Michael Clarke's Birthday

 

Michael John Clarke, born on 2 April 1981, in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia, is an Australian former cricketer. He was captain of the Australian cricket team in both Test and One Day International (ODI) between 2011 and 2015, leading Australia to victory in the 2015 Cricket World Cup. He also served as captain of the Twenty20 International (T20I) team between 2007 and 2010. With his time representing Australia, Clarke won multiple ICC titles with the team: the 2007 Cricket World Cup, the 2015 Cricket World Cup which he was the winning captain, and the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy.

Nicknamed "Pup", Clarke was a right-handed middle-order batsman, an occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler and also a slip catcher. He represented New South Wales at the domestic level.

Clarke retired from all forms of cricket after the final Test of the 2015 Ashes series.

Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar's Birth Anniversary

 

Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, born on 1 April 1889, in Nagpur, was an Indian physician and the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He served as its first Sarsanghchalak (Supreme Leader) from its inception in 1925 until his death in 1940. 

Key Facts

• Founder of RSS: He established the RSS on the day of Vijayadashami in 1925 in Nagpur. His goal was to organise Hindu society and instill national character and discipline.
• Medical Background: He studied medicine at the National Medical College in Calcutta, receiving his degree in 1916.
• Political Involvement:
• Before founding the RSS, he was a member of the Indian National Congress and served as the joint secretary of the Provincial Congress in 1922.
• He was involved in revolutionary activities in Calcutta with the Anusheelan Samiti.
• He participated in the Non-cooperation Movement (1921) and the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930), serving prison time for both.
• Philosophy: Hedgewar's vision focused on cultural regeneration and the idea of a united India rooted in indigenous ideology. He was heavily influenced by leaders like V.D. Savarkar and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
• Innovations: He introduced the concept of the Shakha (daily meeting/branch) where volunteers engage in physical exercises, patriotic songs, and discussions to build a sense of discipline and unity. He famously designated the Saffron Flag (Bhagwa Dhwaj) as the "Guru" of the organisation to promote loyalty to a philosophy rather than an individual.