Rare 1950 photo of saree-clad women assembling telephones at Bengaluru's Indian Telephone Industries goes viral

Established in 1948, ITI was the country’s first public sector undertaking.

A rare black-and-white photograph from the 1950s showing women assembling telephones at the Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) in Bengaluru has gone viral, stirring nostalgia and admiration across social media platforms.

The image, shared by the popular handle Indian History Pics, offers a striking glimpse into India’s early industrial era.(X/@IndiaHistorypic)

The image, shared by the popular handle Indian History Pics, offers a striking glimpse into India’s early industrial era. It captures a group of women, draped in traditional sarees seated at their workstations, meticulously assembling telephone units inside ITI.

Established in 1948, ITI was the country’s first public sector undertaking. It played a pivotal role in manufacturing telecommunication equipment and helped lay the foundation for India’s telecom network. The resurfaced image reiterates the significant part women played in this process during a time when female participation in industrial jobs was rare.

Check out the photo here:

How did X users react?

X (formerly Twitter) users were quick to react with admiration and reflection. One post read, "Silent hands behind a nation’s voice. In the 1950s, while the world heard progress, it was women who assembled it—piece by piece, wire by wire—without applause, without headlines. They built the lines, but their own voices often went unheard."

The photo has prompted many to revisit and acknowledge the legacy of women in India’s post-independence workforce, particularly in sectors like manufacturing and technology, which are often seen as male-dominated spaces.

This isn’t the first time a vintage photograph has stirred collective memory online. Recently, another image from the 1950s, also shared by Indian History Pics, captured a quiet street scene on Bengaluru’s MG Road—lined with vintage cars and cycle rickshaws. That photograph, too, sparked conversation and nostalgia, with many users comparing the charm of old Bengaluru to its present-day chaos.