05 October - Somnath Sigdel birth anniversary

 

Somnath Sigdel was born on 05 October 1884 to Jagannath Sigdel in Nepal.His father was a Pandit of Vyākaraṇa , Dharmaśāstra and Jyotisa.He studied at Ranipokhari Sanskrit Pathashala in Kathmandu and later he moved to Banaras where he got a degree from Queens College Benares.Sigdel also served as principal of Valmiki Sanskrit College in Kathmandu.Later he was made a member of Nepal Academy.

From 1906, he started to published poems in the magazine Sundari from Banaras.In 1920, He published Madhya Chandrikā (lit. Middle grammar).His Aadarsha Raghav (1948) is regarded as the modern Nepali version of Ramayana.Sigdel's poems were written in the style of Motiram Bhatta.His comic Digambar Bibaha is one of the earliest kind published in Nepal.

He was given the title of Pandit Raj (Master Scholar) by King Mahendra.Sigdel died in 1972. In 1973, the Government of Nepal issued postage stamps featuring Sigdel.He was awarded Tribhuvan Pragya Award for his contributions to language, literature, culture, and Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu

05 October - Robert Hutchings Goddard birth anniversary

 

Robert Hutchings Goddard, a pioneering American physicist and engineer, was born on October 5, 1882. He is often referred to as one of the founding fathers of modern rocketry.

Goddard's groundbreaking work in rocketry and propulsion laid the foundation for the development of space exploration technology. He received a patent for the first liquid-fueled rocket design in 1914 and conducted numerous experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of space travel.

Tragically, Robert Hutchings Goddard passed away on August 10, 1945. Although his work was not widely recognized during his lifetime, his innovations and ideas have since played a significant role in the advancement of space exploration and are commemorated in the history of space science and technology. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is named in his honor as a tribute to his pioneering contributions.

05 October - Chester Alan Arthur birth anniversary

 

Chester Alan Arthur, born on 05 October 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont, was an American statesman and the 21st President of the United States. Here are key points about Chester A. Arthur:

1. Early Life: Chester Arthur was the son of a Baptist minister. He attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, and later became a schoolteacher before studying law.

2. Legal Career: After being admitted to the bar, Arthur practiced law in New York City. He developed a successful legal career and became involved in Republican Party politics.

3. Customs Collector: Arthur's political connections led to his appointment as the Collector of the Port of New York in 1871, a lucrative position at the time. He was associated with the political machine led by Senator Roscoe Conkling.

4. Reform Efforts: As customs collector, Arthur implemented civil service reforms, aiming to reduce political patronage in government appointments. This effort brought him into conflict with President Rutherford B. Hayes, who sought civil service reform.

5. Vice Presidency: In 1880, Arthur was nominated as the Republican candidate for vice president, running alongside James A. Garfield. The ticket won the election.

6. Assassination of Garfield: Arthur became President of the United States on September 19, 1881, following the assassination of President Garfield. Garfield's death deeply affected Arthur, and he sought to distance himself from Conkling's political machine.

7. Civil Service Reform: Surprisingly, President Arthur continued to champion civil service reform during his tenure. In 1883, the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act was passed, creating a merit-based system for federal employment.

8. Chinese Exclusion Act: In 1882, President Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which restricted Chinese immigration to the United States. The law reflected growing anti-Chinese sentiment in the country.

9. Dawes Act: Arthur signed the Dawes Act in 1887, which aimed to assimilate Native American tribes by dividing their lands into individual allotments.

10. Illness and Death: Arthur's health declined during his presidency, and he was not renominated for the 1884 election. He returned to private life and died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 18 November 1886, at the age of 57.

Chester A. Arthur's presidency is notable for his unexpected rise to the office and his surprising commitment to civil service reform. Despite initial skepticism about his capabilities, Arthur demonstrated a willingness to transcend his political origins and pursue policies that prioritized merit over political patronage.

 

05 October - NAV DURGA (Third NIGHT) Chandraganta

 

The third night of the Navratri festival, also known as "Tritiya," is dedicated to worshiping the Goddess Chandraghanta. Chandraghanta is one of the nine forms or manifestations of the Hindu goddess Durga. Her name, "Chandraghanta," is derived from two words: "Chandra," which means moon, and "Ghanta," which means bell. She is depicted with a crescent moon on her forehead, which resembles a bell.

Chandraghanta is often portrayed riding a tiger and is known for her fierce and warrior-like appearance. She is believed to represent bravery and courage, and her worship is believed to grant strength and protection to her devotees. It is believed that by worshiping Goddess Chandraghanta, individuals can overcome their fears and obstacles.

During the third day of Navratri, devotees typically wear the color red, which is associated with Chandraghanta. They offer prayers and perform various rituals to seek her blessings for strength, health, and protection. This is a time of spiritual awakening and reflection, as people continue their nine-day journey of devotion during Navratri, celebrating the divine feminine energy represented by Goddess Durga in her various forms.

05 October - Radhanath Sikdar birth anniversary

 

Radhanath Sikdar ( 5 October 1813 – 17 May 1870) ,he was the first person to calculate the height of Mount Everest, in 1852.

The brilliant student of mathematics at Hindu College had mastered Newtonian mathematics and physics and invented a new way of drawing a common tangent to two circles when he was in his teens.

In 1831, surveyor-general of India George Everest was looking for a mathematician who had specialised in spherical trigonometry to join the Great Trigonometric Survey. Sikdar, at 19, was appointed in that post, as a “computor”. His salary was Rs 30 per month.

In 1851, Sikdar was promoted to the post of chief computor. In 1852, Everest’s successor Andrew Scott Waugh asked Sikdar to start measuring the height of mountains. Sikdar used data from six observations and calculated the height of Peak XV and stated that it was taller than Kanchenjungha, which was till then considered the highest mountain peak in the world. Peak XV came to be named after the previous surveyor-general, Everest.

Sikdar calculated its height at exactly 29,000 feet, but Waugh added 2 feet to make it appear a more credible figure. The official height was announced in 1856, as 29,002 feet. A century later, in 1955, an Indian survey announced the height at 29,029 feet.

Sikdar was capable of exemplary moral courage. In 1843, he was fined Rs 200 by the British court for protesting the behaviour of a magistrate who had called survey department workers “paharee coolies”.

A Derozian, he flouted social and religious norms. He had refused to marry the young girl who had been chosen for him. He ate beef, claiming beef-eaters were never bullied. In 1854, along with fellow Derozian Peary Chand Mitra, Sikdar founded Masik Patrika, a Bengali journal for the education of women.

The German Philosophical Society made him a corresponding member in 1864, two years after his retirement. It was a great honour. But many were of the view that the world's highest peak should have been named after him.

05 October - Kiribati Education Day

 

Kiribati celebrates Education Day on October 5th each year. This special day is dedicated to recognizing the importance of education and promoting educational initiatives and awareness throughout the country.

On Education Day in Kiribati, schools and educational institutions often organize various activities and events to highlight the value of education. These activities may include special assemblies, educational exhibitions, cultural performances, and competitions. The focus is on encouraging students to embrace learning and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for their personal growth and the development of the nation.

Education plays a critical role in Kiribati's society, as it does in many other countries, and Education Day serves as an opportunity to emphasize the significance of quality education for individuals and the nation as a whole. It is also a day to celebrate the achievements of students, teachers, and educational institutions in Kiribati while acknowledging the challenges and opportunities in the field of education.