World Meteorological Day

 

Observed annually on March 23, World Meteorological Day, commemorates the establishment of the World Meteorological Day (WMO) in 1950. This day recognises the vital contributions of meteorologists and underscores the importance of global collaboration in weather, climate, and water management. It also highlights WMO’s efforts in advancing weather forecasting and tackling climate challenges worldwide.

World Meteorological Day: History

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) was founded in March 1950 and became a specialised agency of the United Nations in 1951. This marked a new era of global cooperation in meteorology, hydrology and related sciences.

The idea for the WMO began in the mid-1930s as the importance of weather forecasting and climate studies grew. However, progress was delayed due to World War II. After the war, efforts to establish the organisation gained momentum which led to its formation.

The WMO focuses on standardising meteorological practices, supporting research and addressing global weather challenges. Today, it has 193 members which includes 187 member states and 6 territories, each managing its meteorological services. The first World Meteorological Day was celebrated on March 23, 1961.

World Meteorological Day: Significance

World Meteorological Day is an important day that draws attention to the challenges our planet faces in terms of weather, climate and water resources. It helps raise awareness about how these elements impact our daily lives and highlights the progress made in meteorology and climate science.

 

 

In 1890, Malayala Manorama newspaper founded

Malayala Manorama, one of India's oldest and most widely read newspapers, was founded by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai and began publication March 22, 1890.  It was established in Kottayam, Kerala, as a weekly initially, with a mission to bring "sunshine" to Malayalee homes. The newspaper is a staple in Kerala.

Kushal Konwar's Birth Anniversary

Kushal Konwar was a “Satyagrahi”, born on 21 March 1905, in Chaodang Chariali, Ghiladhari Mouza, Golaghat, Assam, India. During the last stages of the Quit India Movement in 1942–1943, he was the only martyr in India’s war for Independence to be hanged.

World Storytelling Day

Every year on March 20, World Storytelling Day celebrates the art of oral storytelling. It’s also a day for people around the globe to listen and tell stories in as many languages as possible.

Each year World Storytelling Day has a theme around which the storytellers tell their stories. The storytellers are free to choose their stories, but most of them try to connect to the theme. 

History of World Storytelling Day: World Storytelling Day started out as a national day for storytelling in Sweden around 1991. The day was called 'Alla berättares dag,' which translates to All Storytellers Day.

In 1997, storytellers in Australia coordinated a five-week long celebration of story. The day became known as the International Day of Oral Narrators. Around this time, Mexico and other Latin American countries were celebrating their own National Day of Storytellers. In 2002, Scandinavians created their own storytelling web-network called Ratatosk.

The new network helped the national day for storytelling spread from Sweden to Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Estonia. In 2003, the idea continued to spread to other countries including Canada. The event became known as World Storytelling Day. Today, storytelling events occur on every continent except Antarctica.

Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal's Birth Anniversary

 

Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal, born on 19 March 1919, popularly known as D. K. Pattammal or DKP, was an Indian Carnatic musician and a playback singer for film songs in Tamil. Pattammal, along with her contemporaries M.S. Subbulakshmi and M.L. Vasanthakumari, are popularly referred to as the female trinity of Carnatic Music. This trio initiated the entry of women into mainstream Carnatic Music. She has been appreciated all over the world by Carnatic music lovers.

Ludwig Guttman's Death Anniversary

Sir Ludwig Guttmann CBE FRS who passed away on 18 March 1980, aged 80, in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, was a German-British neurologist who established the Stoke Mandeville Games, the sporting event for people with disabilities (PWD) that evolved in England into the Paralympic Games. A Jewish doctor who fled Nazi Germany just before the start of the Second World War, Guttmann was a founding father of organized physical activities for people with disabilities.

In 1866, Allahabad High Court established

 

Allahabad High Court, officially known as High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, is the high court based in the city of Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad, that had jurisdiction over the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was established on 17 March 1866, making it one of the oldest high courts to be established in India. It has two active High court Seats - the Principal Seat in Allahabad and Bench in Lucknow.

In 1973, current London Bridge officially opened

 

On March 16, 1973, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the current London Bridge, a prestressed concrete box girder structure. The bridge, replacing a 19th-century predecessor that was sold and moved to Arizona, was constructed between 1967 and 1972 while traffic continued, and it serves as a key crossing connecting the City of London with Southwark. 

