List of days of the year

27 December - Benazir Bhutto assassination in 2007

 


Benazir Bhutto (21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996. She was the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim majority nation. Ideologically a liberal and a secularist, she chaired or co-chaired the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from the early 1980s until her assassination in 2007.

26 December - Indira Gandhi was released from jail in 1978

 


It's not common in India for a Prime Minister to be jailed. However, the political and social scenario in the late 1970s forced the Indian judicial system to apprehend the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on charges of "planning the killing of all opposition leaders in jail during the Emergency."

Indira Gandhi's arrest triggered nationwide strikes and protests. The Congress party supporters demanded her immediate release. They even hijacked an Air India flight in protest of their leader's arrest. In the face of such national unrest, Gandhi was freed from prison on the night of December 26, after spending one week in detention for breach of privilege and contempt of the Indian Parliament. 


Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/indira-gandhi-released-from-jail-839095-2016-12-26


26 December - Tsunami in 2004

 



On 26 December 2004 a earthquake of 9.3 magnitude creates a tsunami causing devastation in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives and edges of the Indian Ocean, killing 230,000 people.

26 December - Boxing Day

 


Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day, occuring on the second day of Christmastide. Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire. Boxing Day is on 26 December, although the attached bank holiday or public holiday may take place either on that day or one or two days later (if necessary to ensure it falls on a weekday).

In parts of Europe, such as Catalonia,Czechia, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia[4] and Scandinavia, 26 December is celebrated as a second Christmas Day.

23 December - Farmers' Day

      



Farmers' Day is an annual observance in various countries to celebrate the national contributions of farmers and agriculturers. In India it is observed on December 23.

The National Farmers Day in India is also known as Kisan Divas in Hindi.Farmer's Day is celebrated every year on 23 December,on the birthday of the 5th Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh, also a farmer's leader, who introduced many policies to improve the lives of the Indian farmers. It is celebrated by organising various programs, debates, seminars, quiz competitions, discussions, workshops, exhibitions, essays writing competitions and functions.

04 December - Inder Kumar Gujral born in 1919

 



Indra Kumar Gujral (4 December 1919 – 30 November 2012) was an Indian politician and freedom activist who served as the 12th Prime Minister of India from April 1997 to March 1998.

Born in Punjab, he was influenced by nationalistic ideas as a student, and joined the All India Students Federation and the Communist Party of India. He was imprisoned for taking part in the Quit India movement. After independence, he joined the Indian National Congress party in 1964, and became a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

He was the Minister of Information and Broadcasting during the emergency. In 1976, he was appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. In 1996, he became the Minister of External Affairs in the Deve Gowda ministry, and developed the Gujral doctrine during this period. He was appointed as the 12th Prime Minister of India in 1997. His tenure lasted for less than a year.

He retired from all political positions in 1998. He died in 2012 at the age of 92, following hospitalization due to a lung infection.


11 October - Amitabh Bachchan born in 1942

 


Amitabh Bachchan born 11 October 1942 is an Indian film actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s for films such as Zanjeer, Deewaar and Sholay, and was dubbed India's "angry young man" for his on-screen roles in Hindi films. Referred to as the Shahenshah of Bollywood (in reference to his 1988 film Shahenshah), Sadi ka Mahanayak (Hindi for, "Greatest actor of the century"), Star of the Millennium, or Big B,[5] he has since appeared in over 200 Indian films in a career spanning more than five decades.Bachchan is regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema.

He was the most dominant actor in the Indian movie scene during the 1970s–1980s, with the French director François Truffaut calling him a "one-man industry". Beyond the Indian subcontinent, he also has a large overseas following in markets including Africa (South Africa and Mauritius), the Middle East (especially UAE and Egypt), the United Kingdom, Russia, the Caribbean (Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago), Oceania (Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand) and parts of the United States.

Bachchan has won numerous accolades in his career, including four National Film Awards as Best Actor, Dadasaheb Phalke Award as lifetime achievement award and many awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies. He has won fifteen Filmfare Awards and is the most nominated performer in any major acting category at Filmfare, with 41 nominations overall. In addition to acting, Bachchan has worked as a playback singer, film producer and television presenter. He has hosted several seasons of the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, India's version of the game show franchise, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. He also entered politics for a time in the 1980s.

