'1982: Key Events

• Continuing the Congress (I)’s liberalisation policies, Indian culture is marketed in a massive Festivals of India campaign starting in London, then in Paris and Moscow. India’s finest traditional and contemporary artists are featured.

• The Bombay Textile strike, lasting almost a year.

• INSAT 1-A is launched from Cape Canaveral, inaugurating a national TV programme mobilising all prime time throughout the country for the New Delhi station.

• Colour TV starts on 25 April with the telecast of Ray’s Sadgati and Shatranj Ke Khiladi. Regular colour telecasts through INSAT begin on 15 August.

• The Ninth Asian Games held in Delhi provide the first nationwide colour programmes, using the USSR’s Stationary-5 satellite and 20 low-power transmitters.

• N. T. Rama Rao starts the Telugu Desam Party.

• The failure of Rawail’s Deedar-e-Yaar is a major setback to the Hindi industry.

• The Tamil film weekly Gemini Cinema starts. First films in Brijbhasha (Brij Bhoomi) and Malvi (Bhadwa Mata).