09 April - The Bataan Death March

 

The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer by the Imperial Japanese Army of between 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war from Saysain Point, Bagac, Bataan and Mariveles to Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac, via San Fernando, Pampanga.

The transfer began on April 9, 1942, after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II. The total distance marched from Mariveles to San Fernando and from the Capas Train Station to various camps was 65 miles long. Sources also report widely differing prisoner of war casualties prior to reaching Camp O'Donnell: from 5,000 to 18,000 Filipino deaths and 500 to 650 American deaths during the march. If an American soldier was caught on the ground or fell, he would be instantly shot. All the American soldiers who are known to have died or were killed now have a gravestone honoring them.

The march was characterized by severe physical abuse and wanton killings. After the war, the Japanese commander, General Masaharu Homma and two of his officers, Major General Yoshitaka Kawane and Colonel Kurataro Hirano, were tried by United States military commissions for war crimes and sentenced to death on charges of failing to prevent their subordinates from committing war crimes. Homma was executed in 1946, while Kawane and Hirano were executed in 1949. 

07 April - World Health Day

 

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as other related organizations.

In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The World Health Day is held to mark WHO's founding and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year.[1] The WHO organizes international, regional and local events on the Day related to a particular theme. World Health Day is acknowledged by various governments and non-governmental organizations with interests in public health issues, who also organize activities and highlight their support in media reports, such as the Global Health Council.[2]

World Health Day is one of 11 official global health campaigns marked by WHO, along with World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Week, World Malaria Day, World No Tobacco Day, World AIDS Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Chagas Disease Day, World Patient Safety Day, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week and World Hepatitis Day.

07 April - Ravi Shankar born in 1920

 

 Ravi Shankar (7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012), the greatest proclaimer of the excellence of Indian classical music in the world. He earned fame as a sitar player. Ravi Shankar and Sitara are as if made for each other. He was considered one of the greatest musicians of this century. Ravi Shankar gained a lot of fame abroad. He was very popular and successful abroad. A kind of spiritual peace is found in the music of Ravi Shankar. He was born on 7 April 1920

07 April - Victoria Ocampo birth annivesary

 

 Ramona Victoria Epifanía Rufina Ocampo ( 07 April 1890 – 27 January 1979) was an Argentine writer and intellectual. Best known as an advocate for others and as publisher of the literary magazine Sur, she was also a writer and critic in her own right and one of the most prominent South American women of her time. Her sister is Silvina Ocampo, also a writer. 

07 April - Alwar, Princely State of India signed the accession to the Indian Union 1949

 

Alwar State was a princely state with its capital at Alwar during the period of the British Raj in India.

Founded in 1770 CE by Pratap Singh Prabhakar, its last reigning ruler, H.H. Maharaja Sir Tej Singh Prabhakar Bahadur, signed the accession to the Indian Union on 7 April 1949.

The rulers of Alwar were from the Naruka clan of Rajputs. They were originally known as Rao Sahebs of Macheri and were nobles of Jaipur, however they took advantage of the instability caused by the maratha invasions and formed their own independent kingdom in Alwar. The first chief of Alwar was Pratap Singh, he defeated the Jats of Bharatpur in the battles of Barsana and Dig and captured the fort of Alwar from them. He also helped the Marathas against his old master, the Raja of Jaipur and annexed several villages and towns that belonged to Jaipur state.

Following the Partition of India in 1947, Alwar acceded unto the dominion of India with the state's forces participating in and encouraging the killings and expulsion of its Muslim population.

On 18 March 1948, the state merged with three neighbouring princely states (Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli) to form the Matsya Union. This union in turn merged unto the Union of India. On 15 May 1949, it was united with certain other princely states and the territory of Ajmer to form the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan.

For India States stamp collectors ,Alwar is considered a Feudatory state. Four stamps of the same design were issued for Alwar. The design featured an Alwar dagger known as a Kandjar. The dagger was of a unique design, when squeezed, the blades would open like scissors inside it’s victim. The stamps were first recorded in February 1877. They continued in use until 1 July 1902, when the postal service in Alwar was taken over by the British Imperial Post. The stamps were only used in Alwar State.

