Today’s Motto: ‘Pain of Quitting Seldom Subsides’

This is Your Day-TODAY:  Take a Determined Step Forward and Make History! 

On this day, 19 Oct….

1774 – Members of the Council and the Judge of Supreme Court of England visit India,  to improve the government management in India.

1919 – First Distinguished Service Medal, a British award for meritorious or distinguished service, awarded to a woman.

1952 – Alain Bombard, a 27-yr-old French biologist and physician, left the Canary Islands, beginning a single-handed sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to test his theory that a shipwrecked person could survive without provisions. He speared fish with a home-made harpoon and netted surface plankton. He drank seawater, limited to occasional sips. He reached Barbados 65 days later having lost about 25-kg in weight.

He also acted in some fims and was elected to European Parliament (1981-94).

1970 – Privy purses and privileges of former Indian rulers abolished (pic credit-Pinterest).

1990 – The Government of India under an ordinance puts forward a three-point formula for Ayodhya issue: (i) to acquire the land (ii) other land may be given for building temple except the disputed one (iii) the issue may be referred to Supreme Court for speedy solution.

2003 – Mother Teresa of Calcutta is beatified by Pope John Paul II.

2005 – Saddam Hussein goes on trial in Baghdad for crimes against humanity.  He was a revolutionary, politician and became dictator of Iraq. Rules the country from 1979 to 2003. He was deposed, captured  by American, tried and hanged on 30 Dec. 2006.

Born….

1910 – Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, mathematician and Nobel Laureate.

1929 – Balbir Singh, India field hockey player (Olympic gold 1948-56).

1954 – Priya Tendulkar, theatre, TV serial Rajni heroine, cine actor and social activist.   She was daughter of famous Marathi playwriter Vijay Tendulkar. She also acted in films Aur Pyar Ho Gaya, Prem Shastra, Mrs Malhotra, Pyar Ishaq aur Mohabbat, Ham Panch, Hakke Bakke Ankur etc. She won Screen Videocon and sevaral othher awards.

1956 – Sunny Deol,  (real name Ajay Singh Deol), popular Punjabi and Bollywood actor,/director,  politician. Son of legendary super hero Dharmendra. Has acted in about 90 films like Betaab, Ghayal, Border, Gadar Ek Prem Kahani 1-2, Yodha, Damini, The Hero, Karan Arjun etc. He has 2 National Awards, 2 Filmfare and several other honors.

1961 – Shiamak Davar, singer, choreographer, Jazz dancer, actor. Known for roles in Jagga Jassos, Dhoom 2, Mission Imposiible, Ghost Protocol etc. Won a National Fim award and other honors.

RIP….  2011 – George Varghese Kakkanadan, Malayalam short story writer and novelist.  Was pioneer of  modern Malyalee literature. Was awarded Kerala Sahitya Akademy and national Sahitya Akademy Award (pic credit-Rekhta).

You may have known….

Shaving the head:  In Muslim and Hindu traditions, a baby’s head is typically shaved  (Mundan) within several days or in the first three years after birth. In Islam, it is done to show that the child is a servant of Allah.

 

{Compiled by  Lt. Gen. (R)  Raj Kadyan}