Today’s Motto: ‘To achieve satisfaction, discover a pursuit…..
.....that gives you a Sense of Meaning'
As Every Day makes a new beginning in life, it brings new opportunities, opens new avenues, to perform and make a mark, to write a Page in History Book !
This is Your Day-TODAY: Take a Determined Step Forward and Make History !
On this day, 17 Nov ….
1797 – The first patent in the U.S. for a clock was issued to Eli Terry of East Windsor, for an equation clock. The clock had two minute hands, one of which showed the mean or true time, while the other “together with the striking part and hour hand showed the apparent time, as divided by the sun according to the table of variation of the sun and clock for each day of the year.”
1820 – Antarctica discovered by Nathaniel B. Palmer, a seal hunter, whale and ship builder, on a small ship, the 
‘Hero’, a 47 foot sloop. Searching seals down south of Cape Horn, he discovered the Antarctic peninsula. Earier some larger ships has seen the island but not landed there (pic credit-Wikipedia). 1849 – The first bowler hat was sold by Lock & Co. of St. James’s, London, to William Coke for twelve shillings. He had placed an order intending for the hat to protect him from low-hanging branches when he was out shooting. On this day, he travelled to London to take deli
very, and tested it by putting it on the floor and stamping on it. It had been made for Lock & Co. by Thomas and William Bowler, felt hat makers on Southwark Bridge Road, London. This accounts for the name ‘Bowler’ by which the hat is now known, although Lock’s still refer to the style as a Coke after their first customer who bought it (pic credit-topicaltens.blogspot.com). 1853 – Street signs authorised at San Francisco intersections
1869 – The Suez Canal was opened. The canal in Egypt was opened with a ceremony attended by the French 
Empress Eugénie. The 100-mile long canal cuts across the Isthmus of Suez, thus linking the Mediterranean and the Red seas, and providing a direct transportation route for trade between Europe and Asia. Its construction was accomplished by the French engineer, Ferdinand de Lesseps.
1994 – North Eastern Council decides to include Sikkim in the Council. Sikkim became a protectorate of India in 1950 and an Indian state in 1975. Its small size notwithstanding, Sikkim is of great political and strategic importance for India because of its location along several international boundaries. Area 2,740 square miles
Born…. 1906 – Soichiro Honda, the Japanese engineer, race car driver and industrialist who founded the Honda Motor Company in 1948, for motor c
ycle and car manufacturing. His net worth in 1971 was $91.2 B and the company’s annual revenue in 2018 was $50..4 Billion.
1920 – Gemini Ganesan (Ramaswamy), known as Kaadhal Mannan (King of Romance) was a popular Tamil hero, born in Puddukotai state (in TN), and had a long 
filmy career from 1947 to 2004. He debuted with Miss Malini based on RK Narayan story and Chakradhari (Shri Krishna’s role) followed by about 200 films in the South and Bollywood. He married 4 times and had 4 daughters. (including iconic Bollywood actress Rekha). He was awarded Padma Shri, Filmfare Awards, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement awards and several state awards.
1982 – Yusuf Pathan, cricketer. Yusuf Pathan, aggressive Indian batsman and off-break bowler. Has not played any Test matches but played more in Ranji Trophy for Baroda. Also played 22 T20Is, 57 ODIs and also played in IPL format for Rajasthan Royals and KKR Kolkata. He retired from all formats in Feb. 2021.
RIP…. 1928 – Lala Lajpat Rai, Indian revoluyionary. prominent national freedom fighter. He played a pivotal role in the Indian Independence movement. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari. He was one third of the Lal Bal Pal triumvirate. He sustained serious injuries by the police when leading a non-violent protest against the Sim
on Commission and died less than three weeks later.
2012 – Bal Thackerey, cartoonist and belligerant and combative Marathi politician. He founded the Shiv Sena, a Hindu right-wing Marathi ethnocentric party active mainly in Maharashtra. He refused being apponted a Chief Minister when Shiv Sena- BJP was in majority, in 1995 and made Manohar Joshi, the Chief Minister. He supported the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and building of Ram Lala Mandir there. He also changed name of Bombay to Mumbai. His Uddhav Thackeray was Maharashtra CM for some years in coalition with BJP. Later deposed by party MLA making Eknath Shinde CM two years ago (June 2022).
2015 – Ashok Singhal, the President of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). Ashok Singha, an IIT Varanasi graduate of 1950, became an Indian Sanatan/Hindu activist and International working President of the Hindu organisation VHP for over 20 years and in charge of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Former RSS pracharak, who joinede RSS in 1942 to 1980 before being delegated to VHP. He protested against conversion of Dalits in Meenkshipuram in 1981 and helped build temples for Dalits to ameliorate their greviances.
You may have known…. As of 2025 data and projections India’s GDP is approximately $4.13-$4.19 trillion (or even higher) and it ranks as the 4th or 5th largest economy in the world by nominal GDP. {Compiled by Lt. Gen. (R) Raj Kadyan}
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