06 April - Hanuman Jayanti 2023

 

Today is HANUMAN JAYANTI.

Hanuman Jayanti is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of the Hindu deity, and one of the protagonists of the Ramayana, Hanuman. The celebration of Hanuman Jayanti varies by time and tradition in each state of India. In most northern states of India, the festival is observed on the full-moon day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (Chaitra Purnima).Hanuman is regarded to be an ardent devotee of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, widely known for his unflinching devotion. He is revered as a symbol of strength and energy, and is venerated for these reasons on this occasion.

05 April - Wilder Graves Penfield death anniversary

 

Wilder Graves Penfield (January 26, 1891 – April 5, 1976) was an American-Canadian neurosurgeon.He expanded brain surgery's methods and techniques, including mapping the functions of various regions of the brain such as the cortical homunculus. His scientific contributions on neural stimulation expand across a variety of topics including hallucinations, illusions, and déjà vu. Penfield devoted much of his thinking to mental processes, including contemplation of whether there was any scientific basis for the existence of the human soul.

Penfield died on April 5, 1976, of abdominal cancer at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal.

05 April - National Maritime Day

 

 

National Maritime Day in India is observed on April 5th each year. This day commemorates the maiden voyage of the SS Loyalty, the first Indian-owned ship to sail to the United Kingdom on April 5, 1919. The SS Loyalty's voyage marked a significant milestone in India's maritime history and its emergence as a major maritime nation.

National Maritime Day is an occasion to celebrate India's rich maritime heritage and to recognize the contributions of the maritime sector to the country's economy and development. It serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of the maritime industry, including shipping, ports, maritime trade, and marine conservation.

On National Maritime Day, various events and activities are organized across India to honor the achievements of the maritime sector and to promote maritime awareness among the public. These may include seminars, conferences, exhibitions, ship visits, cultural performances, and educational programs highlighting the significance of the maritime industry.

Additionally, National Maritime Day provides a platform for stakeholders in the maritime sector, including government agencies, industry associations, maritime professionals, and seafarers, to come together to discuss key issues, share knowledge and expertise, and explore opportunities for collaboration and growth in the maritime domain.

Overall, National Maritime Day in India serves as a reminder of the country's maritime heritage and its ongoing commitment to harnessing the potential of the seas for sustainable development and prosperity.

"Navigating the future: safety first!" has been the theme selected for the International Maritime Organization's 2024 World Maritime Day.

05 April - Charles Freer Andrews death anniversary

 Charles Freer Andrews ( 12 February 1871 – 5 April 1940) was an Anglican priest and Christian missionary, educator and social reformer, and an activist for Indian independence. He became a close friend of Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi and identified with the Indian liberation struggle. He was instrumental in convincing Gandhi to return to India from South Africa, where Gandhi had been a leading light in the Indian civil rights struggle.

C. F. Andrews was affectionately dubbed Christ's Faithful Apostle by Gandhi, based on his initials, C.F.A. For his contributions to the Indian independence movement, Gandhi and his students at St. Stephen's College, Delhi, named him Deenabandhu, or "Friend of the Poor". 

05 April - Pandita Ramabai Sarasvati death anniversary

Pandita Ramabai Sarasvati ( 23 April 1858 – 5 April 1922 ) was an Indian Social Reformer. She was the first woman to be awarded the titles of Pandita as a Sanskrit scholar and Sarasvati after being examined by the faculty of the University of Calcutta. She was one of the ten women delegates of the Congress session of 1889.During her stay in England in early 1880s she converted to Christianity. After that she toured extensively in the United States to collect funds for destitute Indian women. With the funds raised she started Sharada Sadan for child widows. In the late 1890s, she founded Mukti Mission, a Christian charity at Kedgaon village, forty miles east of the city of Pune. The mission was later named Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission.