So another difficult decade has come to a close. Luckily it lasted only ten years. Reliable sources predict that the next decade will be longer and even more difficult. Of course, at this juncture it is hard to contemplate the length of something as vague as a Godgiven time frame, though many climatologists have forecast that the period between 2010 and 2020 may last 11-12 years.
advertisement
India's own decade was itself noticeably long. Though riddled with its trademark political debate, religious tolerance and capitalist cronyism, the years will be remembered for the many good things that happened, events that launched the country on the path of prosperity and progress. Chief among them was the Annual Rose and Chrysanthemum Show held at Chandigarh; the winning hybrid was grown by Mrs Rita Sachdeva of Sector 19 for which she was invited to tea with the governor. There was also great rejoicing among many victims of Bhopal's Gas Tragedy in 2007, when the government awarded a full Rs 200/-compensation to former truck mechanic Prashant, who lost his eyesight in the 1984 disaster. As an act of generosity the government even waived the 12 per cent VAT on the amount.
Tragedies
But there were also
Continue Reading on India Today
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.