Key Facts About the March 16 Opening:

• Official Opening: Queen Elizabeth II opened the new bridge on March 16, 1973.
• The Bridge's Design: The current, present-day London Bridge is a concrete and steel box girder bridge designed by Lord Holford and engineered by Mott, Hay and Anderson.
• The Predecessor: The previous 1831 London Bridge was sold for £1 million, dismantled, and rebuilt in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
• Bridge Maintenance: The bridge is maintained by Bridge House Estates, a charitable body. 

The date holds significance as the inauguration of the modern structure that commuters use today, which spans approximately 269 meters over the Thames. 

In 1950, The Planning Commission of India was established

The Planning Commission of India, established on March 15, 1950, played a pivotal role in shaping India's economic trajectory through its Five-Year Plans, with the first plan launched in 1951. While there isn't a single famous commemorative stamp dedicated solely to the institution of the Planning Commission itself, the themes it promoted—industry, agriculture, and development—are strongly represented in Indian philately from that era. 

 

Constitution Day in Andorra

 

Observed in the Principality of Andorra on March 14 annually, Constitution Day is a public holiday that commemorates the constitutional referendum held on this day in Andorra on March 14, 1993. The first Constitution of Andorra was approved by 74.2% of voters in the country on this date and became the country’s first constitution.

This constitution contained 107 articles and included a universal declaration of human rights. Under this constitution, all people in Andorra are equal under the law, and it forbids not only torture and other cruel forms of punishment but also the death penalty as well.

in 1913, Mumbai GPO completes its construction

The Mumbai General Post Office (GPO) has a historic connection to 13 March, as the construction of its iconic heritage building was completed on 13 March 1913. 

Key Facts About the Building

• Architectural Significance: Designed by British architect John Begg in 1902, the structure is a masterpiece of Indo-Saracenic architecture.
• Design Inspiration: It is modelled after the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, Karnataka, and features the second-largest dome in India.
• Construction: Work began on 1 September 1904 and took over eight years to complete at a total cost of ₹1,809,000.
• Materials: The exterior prominently uses black basalt with dressings of yellow Kurla stone and white stones from Dhrangdra.

 

William Henry Bragg's Death Anniversary

William Henry Bragg, who passed away on 12 March 1942, in London, United Kingdom, aged 79,was a British physicist. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, Bragg spent 23 years teaching at the University of Adelaide in Australia, before returning to the University of Leeds in 1909.  There, working with his son William Lawrence, he invented the X-ray spectrometer in 1912, which allowed them to measure the wavelengths of X-rays. X-rays had only been discovered in 1895, and scientists were not entirely sure that they were electromagnetic waves like light and radio waves. The Braggs showed that they are, and that if you bounce X-rays off solid crystals at very slight angles, then the waves are reflected at different angles, depending on their wavelength, which one could now measure. 

The pioneer British scientist in solid-state physics was a joint winner (with his son Sir Lawrence Bragg) of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915 for his research on the determination of crystal structures. The Braggs remain the only father-son Nobel Laureates.  He was knighted in 1920.

Sir Alexander Fleming's Death Anniversary

 

Sir Alexander Fleming, who passed away on 11 March 1955, aged 73, in London, England, was a Scottish physician and microbiologist. He shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain "for the discovery of penicillin and its curative effect in various infectious diseases”. This was the first antibiotic substance discovered. His discovery in 1928 of what was later named benzylpenicillin (or penicillin G) from the mould Penicillium rubens has been described as the "single greatest victory ever achieved over disease".

He also discovered the enzyme lysozyme from his nasal discharge in1922, and along with it a bacterium he named Micrococcus lysodeikticus, later renamed Micrococcus luteus. Fleming was knighted for his scientific achievements in 1944. In 1999, he was named in Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Important People of the 20^th century. In 2002, he was included in the BBC’s television poll of the 100 Greatest Britons, and in 2009, he was also voted third “greatest Scot” in an opinion poll conducted by STV, behind only Robert Burns and William Wallace.

 

Kusumāgraj's Death Anniversary

Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar, popularly known by his pen name, Kusumāgraj, who passed away on 10 March 1999, aged 87, in Shirwade Wani, Nashik, Maharashtra, India, was a Marathi poet, playwright, novelist and short story writer, who wrote of freedom, justice and emancipation of the deprived.

