04 April - Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated

 

On 4 April 1968, US civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. A Black church leader and a son of early civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Sr., King advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through nonviolence and civil disobedience. Inspired by his Christian beliefs and the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi, he led targeted, nonviolent resistance against Jim Crow laws and other forms of discrimination in the United States.

04 April - Makhanlal Chaturvedi born in 1889

 

Makhanlal Chaturvedi ( 04 April 1889 – 30 January 1968) was an Indian poet, writer, essayist, and journalist. He was a prominent figure in Hindi literature and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. Here are some key aspects of Makhanlal Chaturvedi's life and contributions:

1. Early Life: Makhanlal Chaturvedi was born in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, India.

2. Education: He studied at Victoria College in Gwalior and later at Morris College in Nagpur. He excelled in academics and showed an early interest in literature.

3. Journalism: Chaturvedi was actively involved in journalism and became the editor of various Hindi newspapers, including Prabha and Karmaveer. He used his platform to advocate for independence and social issues.

4. Literary Contributions: He was a prolific writer and poet in Hindi. Some of his notable works include the poetry collection "Himalaya," which earned him recognition for its patriotic and inspirational themes.

5. Freedom Movement: Makhanlal Chaturvedi actively participated in the Indian independence movement. He was imprisoned several times for his involvement in the struggle for freedom.

6. Awards: He was posthumously awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his epic poem "Yug Charan" in 1956.

7. Legacy: Makhanlal Chaturvedi's contributions to Hindi literature and his involvement in the freedom movement have left a lasting impact. The Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, is named in his honor. The university is dedicated to the study and promotion of journalism and communication.

Makhanlal Chaturvedi is remembered as a literary figure who used his pen to inspire and contribute to the cultural and social fabric of India during a critical period in its history.

04 April - Tallapaka Annamacharya passed away in 1503

 

Tallapaka Annamacharya (also popularly known as Annamayya)(22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century Hindu saint and the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called sankirtanas in praise of the Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu.He is the first known composer in carnatic music. The most famous composers of Carnatic music like Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa also came after him. The musical form of the keertana songs that he composed, which are still popular among Carnatic music concert artists,have strongly influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions.Annamacharya is remembered for his saintly life, and is honoured as a great devotee of Vishnu by devotees and saintly singers.

He is believed to have been the creator avatar of Nandaka, the sword of Vishnu. He is widely regarded as the Andhra Pada kavitā Pitāmaha (Grandfather of Telugu song-writing).

04 April - Bābā Farīd born in 1179

 

Bābā Farīd, born on 4 April 1179, was a 12th-century Punjabi Muslim preacher and mystic. who went on to become "one of the most revered and distinguished ... Muslim mystics" of the medieval period.

04 April - Sagarmal Gopa death anniversary

 

Sagarmal Gopa, passed away on 4 April 1946, was a freedom fighter and patriot from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. His father Akhairaj gopa was a courtier in Maharawal Jawahar Singh's court. Sagarmal Gopa had recorded the atrocities of Jawahar Singh, the contemporary ruler of Jaisalmer, in his book "Jaisalmer ka Gundaraj", after which the enmity between Jawahar Singh and Sagarmal Gopa increased. He took active part in the Non-cooperation movement in 1921. He opposed anti-people policies of then rulers of Jaisalmer. He was expelled from Jaisalmer and Hyderabad. Even in exile he continued to work for freedom movement. After his father's death in 1941, on his return to Jaisalmer he was arrested on 25 May 1941. Sagermal gopa tortured in prison for years. He was burnt to death in the prison on 4 April 1946. "Gopal Swaroop Pathak commission" was formed to investigate the murder of Sagarmal Gopa, which under the influence of Jawahar Singh, declared this murder as suicide. 3 books were written by gopa
1) aajadi ke diwane
2) jaisalmer ka gundaraj
3) raghunath singh ka mukadma.

04 April - Mahavir Jayanti 2023

 

Mahavir Jayanti is one of the most significant festivals among the Jain community and is celebrated across the world. In 2023, Mahavir Jayanti will be celebrated on the 4th of April. As per Jain religious scripts, Lord Mahavira took birth on the 13th day on Chaitra month (Hindu calendar)  in Bihar, a few kilometres from Patna.
When  he was 30, he left his throne and family in search of truth. He lived in exile for 12 years as an ascetic. During this time, he preached non-violence treated all everyone with reverence. He got his name "Mahavira" after showing exceptional skills in controlling the senses, It is widely belied that when Mahavira was 72, he attained enlightenment (Nirvana).

03 April - The first cell phone call ever in 1973

 

On April 3, 1973, an engineer named Martin Cooper stood nervously along a busy midtown Manhattan street, about to make a phone call. It was a call that would change life as we know it: The first cell phone call ever. 

The phone Cooper used that day — a prototype — was a bulky, 2-pound monster that looked a bit like a shoe with an antenna sticking out of the top. In the half-a-century since, this technology has changed more about the way we communicate and connect than Cooper could’ve ever imagined.

03 April - The Central Bureau of Investigation Postage stamp issued 2023

 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of India.It operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Originally set up to investigate bribery and governmental corruption, in 1965 it received expanded jurisdiction to investigate breaches of central laws enforceable by the Government of India, multi-state organised crime, multi-agency or international cases.The CBI has attracted numerous controversies and criticisms due to various reports of irregular practises, excessive political influence, and a poor conviction rate.CBI is exempted from the provisions of the Right to Information Act.CBI is India's officially designated single point of contact for liaison with the Interpol.

The CBI headquarter is located in CGO Complex, near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and confered the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Gold Medal for Best Investigating Officers of the agency.

 

03 April - Marlon Brando Jr. born in 1924

 

Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century,he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, one Cannes Film Festival Award and three British Academy Film Awards. Brando was also an activist for many causes, notably the civil rights movement and various Native American movements. Having studied with Stella Adler in the 1940s, he is credited with being one of the first actors to bring the Stanislavski system of acting, and method acting, to mainstream audiences. 

03 April - John Harrison birth anniversary

 

 

John Harrison (03 April 1693 – 24 March 1776) was a self-educated English carpenter and clockmaker who invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought-after device for solving the problem of calculating longitude while at sea.

Harrison's solution revolutionized navigation and greatly increased the safety of long-distance sea travel. The problem he solved had been considered so important following the Scilly naval disaster of 1707 that the British Parliament was offering financial rewards of up to £20,000 (equivalent to £3.35 million in 2023) under the 1714 Longitude Act,though Harrison was never fully able to receive these rewards due to political rivalries.

Harrison presented his first design in 1730, and worked over many years on improved designs, making several advances in time-keeping technology, finally turning to what were called sea watches. Harrison gained support from the Longitude Board in building and testing his designs. Toward the end of his life, he received recognition and a reward from Parliament.