30 September - INS Shalki, India's first indigenously built submarine, launched in Bombay.

 

INS Shalki, India's first indigenously built submarine, was launched on September 30, 1990, in Bombay (now Mumbai). It marked a significant milestone in India's defense capabilities and its indigenous submarine-building program.

Background:

• INS Shalki was built by the Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai as part of the Indian Navy's project to develop submarines with indigenous technology.
• The submarine is a Type 209/Type 1500 class submarine, designed for anti-submarine warfare, reconnaissance, and other naval operations.

Significance:

• The launch of INS Shalki was a major achievement for India's defense sector, showcasing the country's growing capabilities in naval engineering and technology.
• It represented a step towards self-reliance in defense production, which has been a key objective for India, especially in the wake of various geopolitical challenges.
• INS Shalki, along with its sister submarines, played a crucial role in enhancing the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy.

Further Developments:

• After its launch, INS Shalki underwent trials and commissioning processes before being officially inducted into the Indian Navy.
• The successful launch of INS Shalki laid the groundwork for future indigenous submarine projects, including more advanced submarines like the Scorpène-class submarines.

INS Shalki remains an important part of India's naval history, reflecting the nation's commitment to developing its defense manufacturing capabilities.

30 September - Aurangzeb acquired the famous Golconda fort near Hyderabad

 

On 30 September 1687, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb successfully acquired the famous Golconda Fort, near Hyderabad, after a long siege. This marked the end of the Qutb Shahi dynasty and the annexation of the Golconda Sultanate into the Mughal Empire.

Background:

• The Golconda Sultanate, ruled by Sultan Abul Hasan Tana Shah, was one of the five Deccan Sultanates. Golconda was known for its wealth, particularly its diamond mines, including the famous Koh-i-Noor and Hope Diamond.
• Aurangzeb, aiming to consolidate Mughal control over southern India, had long sought to conquer Golconda, which had resisted Mughal expansion.

Siege of Golconda:

• Aurangzeb laid siege to the Golconda Fort in early 1687. The fort was well-fortified and known for its almost impregnable walls. Tana Shah and his forces offered strong resistance, holding out against the Mughals for several months.
• The siege dragged on, with the Mughal army failing to breach the walls through direct assaults or bombardment.

Treachery of General Panni:

• Aurangzeb’s victory was eventually secured not through military might but by treachery. One of Tana Shah’s trusted generals, Abdullah Khan Panni, betrayed him by secretly allowing Mughal forces to enter the fort.
• On 30 September 1687, Mughal forces, led by Aurangzeb’s generals, entered Golconda Fort and captured Tana Shah, who was later imprisoned for life in Daulatabad Fort. This betrayal was a crucial turning point, leading to the fall of the fort and the Sultanate.

Significance:

• The fall of Golconda marked the end of the Qutb Shahi dynasty and the annexation of one of the wealthiest kingdoms in southern India into the Mughal Empire.
• The conquest also gave Aurangzeb control over the legendary Golconda diamond mines, which added immense wealth to the Mughal treasury.
• Aurangzeb’s victory at Golconda was part of his broader Deccan campaigns, which expanded Mughal rule in southern India but also strained the empire’s resources and led to eventual decline.

30 September - Johann Sebastiani birth anniversary

 

Johann Sebastiani (30 September 1622 – 1683) was a German baroque composer. Sebastiani was born in Weimar. He became Kantor at Königsberg cathedral in 1661, and court Kapellmeister from 1663 to 1679. He died in Königsberg. His works include sacred and occasional pieces and songs; the most famous is his St Matthew Passion (before 1663, performed again 1672). He is the first composer to introduce chorale into oratorio passion. Within the St Matthew Passion, Sebastiani includes eight different chorale melodies and introduces thirteen chorale verses.This work is a development from the style of Heinrich Schütz which includes recitatives and arias but avoids a dramatic operatic idiom, and marks an intermediate position between Schütz and Bach such as those of Johann Theile and Johann Valentin Meder.Two violins accompany Christ, who is a bass; three viols accompany Evangelist, who is a tenor, Judas, who is an alto, and the other characters. In 1672 Sebastiani got married and from that point until the end of his life he was concerned primarily with the publication of his works. In 1672, he published a collection entitled Erster Theil Der Parnaß-Blumen, Oder Geist- und Weltliche Lieder

30 September - Stephen Smith, an American engineer and inventor, made history by launching his first mail rocket

 

On September 30, 1934, Stephen Smith, an American engineer and inventor, made history by launching his first mail rocket. This event took place in Greenwood Lake, New York, and it marked an experimental attempt to deliver mail using a small rocket.

