January

World Record in Tennis

On 14 January, Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis broke the world record by winning 29 consecutive matches, the most in the world for a women’s doubles pair. The series of victory confirmed the route to their entry into the women’s doubles final of the WTA Sydney International.

February

XII South Asian Games

The 2016 South Asian Games, a major multi-sport event took place from 5 to 16 February in Guwahati and Shillong, India. A total of 2,672 athletes competed in 228 events over 23 sports such as archery, basketball, football, kabaddi, shooting, etc. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this prestigious event, in which, the sporting giant of the region, India continued its dominance in the game’s medal tally with a staggering 308 medals including 188 gold medals.

March

President Pranab Mukherjee declared Kerala as 1st digital state

President Pranab Mukherjee formally declared Kerala as the country’s first digital state on 1 March. This declaration was made considering the rapid digital strides of the state which had achieved 100 per cent mobile connectivity, 75 per cent e-literacy, maximum digital banking, broadband connectivity up to the ‘Panchayat’ level, linking bank accounts with ‘Aadhar’ cards and e-district plan in all districts. As a digital state, Kerala has a mobile tele-density of 95 per cent and Internet access covering over 60 per cent of the population.

April

India’s fastest train was launched on the Delhi-Agra route

On 5 April, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off India’s fastest train, the ‘semi-bullet’ ‘Gatimaan Express’, from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station in New Delhi. The train commenced its official run between the same station and Agra Cantonment Station from 6 April. The 12049/50 Gatimaan Express clocked a speed of 160 km per hour speed in the Tughlakabad-Agra section. Adding to this, ‘Gatimaan Express’ provided services by ‘Rail Hosts and Hostesses’. Passengers would also get a wide variety of food options to choose from – continental, Italian, Indian and others.

May

Indian music composer received top Japanese culture prize

Music maestro A R Rahman was announced as the recipient of ‘Grand Fukuoka Prize 2016’ for his outstanding contribution to Asian culture through his music, on 31 May. The 49-year-old Oscar-winning composer is now one of the most sought after composers in India with his brilliant compositions for films like Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Delhi 6, Rockstar, Highway and Tamasha.

June

ISRO made space history

Creating a record, India on 22 June successfully launched 20 satellites including 17 foreign and its earth observation satellite in a single mission in 26 minutes from Sriharikota, in a crucial step to become a key player in the multi-billion dollar space launch market. Launching 20 satellites in a single payload was like “allowing birds to fly in space”, a beaming ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar said. The 727.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellites would provide regular remote sensing services with their panchromatic and multispectral cameras and their imagery will be of multiple use.

July

Another World Heritage Site

The ruins of the ancient Nalanda University in Bihar dating back to the 3rd century BC were declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation or UNESCO on 17 July. The Nalanda site comprises of the archeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD. It includes ‘stupas’, shrines, ‘viharas’ (residential and educational buildings) and important art works in stucco, stone and metal.

August

When our girls are achievers

On 18 August, Sakshi Malik clinched a bronze medal in women’s wrestling 58kg category, opening India’s account at Rio 2016 Olympics. Malik beat Aisuluu Tynybekova 8-5 in the bronze medal bout of wrestling 58kg category.

On the very next day, Pusarla Venkata Sindhu became India’s first woman to win an Olympics silver medal in women’s badminton, creating history with a stunning display of talent, power and grace. It was at the end of the match that Sindhu, till now India’s second-most well-known singles player after Saina Nehwal, knew her time for gold would come in the future.

September

World record broken at Rio Paralympics 2016

Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia became the first Indian to secure two gold medals at the Paralympics after he broke his own world record to clinch the top honours at the Rio Games on 14 September. Currently ranked third in the world, the 36-year-old Rajasthan born athlete took India’s tally at this edition of the Paralympics to four medals – two golds, one silver and a bronze.

October

World Cup victory

India won the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup by defeating Iran by 38-29 score in the final match played at the Arena By TransStadia in Ahmedabad (Gujarat). It was India’s third consecutive Kabaddi World Cup in the Standard Style version of Kabaddi conducted by the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF). Earlier India had won in the years 2004 and 2007. The victorious Indian team was under the captaincy of Anup Kumar.

November

Demonetisation

On 8 November, the Union Government announced that Rs. 500, Rs. 1,000 notes would cease to be legal tender. It was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a surprise address to nation. The demonetisation drive of these two currency units was taken to root out the menace of black money, corruption and fake currency from the country. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) began to issue new 500 and Rs. 2,000 notes from 10 November. Demonetisation was introduced as an act of stripping a currency unit of its status as legal tender. In this process, the new currency unit would replace the old unit of currency which was retired.

December

Virat’s three Double Centuries

Virat Kohli scored his third double century – a first for any India Test captain. Virat Kohli on 12 December created history as he became the first Indian captain to score three double hundreds.

The 28-year-old’s double century against England on the fourth day of the fourth Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai was more than just a classy knock. It was attestation of his class and form, which decided, once and for all, who is the best batsman in the world now.