Today’s Motto: ‘Nobody ever grows shorter by bending’

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

On this day, 10 Jul….

1040 – Lady Godiva rides naked on horseback to force her husband, the Earl of Mercia, to lower taxes.

1212 – The most severe of several early fires of London burns most of the city to the ground.  Also called  ‘the Great Fire of Suthwark’   believed to have killed  over 3,000 residents. Though anothoer fire in 1616 also killed more citizens.  These fires occured due to  most buildings had  extensive  woodwork in their houses. (rep. image credit-historic-uk.com).

1800 – The British Indian government establishes the Fort William College to promote Urdu, Hindi and other vernaculars of sub continent. The Fort was built by Vijayanagar rulers  in Madras Presidency state (nowTamil Nadu)  around 1566, but  the British  used it to establish a college on the premises.

1806 – The Vellore Mutiny   is the first instance of a mutiny by Indian Sepoys against the British East India Company. (The revolt was brief, lasting only one full day, but brutal as mutineers seized the Vellore Fort and killed or wounded 200 British troops. The mutiny was subdued by cavalry and artillery from Arcot. Summary executions of about 100 mutineers took place after the suppression of the outbreak, followed by the formal court-martial of smaller numbers).

1925 – Meher Baba begins his silence of 44 years. His followers still observe Silence Day by maintaining verbal silence for twenty-four hours on this date in commemoration.

1947 – Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is recommended as the first Governor General of  Pakistan by the then PM of United Kingdom, Clement Attlee. Jinnah belonged to a  converted Gujrati  family,  who  became  a leader  of All India  Muslim  League in 1913 and remained a hardline sunni  Muslim; fought for a  seprate Pakistan until 1947. Became  the Guv Genetral and remained so until his death in 1948.

1972 – Herd of stampeding elephants kills 24,  in Chandka Forest India.

1977 – The Planning Commission decides to introduce  rolling out the development Plans concept for India.

Born….  1940- Meghnad Desai, prominent Indian economist, born in Vadodara (Gujarat)  and  later settled in the U.K. and joined  Labour Party.  Was elected to the  House of Lords in England.  He was awarded Padma Shri by India in 1991.

1949 – Sunil Gavaskar, cricket player (opener, 10,122 Test runs).  Known as Little Master  (of willow)  during his cricketing career, he scored 2 centuryies in his debut series  in 1974 against West Indies  at George Town, Gyana in 3rd  Test (116 and 64).  He was India’s most  consistent opener  during 1970s to 1980s. First Indian batsman to cross 10 thousand runs with 34 centuries and 45 fifties in 125 Test matches. Having beaten Australian legend Don Bradman (29 centuries), Gavaskar appeared in Wisdon Amanac of Cricket and was awarded CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award.   He was honoured with Arjuna Award in 1975 and Padma Bhushan in  1980. (pic credit-cricketcountry.com)

1950 – Begum Parveen Sultana, an Indian Hindustani classical singer of the Patiala Gharana. Born in Assam, she also sang songs for  Bollrwood movies viz.,  Gadar, Kudrat, Do Boond Pani, and Pakeezah etc.,  She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014 by the Gov. of India and  Sangeet Natak Akademi Award  in 1998. (pic credit- Mvkulkarni23-Own work, CommonsWikimedia.org).    

1951 – Rajnath Singh, a veteran Indian politician  presently serving as the Defence Minister of India. He is the former President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He has previously served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and as a Cabinet Minister in the Vajpayee Government. (pic credit-Prakash Singh/AFP via Getty Images)   

1956 – Alok Nath, famous Indian film and TV  serial actor. Acted in Gandhi, Buniyad, Rishtey, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Sasrgoshiyan, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety etc. (pic credit-starsunfloded.com).

RIP…. 1927 – Sir Ganga Ram, a prominent  freedom fighter of Punjab,  great social reformer of early 20th century  and founder of Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi.
1994 – Ramrao Raghoba Rane, Paramveer Chakra awardee (PVC). It  was awarded to 2nd Lt.  Rane, an Engineers officer in 1948 during advance of Indian troops into Rajouri, thwarting Pakistan  attack  on Jammu & Kashmir,  in an effort to break away the state from India. POK (a large area of the state was  annexed by Pak during the incursion.  PM Nehru went to UNO for mediation, which never happened and the area is still  under their control).

Titbits…. 1923- 2-pound hailstones kill 23 & many cattle in Rostov, Russia.

You may have known….  India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India’s wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake.

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