Rewind 2023: From newsmakers to big moments, all that shaped this year

2023 was one unforgettable year. It brought several noteworthy moments for India and its people. From its spacecraft, Chandrayaan-3, soft landing on the southern pole of the Moon to our athletes creating milestones, India witnessed numerous landmark moments this year. Several newsmakers hogged the limelight globally. From Virat Kohli and Neeraj Chopra in sports to Taylor Swift in entertainment, many widely popular individuals stood out this year. 2023 also witnessed another war after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October that caught the West Asian country by surprise. The unprecedented assault prompted Israel to declare war on the Palestinian militant group and launch relentless strikes on Gaza. Thousands of Israelis and civilians in Gaza have been killed in the conflict. The Russia-Ukraine war that began last February also continues unabated. Any year is incomplete without controversies and scandals. India, the United States, and Canada were involved in some of these rows. Many words and phrases described the year 2023. While some were not very positive like ‘panauti’, others such as rizz had us Googling their meaning. As we get ready to welcome the New Year, let’s turn back the pages and scan through the big events of this year. Here’s the roundup of our Rewind 2023 explainers. 1. In our A to Z of 2023 explainer, we explored the big events and newsmakers of this year. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the topic that grabbed attention across the globe, the ICC Cricket World Cup final broke billions of hearts in India. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained at the centre stage throughout the year, first for monthslong protests against his judicial overhaul and then his pledge to “crush Hamas” after the 7 October attack. You must have heard the word Khalistan this year. India’s relationship with Canada soured amid allegations concerning the leaders demanding the Sikh separatist state. [caption id=“attachment_13555122” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] India’s ties with Canada soured this year over the killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey.  Reuters File Photo[/caption] Billionaire Elon Musk, who took over Twitter, now X, last year, remained in the spotlight for his multiple changes to the social media platform. If you are curious to know what or who else made it our A to Z explainer, you can read it here . 2. 2023 was India’s moment to shine. Not only did the country become the first in the world to soft land on the southern pole of the Moon, but India also passed the historic Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament this year. New Delhi hosted the 18th Group of 20 (G20) Summit in the National Capital in September after assuming the presidency of the powerful bloc last December. It was able to attain significant goals during the two-day conclave, including the African Union’s inclusion as a member of the grouping. With this, India walked its talk on being the voice of the Global South. While Indian films made the country proud at the Oscars, our athletes were not far behind to script history at different events. The rescue operation of 41 construction workers who were trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand for 17 days made people erupt in cheers in November. India launched the world’s longest river cruise – MV Ganga Vilas – in July. We also have a new Parliament building. To read more about the many achievements of India and its citizens, you can check out our explainer here . 3. You do not have to be a ‘Swiftie’ to know that musician Taylor Swift dominated 2023. She was among the biggest and possibly the most popular newsmakers of this year. The 33-year-old singer-songwriter entered the billionaires’ club in October, with an estimated worth of $1.1 billion. Notably, most of her fortune is from music royalties and touring. [caption id=“attachment_13555132” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Taylor Swift attends a premiere for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Los Angeles, California, US on 11 October 2023. Reuters File Photo[/caption] In India, Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra was at the forefront of a political storm. She was expelled as an MP in the alleged cash-for-query case after a report from Lok Sabha Ethics Committee found her guilty of “unethical conduct” and committing “serious misdemeanours”, and recommended her removal. The Supreme Court will hear her plea against the expulsion on 3 January. While 2023 brought troubles for Moitra, India’s ‘golden boy’ – Neeraj Chopra – had possibly one of the best years professionally. The 25-year-old javelin thrower became the first Indian to nab a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships. Another gold medal awaited him at the 2023 Asian Games. Here is our complete list of the biggest newsmakers of 2023 . 4. 2023 will be known for exposing the divisions in the world over the Israel-Palestine conflict. After Russia’s war in Ukraine, geopolitical tensions further deepened due to the conflict in West Asia. There were many scandals and disputes that tested the diplomatic relations between countries. [caption id=“attachment_13555142” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Palestinians gather at the site of Israeli strikes on houses, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at the Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip, 25 December 2023. Reuters File Photo[/caption] Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s charge against India of having a role in the killing of terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia rocked the ties between the two countries this year. New Delhi has called his allegations “absurd” and politically motivated. The alleged assassination plot of Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, on American soil, also put India in a tough spot. However, New Delhi’s response to the US allegations was far softer as compared to that of Canada. In China, the mystery around the disappearance of two high-profile ministers continues. Once a trusted aide to President Xi Jinping, Qin Gang was removed as the foreign minister in July. Hardly anything is known about his whereabouts. Another high-profile Chinese minister, Defence Minister Li Shangfu, vanished with little or no explanation from public view earlier this year. What other rows made headlines this year? Read our 2023 Rewind explainer here . 5. As the rise of AI was discussed across the world, it also brought the menace of deepfakes into focus. Amidst all this, the word authentic resonated loudly. Deepfake emerged as a major concern, sending shockwaves across India after a fake video of actor Rashmika Mandanna went viral earlier. The word and its dangers have since become well-known in the country. This year also celebrated Barbenheimer – a portmanteau of Hollywood’s two biggest releases of the year – Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Oppenheimer by Christopher Nolan. Are you in a situationship? Many complicated dating lingos made it to our vocabulary this year. If you are curious about what this term means and which other words defined the year 2023, you can go through our explainer here . 6. 2023 can be viewed from the lens of figures. India overtook China to become the world’s most populous country, housing about 1.43 billion of Earth’s eight billion humans. Climate change hit the world hard, leading experts raising alarm bells. This year is set to be the hottest on record. Wars or humanitarian crises have displaced millions worldwide. The war in Gaza has displaced at least 1.9 million Gazans. By September end, as many as 114 million people had been driven from their homes by wars in Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo and a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, among other factors, according to the UN refugee agency the UNHCR. Take a look at 2023 in numbers . [caption id=“attachment_13555152” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Palestinian children hold belongings while they sit on a trailer, as Palestinians flee their houses due to Israeli strikes in the eastern part of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, 1 December 2023. Reuters File Photo[/caption] You are all caught up for now. 2024 awaits us and one can only hope it will bring peace and happiness around the world. To read more of our analysis, you can bookmark this page .