Today’s Motto: ‘Our hurts are a measure both of our follies and our accomplishments’

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

On this day, 13 Apr….

This day is celebrated as Baisakhi, the day when 10th Guru  Gobind Singh ji  raised Khalsa Panth in 1699, to protect Hindus, Women, Weak and Poor citizens, who were suffering from Mughal tyranny.   It’s also a day to begin Harvesting of Crops by farmers across India. It is also celebrated as the beginning of Hindu New Year by different names as Bohag Bihu in Assam, Pana Sankranti in Odisha,, Poila Baisakh in Bengal, Bihar,  Ugadi in Maharashtra, Central India and Karnataka,  Vishu in Kerala, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry  etc.1919 – Jallianwala Baug Massacre. The great Indian tragedy occured in Amritsar which claimed 389 lives and wounded 1,516 activitists fighting for Indian independence. Early in 1919, the Rowlatt Act (Black Act) was passed. This authorised the Government to imprison any person without any trial and conviction in a court of law. This furious act was under the guidence of cruel Brigedier General R. E. H. Dyer and his 50 men troop. Michael O’ Dwyer was then the Governor of Punjab who naturally defended the action. This day is observed as Jallianwala Baug Day.

1796 – The first elephant taken to the U.S. from Bengal. I was described thus: “It eats thirty pounds of rice besides hay and straw – drinks all kinds of wine and spiritous liquors, and eats every kind of vegetable; it will also draw a cork from a bottle in its trunk.”

1928 – 1st Trans Atlantic  solo flight in Europe-by Charles Lindbergh.

1933 – 1st flight over Mount Everest by Lord Clydesdale.

1948 – Bhuvaneshwar became the capital of Orissa.

1970 – An explosion during the Apollo 13 mission led to one of the most spectacular rescue missions in US space history. The explosion aboard the Odyssey spacecraft left the crew stranded for four days more than 200,000 miles from Earth. An oxygen leak forced the Apollo 13 astronauts to abandon ship and return in lunar module. Against all odds, the three astronauts and thousands of others brought the capsule safely back to Earth (pic credit-animalia-life-club).

2012 – Indian actor Shahrukh Khan is detained by the U.S. at a New York airport for 90 minutes, angering S. M. Krishna, India’s External Affairs Minister. He was also asked to unrob and remove shoes etc. for security frisking.

2019 – World’s largest plane by wingspan at 117m, the Stratolaunch, built as a flying launch pad for satellites, takes its first flight from Mojave, California.

Born….1890 – Ramchandra Gopal Torne (Dadasaheb), film director.  He was the first Indian Director and Producer to make a feature film in India; that film was named Shree Pundalik. Although Torne made his first film, Shree pundalik in 1912 just under a year before Dhundiraj Govind “Dadasaheb” Phalke made his, it is the latter who is regarded as the father of Indian cinema. The distinction may lie with the fact that, unlike Phalke, Torne sent his film overseas for processing. Moreover, Torne’s Pundalik was 22 minutes long, whereas Phalke’s Raja Harischandra, ran for about 40 minutes). Torne produced many films like Prithvivallabh, Sati Ka Shaap, Sham Sunder etc. and introduced famous cine personalities C Ramachandra, Vishram Bedekar, Mehboob Khan etc. His film reels were stolen by his colleague and taken to Pakistan 1947 leading to his first heart attack.

1940 – Dr. Najma Heptulla, a famous woman politician with a gentle, and influential personality. She is one of the few women politicians in Indian politics, who have made a place for themselves on the strength of their ability. Najma Heptulla has been the oldest and only Muslim woman member of Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet.

RIP….1963 – Babu Gulabrai, a famous litterateur, essayist and satirist. He always gave importance to simple literature, so that the Hindi language could reach the masses. He has extensively used pure language and refined Khadi Boli in his creations.

1972 – Balraj Sahani, famous film actor, who was known for his roles in Do Bigha Zamin, Kabuliwala, Waqt,  Chhoti Behan, Dharti Ke Laal,  Seema, Ek Phool Do Mali, Garam Hawa, Lajwanti, Kathputli, Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar,  etc. He also wrote on social issues in Punjabi, did scriptwriting for film Baazi of Guru Dutt. He was awarded Padma Shri and Soviet Land Nehru award.

1982 – Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal, Chief Minister of Bihar. He is remembered in history as a hero, especially a great icon of the backward classes, because of the recommendations made as the chairman of the Second Backward Classes Commission.

1999 – D. Sripada Rao, former Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, is shot dead by People’s War Group naxalites near Annaram village in Karimnagar district.

You may have known…. Indian Military Bases Outside India: India maintains a  few  strategic military presence beyond its borders, primarily focused on the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Instead of traditional large bases, India’s footprints consist  mainly of listening posts, radar installations, and logistics access agreements. Notable locations include the Farkhor Air Base in Tajikistan, as well as facilities in Mauritius (Agalega), Seychelles (Assumption Island), and Oman.

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