5 THINGS TO BE PROUD OF AS AN INDIAN THIS YEAR
2018 has been a year full of achievements. A lot has happened in the past 8 months already; scientific breakthroughs and monumental moments.
Owing to the sheer amount of talent available in the country today, India has proudly put itself on the map in various aspects. From sports to technology, India’s successes this year have made the world stand up and take notice.
This year, as India celebrates its 72nd Independence Day, here is a list of achievements that make us beam with pride!
1) India Beat Pakistan By 8 Wickets
With everyone focused on the 2019 World Cup, our cricket team's performance was under intense scrutiny. Last year, we had a disastrous defeat against Pakistan in the T20 finals. Yesterday's Asia Cup match against Pakistan showed how our bowling attack rose up to the challenges of a tricky pitch. We beat Pakistan by eight wickets, cruising to the required 164 runs with over 100 balls to spare. And for those who were worried about our top order collapsing, Rohit Sharma and the boys did a stellar job of pushing the team to a victory that will be a significant morale booster for both the team and their fans! 
Image Source: India.com
2) India at the 2018 Asian Games
This year, India bettered its previous best medal haul achieved 8 years back at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. We managed to rake in 69 medals, including 15 gold, making it our best-ever performance yet. While we may have concluded at eighth place on the table, we can surely boast of stellar performances by both men and women. 19 medals (out of which 7 were gold) were picked up in track and field. Neeraj Chopra soared to the world’s best list with 88.06 km in javelin throw while P.V Sindhu won us our first silver in badminton. Here’s hoping we continue our winning streak at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games too!
Image Source: India Today
3) 377 No More
On September 6, the Supreme Court reversed its own 2013 decision restoring Section 377, a controversial British-era ban on consensual gay sex. This historic verdict by the world’s biggest democracy created waves worldwide. According to the SC, the right to live with dignity has now been recognised. Sexual orientation is a natural phenomenon determined by biology and science and any discrimination on this basis is unconstitutional. Bringing justice to years of struggle by the LGBTQ community, this judgement has brought smiles to many-a-faces.
Image Source: Scroll
4) Mangalyaan
India launched the Mangalyaan space probe as its first interplanetary mission on November 5 2013. On September 24 2014, it successfully entered the Martian orbit after a nine-month journey through interplanetary space. As the mission completes 4 years every since its encounter with Mars, it has surpassed all expectations! This year, Imran Khan with his directorial debut launched by Johnnie Walker- The Journey and Dharma 2.0 titled as Mission Mars, is bringing the eventful journey to our digital screens. Get inspired by the movie which celebrates India’s most inspiring walk amidst unwavering optimism and tireless progression. India has much to be proud of from its scientific and technological developments and Mangalyaan continues to be its biggest success.
5) Hima Das Creates History
In July, sprinter Hima Das scripted history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win gold at the IAAF World U20 Championships. 18-year-old Hima clocked 51.46s to clinch the top spot in the women’s 400m final race! Apart from being the first Indian, Hima also became the first woman ever to win gold in a World Championship. Giving India one of its proudest moments in athletics, Hima has indeed created history.
Image Source: Wikipedia
