Today’s Motto: ‘Accept your Past without Regret, Face Your Present with Confidence and Future without Fear’

This is Your Day-TODAY: Take a Determined Step Forward and Make History !  

On this day, 12 Nov ….

1781 – Nagapatnam of South India was captured by the British troops.

1929 – Commander Richard E. Byrd, American aviator, polar explorer  made the first flight over the South Pole (pic credit-westarctica.wiki.

1969 – Indira Gandhi, who was expelled from Congress for indiscipline during President elections, made a large split and formed her own Congress Party with Jagjivan Ram as President. The party was recognised as Congress (I), where ‘I’ stands for Indira.  Other faction of Congress Party comprising of Old party leaders was branded as Syndicate or Congress (O). With defeat of  Indira Gandhi in 1977,  Congress (I) was merged back into main party.

1984 – Rajiv Gandhi elected Congress (I) President.

1990 – Uttar Pradesh Government raises the reservation for Backward Classes in direct recruitment to State Services from 15 to 27 per cent.

2009 – The ‘Incredible India’ campaign of the Central Government to promote tourism in India was awarded the World Travel Award.

Born…. 1896 – Salim (Moizuddin Abdul) Ali, Indian ornithologist, the Birdman of India, who championed conservation of India’s biological diversity.  He conducted systematic survey of Birds in India, Migratory Birds, their arrival and departure   schedules. He write several books on Ornitholgy, a bird is named after him-Zoothera Salimali (The Himalayan  Forest Thrust). He helped establish Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and save Silent Valley National Park in Kerala. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1976.

1940 – Amjad Khan alias Gabbar Singh (named after his  iconic role in Sholay-1975),  was a Bollywood film actor, son of veteran character  actor Jayant. He acted in about 132 films debuting with  film Nazneen as a child actor in 1951 and followed up with  Ab Dilli Door Nahin, Hindustan Ki Kassam and blockbuster Sholay, Shatranj Ke Khiladi (by Satyajit Ray on story  by legendary novelist  Munshi Premchand -1977),  Nastik, Des Pardes, Satte Pe Satta, Chambal Ki Kassam, Ganga Ki Saugandh, Ham Kissi Sev Kam Nahin, Naseeb, Yarana, Laavaris, Qurbani, Love Story, Chameli Ki Shaadi etc. He won 4 Filmfare awards and 4 nominations apart from other film accolades and rankings.

RIP…. 1946 – Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, an Indian educationist and politician notable for his role in the Indian independence movement and as the two time president of Indian National Congress. He was co-founder of Benaras Hindu University in 1916,  Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha, founded English daily  The Leader and  edited Hindustan newspaper in Karanataka 1887and later helped revive The Hidustan Times alongwith industrialist  GD Birla. He chairman of Trust from 1924 – 1946. He was also a delegate to Round Table Conference in 1931, was elected Congress Prersident 3 times but later resigned from the party due to difference with Gandhi, Nehru and others for supporting Poona Pact, which was also called Communal Award. Malviya ji was honoured with Bharat Ratna in Dec. 2014.

1959 – Keshavrao Marutirao Jedhe, great leader of Harijans and farmers. He was a freedom fighter during  independence movement and a wealthy Maratha  politician from Pune. He served as a leading figure in the Indian National Congress,  the Samyukta Maharashtra movement and later Jyotirao Phule movement for  helping under-previllaged sections and  Satyashodhak Samaj. He was close to Dr. BR Ambedkar, Bhaurao Patil, Khanderao and Madhavrao Bagal and led movement against Brahmin dominance, even in Ganapthi Puja samities.

Titbits…. 1910- 1st Movie stunt: man jumps into Hudson river from a burning balloon.

You may have known…. India has a total military aircraft fleet strength of approximately 2,229 aircraft. Pakistan has a total military aircraft fleet strength of approximately 1,399 aircraft.                                                                                                                                                                                            {Compiled by Lt. Gen. (R)  Raj Kadyan}