Today’s Motto: ‘Best Way to Live is – Be Yourself’

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

On this day, 13 Nov ….

1855 – A proposal for a tunnel under the English Channel was reported in the New York Daily Times. (The construction of the 50.5 km tunnel finall started in 1988 and it was finally opened on 6 May 1994).

1909 – Gandhiji left England for South Africa and wrote ”Hind Swaraj” on board S.S. Kildonan Castle.

1952 – False fingernails 1st sold.

2014 – Representatives for the Islamic State announce that the group will begin minting its own currency in order to remove itself from the world financial system, which it considers ‘satanic’.

2014 – Rohit Sharma sets a new record of 264 runs off 173 balls against Sri Lanka in an ODI innings in cricket.

2017 – First Barbie doll to wear a hijab, modelled on Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad unveiled in New York.

Born…. 1780 – Maharaja Ranjit Singh,  Called  “Lion of Punjab”. Ranjit Singh was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire with Lahore as capital, after  Sikh  generals had  been fighting among themselves  and establishing own Misals  (12 small riyasats-confedracies) in the northwest Indian subcontinent, after Guru Gabind Singh had diede in 1708 and ordained Guru Granth Sahib as  the Living Guru for future.  Ranjit Singh conquered  and  ruled  large areas of North India from 1801 until his death in 1839. His empire spread from Kabul in Afghanistan,  Indus Valley, Lahore,  Peshawar, Kashmir Valley, Amritsar and   He minted  Nanak Shahi coins,  built and renovated several Gurudwaras, Mandirs and some masjids in his  kingdom.  He had lost one eye to smallpox in childhood but he didn’t allow this to impair his bravery, battles and administration.                                                   He had 20 wives through marriages, ruling alliances or  chadar andaz,  and had 8 sons prominent among them were Kharak Singh and Dalip Singh.

1935 – P Susheela, popular singer of Southern film industry who  was  a called Evergreen Nightingale and recognised by Guinness Book of World Records for most songs over 6 decades. .She  won 5  National  Film awards having sung  over 50,000  songs and Bhajan in 13 languages including  Sanskrit, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu. She was honoured  with Padma  Bhushan, several state  awards  and  a Filmfare Lifetime award.

1967 – Juhi Chawla,  Bollywood actor. She has acted in Punjabi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannad and Malayalam films like   QSQT,  Raam Jaane, Darr, Ishq, Yes Boss,  Duplicate, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani,  Bhoothnath and Ham Hsi Rahi Pyaar Ke etc.  Awarded   2  Filmfare and 8 nominations, and several  cinema awards.  She also owns  IPL franchise KKR alongwith actor Shahrukh Khan.actor.

1980 –  Harman Baweja,  model and Bollywood actor/producer. Known for films like Love Story 2050, Victory, Diskyaoon, Vicky Kartoos, It’s My Life, Runaway, Aitraaz and some NetFlix series. He has won a Filmfare and StarDust awards. (pic credit-Getty Images) 

You may have known…. 1. India has 2 aircraft carriers: Vikramaditya and Vikrant; Pakistan has none. This gives India a significant advantage in terms of air power projection at sea. China now has three aircraft carriers in service and is capable of maintaining a continuous carrier presence at sea. And there have been reports of satellite images which suggest construction has already begun on China’s fourth carrier.  

2.  Twenty percent of office coffee mugs contain fecal matter. (Research from the Department of Soil, Water, and

 Environmental Science at the University of Arizona suggests that the mugs we keep on our desks are absolutely filthy – and giving them a quick wash in the office kitchen isn’t doing much)                                                             {Compiled by Lt. Gen. (R)  Raj Kadyan}