India 1498: Vasco-da-Gama lands at Calicut 1510 - Portuguese capture Goa 1526: First battle of Panipat. Establishment of the Mughal Dynasty 1526 - 1857 - Mughal rule in India 1600 - East India Company constituted 1757 - Battle of Plassey 1857 - First War of Independence 1858 - India comes under direct rule of the British crown after failed 'Indian mutiny' 1885 - Indian National Congress founded 1919 - The massacre at Jalianwala Bagh 1942-43 - Quit India movement 1942-43 - Quit India movement 1947 - India gains freedom, and Jawaharlal Nehru is sworn in as the first Prime Minister of independent India 1947-48 - Hundreds of thousands die in widespread communal bloodshed after partition 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi assassinated by Nathuram Godse 1950 - India becomes a Republic. Dr Rajendra Prasad is the first President of India 1952 - First general elections; Congress government comes to power 1956 - The states are reorganized on a linguistic basis 1962 - War with China and India loses 1964 - Death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru 1966 - Tashkent Agreement reached. Shastri dies at Tashkent. Indira Gandhi becomes prime minister 1971 - Third war with Pakistan 1971 - Twenty-year treaty of friendship signed with Soviet Union 1972 - Shimla agreement signed between India and Pakistan 1974 - India's first atomic device exploded at Pokhran in Rajasthan 1975 - Indira Gandhi declared state of emergency 1977 - Indira Gandhi's Congress Party loses general elections. Janata Party comes to power 1979 - Janata Party splits; Seventh general elections held 1980 - Indira Gandhi returns to power heading Congress party splinter group, Congress (Indira) 1984 - Operation Blue Star. Indira Gandhi assassinated; son Rajiv Gandhi becomes Prime Minister 1987 - India deploys troops for peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. Goa becomes the 25th state of India. 1989 - Rajiv Gandhi's Congress defeated in ninth general elections; minority government led by Janata Dal's V.P Singh comes to power 1990 - Indian troops withdrawn from Sri Lanka. 1991 - V.P Singh's government falls . Rajiv Gandhi assassinated. Congress government return to power with P.V. Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister 1992 - The dome of Babri Masjid (mosque) in Ayodhya demolished by hindu fanatics; triggering widespread Hindu-Muslim violence 1996 - Congress suffers worst ever electoral defeat as Hindu nationalist BJP emerges as largest single party. In May 16 AB Vajpayee is PM, until May 28; United Front Coalition forms government under Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda 1980 - Indira Gandhi returns to power heading Congress party splinter group, Congress (Indira) 1997 - Congress withdraws support to coalition government; I.K. Gujaral sworn in Prime Minister. 1998 - BJP forms coalition government under Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee 1999 - Vajpayee makes historic bus trip to Pakistan to meet Premier Nawaz Sharif and to sign bilateral Lahore peace declaration. 1999 - Intense fighting in Kargil 2004 - Congress Party win in general elections. Manmohan Singh is sworn in as prime minister
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