Firing the First Blast Furnace

A historic day for the Indian steel industry occurred on October 2, 1972, marking Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the first blast furnace of the Bokaro Steel Plant was officially commissioned. The furnace, affectionately named 'Galina', symbolized the beginning of hot metal production. It sparked celebrations across the newly formed city and marked Bokaro’s entry onto the world stage as a titan of steel manufacturing.