The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1984, the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015 for his contributions to the arts. The Government of France honoured him with its highest civilian honour, Knight of the Legion of Honour, in 2007 for his exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond. Bachchan also made an appearance in a Hollywood film, Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby (2013), in which he played a non-Indian Jewish character, Meyer Wolfsheim.


25 September - World Lung Day


World Lung Day (WLD), 25 September, is a day for lung health advocacy and action, an opportunity for us all to unite and promote better lung health globally.By not smoking, being physically active, maintaining normal weight, preventing infections and avoiding air pollution, you can maximally contribute to your personal lung health 


#WorldLungDay #HealthyLiving



18 September - Vishnuvardhan born in 1950

 



Vishnuvardhan (18 September 1950 – 30 December 2009), born Sampath Kumar, was an Indian film actor predominantly in Kannada cinema.He appeared in 200 films in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.He was called The Phoenix of Indian Cinema.He made his debut in the 1972 film, Vamsha Vriksha, in a supporting role. The same year he played the lead role in Puttanna Kanagal's Naagarahaavu, and was recognized as 'The Angry Young Man of Kannada Cinema'.He has played a variety of roles in different genres.

In 2008, a poll conducted by CNN-IBN listed Vishnuvardhan as the most popular star in the Kannada Film Industry.A road stretching 14.5 km from Banashankari Temple to Kengeri in Bengaluru has been named after the superstar. It is the longest road in Asia to be named after a celebrity. He was a martial artist, In an interview with The Hindu, he had said that it was the era of Bruce Lee and it was only Kamal Haasan and himself who had learnt martial arts in his generation.He was also the story writer of the 1997 movie Ganesha I Love You directed by Phani Ramachandra.

He was also fondly called as Sahasasimha and Abhinava Bhargava by the people of Karnataka.

18 September - World Bamboo Day

 


World Bamboo Day was officially established on September 18 at the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009 and declared by the Thai Royal Forest Department. People and businesses from around the world use this day to raise awareness of the benefits of bamboo and to promote its use in everyday products.

01 August - Tukaram Bhaurao Sathe born in 1969



Tukaram Bhaurao Sathe (1 August 1920 – 18 July 1969), popularly known as Annabhau Sathe, was a social reformer, communist folk poet, and writer from Maharashtra, India.Sathe was a Dalit born into the untouchable Mang community, and his upbringing and identity were central to his writing and political activism.Sathe was a Marxist-Ambedkarite mosaic, initially influenced by the communists but he later became an Ambedkarite.He is credited as a founding father of 'Dalit Literature'.

17 September - Maqbool Fida Husain known as M. F. Husain born in 1915


Maqbool Fida Husain better known as M. F. Husain (17 September 1915 – 9 June 2011) was a controversial Indian artist known for executing bold, vibrantly coloured narrative paintings in a modified Cubist style.He was one of the most celebrated and internationally recognized Indian artists of the 20th century.He was one of the founding member of Bombay Progressive Artists' Group. M.F. Husain is associated with Indian modernism in the 1940s. His early association with the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group used modern technique, and was inspired by the "new" India after the partition of 1947. His narrative paintings, executed in a modified Cubist style, can be caustic and funny as well as serious and sombre. His themes—sometimes treated in series—include topics as diverse as Gandhi, Mother Teresa, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the British Raj, and motifs of Indian urban and rural life.

Husain's later works have stirred controversy, which included nude portrayals of Hindu deities, and a nude portrayal of Bharat Mata. Right-wing organizations called for his arrest, and several lawsuits were filed against him for hurting religious sentiments. He remained in a self imposed exile from 2006 until his death in 2011, accepting Qatari citizenship in 2008.

In 1967, he received the National Film Award for Best Experimental Film for Through the Eyes of a Painter.In 2004, he directed Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities, a film he worked on with his artist son Owais Husain, which was screened in the Marché du film section of the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.


 

17 September - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam founded in 1949

 



Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK); is a political party in India, particularly in the state of Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Puducherry. It is currently the Opposition party in Tamil Nadu and is part of the Indian political front the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

DMK is a Dravidian party, adhering to the social democratic and social justice principles of C. N. Annadurai and Periyar E. V. Ramasamy.It was founded in 17 September 1949 by Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam (known as Justice Party until 1944) headed by Ramasamy.

