Today’s Motto: ‘Achievements have no limitations’

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

On this day,  May 27……….

1703 – Saint Petersburg in Russia was founded by ruler of Russian empire, Tsar Peter the Great.
1796 – The first U.S. patent for a piano was issued to James Sylvanus McLean of New Jersey.

1851 – The world’s first chess tournament is held in London.

1857 – Nana Sahib, one of the main leaders of Freedom Movement of 1857  was captured by British soldiers at Kanpur.

1890 – Two U.S. patents for the first jukebox were issued to Louis Glass and his business associate, William S. Arnold concerning a “coin actuated attachment for phonographs.” For a nickel a play, a patron could listen using one of four listening tubes. Known as “Nickel-in-the-Slot” the machine was an instant success, earning over $1000 in less than half a year.

1919 – Pyrex glass was issued a U.S. patent to inventors, Eugene C. Sullivan and William C. Taylor. Pyrex is the trademark for their sodium borosilicate glass.

1931 – Auguste Piccard and Charles Knipfer took man’s first trip into the stratosphere when they rode their balloon to an altitude of 51,800 feet.

1952 – The use of Hindi language in addition to English language and of Devnagri form of numerals in addition to the international form of Indian numerals was authorised for warrants of appointments of Governors of State, Judges of the Supreme Court and Judges of the High Court.

1964 – Gulzarilal Nanda, then Home Minister, was entrusted the responsibility as Acting Prime Minster of India on the death of PM Nehru.  He held this office till June 9, 1964. He is till date the only Acting Prime Minster of India and twice 

He worked  as  a Reseach Scholar in Allahabad University and became Professor later in  Bombay.  He   joined Non-Cooperation Movement  call by Gandhi ji. He was honoured with Bharat Ratna in 1997. (pic credit-aajsamaj.com).

1996 – A. B. Vajpayee, PM, seeks vote of confidence in his 13-day old govt.

1999 – IAF loses two fighter aircrafts in the Kargil area. Pakistan claims it has Flight Lieutenant Nachiketa in its custody.

2017 – In Bangalore, white puffy toxic foam begins spilling out of Varthur Lake onto city streets.

2019 – World’s rivers widely contaminated with antibiotics according to new global study of 711 sites.

2020 – Locust swarms in western and central India worst since 1993 after spreading from Pakistan and Iran and due to extreme weather.

Born….1957 – Nitin Jairam Gadkari, lawyer and politician from Nagpur. Known as Highway Man of India. He was first appointed Minister of Public  Works Deptt. in Maharashtra’s BJP-Shiv Sena govt.  Became President of Bhartiya Janata Party in 2009-2013.  Joined Union Govt. in 2014 as Minister of Road, Transport & Highways and transformed the highway structure of India,

1962 –Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri, cricketer  former Head Coach of Indian Cricket team and sports broadcaster. Came into limelight when he hit 6 sixes in an over in a Ranji Trophy match against Baroda in 1985-86 First Indian to do that (pic credit-ESPNCricInfo.com). 

RIP…. 1964 – Jawaharlal Nehru, lawyer, writer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of India. He also wrote a book on India ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’  during his stay in jail. He remained the  PM for  over 16 years,  until his death in 1964. (pic-the Author having lunch with PM Nehru on May 14, 1961)

1998 – Minoo Rustom Masani, co-founder of the Swatantra party. He was a journalist, two-time MP from Bombay (pic credit-theprint.in).

You may have known….1.  Harvard recommends  parents let their children pick their noses to expose them to good bacteria.   

2.  Water on the moon was discovered by India.In September 2009, India’s ISRO Chandrayaan- 1 using its Moon Mineralogy Mapper detected water on the moon for the first time.

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