Today’s Motto: ‘Guilt is like a stray cat, it keeps coming back’

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

On this day, 11 Apr….
(National Safe Motherhood Day,  is aimed to enforce that women must have the availability and adequate access to care during pregnancy,  childbirth and post-natal services).

1751 – Ebenezer Kinnersley advertised in the Pennsylvania Gazette that he was to give a lecture on “The Newly Discovered Electrical Fire.” Thus, Kinnersley is considered as among  the earliest popularizers of Science.

1814 – Napoleon abdicates unconditionally; he is exiled to Italian islands, Elba. But he gathered support and returned to the mainland after 10 months for a short rule again for 100 days before the English  dethroned him.

1930 – Lakshman Jhula  Rishikesh,  was open to the public  by  Sir Malcolm Haley C.C.I.E. K.C.S.I. Governor of the United Provinces .  It is a suspension bridge across the river Ganges. It is a well-known tourist spot has rich mythology attached to it. The bridge has a legendary significance which says Lord Lakshmana, crossed the Ganga using just two jute ropes. In memory of this historic feat, a  450 ft. x 6 ft  bridge about  59 feet above water level in Summer,  a hanging rope bridge was built.  It has been closed since 2020.

1942 – All-India Congress party leading the freedom movement , rejects British offer of dominion status at New Delhi.

1952 – Parkinson’s disease was successfully treated with surgery for the first time.

1952 – Treaty between France and India, transferring the former French settlement of Chandranagar to India, is ratified by the National Assembly, Paris. It was the last formal step in completing the process of Sovereignty. It is a small town in Hoogly distt. of West Bengal.

1964 – Communist Party of India was divided in two parts. Firstly known as Communist Party of India [CPI], its second fragmentation was named as Communist Party of India (Marxist)  called [CPI(M)]. This division was the result of   ideological differences at the international  Communist movement. CPI (M) in India was led by EMS Namboodripad becoming the Kerala Chief Minister. Later West Bengal and Tripura  had CPI(M) governments for many years.

1984 – Chinese troops invade Vietnam.  Also called the Battle of Laoshan, it started 5 years after Russia had supported  Vietnam and  brokered  a peace in  1979. (China under Deng  Xiaoping) supported the rebel Khmer Rouge in  Kampuchea near  Laoshan  hills. Peace returned to the area  in 1991,  after China retreated to its territory and Vietnam  promised  no interference  in Cambodia and  Thailand regions..

1993 – Tamil Nadu and Karnataka decide to form a joint task force to nab the poacher,  Sandal smuggler and decoit  Veerappan (Koose Munisamy) and announces a reward of Rs. 40 lakh for his capture.  He had killed about 184 policemen and forest staff in the jungles of  two states. He abducted the  popular Kannada actor Rajkumar on June 30,  2,000, was released after 108 days against an alleged  ransom amount of Rs. 20 crores.  He was ultimately killed  in joint operation on  Oct. 18, 2004 (pic credit-animalia-life.club).

1997 – Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s 11-month-old Coalition government fell after being routed in a Vote of Confidence, raising the prospect of the second General Elections (Lok Sabha) within a year. Leader of Janta Dal (S), he had been the state Chief Minister earlier (1994-96). He is now a Rajya Sabha Member since 2000.

Born….  1869 – Kasturba Gandhi, political activist. She married Mohandas Gandhi in 1883. In association with her husband and sons, she was involved in the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India. She also accompanied MK Gandhi to  Durban, South Africa and participated in  his fights for Rights of Non-whites. She had four sons namely Hiralal, Manilal, Devdas and  Ramdas Gandhi.

1887 – Jamini Roy. Famous Indian painter. Known for his absrtact style, rural-folk  paintings,  wall painitngs etc. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1954.

1904 – K. L. Saigal, singer and actor. He was considered the first superstar of the Hindi film industry, which was centred in Kolkata during Saigal’s time. Saigal’s unique voice quality which was a mixture of baritone and soft tenor was the benchmark for most of the singers who followed him. In fact, it remains the gold standard even today shining through very early and practically primitive recording technology.

1927 – Jyotirao Govindrao Phule, social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer and writer. His work extended to many fields, including the eradication of untouchability and the caste system and for his efforts in educating women and exploited  lower caste people. His wife Savitribai Phule was also a prominent  social activist.

1937 – Ramnath Krishnan, top Indian Tennis  player, of 1950s-70s,  who  reached  Wimbledon  semi-finals  twice. He was ranked No. 3 in Potter’s rankings, as no  offical  professional rakings had  started in those  days. His  son  Ramesh  Krishnanan  won the  Wimbledon Singles  and  Paris  Jouniors  in 1979.

1955 – Rohini Hattangadi,  veteran actress, known for her work in Marathi-language and Hindi films, television and theatre and Bollywood  playing  Kasturba Gandhi’s role in  the Richard Attenbrough’s film Gandhi. She also played some very  emotional and popular roles in Saransh, Agneepath,  Arth, Party,  Damini, Ghatak etc. She won 2 National Film awards, one  Filmfare award and a  BFJA award  for Supporting roles.  A student of National School of Drama, Delhi, she debutedcin 19 with Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastan and acted in several TV serials.

You may have known….  India’s LIFELINE EXPRESS    (Jeevan Rakha Express) is  the World’s First  Hospital -Train ! (Established in 1991, the train has travelled the length and breadth of the country, bringing medical aid and relief to the most far-flung and inaccessible areas).

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