Well, ladies & gentleman, boys & girls... I have shared quite a few transformations in my earlier part of this novel which is truly a stepping stone towards the transformation of NEW INDIA! Like any other country, the good & bad are part of any developmental story. This decade too did have its own challenges & short comings too.
Let me reiterate, the 1980s in India were a turbulent decade marked by significant political, social, and economic challenges. The major notable sad events that shaped that era was Operation Blue Star (1984), a military operation ordered by Prime Minister then Indira Gandhito remove Sikh militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. This action led to heavy casualties and also damaged the holy shrine. This deeply hurt Sikh sentiments and triggered a chain of tragic events.
Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister was assassinated by her own Sikh bodyguards as a response to Operation Blue Star. Her death led to nationwide mourning but the aftermath of her assassination, horrific anti-Sikh riots broke out, especially in Delhi, resulting to the killing of hundreds of Sikhs and their properties were burnt. The riots remain a dark and painful chapter in the Indian history.
The long-term impact was that the trust on the Sikh community in the Indian state was deeply shaken. Many Sikhs migrated abroad or lived in fear and trauma. It took much more years and much more of bloodshed before Punjab began to return to peace in the mid-90s.
Indira Gandhi's son, Rajiv Gandhi, was immediately sworn in as the Prime Minister on the same day. He had no experience in politics but was seen as a symbol of stability. His infamous quote in the aftermath—"When a big tree falls, the earth shakes"—was widely criticized as insensitive.
The Rajiv Gandhi years were largely acknowledged as the beginning of the new era because of the economic reforms initiated paralleled with Bofors scandal.
The Rajiv Gandhi government welcomed technology, especially information technology which was coupled with industrial de-licensing and relaxed capital control to certain extent, which contributed hugely to the setting up of larger scale manufacturing facilities with modern processes and latest technology and also increased domestic competition, removing the near monopoly that companies with prized licenses enjoyed till then.
Rajiv Gandhi had a vision for India, and he heavily influenced & pushed for Technology and Modernization.
During his era, India saw expansion of PCOs, use of computers in government and banks, focus on software development, eventually leading to growth hubs like Bangalore.
His industrial de-licensing & breaking the barriers of license Raj was a move much recognised & appreciated, though not a full liberalization, but surely he laid the foundation for it.
This move enabled the new entrants into many sectors & it reduced delays in setting up factories. This move also led to a more competitive domestic market.