List of days of the year

30 January - ‘Canadian Naval Service’ was changed to ‘Royal Canadian Navy’ in 1911

 


On 30 January 1911, the name of the Canadian Naval Service was changed to the "Royal Canadian Navy." This change reflected the growing importance of the navy and Canada's increasing sense of national identity within the British Empire. The "Royal" designation acknowledged Canada's ties to the British monarchy. The Royal Canadian Navy played significant roles during World War I and World War II, contributing to Canada's naval efforts on the international stage.

30 January - Season for Nonviolence

 


The "Season for Nonviolence" is a 64-day international campaign dedicated to promoting nonviolence as a way of life and as a powerful tool for social transformation. The annual campaign spans from January 30 (the memorial day of Mahatma Gandhi) to April 4 (the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.). The campaign was founded by Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, and The Association for Global New Thought.

Key aspects of the Season for Nonviolence:

  1. Purpose: The Season for Nonviolence seeks to raise awareness about the philosophy and practice of nonviolence, inspire personal and social transformation, and encourage individuals and communities to actively engage in nonviolent actions.

  2. Historical Significance: The chosen dates bracket the anniversaries of two key figures in the history of nonviolence—Mahatma Gandhi, a pioneer of nonviolent resistance, and Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent leader in the American civil rights movement who was inspired by Gandhi's principles.

  3. Educational Events: During the Season for Nonviolence, various events, activities, and educational programs are organized worldwide. These initiatives aim to teach and promote the principles of nonviolence, tolerance, and understanding.

  4. Community Involvement: The campaign encourages community involvement in promoting nonviolence, fostering compassion, and addressing social issues through peaceful means.

  5. Local and Global Participation: The Season for Nonviolence is observed globally, involving a diverse range of organizations, schools, communities, and individuals. Local events may include workshops, seminars, peace marches, and other activities focused on nonviolence.

  6. Inspiration from Gandhi and King: Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence (or ahimsa) and Martin Luther King Jr.'s commitment to nonviolent civil disobedience serve as guiding inspirations for the campaign.

  7. Continued Impact: The Season for Nonviolence aims to have a lasting impact, promoting a culture of peace and nonviolence that extends beyond the 64-day campaign period.

This annual campaign is a call to action for individuals and communities to reflect on the principles of nonviolence, engage in constructive dialogue, and work towards creating a more just and peaceful world.

30 January - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi assassinated in 1869

 


Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was a prominent leader in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule. He was born on 02 October 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat, India. Gandhi became a key figure in the fight for India's independence through his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, which he called "Satyagraha."

Key points about Mahatma Gandhi:

  1. Early Life: Gandhi studied law in London and later worked as a lawyer in South Africa, where he first began his activism in civil rights.

  2. Satyagraha: Gandhi's philosophy of Satyagraha, or nonviolent resistance, became a guiding principle in the Indian independence movement. He led campaigns of nonviolent civil disobedience against various British laws and policies.

  3. Salt March: One of the most famous episodes in Gandhi's life was the Salt March (Dandi March) in 1930, a 240-mile march to the Arabian Sea to protest the British salt monopoly. This campaign drew international attention to the Indian independence movement.

  4. Indian National Congress: Gandhi was associated with the Indian National Congress and played a crucial role in shaping the party's policies and strategies.

  5. Role in Independence: Through a series of nonviolent protests, strikes, and campaigns, Gandhi contributed significantly to India gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

  6. Partition of India: Gandhi was deeply troubled by the communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims during the process of India's independence, which eventually led to the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan.

  7. Assassination: Tragically, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist, in New Delhi. His death was a profound loss for the nation and the world.

  8. Legacy: Mahatma Gandhi is remembered not only for his role in India's independence but also for his teachings on nonviolence, truth, and human dignity. He is a symbol of peace and a source of inspiration for movements advocating civil rights and social justice worldwide.

Gandhi's life and teachings continue to be studied, celebrated, and remembered globally, and he is often referred to as the "Father of the Nation" in India.