DMK was headed by Annadurai (as Secretary general) from 1949 until his death on 3 February 1969

17 September - International Country Music Day

 


Country music is one of the most popular types of music in the world and this special type of music originated in the USA. International Country Music Day was established in the 1950s and is held each year on September 17th. On this special day, country music festivals are held at various venues around the world. Lovers of country music gather to listen to live music acts while drinking and dancing. Line dancing is popular during International Country Music Day and competitions are often held to determine the best dancers.

16 September - International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

 


September 16 was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. This designation had been made on December 19, 2000, in commemoration of the date, in 1987, on which nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

In 1994, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

The closure of the hole in the ozone layer was observed 30 years after the protocol was signed.Due to the nature of the gases responsible for ozone depletion their chemical effects are expected to continue for between 50 and 100 years.

10 September - USA celebrates Grandparents Day in 2023


 

Grandparents Day in the United States is a special holiday celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day, which typically falls on the second Sunday in September. The primary purpose of Grandparents Day is to honor and show appreciation for the important role that grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren and to strengthen intergenerational bonds.

t's important to note that the way Grandparents Day is celebrated can vary widely among families and communities. Some people use the occasion for large family gatherings, while others may have more intimate celebrations with their grandparents.

Overall, Grandparents Day is a heartwarming and meaningful observance that celebrates the wisdom, love, and intergenerational bonds between grandparents and their grandchildren in the United States.

 

08 September - Tripuraneni Gopichand born in 1910

 


Tripuraneni Gopichand (8 September 1910 – 2 November 1962) was a Telugu short story writer, novelist, editor, essayist, playwright, film director, and a radical humanist. Gopichand was the son of renowned social reformer and play writer Tripuraneni Ramaswamy. Gopichand, inspired by M.N.Roy's Radical Humanism, became the first state secretary of the Radical Democratic Party (India) Andhra Pradesh.His second novel Asamardhuni Jivayatra (Bungler: A Journey Through Life), was the first psychological novel in Telugu literature.Gopichand was posthumously awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Pandita Parameswara Sastri Veelunama in 1963, the first Telugu novel to win this award.His novels typically features gloomy, incomplete, unsatisfied and unsatisfying protagonist tortured by a sense of guilt.

His novel "Asamardhuni Jeeva Yatra", is part of the syllabus for APPSC examinations in Telugu literature as an optional subject.

A postal stamp in his honour was released on 8 Sep 2011 by the Government of India on his 100th birthday. 

08 September - Dr. Bhupen Hazarika born in 1926

 



Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (08 September 1926 – 05 November 2011) was an Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, poet and filmmaker from Assam, widely known as Sudhakantha (सुधाकण्ठ, meaning cuckoo, literally "nectar-throated"). His songs, written and sung mainly in the Assamese language by himself, are marked by humanity and universal brotherhood and have been translated and sung in many languages, most notably in Bengali and Hindi. His songs, based on the themes of communal amity, universal justice and empathy, are especially popular among the people of Assam (India), West Bengal and Bangladesh. He is also acknowledged to have introduced the culture and folk music of Assam and Northeast India to Hindi cinema at the national level. He received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 1975, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), Padmashri (1977), and Padmabhushan (2001), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1992), the highest award for cinema in India and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2008), the highest award of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. He was posthumously awarded both the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, in 2012, and the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 2019.Hazarika also held the position of the Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi from December 1998 to December 2003.





06 September - Sarat Chandra Bose birth anniversary

 


Sarat Chandra Bose (6 September 1889 – 20 February 1950) was an Indian barrister and independence activist.

The 131st birth anniversary of Sarat Chandra Bose will be celebrated on September 6, 2020.This assumes significance as an occasion to make known various aspects of his multifaceted personality which found expression in his roles as a humanist, a patriot and a freedom fighter, a political thinker, parliamentarian, legal practitioner, journalist, a philanthropist, and a man with the most exemplary qualities of head and heart.


05 September - The Non-cooperation movement in 1920

 


The Non-cooperation movement was launched on 5th September, 1920 by Mahatma Gandhi with the aim of self-governance and obtaining full independence as the Indian National Congress (INC) withdraw its support for British reforms following the Rowlatt Act of 20 March 1919, and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919.

Noncooperation movement, unsuccessful attempt in 1920–22, organized by Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, to induce the British government of India to grant self-government, or swaraj, to India. It was one of Gandhi’s first organized acts of large-scale civil disobedience (satyagraha).


01 September - Indian Standard Time introduced in 1947

 


On 1st September 1947 the Indian Standard Time (IST) was introduced as the official time for the whole country.

