Today’s Motto: ‘Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer’

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

On this day, 26Jan….

1905 – World’s largest diamond, the 3,106-carat Cullinan, is found in  Premier mine in Transvaal  (a British crown colony that later became part of South Africa). It weighed 3,106 carats, or about 1-1/3 pounds, and was named the Cullinan Diamond in honor of Sir Thomas Cullinan, owner of the mining company (pic credit-Pinterest). 

1930 – The Indian National Congress, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, proclaimed Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) at the Lahore session. This day was celebrated as India’s first “Independence Day” for 17 years until official freedom was achieved in 1947 (pic credit-nationalheraldindia.com).

1950 – The Constitution of India was adopted, replacing the Government of India Act (1935), and Dr. Rajendra Prasad took office as the first President of India. India became a Republic within the British Commonwealth, ceasing to be a British dominion.

1950 – Government of India accepted the National Emblem. It consisted of Head of Lion which is taken from Ashok piller situated near Sarnath. (The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation to the four quarters of the universe).

1950 – The inaugural Republic Day parade was held at Irwin Amphitheatre (now Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium) in New Delhi, featuring Indonesian President Sukarno as the first-ever Chief Guest.

1961 – Special stamps dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi in the Champion of Liberty series issued by the United States postal department.

1963 – The Peacock was officially declared the national bird of India by the government.

1965 – Hindi Language is accepted as National language of India.

1997 – Delhi becomes the first state in India to enforce a ban on smoking in all public places.

1997 – Government prohibits manual scavenging and construction of dry latrines in six states (AP, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tripura, West Bengal) and all UTs.

1997 – Mizoram becomes a Dry State, the fourth, after Gujarat, AP and Haryana.

2001 – An earthquake hits Gujarat, causing more than 20,000 deaths.

20 21 – Protesting farmers clashed with police in Delhi, storming the Red Fort. The Union govt. retracted three farm laws  on agricultural reforms after the long  protest outside Sindhu village (Delhi border)  on Chandigarh-Delhi highway.    (pic credit-apnews.com).

Born…. 1925 – Paul Newman. American actor, writer, producer and Race driver. His appeared in Road to Predition, Nobody’s Fool, The Verdict, The Sting,  the Sundance Kid, Cool, Hand Luke etc. He won an Academy, 3 Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and several otherawards (pic credit-essentialhomme.fr).

1927 – Air Chief Marshall Laxman Madhav Katre, former Air Chief between 1984-85.

1972 – Maria Goretti. Goan actress, VJ. Acted in Salaam Namaste, Jaana Hoga Kya, Jo  Jeeta Vohi Sikandar etc. She married  actor  Arshad Warsi.

RIP….  1979 – Nelson Rockefeller. Famous author, politician and traveller.  Vice President of America  between 1974-79. (pic credit-fity.club).

1992-  Bharat Bhushan, the legendary romantic film hero, scriptwriter and producer of the 1940-90s’s. His  evergreen films  acting and songs  ruled the  Bollywood cinema and  music world for over 5 decades.  His  memorables films are Baiju Bawara, Barsaat Ki Raat, Mirza Ghalib,  Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,  Gateway of India, Samrat Chandragupt, Phagun, Basant Bahaar, Shni Mahiwal,  Kavi Kalidas, Bhakt Kabir, Chhoti Chhoti Baaten, Bees Saal Baad, Quaidi etc.  over 30 films. He was awarded   Filomfare award in 1955 and several other nominations (video credit- YouTube.com)                                                                                                                                                                                     2012 – Kartar S  Duggal, popular story, novel,  drama playwiter in  Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, English.  He wrote about 500 short stories in 20 Collection volumes.  His popular  writings are  Dus Kahaniya, Taxi Driver, Whom to Tell My Tale, Philisophy and Faith of  Sikhism  etc. He was honoured with  Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award, Ghalib Award, Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Award, Bhai Mohan Singh Vaid Award etc.

You may have known…. In 2024 general elections in India, more than 968 million people out of a population of 1.4 billion people were eligible to vote, equivalent to 70 percent of the total population. 642 million voters participated in the election; 312 million of these were women, the highest ever participation by women voters.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         {Compiled by Lt. Gen. (R)  Raj Kadyan}