In a career spanning five decades starting in India's pre-independence era, he wrote 16 volumes of poems, three novels, eight volumes of short stories, seven volumes of essays, 18 plays and six one-act plays. His works like the Vishakha (1942), a collection of lyrics, inspired a generation into the Indian freedom movement, and is today considered one of the masterpieces of Indian literature.

He was the recipient of the 1974 Sahitya Akademi Award in Marathi for Natsamrat, Padma Bhushan (1991) and the Jnanapith Award in 1987.

He also served as the President of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held in Margao in 1964.

Amerigo Vespucci's Birth Anniversary

Amerigo Vespucci, born on 9 March 1454, in Florence, Italy, was an Italian merchant, explorer, and navigator from the Republic of Florence, from whose name the term "America" is derived. Between 1497 and 1504, Vespucci participated in at least two voyages of the Age of Discovery, first on behalf of Spain and then for Portugal.

in 1618, Third Law of Planetary Motion discovered

On March 8, 1618, Johannes Kepler discovered his Third Law of Planetary Motion, often called the Law of Harmonies. 

This breakthrough provided the mathematical link between a planet's distance from the Sun and the time it takes to complete an orbit. Kepler famously described the moment as an "epiphany" after nearly a decade of gruelling calculations.

Govind Ballabh Pant's Death Anniversary

Govind Ballabh Pant, who passed away on 7 March 1961, aged 73, in New Delhi, was an Indian independence activist and politician who was the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Alongside Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel, Pant was a key figure in the Indian independence movement and later a pivotal figure in the Indian government. He was one of the foremost political leaders of Uttar Pradesh (then known as United Provinces) and a key player in the successful movement to establish Hindi as the official language of Indian Union.

Today, several Indian hospitals, educational institutions and foundations bear his name. Pant received India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1957.

National Frozen Food Day (United States)

 

National Frozen Food Day is observed annually on March 6th to celebrate the convenience, innovation, and nutritional value of frozen foods. Established by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, the day honours the development of modern freezing techniques. It is a day to highlight how frozen foods help reduce food waste and provide easy, healthy meal options. 

 

Biju Patnaik's Birth Anniversary

 

Bijayananda Patnaik, commonly known as Biju Patnaik, born in Cuttack on 5 March 1916, was an Indian politician, aeronautical engineer, navigator, industrialist, pilot and freedom fighter. He served as the 3rd Chief Minister of the State of Odisha from 1990 to 1995 and from 1961 to 1963.

National Grammar Day (United States)

National Grammar Day is observed annually on March 4 to promote proper English usage in writing and speech, encouraging people to "March forth" (march 4th) with better language skills. Established in 2008 by Martha Brockenbrough and the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG), it is a day to celebrate effective communication and correct common mistakes. 

Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata's Birth Anniversary

 

Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, born on 3 March 1839, was an Indian pioneer industrialist who founded the Tata Group, India's biggest conglomerate company. Named the greatest philanthropist of the century by several polls and ranking lists, he also established the city of Jamshedpur. Jamshedji Tata is regarded as the legendary "Father of Indian Industry". He was so influential in the world of industry that Jawaharlal Nehru referred to Tata as a One-Man Planning Commission. "When you have to give the lead in action, in ideas – a lead which does not fit in with the very climate of opinion – that is true courage, physical or mental or spiritual, call it what you like, and it is this type of courage and vision that Jamshedji Tata showed. It is right that we should honour his memory and remember him as one of the big founders of modern India." —Jawaharlal Nehru. Tata, who in his early life was a merchant, went on to change the business world of India through his many ventures within the cotton and pig iron industry, and is known as one of the most important builders of the modern Indian economy. Out of his many achievements, Tata is particularly notable for the Tata Iron and Steel Works company in Jamshedpur. Tata was ranked first in the "Hurun Philanthropists of the Century" (2021) by total donations of nearly $102.4 billion with the start of his key endowments way back in 1892.

Concorde's maiden flight in 1969

 

Concorde's maiden flight occurred on March 2, 1969, marking the first time the iconic supersonic airliner took to the skies. The flight was a collaborative triumph of the Anglo-French partnership between the United Kingdom and France. 

