28 April - Vinayak Krishna Gokak death anniversary

 

Vinayak Krishna Gokak was an eminent Indian writer, scholar, and academic who made significant contributions to Kannada literature and Indian literature in general. Born on 09 August 1909, Gokak's literary career spanned several decades, during which he produced an extensive body of work encompassing poetry, novels, essays, and literary criticism.

Gokak is particularly renowned for his contributions to modern Kannada poetry. He was instrumental in bringing about a modernist movement in Kannada literature, introducing new themes, styles, and forms. His poetry often explored existential themes, human emotions, and the complexities of the modern world.

Apart from his literary pursuits, Gokak also had a distinguished academic career. He served as the Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University and later as the Chairman of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Gokak's scholarly endeavors extended to areas such as linguistics, philosophy, and education, reflecting his multidisciplinary interests.

One of Gokak's most notable achievements was his recognition as the recipient of the Jnanpith Award, one of the highest literary honors in India, for his contributions to literature. His notable works include "Bhoomi Geeta," "Mandara Kavya," and "Kanaka Purandara," among others.

Vinayak Krishna Gokak passed away on 28 April 1992, leaving behind a rich literary legacy that continues to inspire readers and scholars alike.

28 April - Mutiny on the Bounty in 1789

 

The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel HMS Bounty occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set him and eighteen loyalists adrift in the ship's open launch. The mutineers variously settled on Tahiti or on Pitcairn Island. Bligh navigated more than 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) in the launch to reach safety and began the process of bringing the mutineers to justice.

Bounty had left England in 1787 on a mission to collect and transport breadfruit plants from Tahiti to the West Indies. A five-month layover in Tahiti, during which many of the men lived ashore and formed relationships with native Polynesians, led those men to be less amenable to military discipline. Relations between Bligh and his crew deteriorated after he allegedly began handing out increasingly harsh punishments, criticism, and abuse, Christian being a particular target. After three weeks back at sea, Christian and others forced Bligh from the ship. Twenty-five men remained on board afterwards, including loyalists held against their will and others for whom there was no room in the launch.

After Bligh reached England in April 1790, the Admiralty dispatched HMS Pandora to apprehend the mutineers. Fourteen were captured in Tahiti and imprisoned on board Pandora, which then searched without success for Christian's party that had hidden on Pitcairn Island. After turning back towards England, Pandora ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef, with the loss of 31 crew and four prisoners from Bounty. The ten surviving detainees reached England in June 1792 and were court-martialled; four were acquitted, three were pardoned, and three were hanged.

Christian's group remained undiscovered on Pitcairn until 1808, by which time only one mutineer, John Adams, remained alive. Almost all of his fellow mutineers, including Christian, had been killed, either by one another or by their Polynesian companions. No action was taken against Adams; descendants of the mutineers and their accompanying Tahitians live on Pitcairn into the 21st century.

28 April - Tobias Michael Carel Asser birth anniversary

 

Tobias Michael Carel Asser (28 April 1838 – 29 July 1913) was a Dutch lawyer and legal scholar who is best known for his contributions to international law.

His work focused on the development of international law and the promotion of peaceful dispute resolution.

He played a key role in the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. He was one of the driving forces behind the first Hague Peace Conference in 1899, where the idea of creating the PCA was discussed and eventually agreed upon. Asser’s work on the establishment of the PCA paved the way for the development of modern international arbitration and helped to promote the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

He was also involved in the development of the Hague Convention on International Law, which was adopted in 1899 and served as the basis for the development of modern international law. He wrote several influential books on international law, including “International Law: A Treatise” and “An International Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes”.

28 April - Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa birth anniversary

 

Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa (28 April 1791 – 30 April 1837), was the army chief of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The one person who was most feared in the minds of Pathans and Afghans, from Peshawar to Kabul. The name of that personality was General Hari Singh Nalwa. Hari Singh Nalwa, the biggest general of the Sikh army, conquered Kashmir and got his iron convinced. Not only this, he also won Kabul by offering an army. Freed the country from Islamic invasions from Khyber Pass. He was born on 28 April 1791 in Gujranwala, Punjab.

28 April - Madhusudan Das birth anniversary

 

Madhusudan Das (28 April 1848 – 04 February 1934) was an Indian lawyer and social reformer, who founded Utkal Sammilani in 1903 to campaign for the unification of Odisha along with its social and industrial development. He was one of the main persons, helping in the creation of Orissa Province (present-day Odisha, India), which was established on 1 April 1936. He was also the first graduate and advocate of Orissa. He is also known as Kulabruddha (Grand Old Man), Madhu Babu, and Utkal Gouraba (Pride of Utkal). In Odisha, his birthday is celebrated as the Lawyers' Day on 28 April.