The Indian Standard Time is observed throughout India, with a time offset of UTC+5:30. This means that India is five and a half hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Indian Standard time (IST) is the time zone observed throughout India, with a time offset of UTC+05:30. India does not observe daylight saving time or other seasonal adjustments. In military and aviation time IST is designated E* ("Echo-Star").

Indian Standard Time is calculated on the basis of 82.5°E longitude in the city of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, which is situated approximately on the corresponding longitude reference line.

20 November - Leo Tolstoy death anniversary

 


Leo Tolstoy, full name Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, was a Russian writer, philosopher, and social reformer, born on September 9, 1828, at the family estate of Yasnaya Polyana in the Tula Province of Russia. He is best known for his novels, which are considered among the greatest works of fiction ever written. Tolstoy's most famous novels include "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina."

Here are some key points about Leo Tolstoy:

  1. Literary Works:

    • "War and Peace" (1869): A monumental epic that explores the impact of the Napoleonic Wars on Russian society.
    • "Anna Karenina" (1877): A tragic novel depicting the consequences of an extramarital affair.
    • "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" (1886): A novella that reflects on the nature of life and death.
    • "Resurrection" (1899): A novel that addresses moral and spiritual issues.
  2. Philosophical and Religious Views:

    • Tolstoy underwent a spiritual and philosophical transformation later in life, turning away from the aristocratic lifestyle and embracing a simpler, more ascetic existence.
    • He developed a form of Christian anarchism and espoused nonviolent resistance to injustice, influencing figures such as Mahatma Gandhi.
  3. Educational and Social Reforms:

    • Tolstoy was passionate about education and implemented educational reforms on his estate at Yasnaya Polyana, emphasizing a more practical and hands-on approach to learning.
  4. Legacy:

    • Leo Tolstoy is considered one of the greatest novelists in world literature.
    • His works have been translated into numerous languages and adapted into various forms of media.
  5. Death:

    • Tolstoy passed away on 20 November  1910, at the age of 82, at the Astapovo train station in Russia, while attempting to leave his estate in a self-imposed exile.

Tolstoy's literary and philosophical contributions continue to be studied and appreciated for their profound insights into human nature, morality, and the complexities of society.

28 August - King Cetshwayo last king of the Zulus, is captured by the British in 1879

 



Cetshwayo kaMpande (1826 – 8 February 1884) was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1873 to 1879 and its leader during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. His name has been transliterated as Cetawayo, Cetewayo, Cetywajo and Ketchwayo. He famously led the Zulu nation to victory against the British in the Battle of Isandlwana, but was defeated and exiled following that war.

King Cetshwayo, the last great ruler of Zululand, is captured by the British following his defeat in the British-Zulu War. He was subsequently sent into exile. Cetshwayo’s defiance of British rule in southern Africa led to Britain’s invasion of Zululand in 1879.

In 1872, King Mpande died and was succeeded by his son Cetshwayo, who was determined to resist European domination in his territory. In December 1878, Cetshwayo rejected the British demand that he disband his troops, and in January British forces invaded Zululand to suppress Cetshwayo. The British suffered grave defeats at Isandlwana, where 1,300 British soldiers were killed or wounded, and at Hlobane Mountain, but on March 29 the tide turned in favor of the British at the Battle of Khambula.

King Cetshwayo was subsequently captured and sent into exile, but in 1883 he was reinstated to rule over part of his former territory. However, because of his defeats he was discredited in the eyes of his subjects, and they soon drove him out of Zululand. He died in exile in the next year.

In 1887, faced with continuing Zulu rebellions, the British formally annexed Zululand, and in 1897 it became a part of Natal, which joined the Union of South Africa in 1910.

24 August - Koyapalli Kelappan Nair born in 1889


Koyapalli Kelappan Nair (24 August 1889 – 7 October 1971) was a founding member and president of the Nair Service Society, a reformer, an Indian freedom fighter, educationist and journalist. During Indian independence movement, he was the lead figure of Indian National Congress in Kerala and was popularly known as Kerala Gandhi. After Indian independence, he held various seats in Gandhian.

24 August - Shivaram Hari Rajguru born in 1908

 


24 August is the birth anniversary of the great revolutionary Shivaram Hari Rajguru who was an accomplice of Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev. He died for the country at an age when most youths dream of careers.

