Today’s Motto: ‘While others talk about Problems, a leader thinks and talks about Solutions’

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

On this day, 31 Oct….

1778 – Robert Barron devised a double-acting tumbler system lock with greater security than the single acting tumbler lock used until that time. (Without knowing it, Barron reinvented the ancient Egyptian lock which had gravity tumbler pins).

1815 – English chemist, Sir Humphry Davy of London patented the miner’s safety lamp.

1888 – Pneumatic bicycle tyres were patented by Scottish inventor, John Boyd Dunlop.

1951 – The zebra crossing was first introduced in Slough, Berkshire, England to reduce casualties at pedestrian road crossings.

1956 – A transport airplane carrying Navy Admiral landed at the South Pole for the first time. He came with an advance party to build the first permanent South Pole Station.

1962 – Krishna Menon, Defence Minister, resigns following attack by China, his failure to  explain  reasons for  Indian defeat.

1984 – Indira Gandhi, 66, India’s four-time prime minister, was gunned down by two members of her personal security guard as she walked from her home to her office in New Delhi. She died after four hours of emergency surgery. Of the two assassins, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, one was gunned down and the other was captured. (One may call it a premonition, because a day earlier while in Orissa, Indira Gandhi had said, ““I am alive today, I may not be there tomorrow . . . I do not care whether I live or die . . . I have lived a long life and I am proud that I spent the whole of my life in the service of my people . . . I shall continue to serve till my last breath and when I die, every drop of my blood will strengthen India and keep a united India alive.”)

1984 – Rajiv Gandhi sworn in as Prime Minister by President Gyani Zail Singhi. He held this office till December 1, 1989.

1992 – The Vatican admitted erring for over 359 years in formally condemning Galileo Galilei for entertaining scientific truths such as the Earth revolves around the sun, which the Roman Catholic Church long denounced as anti-scriptural heresy. After 13 years of inquiry, the Pope’s commission of historic, scientific and theological scholars brought the pope a “not guilty” finding for Galileo.

2000 – Chhattisgarh, the 26th State of Indian Union, comes into existence with the swearing in of its Governor Dinesh Nandan Sahay and Chief Minister Ajit Jogi.

2003 – The U.S. Food and Drug administration released a summary of a draft report concluding that cloned farm animals and their offspring pose little scientific risk to the food supply.

2011 – The world population reaches 7 billion inhabitants according to the United Nations. (The global population reached 8 billion in mid-November 2022).

2018 – In landmark verdict, Pakistani Supreme Court acquits Christian woman of blasphemy against the prophet Mohammed after eight years on death row.

2018 – World’s biggest statue, the Statue of Unity at 182m is unveiled of Indian independence leader and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who performed the gigantic task of Uniting 565 Princely States and  territories  into an Independent REPUBLIC OF INDIA.

Born….

1875 – Vallabhbhai Zaverbhai Patel, called  ‘ Sardar Patel  and  Lauh Purush, the iron man of India’. He was also the first Deputy Prime Minister of India. (His father had served in the army of the Rani of Jhansi against  Britishers). Sardar Patel undertook the tedious task of uniting  and getting merger documents signed by over 565 Princely States, who were given option by the British to join India, Pakistan or stay independent, after the British rule ends on August 15, 1947.  (only the state of Jammu & Kashmir, was left to be handled by PM Nehru).  Sardar Patel was honored with Bhaerat Ratna in 1991. (41 years after his death in 1951.)

1895 – C.K. Nayudu, first Indian cricket Test captain. He played an important role in Indian cricket for 47 years, as a player, administrator and BCCI official. CK Nayudu Trophy tournament is played in domestic cricket among 38 teams comprising players under-23 Years.

1927 – Narindar Singh Kapani, Indian-American physicist who is widely acknowledged as the father of fibre optics.

1943 – G Madhavan Nair, space scientist. Former Chairman  of ISRO and Secretary/Head of Govt. of India’ s  Space Research Commission. He has  been awarded Padam Vibhushan and  CNN-IBN Indian  of the  Year.

RIP….

1975 – Sachin Dev Burman, famous music director. He was a member of Tripura’s Royal family. Also known for memorable  songs, 14 in Hindi and 13 Bengali, among them.  Was awarded Padam Shri, 2 National Film and 2 Filmfare awards.

Titbits….

2017 – Judge on Maui, Hawaii orders man to write ex-girlfriend 144 compliments after violating protection order to send 144 nasty text messages.

You may have known....

Ashkenazic Jews, those of European ancestry, typically select a name  for kids  to commemorate a deceased relative. Sephardic Jews, those of Spanish and Middle Eastern ancestry, often name their children after living relatives.

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