1925: Key Events

• In Amravati, K. B. Hedgewar founds the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militant cadre-based civilian army, to establish a Hindu rashtra (state). One of its members later assassinated Gandhi and the group has been involved in communal confrontations ever since.

• A Puss Moth carrying mail from Karachi to Bombay inaugurates a civilian air service.

• The Gurdwara Law in Punjab vests the responsibility for the running of all major gurdwaras in the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) which, with the Akali Dal, has controlled Punjab politics ever since.

• The first major film adaptation of the social reform novel: Painter’s Savkari Pash; the Indo-German co-production Prem Sanyas aka The Light of Asia.

• Fatma Begum, probably the first Indian woman producer and director, starts her production company and débuts as director with Bulbul-e-Parastan, released in 1926.

• N. D. Sarpotdar and Pandurang Talegiri start United Pictures Syndicate (formerly Deccan Pictures) in Pune; Sharda Film is started and formalises the stunt film genre.

• The Madurai Bala Shanmughananda Sabha, later known as the TKS Brothers troupe, is started, dominating pre-Independence Tamil theatre and film.