 

30 January - Night Air Mail Service introduced on 30th January 1949


 

The "Night Air Mail Service" was introduced on 30th January 1949 by the then Communication Minister, Mr. Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, to rehabilitate the deteriorating postal service. When the Railway Mail Service and Motor Mail Service had reached saturation point, the only option left was to introduce Air Mail Service for the First Class Mail. As day time air service were running with full loads, night air service were planned. Before this period, night flying was not safe in the absence of security measures and equipment at Airports. The Night Air Mail scheme was an experiment towards night flying in India and for the introduction of the "All Up Scheme". Initially only mail was transported on N. A. S.

Under the N.A.S., the 4 principal cities of Bombay, Calcutta, Madras and New Delhi, which are in 4 different corners of India, were linked with Nagpur. 4 night planes will leave, one each from these cities, for Nagpur, with a mail load from their region and will return to their home base in the early morning, after exchanging the mail at Nagpur.

The fight schedule was as follows as per Postal Notice No.65 dated 27.1.1949:

Night flying reduced considerably the time factor on mail from one place to another. Aircraft flying from Trivandrum to Srinagar used to make night halts at Madras and New Delhi. Now the mail can reach its destination on the next day.

It was decided that all classes of surcharged air mails will be forwarded by the Night Service wherever this provides acceleration in transit compared to other services. The Night Air Mail charges remained same which were prevailing that time viz., 1 anna for Envelopes and ? anna for Post Cards.

To give more volume of mail to N.A.S., it was decided to utilize, these special overnight services, for conveyance of Post Parcel by air ( to be introduced for the first time) in addition to Letter Mail, from the same date. The transmission by air of such parcels being restricted to these overnight services.

This scheme was strongly opposed by airline operators on various grounds. They wanted a guaranteed minimum payment, but the Government was not prepared to give such a guarantee, wishing to maintain the existing rates of carriage. Only Indian Overseas Airlines offered to work on the Government conditions.

The Air Transport Licensing Board granted a licence for operation of Night Airmail Service to Indian Overseas Air Lines Ltd.., for one month from 30th January 1949. At that time Indian Overseas Airline Ltd., had traffic offices at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta , Hyderabad, Jabalpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Madras and Nagpur. The routes on which this Company was operating at that time were,

Bombay - Nagpur - Calcutta - Nagpur - Bombay.
Nagpur - Bangalore - Madras - Bangalore - Nagpur and
Nagpur - Jabalpur - Allahabad - Kanpur - Lucknow - Kanpur - Allahabad - Jabalpur - Nagpur. 

source: https://stampsofindia.com/readroom/b016.html

30 January - World Leprosy Day

 

World Leprosy Day is observed internationally every year on the last Sunday of January to increase the public awareness of leprosy or Hansen's Disease. This date was chosen by French humanitarian Raoul Follereau as a tribute to the life of Mahatma Gandhi who had compassion for people afflicted with leprosy. The day began to be observed in 1954.

Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in the world. It is an infectious chronic disease that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body: the hands, feet, and face. Pope Francis has spoken in support of the observation.

 


 

30 January - Charles I beheaded for treason in 1649


 

Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after his father inherited the English throne in 1603, he moved to England, where he spent much of the rest of his life. He became heir apparent to the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1612 upon the death of his elder brother, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales. An unsuccessful and unpopular attempt to marry him to the Spanish Habsburg princess Maria Anna culminated in an eight-month visit to Spain in 1623 that demonstrated the futility of the marriage negotiation. Two years later, he married the Bourbon princess Henrietta Maria of France.

After his 1625 succession, Charles quarreled with the English Parliament, which sought to curb his royal prerogative. He believed in the divine right of kings, and was determined to govern according to his own conscience. Many of his subjects opposed his policies, in particular the levying of taxes without parliamentary consent, and perceived his actions as those of a tyrannical absolute monarch. His religious policies, coupled with his marriage to a Roman Catholic, generated antipathy and mistrust from Reformed religious groups such as the English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters, who thought his views too Catholic. He supported high church Anglican ecclesiastics and failed to aid continental Protestant forces successfully during the Thirty Years' War. His attempts to force the Church of Scotland to adopt high Anglican practices led to the Bishops' Wars, strengthened the position of the English and Scottish parliaments, and helped precipitate his own downfall.

