Today’s Motto: ‘It is never a prudent idea to give up a……

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

On this day, 27 Jun….

1954 – The world’s first atomic power station began producing electricity in Obninsk, U.S.S.R., a small town 60 miles south of Moscow.

1955 – 1st automobile seat belt legislation enacted (Illinois, US).

1964 – Teen Murti Bhavan, which had been the official residence of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India  until his death  on May 27, 1964,  It was converted into the Nehru Memorial Museum. The Building was built on 30 acre  land  by the British in 1930, as the residence of Commander-in-Chief of the British Army. Teen Murti Bhavan name given due to a statue of Three Soldiers’  Memorial  is called  the Haifa  Square,  opposite the main building.  Three Sodiers represented Indian army  units from Mysore,  Jodhpur, Hyderabad,  participating in WW-I, under  Major Dalpat Sigh Shekhawat, winning Haifa War (in Israel) on Sept. 23, 1918,  but  was martyred in the conflict (pics credit-wickipedia.com).

1967 – First Indian modified  AVRO aircraft passenger Plane HS748 handed over to Indian Airlines.

1978 – The first pen with truly erasable ink, the Gillette Eraser Mate, was invented.

2000 – The Clinton administration rejects a demand by 21 U.S. Congressmen for declaring India a terrorist state in the wake of attacks on Christian priests and churches.

2008 – Bill Gates steps down as Chairman of Microsoft Corporation to work full time for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

2018 – French government introduces plan to bring back national service for 16 year-olds.

Born…. 1939 – RD Burman (Pancham Da), very talented composer, singer and actor son of legendary  composer/singer Sachin Dev Burman. He gave several evergreen  singing and music compositions (331) including  1942 Love Story, Yadon Ki Barat, Life of Pi, and amny more. He married legendary singer asha Bhonsle (2nd marriage, -1980-1994). He won 3 Filmfare and 16 nominations.

1964 – PT Usha, India’s  veteran  athlete, who won several athletic Asian Games (4 Golds), Commonwealth and  World Athletic  medals (31) in 100m, 200m, Long Jump and High jump  but missed Olympic Medal by 1/100th of a  second in Los Angeles Olympics 1994. She is a  Member of Rajya Sabha and President of Indian Olympic Association since 2022. Also popular as Golden Girl and Piyyoli Express.

1838 – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee), famous Indian novelist, “the father of modern Indian fiction” and writer of national song ‘Vande Mataram’.  Many of his novels were  made into films like Anand Math,  Devi Chaudhurani etc.

RIP….

1839 – Maharaja Ranjit Singh,  most  warrior Sikh  ruler of Punjab who won Kashmir, Afghsanistan, Multan, Peshawar,  Parts of Tibet,  erstwhile Punjab  with capital at Lahore (1801-39). During those days Sikhs were divided into several smaller Misls (Riyasats), whom he gathered and established a powerful  Kingdom at Lahore.  He faught against the English army and several smaller rulers of Sikh misls. He rebuilt and  renovated  Harmandir Sahib,  Takht Sri Patna Sahib, Huzur Sahib in Nanded (Maharashtra) as also revived Khalsa Army. He had lost his one eye in the childhood due to smallpox but he  didn’t allow this handicap to subside his valour.

2008 – Field Marshal Sam HFJ Manekshaw, former Indian Army Chief.  Also called ‘Sam Bahadur’, as belonged to 8th Gorkha Regiment of Indian army, was the Army Chief, winning Bangladesh War in 1971. He was the first to be  promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. He was also decorated with Padma Vibhushan, Burma Star, World  War -II Medal (1939-41),  Military Cross and several othert honours for gallantry.

You may have known…. India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grand mother of tradition- legendary writer, traveller  Mark Twain.

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