Today’s Motto: ‘Broken crayons can still color your dreams’

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

On this day, Feb.16………

600 – Pope Gregory the Great decrees saying “God bless You” is the correct response to a sneeze. Roughly a sneeze can travel 8 metres (27 feet) in Air. (pic credit-New Scientist)

1659 – 1st known cheque  for £400 (on display at Westminster Abbey).

1838 – Kentucky passes law permitting women to attend school under conditions.

1846 – Battle of Sobraon ends 1st Sikh War in India. (The Sikhs lost. Gulab Singh, the effective ruler of Jammu, negotiated terms for surrender. By the Treaty of Lahore, the Sikhs ceded the valuable agricultural lands of the Jullundur Doab {between the Sutlej and Chenab Rivers} to the East India Company and allowed a British Resident at Lahore with subordinates in other principal cities. These Residents and Agents would indirectly govern the Punjab, through Sikh Sardars. In addition, the Sikhs were to pay an indemnity of 1.2 million pounds. Since they could n ot readily find this sum, Gulab Singh was allowed to acquire Kashmir from the Punjab by paying 750,000 pounds to the East India Company).

1852 – Studebaker founded
1897 – Black American inventor P. Walker was issued a U.S. patent for his invention of a “Machine for Seeding Cotton”.

1937 – Dr. Wallace Carothers, who invented nylon, received a patent for the synthetic fibre.
1927 – Rail service started between India and Nepal.

1946 – The first commercial helicopter, the four-seat Sikorsky S51, single rotor helicopter had its maiden flight. The design established would be followed by others to this day. It could carry 3 passengers over 250 miles at a speed of 100 miles per hour.

1948 – The first U.S. newsreel telecast to be presented daily was the 20th Century-Fox Movietone News. The programme was sponsored by a tobacco company.

1953 – Diamond crystals, the size of grains of sand, were produced in Sweden in a high pressure press by subjecting graphite to 83,000 atmospheres pressure and about 2000°C for an hour. The idea was conceived by refrigerator inventor, Baltzar von Platen. The results of the experiment were not published as the equipment was unreliable and dangerous. Less than a year later, 16 Dec 1954, General Electric in the U.S. also produced man-made diamonds, which is recognised as the first process that was reproducible.

1969 – Mirza Ghalib centenary stamp released.

1994 – Military museum established at Ahmednagar.

1994 – The first successful operation on a foetus without surgically opening the woman’s body was announced by Dr. Ruben Quintero, US.

2019 – India’s new high-speed train the Vande Bharat Express breaks down on its first return trip on Delhi to Varanasi route (pic credit-The Week).

Born….

1920 – IS Johar, Bollywood comedian, producer, director. who made or appeared in films like Nastik, Johar Mehmood in Goa, Johar Mehnmood in Hong Kong, Johar in Kashmir,  Bewakoof, Johny Mera Naam etc.  He won Filmfare Award in 1971  and British Academy Film Award in 1959. (pic credit – Golden Era of Bollywood)

1978 – Wasim Jaffer, prolific India opening  batter. He’s the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy with over 11,000 runs. Also played 31 Test  matches (photo credit-X.com)

RIP….

1944 – Dadasaheb Phalke, remembered as the ‘Father of Indian Cinema’. He produced India’s first feature Film, ‘Raja Harishchandra’. He was Director, Producer, Writer, Editor & Laboratorian. In his career of 19 years, he made 95 full-length movies and 26 short movies. Dada Saheb Phalke Award issued by Government of India is given in his memory.

You may have known….
11% of world population eats with left hand.

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