Key Details of the First Flight

• Location: The flight took off from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France.
• Aircraft: The prototype used was Concorde 001 (registration F-WTSS).
• Pilot: It was commanded by French chief test pilot André Turcat.
• Duration: The flight lasted approximately 27 to 28 minutes.
• Performance: During this initial test, the aircraft reached an altitude of 10,000 feet but did not exceed 300 mph (well below its eventual supersonic cruising speed).
• Famous Quote: Upon landing, Turcat famously remarked, "Finally the big bird flies, and I can say now that it flies pretty well".

Edward Herbert Land's Death Anniversary

 

Edwin Herbert Land, who passed away on 1 March 1991, aged 81, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., was an American scientist and inventor, best known as the co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation. He invented inexpensive filters for polarizing light, a practical system of in-camera instant photography, and the retinex theory of color vision, among other things. His Polaroid instant camera went on sale in late 1948 and made it possible for a picture to be taken and developed in 60 seconds or less.

Land received the President Medal of Freedom in 1963, the IRI Medal in 1965, the Perkin Medal in 1974, the Harold Pender Award in1979, and the National Medal of Technology in 1988. He was also renowned outside of his home country, being a member of England's Royal Photographic Society, Royal Institution, and Royal Society (receiving Fellowship of the latter). 

Foundation Day of Auroville

 

February 28 marks the Foundation Day of Auroville, an experimental international township in South India dedicated to human unity. 

Historical Significance

• Inauguration (1968): Auroville was founded on February 28, 1968, by Mirra Alfassa (known as "The Mother").
• Soil Ceremony: During the ceremony, representatives from 124 nations and all Indian states placed soil from their homelands into a marble-clad urn, which remains at the centre of the Amphitheatre today.

World Protein Day

 

World Protein Day is celebrated on February 27th every year. It is a worldwide celebration to mark the importance of protein in our diet for good health. This day aims to promote the significant role of protein for kids and adults alike. It raises awareness about protein and protein deficiency while serving as a reminder of vital nutrients needed for growth, development, and energy.

Date – World Protein Day

The world observes World Protein Day on February 27 every year. Over the years, this day has become a global event. In India as well, National Protein Day is celebrated on the same day to officially spread awareness about the benefits of protein in daily diets.

History & Origin of World Protein Day

Who Initiated World Protein Day and Why?

The world protein day was introduced by the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) to create awareness about protein intake and solve the issue of protein deficiency. The objective is to promote the inclusion of protein-rich foods in daily meals, ensuring better health and nutrition for all.

How the Day Aims to Create Awareness About Protein Deficiency

To raise awareness about protein deficiency, the USSEC launched the ‘Right To Protein’ initiative, encouraging individuals, businesses, and industries to come together and address the rising demand for protein while offering solutions to combat deficiency.

Significance of International Protein Day

International Protein Day plays a crucial role in educating people about the importance of protein consumption. This macronutrient is a building block of the body as it benefits muscle growth, bone health, immunity, tissues, hormones and enzymes, making it vital for overall health.

Moreover, a protein rich diet is a solution to numerous health challenges. Therefore, it should be consumed regularly by kids as well as adults.

 

 

 

Tell A Fairy Tale Day

Tell a Fairy Tale Day is celebrated on February 26 every year, and just by the sound of it, it conjures a feel-good effect. It is a spectacular occasion to bring out the child in us and have a happy day while escaping from the monsters and evils of the world. When we were children, we were introduced and exposed to fairy tales. It usually is our happy time, mostly before bedtime, when we are excited to hear these stories. The fairy tales depict enchanting folkloric characters like fairies, goblins, trolls, witches, talking animals, and inanimate objects that move, of heroes and villains engaged in plots relatable to real life, and happy endings.

Let's All Eat Right Day

 

Celebrated every February 25th, Let’s All Eat Right Day this day is all about giving your body the fuel it deserves and reflecting on your nutritional habits. 

The date honours the birthday of Adelle Davis (born 1904), a pioneering nutritionist who famously advocated for whole foods and vitamins long before they were mainstream. She is the one who coined the legendary advice: "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper". 

