The Year 2016 in Review

Delhi government announced the Odd-Even policy –

The first round of the Odd-Even policy in Delhi from 1st January was a wild success in reducing traffic congestion, while the second round, in April, was a major flop.

Pathankot Air Force Station attack –

terrorist attack committed on 2 January 2016 by a heavily armed group that attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station, part of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force.

Kanhaiya Kumar JNU Students Union president arrested –

On 9 February 2016, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) held a protest on their campus against the capital punishment meted out to the 2001 Indian Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, and Kashmiri separatist Maqbool Bhat.

2016 Siachen Glacier avalanche –

Ten soldiers were buried under snow after their camp in the northern part of the Siachen glacier was hit by a major avalanche. Hanumanthappa survived for six days under 35 feet of snow.

Jat agitation in Haryana –

A series of protests in February 2016 by Jat people of North India, especially those in the state of Haryana, which “paralyzed the State for 10 days.

TV actress Pratyusha Banerjee commits suicide –

Television serial actress Pratyusha Banerjee, famous for her role in the popular serial Balika Vadhu, commits suicide at her house in Mumbai in April 2016.

2016 Mathura clash –

On 2 June 2016, 2 policemen and 22 squatters were killed in an armed conflict at Jawahar Bagh public park in Mathura city of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Brexit –

The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union is widely known as Brexit, a portmanteau of “British” and “exit”.

France, Nice attack –

On the evening of 14 July 2016, a 19-tonne cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, resulting in the deaths of 86 people and injuring 434.

Rio 2016 Olympics –

India competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and left Rio de Janeiro with only two medals. These medals were awarded only to the female athletes for the first time in history, a silver to badminton player P. V. Sindhu in the women’s singles, and bronze to freestyle wrestler Sakshi Malik in the women’s 58 kg.

Reliance Jio’s 4G service launched –

Jio is the largest 4G network in India that offers high-speed mobile internet connection & an engaging digital ecosystem for a seamless digital experience.

Uri attack –

Four heavily armed terrorists on 18 September 2016, near the town of Uri in the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was reported as “the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir in two decades.

Surgical strikes by Indian Army –

India said that it had conducted “surgical strikes” against militant launch pads across the Line of Control in Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir, and inflicted “significant casualties”.

Bob Dylan –

Bob Dylan wins the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.

India won Kabaddi World Cup –

International kabaddi tournament governed by the International Kabaddi Federation contested from 7 to 22 October 2016 in Ahmedabad, India. Twelve countries had competed in the tournament, and India won the World cup.

Removal of Cyrus Mistry by Tata Sons –

The Tata Sons Board voted to remove Mistry from the Chairmanship of Tata Sons on 24 October 2016.

Donald Trump is Elected President of USA –

Donald Trump wins US Presidential Election 2016 as he crushes Hillary Clinton.

Demonetisation, Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes scrapped –

The demonetization of ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes was a policy enacted by the Government of India on 8 November 2016, ceasing the usage of all ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series as legal tender in India from 9 November 2016.

J Jayalalithaa breathes her last –

Indian actress and politician who served five terms as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, for over fourteen years between 1991 and 2016. On 5 December 2016, she breathed her last at  Apollo hospital.

BHIM Application launched –

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a mobile app Bharat Interface for Money, BHIM to help citizens in making digital cash transactions directly from Bank.