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| Morally, what makes one richer than the other is not the wealth he possesses but the memories he keeps. Time and tide makes one lose all that he possesses but not his memories. Every passing year gives us some of those reminiscences we hold close forever. The year 2008 would have unmistakably done the same for most of us. Putting those pieces together individually would be nothing less than exhaustive and cumbersome. But since we bind together as Asians more than anything else, a look at how the past year has been for all sharing this chunk of earth would only bring us closer. Let's turn the calendar backward and check out on what made news in the year 2008 for apne (us) Asians in apna Asia…. |
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| India set a record, breaking Russia's in April by sending its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C9), 10 satellites into orbit in a precisely timed sequence. As each satellite winged out of the vehicle, it had to be re-oriented to prevent collision. The feat proved the versatility, reliability and flexibility of the PSLV. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced the mission to be a complete and utter success. Nepal broke its 240-year-old liaison with monarchy on May 28 when it was declared a Federal Democratic Republic by the Constituent Assembly. |
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The King would now be treated as a normal citizen with no special powers. The citizens of Nepal have the authority for the first time in such a long time to choose their future. This declaration was welcomed by the United Kingdom, China, Japan, United States and India.
The XXII World Congress of Philosophy was held in Seoul, Korea from July 30 through August 5 under the auspices of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies and Korean Philosophical Association. The first World Congress held in Asia, the Seoul Congress presented a clear invitation to rethink the nature, roles, and responsibilities of philosophy and of philosophers in the age of globalization. It was committed to paying heed to the problems, conflicts, inequalities, and injustices connected with the development of a planetary civilization that is at once multicultural and techno-scientific.
The Games of the XXIX Olympiad or the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, took place in Beijing, Peoples Republic in China in August 2008. A total of 10,500 athletes competed in 302 events in 28 sports. The official logo of the Games titled "Dancing Beijing," featured a stylised calligraphic character jing, (meaning capital), referring to the host city. The Games saw 43 new world records and 132 new Olympic records set. A record 87 countries won medals during the Games. Chinese athletes won 51 gold medals in all. Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in the 10 m Air Rifle event for India, while boxer ace Vijendra Singh brought home a bronze glory.
China on the other hand launched Shenzhou7 in September, which was the third human spaceflight mission of the Chinese space program. The mission included an extra-vehicular activity (EVA), marking the commencement of the second phase of the Chinese government's Project 921. The Shenzhou spacecraft carried three crewmembers and was launched on September 2508 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The mission lasted three days, after which the craft landed safely in Siziwang Banner in central Inner Mongolia.
India's pride, Tata Motors Ltd signed an agreement with Gujarat State on 7 October to make ultra low cost car Nano there. Tata motors, which had planned to manufacture cars from October, got offers from many other states after announcing its pull out from West Bengal. The Tatas chose Sanand as their plant site which is close to Ahmedabad. The site is located within the 2,200-acre Anand Agriculture University campus.
17 October proved to be lucky for India's ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar who became the first batsman in test history to score 12000 runs during the second test against Australia played at Mohali, India.
India also managed to launch its first mission to moon with Chandrayaan-1, (lit: Moon-vehicle) by its national space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The unmanned lunar exploration mission included a lunar orbiter and an impactor. The spacecraft was launched on 22 October from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
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