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19 Photos That Defined India In 2015

19 Photos That Defined India In 2015
PTI/Laxmi Saa/Facebook/ Getty I

Be it Arvind Kejriwal's euphoria among multi-coloured balloons on the terrace of his Delhi home after a huge victory in the Delhi assembly elections or his distraught colleague Ashutosh's lament on national television after speaking to the daughter of a farmer who had killed himself at an Aam Aadmi Party rally, politics dominated the visuals this year.

India's agricultural produce underwent heavy losses this year and the debt-ridden Rajasthani farmer was shown in distressing TV footage hanging from a tree at the venue of the AAP rally against a controversial bill to ease land acquisition laws. An inconsolable Ashutosh, journalist-turned-AAP politician, asked for forgiveness from the farmer's daughter on live TV.

This was also the year social activist and acid attack survivor Laxmi and her partner Aloke Dixit became the proud parents of a baby girl, christened Pihu. Laxmi was seen holding the newborn at a hospital, an image that resonated with thousands on social media and gave other survivors hope.

A massive flooding in Chennai left thousands homeless. The city that accommodates about 4.5 million people came to a halt with submerged homes, damage to property, closed schools and factories and power cuts. But among the devastation, images that stood out were those of resilience, empathy and bonding.

The Dadri killing of a Muslim man on the suspicion that he had slaughtered and consumed a calf at his home shook the nation this year. The image of the shell-shocked family of Mohammad Akhlaq was used in media publications to debate whether society's tolerance was under threat.

The year brought a ray of hope for India and Pakistan's diplomatic relations when Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke protocol by visiting Pakistan to wish his counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday.

Here are photos that stayed with us this year.

Modi's Surprise Stopover In Pakistan
PTI
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise stopover in Pakistan to meet his counterpart, Nawaz Sharif on his birthday, the first time an Indian premier has visited the rival nation in over a decade.
AAP Victory At The Delhi Assembly Elections
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
AAP convener and chief ministerial candidate Arvind Kejriwal hugs party leader Ashutosh after winning majority in Delhi Assembly Election.
Dadri Row
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Family members mourn over the death of Mohammad Akhlaq in Bisara village. Akhlaq was lynched to death after a rapidly-spreading rumour that he and his family killed and ate a cow.
Chennai Floods
Hotel for dogs
A man carries a dog on his shoulders during the Chennai floods as part of a rescue mission. The city faced the worst rains in over nearly a century, but was helped to get back to its feet thanks to the tireless efforts of its citizens.
Acid Attack Activist And Her Husband Become Proud Parents
Laxmi Saa/Facebook
Social activist and acid attack survivor Laxmi gave birth to a baby girl, christened Pihu. Laxmi was seen holding the newborn at a hospital, an image that resonated with thousands on social media and gave other survivors hope.
Debt-Ridden Farmer Commits Suicide At AAP Rally
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
India's agricultural produce underwent heavy losses this year and a debt-ridden Rajasthani farmer was shown in distressing TV footage hanging from a tree at the venue of the AAP rally against a controversial bill to ease land acquisition laws.
Mumbai's Attempt To Support France Goes Wrong
ANI/Twitter
Mumbai authorities, decided to illuminate Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in the colours of the French flag to show their support for the Paris attacks. Unfortunately, they got the colour sequence wrong and the CST ended up illuminated in Dutch colours.
AAP Party Leader Breaks Down On National Television
youtube
Former journalist and Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh broke down on national TV and asked for forgiveness from the daughter of the farmer who committed suicide at his party's rally.
International Yoga Day
PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in a mass yoga session along with other yoga practitioners to mark the International Yoga Day on Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21.
1993 Mumbai Blasts Convict Yakub Memon Hanged To Death
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
People carry the body of Yakub Memon. Convicted in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, Memon's mercy plea was rejected by the Supreme Court. He was executed at Nagpur jail on July 30.
Geeta Finally Returns Home
SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/Getty Images
Geeta, hugs External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after landing on Indian soil. The 20-year-old who has a speech and hearing impairment was stranded in Pakistan for 11 years after accidentally crossing the border.
Shahid Kapoor Is Now Spoken For
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Marking one of the biggest weddings this year, Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor tied the knot with Delhi-based Mira Rajput.
Salman Khan Acquitted By Bombay High Court
The India Today Group via Getty Images
Salman Khan thanks supporters for their love and support after being exonerated by the Bombay High Court. The Bollywood actor was acquitted of the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit-and-run case.
Bengaluru Artist's 'Crocodile' Gets A Pothole Problem Fixed
Baadal Nanjundaswamy/Facebook
Baadal Nanjundaswamy, an artist from Bangalore, made headlines for creating a life-sized crocodile in the middle of a road to cover a pothole after civic authorities failed to repair it.
India Gate Lit Up In Orange To Defy Violence Against Women
MONEY SHARMA/AFP/Getty Images
As part of a global 'Orange the World' campaign, the iconic India Gate lit up in the colour orange celebrating the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25.
FTII Protests
Pacific Press via Getty Images
Students from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chant slogans during a protest against the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of the institute.
PM Modi's Suit Raises Rs 43.1 Crore At Auction
PRAKASH SINGH via Getty Images
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bespoke pinstriped attire garnered a lot of attention, during his his meeting with US President Barack Obama. The suit that was gifted by a Gujarati businessman featured ‘Narendra Damodardas Modi’ monogrammed in the pinstripes. It was later auctioned for Rs 4.31 crore to Surat diamond baron and private airline owner Laljibhai Patel.
The Greatest Cricket Selfie
ICC/Twitter
An epic selfie that managed to cram in the world's most loved cricketers following the T20 All Stars Series this year.
Shah Rukh's New Plaything
Red Chillies
Red Chillies created the world's first life size 3D-printed model of Shah Rukh Khan.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.