From 1642, Charles fought the armies of the English and Scottish parliaments in the English Civil War. After his defeat in 1645 at the hands of the Parliamentarian New Model Army, he fled north from his base at Oxford. Charles surrendered to a Scottish force and after lengthy negotiations between the English and Scottish parliaments he was handed over to the Long Parliament in London. Charles refused to accept his captors' demands for a constitutional monarchy, and temporarily escaped captivity in November 1647. Re-imprisoned on the Isle of Wight, he forged an alliance with Scotland, but by the end of 1648, the New Model Army had consolidated its control over England. Charles was tried, convicted, and executed for high treason in January 1649. The monarchy was abolished and the Commonwealth of England was established as a republic. The monarchy was restored to Charles's son Charles II in 1660.

29 January - Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai death anniversary



Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai ( 01 April 1902 – 29 January 1968) was a major figure in Indian cricket between the wars.

Jai was born in a Gujarati family in Bombay. Jai was a graceful right-handed stroke-player. Most of his finer innings came in the Bombay Quadrangular competition. He captained Bombay to the title in the first-ever Ranji Trophy championship.

Because of the Hindu Gymkhana's opposition in protest against the jailing of Indian political leaders, Jai along with Vijay Merchant and Champak Mehta were unavailable for trial matches to select the Indian team that tours England in 1932.The tour included India's first ever Test match. His only Test was the first ever in India. He toured England in 1936 but a broken finger restricted his appearances.

He was a selector in the 1950s, before resigning over a dispute during the 1958/59 series against West Indies. The trophy awarded to the scorer of the fastest hundred in Ranji trophy every season was named after him. 

As was the case with cricketers prior to commercial sponsorships, Jai was employed by the Imperial Bank of India, later State Bank of India, by way of a job for life. This helped to nurture his hobby, philately. He became an eminent philatelist, being in a position to "rescue" every stamped envelope that came to the bank every day. He specialised in British Empire stamps.

Jai died on 29 January 1968 in Bombay from cardiac arrest
 

Above Travelled cover and FDC addressed to  Jai are a part of my collection

29 January - Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is first performed in 1895

 



On January 29, 1895, for the first time, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was performed in a theater. Romeo and Juliet performed at the theater in London, England. The theater opened in 1577 and is the main venue for Shakespearean plays.Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.

29 January - Abdus Salam birth anniversary

 


Abdus Salam (January 29, 1926 – November 21, 1996) was a Pakistani theoretical physicist who made significant contributions to the field of theoretical physics. He was born in Jhang, British India (now in Pakistan) and later became a British and Pakistani citizen.

Salam shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics with Sheldon Glashow and Steven Weinberg for their contributions to the electroweak unification, which combines electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force into a single theory. This unified theory forms a crucial component of the Standard Model of particle physics.

Despite his notable scientific achievements, Abdus Salam faced challenges and discrimination in his home country due to his religious beliefs. He was an Ahmadi Muslim, a sect that has faced persecution in Pakistan. Salam worked internationally, particularly in Europe, and held positions at institutions such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).

Abdus Salam passed away on November 21, 1996, in Oxford, United Kingdom. While he is celebrated for his contributions to physics, his story also highlights the complexities and challenges faced by scientists working in diverse cultural and religious contexts.

 

29 January - Teresa Teng birth anniversary

 


Teresa Teng was a renowned Taiwanese singer. She was born on January 29, 1953, in Baozhong, Yunlin, Taiwan, and passed away on May 8, 1995. Teresa Teng was one of the most beloved and popular Mandarin-language singers in Asia during the late 20th century. Her sweet and emotive voice captured the hearts of millions of fans, and her music transcended national borders.

Teng's career spanned several decades, and she recorded songs in various languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Indonesian, and English. Some of her most famous songs include "The Moon Represents My Heart," "Sweet as Honey," and "I Only Care About You." Teresa Teng's music continues to be cherished by listeners around the world, and she is often remembered as an iconic figure in the history of Chinese pop music.