Today’s Motto: ‘Courage isn’t having the strength to go on…….

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

On this day, 19 Aug ….

1600 – Akbar captured Ahmednagar. (On the fall of Ahmadnagar the emperor Akbar conferred the government of the country on Khwaja Beg Mirza Safawi (pic credit-www.whatshot.in).

1960 – Sputnik 5 was launched, carrying two dogs named Belka (Squirrel) and Strelka (Little Arrow), along with 40 mice, 2 rats and a variety of plants, beginning a safe round trip into Space, after which they became the first living organisms to return from space. After a day in orbit, the spaceship’s retrorocket was fired and the landing capsule returned to Earth on 20 Aug 1960.

1919 – Afghanistan declares independence from U.K following Anglo-Afghan Treaty.

1944 – Last Japanese troops driven out of India. (The Battle of Imphal took place from March until July 1944. The defeat at Kohima and Imphal was the largest defeat to that date in Japanese history).

1991 – Gennadi Yanayev & KGB coup in Russia depose Mikhail Gorbachev.

Born…. 1916 – Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, former President of India.

1946 – William Jefferson Clinton, known as Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of United States between 1993-2001 known for peacetime economic  reforms. He was the 2nd president of the US to be impeached in 1998 for being sexually involved with an office intern  Monicka Lewinsky. (but aquited by the Senate next year)

1950 – Sudha Murthy. Indian writer,  educationist, philanthropist spouse of InfoSys promotor NR Narayan Murthy. Chairperson of InfoSys Foundation. She has been awarded Padma Shri and Raja Lakshmi award. Nominated Member of Rajya Sabha in 2024.

RIP…. 1977 – Groucho Marx,  (Julius Henery)  was an American   comedian, writer, director. He set up Marx Brothers, film company with his brothers and produced popular films Duck Soup, Night at the Opera A, Verbal Humour and Quiz Show etc. (pic credit-inckredible.com)

You may have known…. The divorce rate in India is relatively low compared to many other countries, with estimates hovering around 1%. However, this low rate may be misleading due to social stigma surrounding divorce, particularly in rural areas. While the overall rate is low, divorce rates are increasing, particularly in urban areas and among the younger generation, due to factors like changing societal norms, increased financial independence of women, and a growing acceptance of divorce as an option for unhappy couples.                                      {Compiled by Lt. Gen. (R)  Raj Kadyan}