SFI COMPLETED its 50 years of study, struggle and sacrifice on December 30, 2020. The celebration of golden jubilee started in 2019 with a rally and public meeting in Dumdum, followed by the 49th foundation day celebration at Malappuram, Kerala. Since then, various activities were taken up remembering the glorious legacy of one of the largest students’ organisation in India. But the unprecedented pandemic situation forced in changing many of the scheduled programmes. Instead of following the usual calendar, SFI comrades had to take charge of providing the basic minimum to the needy. From arranging accommodation for the migrant workers to running community kitchens, SFI comrades were always on their feet. In another way, SFI comrades did complete justice to their history, of serving people selflessly. On the occasion of golden jubilee thus there was a continuation of struggles and agitation on core student issues like National Education Policy 2020 and a larger battle of saving the democracy and people’s right. 

The concluding ceremony of the golden jubilee took place in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala where the first conference of SFI happened 50 years back. Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinaryi Vijayan inaugurated the programme, where various former leadership were also present. SFI along with its research journal ‘Indian Researcher’ launched a countrywide survey to understand the post-Covid educational scenario in India, former minister and MP, Srimathi Teacher officially inaugurated the survey in this programme.

Due to the Covid situation, it was decided to not to hold any central programme on SFI 50 years, but all the states took district wise initiatives, almost all districts in Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Karnataka, Telangana, AP and Himachal Pradesh took rallies, meetings etc., as a part of the 50th year celebration.

SFI Tripura state committee and TSU central committee organised a huge meeting in its capital town, Agartala where former chief minister, Manik Sarkar was present. Along with felicitation of former leaders and families of martyrs, a special issue on the 50 years of SFI’s legacy in Tripura was also published.

SFI West Bengal took huge rallies across the districts, SFI founding general secretary, Biman Bose and other former leaders like Sujan Chakraborty, Shamik Lahiri, Nepaldeb Bhattacharya others walked along with the new generation of SFI activists.

In Tamil Nadu, SFI took diverse events for SFI 50 years’ celebration, from tree plantation, book release to bike rallies, the vibrancy and the enthusiasm of the SFI activists was noteworthy. In Pondicherry too the foundation day was celebrated with much vigour.

SFI Andhra Pradesh organised multiple blood donation camps on December 30, continuing SFI’s motto of study, struggle and sacrifice.

In Telangana SFI conducted programmes in all the university campuses including Osmania and the University of Hyderabad.

50th Foundation Day celebration by SFI Delhi was with a reunion of the old and new. The programme was inaugurated by Prakash Karat, former all India President. A booklet on Delhi SFI's history was released by Sohail Hashmi. Vijoo Krishnan and other former leaders were present in the programme.

The 50th anniversary of Students' Federation of India was celebrated at the site of the historic farmers' struggle, proclaiming the unity of students and peasantry this year. In Ghazipur border, SFI Uttar Pradesh activists gathered along with the former leaders, many of whom were part of peasant organisation now and leading the current agitation.  A similar picture was seen in Shajajahanpur, near Rajasthan-Haryana border, where hundreds of SFI activists and its old-time leaders got together to celebrate. Many of its yesteryear leaders are active in the leadership of the ongoing farmers' struggle. Amra Ram, former SFI leader and farmers’ leader inaugurated the golden jubilee celebration. Pema Ram, former SFI leader and kisan sabha leader and many other yesteryear SFI leaders addressed the assembly. The event began with paying respects to martyrs of the farmers' struggle and the progressive students' movement, followed by offering floral tributes to the portrait of the revolutionary Bhagat Singh. SFI Rajasthan state president hoisted the organisation's flag. Numerous participants of the farmers’ struggle were also in attendance. Following the meeting, the farmers and student activists together took part in a march.

SFI central executive committee also released two separate documentaries capturing the past and present of the historic Left student movement in India. More than 25,000 #SFI50 was used in social media, where people from different parts of the country shared their experience of working with SFI and the precise role that the organisation played in shaping up their individual lives. SFI also received solidarity messages from across the globe, the students of Palestine, Youth of France and the student organisations of Pakistan and Bangladesh promised to continue the collective fight.

The golden jubilee year ended with SFI taking up the larger struggle and extending the existing battlefield. On the one hand, resisting the fascist onslaught and on the other hand building newer solidarity towards an equitable society.