28 April - Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti born in 1937

 

 

 

 

Saddam Hussein (1937–2006) was the President of Iraq from 1979 until his overthrow and capture by U.S. forces in 2003. His full name was Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti. Here are some key points about Saddam Hussein:

1. Early Life: Saddam Hussein was born on 28 April 1937, in the town of Al-Awja, near Tikrit, in present-day Iraq. He came from a poor family and grew up in a troubled environment.

2. Rise to Power: Saddam initially joined the Ba'ath Party, a secular Arab nationalist party, and became involved in political activities. He played a role in the coup that brought the Ba'ath Party to power in Iraq in 1968.

3. Presidency: Saddam became the President of Iraq in 1979 after a series of political maneuvers, including purges of political rivals and consolidating power within the Ba'ath Party.

4. Iran-Iraq War: One of the major events during Saddam's presidency was the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). The conflict began when Iraq, under Saddam's leadership, invaded Iran. The war had devastating consequences for both countries.

5. Invasion of Kuwait: In 1990, Saddam ordered the invasion of Kuwait, leading to the Gulf War (1990-1991). A coalition of international forces, led by the United States, intervened, and Kuwait was liberated. Saddam's forces were forced to withdraw.

6. Post-Gulf War Sanctions: After the Gulf War, Iraq faced international sanctions, which had a severe impact on the country's economy and its people.

7. 2003 Invasion of Iraq: In 2003, the United States, along with a coalition of allies, invaded Iraq, citing concerns about weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and ties to terrorism. Saddam Hussein was eventually captured by U.S. forces in December 2003.

8. Trial and Execution: Saddam Hussein faced trial for crimes against humanity, including the suppression of political opponents and the killing of Iraqi Kurds. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. Saddam was executed by hanging on 30 December 2006.

Saddam Hussein's regime was marked by authoritarian rule, human rights abuses, and military conflicts. His removal from power and subsequent execution marked a significant chapter in Iraq's recent history, but the aftermath of the Iraq War and the fall of Saddam's regime have also been associated with complex challenges in the region.

 

28 April - Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini death in 1945

 

Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, postage stamp Germany, 1941

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 1883 – 28 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 1943, and "Duce" of Italian Fascism from the establishment of the Italian Fasces of Combat in 1919 until his execution in 1945 by Italian partisans. As dictator of Italy and principal founder of fascism, Mussolini inspired and supported the international spread of fascist movements during the inter-war period.

23 April - World Book Day

 

World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is celebrated on April 23rd each year to promote reading, publishing, and copyright around the world.

The primary aim of World Book Day is to encourage people, especially children and young adults, to discover the joy of reading and to appreciate the importance of books as vehicles for knowledge, creativity, and cultural exchange. It also aims to highlight the role of authors, publishers, and other stakeholders in the book industry and to raise awareness about copyright protection and intellectual property rights.

World Book Day is celebrated through various activities and events, including book fairs, reading marathons, author signings, storytelling sessions, and book giveaways. It provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations to come together to celebrate the written word and to promote literacy and education worldwide.

 

 

 

01 April - Marvin Gaye : American singer and song writer death

American singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye, whose notable works include the concept album What's Going On (1971), was shot and killed by his father in Los Angeles.

Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984)was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of successes, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and "Prince of Soul".

Many institutions have posthumously bestowed Gaye with awards and other honors including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and inductions into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 

01 April - Creation of Nunavut in 1999

 

Nunavut is a massive, sparsely populated territory of northern Canada, forming most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Its islands have expanses of tundra, craggy mountains and remote villages, accessible only by plane or boat. It's known for its indigenous Inuit people's artwork, carvings and handmade clothing. Inuit art is displayed at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum in the capital, Iqaluit, on Baffin Island.

It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999

Nunavut is the least populous of Canada's provinces and territories.One of the world's most remote, sparsely settled regions, Nunavut has a population of 39,589 (2021 figure, up from 35,944 in 2016),consisting mostly of Inuit people. These people occupy a land area of just over 1,877,787 km2 (725,018 sq mi), or slightly smaller than Mexico (excluding water surface area). Nunavut is also home to the world's northernmost permanently inhabited place, Alert.Eureka, a weather station on Ellesmere Island, has the lowest average annual temperature of any Canadian weather station

31 March - Natural heritage of Manipur & Tripura, Indepex Asiana-2000

 

Natural heritage of Manipur & Tripura, Indepex Asiana-2000 was issued on 31 March 2000.

India post issued 4 stamps on Siroi Lily, Sangai Deer, Wild Guava, Slow Loris during Indepex-Asiana 2000, 14th Asian International Stamp Exhibition at Calcutta.

30 March - Devika Rani Chaudhuri born in 1908

 

Devika Rani Chaudhuri (30 March 1908 – 9 March 1994), usually known as Devika Rani, was an Indian actress who was active in Hindi films during the 1930s and 1940s. Widely acknowledged as the first lady of Indian cinema, Devika Rani had a successful film career that spanned 10 years.

Her awards include the Padma Shri (1958), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1970) and the Soviet Land Nehru Award (1990). 

29 March- Utpal Dutta born in 1929

Utpal Dutta (29 March 1929 – 19 August 1993) was an Indian actor, director, and writer-playwright. He was primarily an actor in Bengali theatre, where he became a pioneering figure in Modern Indian theatre, when he founded the "Little Theatre Group" in 1949. 

This group enacted many English, Shakespearean and Brecht plays, in a period now known as the "Epic theatre" period, before it immersed itself completely in highly political and radical theatre. His plays became an apt vehicle for the expression of his Marxist ideologies, visible in socio-political plays such as Kallol (1965), Manusher Adhikar, Louha Manob (1964), Tiner Toloar and Maha-Bidroha. He also acted in over 100 Bengali and Hindi films in a career spanning 40 years

29 March - Sepoy Mangal Pandey shot the first bullet of 1857

 

The incident involving Sepoy Mangal Pandey occurred on March 29, 1857, and it is often considered one of the early sparks that ignited the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Indian Independence.

Mangal Pandey was a sepoy (Indian soldier) in the British East India Company's army stationed in Barrackpore, near Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), in the Bengal Presidency. On March 29, 1857, he revolted against British officers over the use of cartridges rumored to be greased with animal fat, which was deeply offensive to both Hindu and Muslim soldiers.

The soldiers were required to bite off the tips of these cartridges before loading them into their rifles. The use of animal fat, particularly cow and pig fat, violated the religious beliefs of Hindu and Muslim soldiers, respectively.

Mangal Pandey's act of defiance against his British superiors resulted in him shooting and injuring two British officers, Sergeant-Major Hewson and Lieutenant Baugh. This act of rebellion marked the beginning of larger unrest among Indian soldiers in various parts of the country, eventually leading to the widespread rebellion against British rule.

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a significant event in Indian history, representing a major challenge to British authority and leading to significant political, social, and economic changes in the region. It played a crucial role in the eventual transfer of power from the British East India Company to the British Crown, marking the end of Company rule in India and the beginning of direct British governance through the British Raj.

11 March - Sambhaji assasinated 1689

 

 

Sambhaji, Shivaji's successor, who was captured at Sangameshwar, was assasinated in the prison of Aurangzeb by Mughal officer Muqurab Khan.

Sambhaji Bhosale was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, who ruled from 1681 to 1689. He was the eldest son of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire