When Janata govt launched its own cola – Double Seven

In the summer of 1977, just after the 21-month Emergency ended and India turned the page on nearly three decades of uninterrupted Congress rule, a new political force was not the only thing bubbling to the surface.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

The newly elected Janata Party government had shown the door to Coca-Cola and unveiled its own fizzy response -- Double Seven. The country's first 'sarkari cola' was launched as a symbol of economic self-reliance and political change.

Named after the landmark year that brought the Morarji Desai-led Janata coalition to power, Double Seven was more than a beverage; it was a political statement in a bottle. The indigenous cola had an elaborate launch at the annual trade fair at Pragati Maidan.

The Double Seven cola, popularly known as 'Satattar' (77 in Hindi) was manufactured and marketed by the makers of Modern breads - Modern Food Industries — a government-owned company.