Yearender 2021: The most noteworthy events in India

The year 2021 was a sequence of unexpected events for India's 1.3 billion people. The entire year was filled with life-changing and paradigm-shifting events, from the coronavirus to farmer protests, poll violence, Olympic gold, and economic turmoil. The news was dominated by pride, pandemics, protests, and political squabbles. As the year 2021 draws to a close, here is a recap of the most controversial events.

Thousands of Indian farmers protesting agricultural reforms descended on New Delhi's historic Red Fort on January 26 (India's Republic Day), breaking through barriers and battling with police.

Protesters scaled the historic monument's walls, raising a banner beside India's national flag.

Over 300 barriers were shattered, and 17 government cars were destroyed.

Many people, including farmer leaders, were outraged by this deed, which they described as an unfortunate incident. 

Bengal post-poll violence refers to the alleged murders, rapes, and vandalism that happened in numerous West Bengal districts following the announcement of the results of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election.

The violence erupted just hours after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won a third term in office in May.

It was a continuation of the statewide election-related violence.

The West Bengal government failed to properly investigate accusations of alleged violence during the assembly elections in May and April, according to the Calcutta high court. 

The demand for hospital beds, oxygen, and medicines skyrocketed in April, causing India's health system to disintegrate.

During a devastating second wave in April and May, hospitals around the country ran out of oxygen, with daily reports of people dying from a shortage of oxygen.

However, the Union Health Ministry claims that the states have not submitted any data on Covid patients who died in hospitals due to a lack of oxygen.

The country's highest athletic accolade, the 'Khel Ratna Award,' was renamed the 'Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 6.

The award was previously known as the 'Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.'

His opponents referred to it as a "political game," rather than the will of the people.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has accused Modi of wanting to erase lines drawn by others since he did not know how to draw his own.

The Lok Sabha passes the 127th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which gives states the ability to create their own Other Backward Class lists and overturns the Supreme Court of India's Maratha quota decision from May 5, 2021.

India stated on August 23 that it would monetise 6 trillion rupees ($80.90 billion) in public assets over the next four years, as part of a strategy unveiled earlier in the 2021/2022 budget to increase infrastructure expenditure and drive economic growth in Asia's third largest economy. 

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) leaked 11.9 million files containing the names of politicians, businessmen, and celebrities from over 200 nations and territories on October 3.

They are suspected of concealing foreign currency and laundering it.

The list included the names of over 300 Indians, including famous businessmen, sports figures, and movie stars.

A couple of Indians have denied any financial wrongdoing and stated that their offshore accounts were lawful. 

Tata Sons regained control of Air India - nearly 70 years after its nationalisation - with the government picking up the salt-to-software conglomerate as the winning bidder for the debt-laden state-run airline.

The deal completed a full circle as Air India was founded in 1932 under the name Tata Airlines by family scion and aviation enthusiast Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata.

India gave out 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccination on October 21. So far, India has given out around 1.36 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

General Bipin Rawat, India's defence chief, was one of 13 people killed in a helicopter crash on December 8, raising doubts about the future of the military reforms he was leading.

Rawat was the country's first chief of defence staff, a position created by the government in 2019. 

After the Centre handed them an official letter agreeing to most of their demands, the farmers called off their year-long protest on December 9.Farmers have been staging a sit-in protest against three farm legislation since November, which the government has now abolished.