Shivaram Hari Rajguru (24 August 1908 – 23 March 1931) was an Indian revolutionary from Maharashtra, known mainly for his involvement in the assassination of a British Raj police officer. He also fought for the independence of India and On 23 March 1931 he was hanged by the British government along with Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar.

20 August - Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed became 5th President of India in 1974

 



Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (13 May 1905 – 11 February 1977) was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the fifth President of India from 1974 to 1977. He was also the 2nd President of India to die in office.

Ahmed was chosen for the presidency by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1974, and on 20 August 1974, he became the second Muslim to be elected President of India. He is known to have issued the proclamation of emergency by signing the papers at midnight after a meeting with Indira Gandhi the same day. He used his constitutional authority as head of state to allow him to rule by decree once the Emergency in India was proclaimed in 1975.

He is well known among Indian diplomats for his visit to Sudan in 1975.He was the second Indian president to die in office, on 11 February 1977. His death occurred after he collapsed in his office while preparing to attend his daily Namaz prayer. The cause of his death was a heart attack. Today, his grave lies right across the Parliament of India next to the Sunhari Masjid, at Sansad Chowk, in New Delhi.

14 August - Kanyashree Day


14 August is celebrated as Kanyashree Day to promote the scheme throughout the state..

Kanyashree is an initiative taken by the Government of West Bengal to improve the life and the status of the girls by helping economically backward families with cash so that families do not arrange the marriage of their girl child before eighteen years because of economic problem. The purpose of this initiative is to uplift those girls who are from poor families and thus can’t pursue higher studies due to tough economic conditions. It has been given international recognition by the United Nations Department of International Development and the UNICEF.

The scheme has two components:

Annual scholarship of Rs. 1000.00

One time grant of Rs. 25,000.00

The annual scholarship is for unmarried girls aged 13–18 years enrolled in class VIII-XII in government recognized regular or equivalent open school or vocational / technical training courses. Recently the bar of income is withdrawn by Gov. W.B. now every girl can apply for that scheme.

#KanyashreeDibas

#Kanyashree

14 August - USA Social Security Act into Law on in 1935

 


The Social Security Act is a law enacted in 1935  in the USA to create a system of transfer payments in which younger, working people support older, retired people.Passed during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Social Security Act established old-age benefits for workers and benefits for the jobless, as well as aid for dependent mothers and children, victims of work-related accidents, the blind, and physically disabled.

 Roosevelt presented the plan in early 1935 and signed the Social Security Act into law on August 14, 1935.


#socialsecurity

#SSN

10 August - Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande was born in 1860

 


Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (10 August 1860 – 19 September 1936) was an Indian musicologist who wrote the first modern treatise on Hindustani classical music, an art which had been propagated earlier for a few centuries mostly through oral traditions. During those earlier times, the art had undergone several changes, rendering the raga grammar documented in scant old outdated texts.

Ragas used to be classified into Raga (male), Ragini (female), and Putra (children). Bhatkhande reclassified them into the currently used thaat system. He noted that several ragas did not conform to their description in ancient Sanskrit texts. He explained the ragas in an easy-to-understand language and composed several bandishes which explained the grammar of the ragas. He borrowed the idea of lakshan geet from the Carnatic music scholar Venkatamakhin.

#TodayInMumbaiHistory

10 August - The Battle of Colachel 10 August 1741

 


The Battle of Colachel (or Battle of Kulachal) was fought on 10 August 1741 between the Indian kingdom of Travancore and the Dutch East India Company, during the Travancore-Dutch War. Travancore, under Raja Marthanda Varma defeated the Dutch East India Company. The defeat of the Dutch by Travancore is considered the earliest example of an organised power from Asia overcoming European military technology and tactics.The Dutch never recovered from the defeat and no longer posed a large colonial threat to India.

04 August - International Owl Awareness Day


Today Is International Owl Awareness Day. August 4 is International Owl Awareness Day, an annual celebration of owls.

Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Exceptions include the diurnal northern hawk-owl and the gregarious burrowing owl.

Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except polar ice caps and some remote islands.

Owls are divided into two families: the true (or typical) owl family, Strigidae, and the barn-owl family, Tytonidae.

A group of owls is called a "parliament".

