1780:
India's first newspaper (weekly), the India Bengal Gazette is published

1818:
Dig Darshan, the first Indian language paper is published from Calcutta

1822:
The Gujarati daily, Bombay Samachar, starts publication from Mumbai; today; it is the oldest existing newspaper in Asia

1850:
The East India Company sanctions funds for a telegraph line between Diamond Harbour and Calcutta

1855:
The Government of India grants a licence to the Oriental Telephone Company, to establish exchanges at Bombay, Calcutta, Karachi, Madras, and Rangoon

1882:
Undivided India's first telephone exchange is commissioned in Bombay

1885:
Indian Telegraph Act enforced

1923:
The Radio club of Bombay starts broadcasting

Lord Irwin

1927:
Lord Irwin inaugurates the Bombay station of Indian Broadcasting Company

1935:
Akashvani Mysore, a private radio station, is born

1936:
Indian Broadcasting Company becomes All India Radio (AIR).

The AIR HQ

1943:
The Indian Wireless Act is enacted; telephone services are nationalised

1947:
Press Trust of India (PTI) comes into being

1955:
A.D. Booth of Birbeck College, London, builds a computer, a one kilobyte memory HEC-2M, for the Indian Statistical Institute

1957:
Vividh Bharati kicks off

1959:
Televison programmes are launched in India; the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Automatic Calculator (TIFRAC) is prototyped

1961:
ESSO installs first commercial computer, an IBM 1400 at Bombay

Big Blue: now in India

1962:
Indian television's first soap opera-Teesra Rasta enthralls viewers

1963:
IBM starts manufacturing computers in India

1967:
First commercials appears on Vividh Bharti

1976:
Television and AIR separate; Doordarshan comes into existence

1977:
AIR's Madras station launches country's first FM service

1978:
First television commercials seen; the minicomputer policy is tabled

Asiad 82: coloured lenses

1982:
To coincide with the Delhi Asian Games, Doordarshan begins colour transmission

1984:
Hum Log, Doordarshan's first soap opera in the colour era is born; Labour Day is celebrated as Anti-computer Day; IBM exits

1985:
Minicomp launches country's first PC; GoI sets up Nicnet to connect the centre to the states

1986:
Basic telephone services in the metros (Delhi & Mumbai) are spun off into a new GOI-owned corporate entity, The Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited; overseas communication services are spun off into Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL)

1989:
C-DAC develops super-computer, Param; the Telecom Commission is mandated to prepare a telecom policy

1990:
AIR commissions 100th station at Warangal (AP)

1991:
First India-targetted satellite channel, Zee TV starts broadcast

1992:
Government allows private participation in the telecom services

Telecom: call time for all

1994:
Licences are awarded to six basic services operators, eight cellular operators in the metros, and 14 in 18 state circles.

1995:
Radio Paging takes off; Cable TV Networks (regulation) Act comes into effect; VSNL launches internet services

1997:
Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation Bill of India Act 1990) comes into being; Government bans DTH; Newspapers and magazines are published in 100 languages; the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is constituted

1998:
The total circulation of print reaches 12.6 crore copies; the total number of periodicals and newspapers in India reaches 43,828

1999:
New telecom policy allows existing service providers to switch to a revenue sharing regime

2000:
The Cable Act 1995 is amended by way of Cable Television Networks (regulation) Amendment Act 2000 to give it more teeth; Kaun Banega Crorepati and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi make Star Plus the No 1 channel in India; the Communication Convergence Act is drafted and envisages the creation of a single, independent and autonomous statutory authority that will regulate all aspects of telecommunication, broadcasting and other communication services; inter-circle long distance markets liberalised

2001:
Private FM players begin operations; the debate to allow FDI in print gains momentum; MTNL begins cellular service; fourth cellular service licences are issued