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 is celebrated annually on 18 September to raise awareness about the importance of bamboo and promote its sustainable use. The day was officially declared during the 8th World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2009. Bamboo is recognized for its environmental benefits, including its role in combating climate change, providing sustainable livelihoods, and offering a renewable alternative to wood, plastic, and other materials.

Bamboo is versatile, fast-growing, and has a wide range of applications, from construction to textiles and even food. World Bamboo Day encourages the preservation and cultivation of bamboo as part of a global movement toward more eco-friendly and sustainable practices.

18 September - International Red Panda Day in 2021

 

International Red Panda Bear Day, celebrated third Saturday of September every year, aims to raise public awareness and support for red panda conservation issues.

Endemic to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, red pandas are facing the threat of extinction due to poaching, habitat destruction and fragmentation and inbreeding depression.

The exact number of individuals of the species that exist in the wild is not known today, but some estimates report it to be as low as 10,000 mature individuals; therefore the IUCN List classifies it as an ‘endangered’ species.