04 August - Remeberence Kashi Prasad Jayaswal



Kashi Prasad Jayaswal (27 November 1881 – 4 August 1937) was an Indian historian and lawyer. One of the intellectual forces behind the Indian nationalist movement, Jayaswal's works Hindu Polity (1918) and History of India, 150 A.D. to 350 A.D. (1933) are classics of ancient Indian historical literature. Among other things, he is credited with showing that Indian republics, based on the principles of representation and collective decision-making, were among the oldest and most powerful of the ancient world.

04 August - Kishore Kumar born in 1929




Abhas Kumar Ganguly (born 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987), better known by his stage name Kishore Kumar was an Indian playback singer, actor, music director, lyricist, writer, director, producer and screenwriter.He was one of the most popular singers in the Indian film industry and from soft numbers to peppy tracks to romantic moods, Kumar sang in different genres but some of his rare compositions which were considered classics were lost in time.According to Ashok Kumar, Kumar's success came due the fact that his voice hit the microphone straight at its most sensitive point.

Apart from Hindi, he sang in many Indian languages including Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Malayalam and Urdu. He also sang on private albums in several languages especially in Bengali. He won 8 Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and holds the record for winning the most Filmfare Awards in that category.He was awarded the "Lata Mangeshkar Award" by the Madhya Pradesh government in 1985–86. In 1997, the Madhya Pradesh Government initiated an award called the "Kishore Kumar Award" for contributions to Hindi cinema. In 2012 Kumar's unreleased last song sold for Rs 1,560,000 (1.56 million)at the Osian's Cinefan Auction in New Delhi.
#KishoreKumar

31 July - Martyrdom Day of Shahid Udham Singh 1940



Shaheed Udham Singh ( 26 December 1899 – 31 July 1940) was a revolutionary belonging to the Ghadar Party, best known for his assassination in London of Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in India, on 13 March 1940. The assassination was in revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919 for which O'Dwyer was responsible.[1] Singh was subsequently tried and convicted of murder and hanged in July 1940. While in custody, he used the name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, which represents the three major religions of Punjab and his anti-colonial sentiment.

Udham Singh is a well-known figure of the Indian independence movement. He is also referred to as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh (the expression "Shaheed-i-Azam", means "the great martyr"). A district (Udham Singh Nagar) of Uttarakhand was named after him to pay homage in October 1995.

On 1 April 1940, Udham Singh was formally charged with the murder of Michael O'Dwyer, and remanded in custody at Brixton Prison. Initially asked to explain his motivations.Singh was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On 31 July 1940, Singh was hanged at Pentonville Prison. His remains are preserved at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab. On every 31 July, marches are held in Sunam by various organisations and every statue of Singh in the city is paid tribute with flower garlands.

#udhamSingh

30 July - The Trans-Canada Highway is officially opened in 1962

 

 

The Trans-Canada Highway, the longest national highway in the world, is officially opened on 30 July

The Trans-Canada Highway is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast. The main route spans 7,821 km (4,860 mi) across the country, one of the longest routes of its type in the world.[4] The highway system is recognizable by its distinctive white-on-green maple leaf route markers, although there are small variations in the markers in some provinces.

Throughout much of Canada, there are at least two routes designated as part of the Trans-Canada Highway. For example, in the western provinces, both the main Trans-Canada route and the Yellowhead Highway are part of the Trans-Canada system. Although the TCH, being strictly a transcontinental route, does not enter any of Canada's three northern territories or run to the United States border, it forms part of Canada's overall National Highway System (NHS), providing connections to the Northwest Territories, Yukon and the border, although the NHS (apart from the TCH sections) is unsigned.



30 July - Japanese submarine I-58 sinks the USS Indianapolis in 1945

 

Image taken as reference from google search
 
 
 
USS Indianapolis (CL/CA-35) was a Portland-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy, named for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. Launched in 1931, the vessel served as the flagship for the commander of Scouting Force 1 for eight years, then as flagship for Admiral Raymond Spruance in 1943 and 1944 while he commanded the Fifth Fleet in battles across the Central Pacific during World War II.

In July 1945, Indianapolis completed a top-secret high-speed trip to deliver parts of Little Boy, the first nuclear weapon ever used in combat, to the United States Army Air Force Base on the island of Tinian, and subsequently departed for the Philippines on training duty. At 0015 on 30 July, the ship was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58, and sank in 12 minutes. Of 1,195 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship.[4] The remaining 890 faced exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks while stranded in the open ocean with few lifeboats and almost no food or water. The Navy only learned of the sinking four days later, when survivors were spotted by the crew of a PV-1 Ventura on routine patrol. Only 316 survived.The sinking of Indianapolis resulted in the greatest single loss of life at sea from a single ship in the history of the US Navy.

