King George V Death Anniversary

 

George V, who passed away on 20 January 1936, was the was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death.

George's reign saw the rise of socialism, communism, fascism, Irish republicanism, and the Indian independence movement, all of which radically changed the political landscape of the British Empire, which itself reached its territorial peak by the beginning of the 1920s.

Karam Singh Death Anniversary

Karam Singh, PVC, MM, who passed away on 20 January 1993, an Indian soldier, was a recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), India's highest award for gallantry. Singh joined the army in 1941, and took part in the Burma Campaign of World War II, receiving the Military Medal for his actions during the Battle of the Admin Box in 1944. He also fought in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, and was awarded the PVC for his role in saving a forward post at Richhmar Gali, south of Tithwal. He was also one of the five soldiers chosen to raise the Indian flag for the first time after independence in 1947. Singh later rose to the rank of subedar, and was conferred the rank of honorary captain before his retirement in September 1969.

Abdul Ghaffar Khan Death Anniversary

 

Abdul Ghaffār Khān, who passed away on 20 January 1988, was a Pashtun independence activist who worked to end the rule of the British Raj in India. He was a political and spiritual leader known for his nonviolent opposition; he was a lifelong pacifist and devout Muslim. A close friend of Mohandas Gandhi, Bacha Khan was nicknamed the "Frontier Gandhi" in British India by his close associate Amir Chand Bombwal. Bacha Khan founded the Khudai Khidmatgar ("Servants of God") movement in 1929. Its success triggered a harsh crackdown by the British Raj against him and his supporters, and they suffered some of the most severe repression of the Indian independence movement.

Thakkar Bappa Death Anniversary

Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar, also known as Thakkar Bapa, who passed away on 20 January 1951, was an Indian social worker who worked for upliftment of tribal people in Gujarat state in India.

Since his younger days, Thakkar Bapa was involved in activities that would free the marginalized communities of social evils. He founded a school for the children of sweepers and implemented a scheme for making them debt-free. In 1915, Thakkar Bapa was introduced to Gandhiji, who convinced him to join the Indian Independence Movement. He was arrested by the British government for leading a group of volunteers who were participating in the picketing of liquor shops. He also played a crucial role during the negotiations of the Poona Pact. At Gandhiji’s request, he became one of the General Secretaries of the Harijan Sevak Sang, an organization founded by Gandhiji that focused on the rights of the marginalized sections of society. In 1918, Thakkar Bapa played a crucial role in presenting the Compulsory Primary Education Bill to the Bombay Legislative Council. 

Thakkar Bapa authored the book, Tribes of India, published in 1950. He spent his entire life working towards the upliftment of the marginalized. On 29 November 1929, Sardar Patel presented him with a Commemoration Volume. In 1969, the Government of India issued a commemorative stamp in his honour.

 

Jagdish Chandra Bose Birth Anniversary

 

Jagdish Chandra Jain, born on 20 January 1909, was a scholar, indologist, educationist, writer, and freedom fighter during the freedom struggle of India. He authored over 80 books on a variety of subjects, including Jain philosophy, Prakrit literature, and Hindi textbooks for children. Jain was the chief prosecution witness in Gandhi's murder trial. He repeatedly tried to warn the government of the conspiracy to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi, which became known to him after Madan Lal Pahwa, a Punjabi refugee and one of the conspirators of the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, confided to him of their plan. Jain's attempts to warn the government met deaf ears. He recounted his personal experiences in two books: I Could Not Save Bapu and The Forgotten Mahatma.

Penguin Awareness Day

 

Penguin Awareness Day is observed annually on January 20. There are 18 penguin species, 13 of which have declining populations. Five of these species are endangered and face extinction. There are only about 5,000 of the rarest species, the yellow-eyed penguin.

The word "penguin" first appeared in print in 1500s, and was originally applied to a black and white seabird called an auk that is now extinct. Some believe the name comes from the Welsh words "pen" and "gwyn" that mean "head" and "white". Penguins are non-flying birds that are native to the Southern Hemisphere. They are found in Antarctica, South America, South Africa Australia and New Zealand, and on small islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The northernmost penguins are Galapagos penguins, which fittingly live on the Galapagos Islands, which are near the equator. The birds cross into the Northern Hemisphere while swimming to feed.