Today’s Motto: ‘A cat that is afraid to get his paws wet, seldom catches a fish’

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

On this day, 08 Dec….

*December 8, Bodhi Day is observed all over the world, usually under various names. To honor Gautam Buddha and his preachings. It typically occurs on eighth day of the 12th month of the lunisolar calendar.

It  is believed that Siddharth Gautam  got enlightenment under this tree in Bodh Gaya (Bihar)  in 550 BC. Siddharath  then got his  spiritual name Gautam Buddha.

1931 – The invention of coaxial cable was issued a U.S. patent for the first time in the U.S., described as a “concentric conducting system”.

1946 -The first test in the U.S. of a snow-melting apparatus embedded in a sidewalk was made in New York City.

1952 – 1st TV acknowledgement of pregnancy (I Love Lucy).

1970 – Army Ordnance Corps was awarded the ‘Colours’ by the Vice President of India, Shri G S Pathak. The Ordnance colour is a scarlet silken flag with the Ordnance crest in the centre and surrounding it is a wreath of Ashoka Leaves and Lotus flowers.

1992 – World-wide protest against Ayodhya demolition, temples burnt in Pakistan and Britain; Advani, Joshi, Singhal arrested; Nation observes ‘bandh’.

1993 – The U.S. Secretary of Defence, Les Aspin  declared that the Global Positioning System, accurate within 100 meters, had 24 GPS satellites operating in their assigned orbits, available for navigation use at Standard Positioning Service (SPS) levels for civil users.

2000 – Indian EC nod for Paswans’s party to be known as Lok Janshakti Party.

2010 – With the second launch of the SpaceX Dragon, SpaceX becomes the first privately held company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft.

Born….

1900 – Uday Shankar, musician dance Choreographer, actor and director. Acted and directed film Kalpana in 1948. Awarded Sangeet Natak Akademy award and fellowship apart from Padma Vibhushan in 1975.

1927 – Parkash Singh Badal,  a lawyer and agriculturist, former president of  Shiromani Akali Dal,  Punjab CM  for 5 terms from 1970 to 2017, the longest term in Punjab. A moderate  sikh politician also serrved as Union Agriculture minister under Janata Party regime 1977-1980. He was honored with Padma Vibhushan in 2020.

1935 – Dharmendra Deol, veteran Bollywood and Punjabi film  action hero  also known as He Man of film industry. He started his career with Dil Bhi Tera Ham Bhi Tere and went on to become a bold and romantic roles with Do Sher, Loha,  Jora 10 Numbriya, Teri Meri Ik Jodi, Devar, Seeta Aur Geeta, Phool Aur Patther, Dharmveer, Sholey, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Chupke Chupke,  Ankhen, Samadhi, Jat Yamla, Mere Apne etc. He was awarded with Filmfare 8 times,  National Films twice and Lifetime achievement award in 1997 and Padma Bhushan in 2012 and Dada Saheb Phalke award in 2021. He’s married  to popular heroine Hema Malini  and his  sons Sunny and  Bobby Deol are also popular actors. (video credit-Shemaro HD Songs)

1946 – Sharmila Tagore,  popular romantic heroine who acted in Bangla and Hindi films like Devi, Amanush,  Nayak, Kashmir ki Kali, Devar,  Aaradhana, Daag, Chupke Chupke. Amar Prem, An Evening in Paris, Safar etc. many successful films. She married famopus cricketer and yuvaraj of Bhopal  state Tiger MAK Pataudi. Her kids Saif Ali and Soha are also in cine world. Was awarded National film award in 1976 , 2005  Filmfare 6 times and Padma Bhushan in 2013.

RIP……  1978  – Golda Meir, The fourth PM of Israel between 1969 – 1974. She was also called Iron Lady of Israel for her strong roles nationalistic views and fighting spirit for Israel (pic credit-WISO-NSW).

1980 – John Lennon. Famous British Beatles singer, song-writer,  guitarist and politician.  of the Beatles. His songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney remains the most successful in history. He was shot down in his flat by his former group fellow Mark David Chapman.

Titbits….

2010 – Paris closes the Eiffel Tower due to snow.   Though snowfall is rare in Paris  but

sometimes it does in January and February months.

You may have known….

Fifteen percent of the air you breathe in a metro station is human skin.

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