29 July - Aruna Asaf Ali death in 1996


Aruna Asaf Ali (16 July 1909 – 29 July 1996) was an Indian educator, political activist, and publisher. An active participant in the Indian independence movement, she is widely remembered for hoisting the Indian National flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan, Bombay during a Quit India Movement in 1942. Post-independence, she remained active in politics, becoming Delhi's first Mayor.

29 July Ólavsøka: Summer festival Faroe Islands



Ólavsøka is the biggest summer festival in the Faroe Islands, and by most Faroese considered as the national holiday of the Faroes along with Flagday on 25 April. Ólavsøka is celebrated for several days, but the day itself is on July 29. It is the day when the Faroese Parliament (Løgting), opens its session.

Ólavsøka is a cultural and sports festival with boat races, football matches and other events. The 28 July, which is the day where the finals of the rowing competitions take place, is half working day for the members of some of the labour unions while Saint Olaf's Day (Ólavsøkudagur) on 29 July is full holiday for members of most of the unions.

The literal meaning is "Saint Olaf's Wake" (vigilia sancti Olavi in Latin), from Saint Olaf's death at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030 (see Olsok). Like several other Faroese holidays, the vøka begins the evening before, so Ólavsøka always starts on July 28 with an opening ceremony. Some events start even before that; there has been a Ólavsøka Concert held on 27 July for several years.

Ólavsøka is the day of the year when many Faroese crowd into the capital Tórshavn. There the national rowing competition finals are held, which is one of the highlights in Faroese sports. In addition, there are art exhibitions, folk music, and Faroese chain dancing. The chain dance is for everyone; normally it is held in Sjónleikarhúsið, which is a theatre in Tórshavn.

The salute for ólavsøka in Faroese is Góða ólavsøku! (Good Olaf's Wake!).

The stamps shown on the right were issued by Postverk Føroya on 18 May 1998, and the artwork was produced by Edward Fuglø.

28 July - Kasu Brahmananda Reddy born in 1909


Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (28 July 1909 – 20 May 1994) was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, India, from 29 February 1964 to 30 September 1971. On 3 June 1977, he was elected president of the Indian National Congress.

Reddy is credited with creating the Industrial infrastructure in and around Hyderabad. Only Congress president to expel Indira Gandhi from Indian National Congress. During his long regime of seven years (longest for any Congress chief minister in the state of Andhra Pradesh), many major industries like BHEL, HMT, IDPL, Hindustan Cables and several defence establishments like MIDHANI, Bharath Dynamics were established. During his tenure as the Chief Minister, Jalagam Vengal Rao, the Home Minister was instrumental in suppressing the Naxal movement in the north coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy also held key positions such as Telecommunications Minister, Home Minister of India (1974–1977) and Governor of Maharashtra (20 February 1988 to 18 January 1990). He was also only one of two elected All India Congress Committee Presidents, all others having been nominated.

28 July - Remembering Saint Alphonsa


Saint Alphonsa, F.C.C., (born Anna Muttathupadathu; 19 August 1910 – 28 July 1946) was an Indian religious sister and educator. She was the first woman of Indian origin to be canonised as a saint by the Catholic Church, and the first canonised saint of the Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic Church based in Kerala. Her feast day is observed on 28 July.

26 July - Conservation of the Mangrove


The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, adopted by the General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015 and celebrated annually on 26 July, aims to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem” and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.

A mangrove is a shrub or small tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S. The total mangrove forest area of the world in 2000 was 137,800 square kilometres (53,200 sq mi), spanning 118 countries and territories.

Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees, also called halophytes, and are adapted to life in harsh coastal conditions. They contain a complex salt filtration system and complex root system to cope with salt water immersion and wave action. They are adapted to the low oxygen conditions of waterlogged mud.

Mangrove forests move carbon dioxide "from the atmosphere into long-term storage" in greater quantities than other forests, making them "among the planet's best carbon scrubbers" according to a NASA-led study based on satellite data

The term "mangrove" comes to English from Spanish (perhaps by way of Portuguese), and is likely to originate from Guarani. It was earlier "mangrow" (from Portuguese mangue or Spanish mangle), but this word was corrupted via folk etymology influence of the word "grove".