I do have to start with the disclaimer that all issues are in grayscale, and so there is always something to complain about even in our admiration. Also, this is just about the past, and there is no guarantee that all of these won't erode (in fact, some of it may already be) in the next few decades. In any case...
The Constitution & stability
The Indian constitution is a remarkable document in how forward thinking it was. Indeed, truly living up to the aspirations of the constitution is quite impossible (as in any country), but it is well-crafted, nuanced and progressive. This document has to be viewed in the context of 1947:
- An incredibly diverse population (22 major languages - each much more dissimilar to each other than the major European languages are to each other - and many more cultures make this more of a continent rather than a country)
- A shaky union including 562 princely states
- Extreme poverty (70%)
- Extreme illiteracy (12%)
- Psychological impact of British rule & the trauma of partition
Against this backdrop, the constitution set the stage for a stable and functioning democracy, with remarkably stable transfer of power every single time, and of course, reduction of inequality via reservation (aka affirmative action). Literacy (officially, at least) is now 80+% and extreme poverty is estimated to be less than 15%. There are a number of great books on the constitution of India, but I will just list this set of exceptional videos on the making of the constitution. Must watch!
The Space & nuclear programs
This one is obvious and does not require much commentary. India's indigenous space program went from practically nothing to not just being a player in the international stage. Beyond the Moon and Mars missions, ISRO has had a huge impact on India's technological growth, societal evolution, scientific temperament, and of course as a source of immense pride.
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Relatively speaking, I feel ISRO's impact is more significant to India than the American achievement of starting from scratch (well.. with German scientists) after WWII to putting a man on the moon in 1969 (which is one of the greatest chapters in American history).
The same goes for India's nuclear program. On that note, I consider Homi Bhaba, Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan to be among India's greatest nation builders. As a starting point (on ISRO and the latter two men), I would recommend reading this nice book that details the evolution of the space program through the eyes of someone who was a part of it from the start.
The Telecom & IT revolution
As recently as the early 1980s, Indians had to wait years to get a telephone line. What happened after the the foundation of C-DOT (Center for the Development of Telematics) in 1985 is one of the awe-inspiring stories of Modern India. Whatever your political affiliation is, be thankful to Rajiv Gandhi & Sam Pitroda. Sam Pitroda's blog (read from bottom) is a great place to start. You don't have to take everything literally, but some facts are facts. His biography is also highly recommended. This laid the foundation for the development of computing in India (Rajaraman's book is a treasure), and of course, India's Information Technology revolution. India employs 5 Million people in the IT sector, and IT exports are currently at $150 B (and still growing at a rapid pace).
The Green revolution (& the Dairy revolution)
The generally accepted version of the green revolution is that newly independent India was struggling with food production, had two famines and had made some policy blunders. Enter the Green revolution in the mid 60s headed by MS Swaminathan and American help, a switch was made to modern high-yield crops (mainly wheat) and agricultural production grew exponentially.
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Of course, the situation on the ground is more nuanced, and some revisionist takes throw some shade on the true benefits. Nevertheless, India went from that struggle to being the second largest agricultural producer in the world. Roughly around the same time, India was milk deficient and used to import it! It is now the largest producer of milk (accounting for 20% of the world's production). Regardless of nuances and current issues, this was vital to a young, overpopulated country of half a billion mostly impoverished people.
The IITs (& AIIMS, IIMs, etc)
India's contribution to science has always been immense, and pre-independence, there were small pockets of excellence (e.g. Indian Institute of Science, CV Raman). When the government set upon establishing the first 5 IITs, it was to develop technical excellence for the future of Indian industry and infrastructure. Within a remarkably short time span (less than two decades, which is very short in academia), the goal of technical excellence was achieved, and quality of students graduating from the IITs was arguably "better" than the output of the top institutions anywhere in the world. Of course, while the rigor of the entrance exam and the extreme competition to get in ensured good inputs to the system, the institutions were also set up and run in a unique way. One can argue about the brain drain to the west, but the soft power created due to the global impact of IITians is significant. Similar - but less direct - things can be said about the very high quality talent pool and education in other national institutions of learning such as AIIMS & IIMs).