 

Laxmikanta Mohapatra's Death Anniversary

Laxmikanta Mohapatra, who passed away on 24 February 1953, aged 64 years, in Bhadrak,was an Indian Odia poet, writer, performance artist, and freedom fighter. He authored more than ten published works. Mohapatra was a prominent campaigner in the Odisha State Unification Movement and an active member of the Utkala Sammilani. 

Pinocchio Day

 

Pinocchio Day is celebrated on February 23 every year. The day marks the anniversary of the release of the Disney film of the same name in 1940. Disney’s “Pinocchio” went on to become a global sensation due to its familiarity as a folk tale in Europe. It was based on the 1883 Italian book “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlo Collodi. Pinocchio followed up as the studio’s second animated feature-length film after “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The film follows a puppet named Pinocchio in his attempt to become a human boy.

Amerigo Vespucci's Death Anniversary

 

Amerigo Vespucci, who passed away on 22 February 1512, was an Italian merchant, explorer, and navigator from the Republic of Florence, from whose name the term "America" is derived. Between 1497 and 1504, Vespucci participated in at least two voyages of the Age of Discovery, first on behalf of Spain and then for Portugal.

 

Kittur Chennamma's Death Anniversary

 

Kittur Chennamma, who passed away on 21 February 1829, was an Indian revolutionary, freedom fighter and Rani of the Kittur, a former princely state in Karnataka. She led an armed force against the British East India Company in 1824 in defiance of the doctrine of lapse in an attempt to maintain Indian control over the region, but was defeated in the third war and died imprisoned. The one of the first female rulers to rebel against British rule, she has become a folk hero in Karnataka and symbol of the independence movement in India.

Frederick Douglass' Death Anniversary

 

Frederick Douglass, who passed away on 20 February 1895, was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, becoming famous for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. Accordingly, he was described by abolitionists in his time as a living counterexample to slaveholders' arguments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens. Northerners at the time found it hard to believe that such a great orator had once been a slave. It was in response to this disbelief that Douglass wrote his first autobiography.

Nicolaus Copernicus' Birth Anniversary

Nicolaus Copernicus, born on 19 February 1473, was a Renaissance-era mathematician and astronomer, who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at the center of the universe, in all likelihood independently of Aristarchus of Samos, who had formulated such a model some eighteen centuries earlier.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Birth Anniversary

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, born on 18 February 1946, was the supreme personality of Godhead and the chief proponent of the Achintya Bheda Abheda Vedanta school and the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism.

Rani Gaidinliu's Death Anniversary

Rani Gaidinliu, who passed away on 17 February 1993, was a Naga spiritual and political leader who led a revolt against British rule in India. At the age of 13, she joined the Heraka religious movement of her cousin Haipou Jadonang. The movement later turned into a political movement seeking to drive out the British from Manipur and the surrounding Naga areas. Within the Heraka faith, she came to be considered an incarnation of the Goddess Cherachamdinliu. Gaidinliu was arrested in 1932 at the age of 16, and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the British rulers. Jawaharlal Nehru met her at Shillong Jail in 1937, and promised to pursue her release. Nehru gave her the title of "Rani" ("Queen"), and she gained local popularity as Rani Gaidinliu.

Dinesh Nandini Dalmia's Birth Anniversary

 

Dinesh Nandini Dalmia, born on 16 February 1928, was an Indian poet, short story writer and novelist of Hindi literature. She was the fifth wife of Ramkrishna Dalmia, founder of the Dalmia Group, and three of his four previous wives were still alive and married to him when she became his fifth wife. Nevertheless, she positioned herself in opposition to gender discrimination and purdah system, and published poems, prose poems, short stories and novels on the theme of women's emancipation. Shabnam, Niraash Aasha, Mujhe Maaf Kama and Yeh Bhi Jhooth Hai are some of her notable works. The Government of India awarded her the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 2006, for her contributions to literature.

Galileo Galilei's Birth Anniversary

 

Galileo Galilei, born on 15 February 1564, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath, from Pisa. Galileo has been called the "father of observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics", the "father of the scientific method", and the "father of modern science".

