Today’s Motto: ‘Life is at its best when we are moving into headwinds’

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

On this day, 12 Mar….
1481 – Muhammad Shah III of the Bahmani Empire sacked the temple city of Kanchipuram, looting significant treasures.

1755 – A steam engine was first reportedly  used in America, at a copper mine.

1789 – U.S. Post Office established in Port Perry.

1841 – The first U.S. patent for starch processing was granted to Orlando Jones of Middlesex, England. Previously it was extrated from corn. That shifted to rice. Corn starch is now used in deodorants, to heal diaper rash, and to thicken gravy.

1894 -The first bottles of Coca-Cola were sold.                                                                                       1923 – The Phonofilm, the first motion picture with a sound-on-film track was demonstrated. Dancers and musicians were shown on the film with music, but without voice dialogue. Though it is claimed that  Dr.   Lee De Forest of USA also demonstrated a sound film in 1919 (pic credit-historyoffilm.net)

1930 – Start of the Dandi March: Mahatma Gandhi began his historic 24-day, 240-mile trek from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to the coastal village of Dandi. Accompanied initially by 78 followers, the march was a non-violent protest against the British, protesting the Salt Tax.

1943 –  Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose unfurled the National Flag  in Andeman  in the Gulf of Bengal after the  British troops vacated the islands.                                                                  1954 – The Government of India founded the Sahitya Akademi, the national academy of letters, to promote Indian literature and languages.

1967 – Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister of India for the second time after winning the General Elections.

1992 – India and the US decide to hold joint naval exercises in the Indian ocean.

1993 – A series of 12 coordinated bomb explosions rocked Mumbai, resulting in over 250 deaths and more than 700 injuries. It remains one of the deadliest terror attacks in Indian history. Bombay’s underworld  don  Dawood Kaskar Ibrahim and his  gang  members were found to be involved in the massacre of innocents. Dawood and most of his accomplices  fled out of India (to Dubai and Pakistan).

2018 – Tens of thousands of farmers from Maharashtra end protests over loan waivers, prices and land rights after promises from state officials and walking 167 km to Mumbai.

2021 – Researchers say world has likely reached ‘peak twin’ with more twin births than ever before – 1.6 million twins born per year (1 in 42).

Born…. 1913 – Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan, he served as the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Union Finmance Minister in 1970  and the fifth Deputy Prime Minister of India  for over 5 months in the  PM  Chaudhary  Charan  Singh govt,                1946 – Liza Minnelli, American singer/actress. Popular American dancer, pop  singer and film actor. She had very terrific voice and impressive stage  personality. Known for roles in Cabaret, Off-Broadway, The Tonght Show, Cover Girl, The Guys and Dolls, The King and I, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly!  etc.  She won an Oscar, a BAFTA, two Golden Globe, an Emmy and 4 Tony awards.                                                                                                                                            1983 – Aditya Dhar, film director, screenwriter, producer and lyricist. He has directed the film Uri: The Surgical Strike which became the fourth highest grossing Indian film of the year. His second directorial spy action-thriller Dhurandhar is the highest grossing A-rated Indian film of all time. He also directed Tezz, Dhoom Dhaam, Immortal Ashwathama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure etc.  He is married to popular film actress Yami Gautam. Aditya has won a National Film award,  Filmfare, Jagran Film Festival award,  IIFA,, Zee Cine  awards each.  (pic credit-bollywoodlife.com).

1984 – Shreya Ghoshal, a versatile Tollywood  and Bollywood singer. Also known as the Queen of Dynamics,  she has sung in 14 languages and in varied tones. She has won the  Sare Ga Ma Pa award,  4 National Film,  7 Filmfare, 10 Filmfare South, 4 Kerala, 2 Tamil Nadu, an IIFA, Zee Cine and House of Commons music honour in the United Kingdom and some US musical awards.

RIP….   1872- Sher Ali Afridi.  Indian Freedomfighter who killed 4th Viceroy of India  Lord Mayo, while inspecting  the armed company in Anmdeman Nicobar Islands.  Afridi was serving Kala Pani tern in jail  there.

1929 – American army veteran and  Coke manufacturer John “Doc” Pemberton.,  who expanded the marketing of the Coca-Cola soft drink created (1886). He was also a pharmacist.

You may have known….                                                                                                        In India 20-39% population are vegetarian and 9% are vegans (2021 figures). The vegans are those who abstain from using any animal product including  honey, dairy products, fish or sea=food,   wool, leather etc.

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