The history of Indian television has witnessed the development of audiovisual media in the country. During the 1980s, Indian small-screen programming began, and at that time, there was only one channel — Doordarshan (DD) — which was government-owned.

Ramayana and Mahabharata were the first major television series produced. Other popular shows included The Sword of Tipu Sultan and The Great Maratha; religious serials such as Jai Hanuman, Shri Krishna, and Om Namah Shivay; fantasy serials like Shaktimaan; and family dramas such as Shanti, Hum Raahi, and Udaan.

These popular television programs attracted large audiences and generated vast advertising earnings for the Indian government through Doordarshan. These serials reached record-breaking viewership numbers for single programs and marked what is often called the golden era of Doordarshan.