Damodaram Sanjivayya's Birth Anniversary

 

Damodaram Sanjivayya, born on 14 February 1921, was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, India from 11 January 1960 to 12 March 1962. Sanjivayya was the first Dalit Chief Minister of an Indian state. He wrote a book on Labour problems and industrial development in India, in 1970 published by Oxford and IBH Pub. Co., New Delhi. He introduced pension system for widows, elderly people, he established Lalitha kala academy in Andhra pradesh, he was the youngest chief minister ever in India, he introduced the office of Anticorruption Bureau {ACB}, he completed the irrigation projects like Gajuladinne in Kurnool dist., Vamsadhara, Pulichintala and varadarajula swamy project near Atmakur in Kurnool dist.

Chuck Yeager's Birth Anniversary

 

Chuck Yeager, born on 13 February 1923, was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight.

Yeager enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1941, shortly after graduating from high school, and was assigned to the Army Air Corps. He was commissioned a reserve flight officer in 1943 and became a pilot in the fighter command of the Eighth Air Force stationed in England. He flew 64 missions over Europe during World War II, shot down 13 German aircraft, and was himself shot down over France (he escaped capture with the help of the French underground). After the war he became a flight instructor and then a test pilot, securing a regular commission as a captain in 1947.

Yeager was chosen from several volunteers to test-fly the secret experimental X-1 aircraft, built by the Bell Aircraft Company to test the capabilities of the human pilot and a fixed-wing aircraft against the severe aerodynamic stresses of sonic flight. On October 14, 1947, over Rogers Dry Lake in southern California, he rode the X-1, attached to a B-29 mother ship, to an altitude of 25,000 feet (7,600 metres). The X-1 then rocketed separately to 40,000 feet (12,000 metres), and Yeager became the first man to break the sound barrier, which was approximately 662 miles (1,066 km) per hour at that altitude. The feat was not announced publicly until June 1948. Yeager continued to make test flights, and on December 12, 1953, he established a world speed record of 1,650 miles (2,660 km) per hour in an X-1A rocket plane.

In 1954 Yeager left his post as assistant chief of test-flight operations at Edwards Air Force Base in California to join the staff of the Twelfth Air Force in West Germany.

Following other routine assignments, he returned to Edwards in 1962 as commandant of the Aerospace Research Pilot School with the rank of colonel. In 1968 he took command of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing. He retired from the air force with the rank of brigadier general in 1975. His autobiography, Yeager, was published in 1985.

Charles Darwin's Birth Anniversary

 

Charles Darwin, born on 12 February 1809, was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. His proposition that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors is now widely accepted, and considered a foundational concept in science. In a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace, he introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history, and he was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey.

Deendayal Upadhyaya's Death Anniversary

 

Deendayal Upadhyaya, who passed away on 11 February 1968, was an Indian politician and thinker of RSS ideology, and former leader of the political party Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of Bharatiya Janata Party. He became president of the Jana Sangh in December 1967. He died in mysterious circumstances; his body was found on 11 February 1968 on a railway track near Mughalsarai Junction railway station. The railway station was later renamed in his honour in 2018, 50 years after his death.

International Cribbage Day

International Cribbage Day is celebrated annually on February 10. This date was chosen to honour the birthday of Sir John Suckling (born February 10, 1609), the English poet and gambler credited with inventing the game in the early 17th century.

T. Balasaraswati's Death Anniversary

T. Balasaraswati, who passed away on 9 February 1984, was a celebrated Indian dancer, and singer in the Karnatak (South Indian) tradition, who was one of the 20th century’s foremost exponents of the bharata natyam style of classical dance. She was instrumental not only in expanding the performance of this dance form beyond the precincts of the temples where it was traditionally performed but also in cultivating international appreciation of the art form.

For her contributions to Indian arts and culture, Balasaraswati received a Sangeet Natak Akademi (India’s national academy of music, dance, and drama) award in 1955 and the Padma Vibhushan, one of the country’s top civilian honours, in 1977. Although she danced extensively throughout her life, she was seldom filmed. In 1976, however, the acclaimed Indian film director Satyajit Ray made a short documentary, Bala, as a tribute to her artistic achievement. In 2006 Aniruddha Knight, Balasaraswati’s grandson, also produced a short documentary.

Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi's Death Anniversary

 

Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi, who passed away on 8 February 1971, was an Indian independence movement activist, politician, writer and educationist from Gujarat state. A lawyer by profession, he later turned to author and politician. He is a well-known name in Gujarati literature. He founded Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, an educational trust, in 1938.