World Introvert Day

 

January 2 marks World Introvert Day, a special day that allows introverts to recharge following a week of get-togethers and holiday cheer post New Year's Day.

You may not immediately notice them in the room, but they could be the ones who captivate you with their magnificent storytelling skills. Introverts, with their rich inner world, are known to be thinkers, reflective, self-aware, good communicators, but re-charge their batteries in their own company.

World Introvert Day was created by German psychologist Felicitas Heyne who frequently wrote on introversion. He felt introverts deserved a quiet day after the marathon of holiday and celebrations that started with Thanksgiving/Christmas and ended on the New Year's Day. The Day could help them recharge and prepare themselves for the days ahead.

Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln, were among world renowned introverts.

Isaac Asimov Birth Anniversary

Isaac Asimov, born on 2 January 1920, was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. A prolific writer, he wrote or edited more than 500 books. He also wrote an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. Best known for his hard science fiction, Asimov also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as much non-fiction.

Isaac Asimov is best known for the Foundation series and robot stories. The Foundation series were written between 1942 and 1949 and were collected as the Foundation trilogy: Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952), and Second Foundation (1953). 

Western feast day for Saint Basil

Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great, who passed away on 1 or 2 January 379), was a bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). While the Western feast day for Saint Basil is celebrated on 2 January, the Eastern feast day is on January 1.

Saint Basil the Great was an influential theologian who supported the Nicene Creed and opposed the heresies of the early Christian church, fighting against both Arianism and the followers of Apollinaris of Laodicea. His ability to balance his theological convictions with his political connections made Basil a powerful advocate for the Nicene position.

The people affectionately nicknamed Saint Basil, "The Bee," because he stung the church's enemies ... yet nourished his flock with the sweet honey of his teaching. 

One of Saint Basil the Great's miracles was rendering a manuscript totally illegible. He was able to ruin all but one reading in this manuscript during his lifetime, and he obliterated the last stubborn reading as his first posthumous miracle.  

The sound of your voice has gone throughout the lands and your teachings have been received.
You have divinely explained the nature of being and have given a rule of life for man.
Through your kindly priesthood Father Basil, intercede with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved.

— Hymn to St. Basil

Mahatma Gandhi left the Tolstoy Farm in 1913

 

On 2 January 1913, Mahatma Gandhi left the Tolstoy Farm in Transvaal, South Africa.

Tolstoy Farm was an ashram initiated and organized by Mohandas Gandhi during his South African movement. At its creation in 1910 the ashram served as the headquarters of the campaign of satyagraha against discrimination against Indians in Transvaal, where it was located. The ashram, Gandhi's second in South Africa (the first was Phoenix Farm, Natal, in 1904) was named after Russian writer and philosopher Leo Tolstoy, whose 1894 book, The Kingdom of God Is Within You, greatly influenced Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence

Some members of Tolstoy Farm in 1910, Gandhi is in the middle, second row fifth from the right

Purandara Dasa Death Anniversary

Purandara Dasa, who passed away on 2 January 1565, was a  composer, singer and Haridasa philosopher  from present-day Karnataka, India. He was a follower of Madhvacharya's Dvaita philosophy. 

Purandara Dasa is considered to be the father of Carnatic Music, as he formalized the music system which was a blend of various traditions of South India and the musical science as explained in the Vedas. He devised a system of teaching Carnatic music in graded lessons.

According to a legend, he is considered as an incarnation of Narada. 

Hare Krushna Mahtab Death Anniversary

 

Harekrushna Mahatab, passed away on 2 January 1987, was the leader of the Indian National Congress, a notable figure in the Indian independence movement and the Chief Minister of Odisha from 1946 to 1950 and again from 1956 to 1961. He was popularly known by the sobriquet "Utkal Keshari". 

Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai Birth Anniversary

Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai, born on 2 January 1878, was an Indian social reformer and freedom fighter from the south-western state of Kerala. He is recognised as the founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS), which claims to represent the Nair community that constitutes 12.10% (From KMS 2011) of the population of the state. Padmanabhan is considered as a visionary reformer who organised the Nair community under the NSS.

He was honoured with the title Bharata Kesari by the President of India. He also received Padma Bhushan in 1966.  

K.M. Mathew Birth Anniversary

  

K. M. Mathew, born on 2 January 1917, was an Indian newspaper editor who served as the  editor-in-chief of the Malayalam-language daily, Malayala Manorama. 

In 1998, Mathew was awarded the Padma Bhushan. He has received many other awards including Foundation of Information Award (1991), National Citizen's award (1992), Ramkrishna Jay Dayal award (1995), Durga Prasad Chaudhary award (1996), Press Academy Award (1997) and B D Goenka Award (1996). 

India Established its Highest Civilian Awards in 1954

On 2 January 1954, India established its highest civilian awards, the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan.

Bharat Ratna

The Bharat Ratna, is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted in 2 January 1954, the award is conferred "in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the government expanded the criteria to include "any field of human endeavour" in December 2011. The recommendations for the Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President, with a maximum of three nominees being awarded per year. Recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a peepal-leaf–shaped medallion; there is no monetary grant associated with the award. Bharat Ratna recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.

The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C. Rajagopalachari, philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and scientist C. V. Raman, who were honoured in 1954.

Padma Vibhushan

The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service". All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards. However, government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these Awards.

Padma Vibhushan medal suspended by a ribbon

The first recipients of the award were Satyendra Nath Bose, Nand Lal Bose, Zakir Husain, Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and V.K. Krishna Menon, who were honoured in 1954. 

 

Third Druk of Gyalpo of Bhutan - Jigme Dorji Wangchuck