Smith's mail rocket, powered by solid fuel, was designed to carry a small payload of mail from one location to another. In this case, he launched it from one side of Greenwood Lake to the other, covering a distance of about one mile. The rocket successfully carried a batch of mail across the lake, making it one of the earliest known instances of mail delivery by rocket.

While Smith's experiment was a notable achievement and garnered attention at the time, it did not lead to widespread adoption of rocket mail as a practical means of mail delivery. The limitations and safety concerns associated with rocket propulsion and the traditional postal system's reliability ultimately limited the development of rocket mail for routine mail delivery.

Nonetheless, Stephen Smith's pioneering effort in 1934 remains a part of the history of early rocketry and mail transportation experiments.

 

30 September - M. Annamalai Chettiar

 

M. Annamalai Chettiar born on 30 September 1881, he was a prominent Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and educationist. Born in 1909 in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, India, he dedicated his life to the betterment of society through education, industry, and philanthropy.

His most enduring legacy is the founding of Annamalai University in 1929, which stands as a testament to his commitment to providing quality education to students from diverse backgrounds. M. Annamalai Chettiar's philanthropic activities extended to various sectors, including healthcare and community development, leaving an indelible mark on Tamil Nadu and inspiring future generations to make positive contributions to society. He passed away in 1981, but his vision and contributions continue to impact the lives of countless individuals in India and beyond.

30 September - Jean Baptiste Perrin

 

Jean Baptiste Perrin (1870-1942) was a French physicist renowned for his pioneering work in the field of molecular and atomic physics. He made significant contributions to our understanding of the behavior of matter on a molecular scale, particularly through his work on Brownian motion and the discovery of the Avogadro constant.

Key aspects of Jean Baptiste Perrin's life and contributions include:

1. Brownian Motion: Perrin is perhaps best known for his experimental verification of Albert Einstein's theory of Brownian motion. In 1908, he conducted precise experiments involving the random motion of tiny particles suspended in a liquid, providing strong evidence for the existence of atoms and molecules. This work provided crucial confirmation of the atomic theory.

2. Avogadro Constant: In 1909, Perrin determined the Avogadro constant, which is a fundamental constant that relates the number of particles in a mole of a substance. His work helped establish the connection between atomic and macroscopic scales and contributed to the development of the modern atomic theory.

3. Nobel Prize: In recognition of his groundbreaking work, Jean Baptiste Perrin was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1926. He received the prize for his work on the discontinuous structure of matter, which furthered our understanding of the atomic and molecular nature of substances.

4. Educational and Administrative Roles: Perrin was not only a pioneering scientist but also a respected educator and administrator. He served as a professor of physical chemistry at the Sorbonne and played a key role in advancing scientific research and education in France.

5. Advocate for International Scientific Collaboration: Perrin was an advocate for international cooperation in science. He served as the President of the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations and worked to promote scientific collaboration and understanding among nations.

Jean Baptiste Perrin's work had a profound impact on the field of physics and our understanding of the atomic and molecular structure of matter. His experiments and discoveries laid the foundation for many subsequent advancements in the field of molecular and atomic physics, making him a pivotal figure in the history of science.

30 September - Jacques Necker birth anniversary

 

Jacques Necker (1732-1804) was a Swiss-born banker and statesman who played a pivotal role in the financial administration of 18th-century France. Born on September 30, 1732, in Geneva, Switzerland, Necker became a prominent banker in Paris before being appointed as France's Controller-General of Finance in 1776. Notably, he was the first non-noble to hold this influential position. Necker is best known for publishing the "Compte Rendu au Roi" (Report to the King), a detailed public report of the state's finances. This groundbreaking act aimed to promote financial transparency and accountability. His tenure and reforms contributed to the lead-up to the French Revolution. Jacques Necker passed away on April 9, 1804, leaving a lasting impact on the economic and political history of France.

30 September - Stanisław Konarski birth anniversary

 

Stanisław Konarski (1700-1773) was a Polish Jesuit priest, writer, and educational reformer of the Enlightenment era. Born on September 30, 1700, in Żoliborz, Poland, he dedicated his life to transforming the Polish educational system. Konarski advocated for modernization, emphasizing practicality and a broader curriculum. His efforts laid the groundwork for educational reforms in Poland and influenced the Enlightenment movement. He authored influential works and played a pivotal role in shaping Polish literature. Stanisław Konarski passed away on August 3, 1773, leaving a lasting legacy in Polish culture and education.