Today’s Motto: ‘To make a change, live your beliefs’

On this day, 13 Sep ….

1826 – The first rhinoceros was exhibited in the U.S. An advertisement described, “its body and limbs are covered with a skin so hard and impervious that he fears neither the claws of the tiger nor the proboscis of the elephant. It will even resist the force of a musket ball.”

1833 – The first imported shipment of ice arrived in Calcutta, from Boston, U.S. in the specially insulated hold of the Clipper Tuscany. The ice, in 2 – 3 cu. ft. blocks, had been cut from local lakes in winter. During the over four month voyage, about 80 tons was lost, but in the Indian unit of weight, the amount that arrived was about 3,000 maund. It was priced at four annas per seer. India became a profitable export market for Tudor for over two decades (pic credit-flicker.com).

1899 – The first American automobile fatality resulted when Henry H. Bliss was run over as he alighted from a streetcar in New York City and stepped into the path of an approaching horseless carriage.

1906 – 1st airplane flight in Europe.

1922 – 136.4 °F (58 °C), the world’s highest shade temperature was—purportedly—recorded at the African village of Al Aziziyah, about 25 miles south of Tripoli, Libya. Although for 90 years the iconic record remained accepted, in Jan 2012, after scrutiny of the original data logs, the World Meteorological Organization decided it was, in fact, clearly invalid. (The accepted record is now 134 ºF (56.7 ºC) on 10 Jul 1913 at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California)

1970 – IBM announces System 370 computer.

1971 – World Hockey Association formed.

1992 – Indian Union government decides to form a National Human Rights Commission.

1993 – Oslo Accords was signed.

2000 – Indian Central Government withdraws the ban on use of non-iodised salt despite protests from the medical community and several state governments.

2023 – North Korea’s Kim Jong-un meets with Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny space centre, eastern Russia in suspected arms deal.

Born….  1904 – Syed Muztaba Ali, popular  Bengali poet, writer, jouyrnalist, traveller and descendant of a Sufi Peer. He wrote books like Deshe Bideshe etc. He moved to Dhaka after formation of Bangladesh and died there in 1974.

1946 – Usha Nadkarni, Marathi and Bollywood actress  best known for her role in Pavitra Rishta. Vaastav, Sanamas etc. She won 2 Zee Gold awards ansd some Marathi film awards.

1962 – Malkiat Singh, Hussainpur (near  Nakodar) born  and England settled  Punjabi folk singer, Bhangra dancer. He is known for  songs Gud Nalon Ishq Mittha, Tootak Tootak Tootiyan, Kurri Garam Jaayi, Vekh Li Vilaiyat,  Chal Hun and Jind  Maahi etc. He was awarded MBE honoured by Queen of England  in 2008 and other awards (pic credit-www.sbs.com.au).  

1973 – Mahima Chaudhry, Darjeeling born  Bollywood model,  actress. She debuted with film Pardes in 1997 and won Filmfare award as best  performing debutant. She also acted in Dharkan, Lajja, Dobara, Daa g, Kurukshetra, Dil Kya Kare, The Fire,  Pyar  Koi  Khel Nahin, Om Jai Jagdeesh and Sauten etc. She also won Zee Cine, Sensui and Bollywood Movie awards. She campained for BJP in 2024 in Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

RIP….  1984 – Swami Brahmanand. He established Brahmanand Inter College (1938), Brahmanand Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya (1943) and Brahmanand Mahavidyalaya  in 1960 (pic credit-theStoryIndia.com).

1997 – India lays  Mother Teresa to rest  in state funeral in Calcutta in which pomp and splendour is com bined with religious rites.

You may have known….  As of 2010,  Only a limited number of Indian cities had achieved continuous (24×7) water supply, with examples including Puri, Jamshedpur, Thiruvananthapuram and Navi Mumbai having some areas with this service as of recent years, alongside pilot projects in places like Hubli-Dharwad. The situation is improving with various government initiatives and pilot programmes.

{Compiled by Lt. Gen. (R)  Raj Kadyan}