Today’s Motto: ‘Every person who learns to love, must also risk hatred’

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

On this day, 22 Oct….

1764 – Battle of Buxar (Buxar is a “small fortified town” located on the bank of the Ganges river. It was fought between the forces under the command of the British East India Company and the combined army of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal King Shah Alam II. British victory was a decisive victory for the East India Company).

1947 – There were bound to be difficulties in consolidating the loosely federated Indian provinces, princely states, etc. into one homogeneous whole state. It was completed with astute pragmatism  of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, who convinced over 600 states to  forgive their status and join  Greater  India  (Bharatvarsh).

Kashmir, after initial dithering, acceded to India voluntarily and by popular consent. Pakistani tribesmen with the support of the Pakistani government invaded Kashmir.

1963 – Bakhra-Nangal Dam, a multipurpose river valley project, was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Sir Chhotu Ram was the main person who conceptualised the project and worked with the Raja of Bilaspur, the town was completely relocated  to pave way for Govind Sagar  lake coming up there. Statrted in 1955, it was completed in 1963 after some hiccups on funding.

1983 – The Union government reduces the upper age limit for the Civil Services Examination from 28 years to 26 years.

2008 – India launches its first unmanned lunar mission Chandrayaan-1.  Lanched by ISRO on Oct. 22, 2008 it orbitted  around the Moon at distances 100-200 km, until Agust 2009. It had  instruments from India, USA, UK, Germany, Sweden  and Bugaria, conducting research on lunar surface and movements.

Born…. 1873 – Swami Ram Tirath, great social reformer and poet. Born in urliwala village in Gujranwala distt. (now Pakistan). He was a teacher of Hindu philosophy, Krishna life and Advait Vedanta,  left his wife and studied spiritualism  in the Himalayas. also travelled to Japan, China,  America and Europe to spread his message of humanity.

1931 – Brigadier Bhawani Singh of Jaipur, a shooting legend,  Maharaja Swai Bhawani Singh in 1971 Indo-Pak war for liberation of Bangladesh, was honored with Mahavir Chakra,  later became an entrepreneur and   politician.  His daughter Diya Kumari is a Minister in Rajasthan Govt. (pic credit-Shruti Dixit, HerZindagi).

1937 – Kader Khan, noted Bollywood, scriptwriter. comedy actor,  producer. Born in Afghanistan, he taight civil engineerig in Mumbai before  joning fillm industry,  and  acted in about 300 films like Daag, Undertrial, Deshdrohi, Tevar, Ungli, Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge etc. He was honored with Padam Shri, 3 Filmfare and several other awards. He died in Missisuaga, Canada  while gettig treatment for breathlessness.

1988 – Parineeti Chopra, Bollywood actor. Sister of popular heroine Priyanka Chopra. Has acted in Unchaai, Ishqzade, Tiranga, Saina, Mission Raniganj etc. She married AAP Rajya Sabha Member Raghav Chadha  in 2023.  Has won 1 Filmfare, Zee Cine, IIFA and several other awards.

RIP....1933 – Vithalbhai Patel, great freedom fighter, social worker, lawyer, politician, President of Central  Legislative  Assembly in 1924 and later became its President. He was the elder  brother  of Sadar Patel.

1998 –  Ajit alias Hamid Ali Khan, veteran Hindi film actor. Coming from Pashtoon ancestors in Kandhaar,  Kabul and  sttled in Hyderabad, his father was a driver of  Nizam Mir Osman Ali.   Known for many supporting actor or villain  roles in films like Naya Daur, Awara, Badal,  Beqasoor,  Zanjeer, Sharif Badmash, Nastik, Razia Sultan, Mangal Pandey, Kallicharan, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Tower House, Shikari, Kabli Khan etc. (mentioned yesterday also by error).

You may have known…. India’s National Family Health Survey-5 reported that 6.8% of women aged 15-19 years were pregnant or had already given birth during the 2019-2021 survey period. More recently, official government data indicates fluctuations in reported cases, with the number of reported pregnancies decreasing from 13,198 in 2022-23 to 8,631 in 2023-24. (Globally, approximately 11% of all births are to teenage mothers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   {Compiled by Lt. Gen. (R)  Raj Kadyan}