Today’s Motto: ‘Biology gives us a Brain. Life turns it into a Mind’

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

On this day, 14 Dec….

1656 – Modern-day imitation pearls were first manufactured by the Frenchman Jacquin, a rosary-bead maker.

1901 – 1st table tennis tournament is held (London Royal Aquarium).

1902 – Laying down the first cable across the Pacific Ocean. Night and day, cable was laid across 2,277 nautical miles in two weeks.

1967 – The first synthesis of biologically active DNA in a test tube was announced by Arthur Kornberg. He was an American scientist born from East European immigrant parents. He was awarded Nobel Prize in 1959 for his discovery on DNA  (pic credit-Nature).

1986 – Voyager, the experimental aircraft piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, took off on the first non-stop, non-refuelled flight around the world. The trip took nine days. They piloted the aircraft from a cramped 7.5-ft long , 3.3-ft wide and under 3-ft. tall cockpit. This flight nearly doubled the previous distance record set in 1962 by a USAF/Boeing B-5 2H.

2008 – President George W. Bush make his fourth and final trip to Iraq as president and is almost struck by two shoes thrown at him by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi during a farewell conference in Baghdad (pic credit-Middle East Monitor).

Born….

1924 – Raj Kapoor, actor and film maker, born to a theatre personality Prithviraj Kapoor in Peshawar (now Pakistan).  Raj is known as the greatest showman andthe  Charlie Chaplin of Indian cinema for his comic, romantic and tragedy roles.  An actor, director and producer, he produced 18 movies and directed 10,  but ruled the  Bollywood cine scene for over  50 years.  He debuted with film Inquilab in 1935 and went on to make Aawara, Anhonee, Aag, Shree 420,  Boot Polish, Sangam, Jaagte Raho, Chori Chori, Anari, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Chhalia, Dil Hi To Hai, Bobby,  Mera Naam Joker, Satyam Shivam Sundram and Ram Teri Ganga Maili  etc. Raj Kapoor’s family has big imprint on the Bollywood scene  as his father Prithviraj,  2 brothers  Shammi and Shashi were also popular and successful actors; his sons  Ranbir,  Rajiv and Rishi were equally  popular while his grand kids  Karishma, Kareen and Ranbir Kapoor have also made impressive and sucessful careers in Mumbai  film industry.

He was honoured with 11 Filmfare, 3 National, Padam Bhushan  and Dada Saheb Phalke award  in  1987 before his death due to heart  and organ failure at just 63 years of  age.  (pics credit-CNBC-TV18 & BookMyShow)

1934 – Shyam Benegal, veteran  Bengali and Hindi film scriptwriter and  director, known for classic  films Mantrhan, Ankur, Zubeidaa,  Nishant, Mujib; Making of a Nation, Mandi and Bharat Ek Khoj, a 53 episode serial  based on first PM Nehru’s Autobiaography, Discovery of India, he wrote during his jail terms.  He won 18 National Awards, a Filmfare, Padam Bhushan and a Nandi award.

1936 – Biswajit (Chatterjee), veteran and popular film actor,  singer, director, producer of 1950s to 1980s. He is known for his roles in Bees Saal Baal. Mere Sanam, Do Shikari, Do Kaliyan, Kismat, April Fool, Yeh raat Phir Nahin Ayegi, Kohraa, Night in nLondon etc.  He was awarded President’s Gold Medal in 1963,  Lifetime Achievement awards. 

1946 – Sanjay Gandhi, younger son of PM Indira Gandhi,  aggressive politician known for Nasbandi campaign for India’s population control  and regulation,  during emergency era 1975-77. He died in an aeroplane crash in June 1980.  His wife Maneka Gandhi has been a Minister in  NDA govts,  and son Varun  a BJP Member of Parliament for 3 terms.

1953 – Vijay Amritraj, veteran Indian tennis player who represented India in Wimbledon, US Open and other prominent world tournaments. He won 15 Singles and 13 Doubles titles and ranked No. 18 in 1980. He is also famous as one  of Tennis Brothers along with his brothers Anand and Ashok Amritraj, who have played global tennis for many years. He was awarded International Hall of Fame and  Padam Shri.

1982 – Sameera Reddy, romantic and bold  Bollywood actor known for roles in Hindi, Tamil  and Telugu films like  Oru Naal Varum, Maine Di Tujhko Diya, Aakrosh, Krishna Ka Badla etc.  She was nominated to StarDust and other cine awards.(piccredit-CineTown)

RIP….2013 – British actor Peter O’Toole, known for playing Lawrence, in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, dies after a long illness (pic credit-Britannica).

Titbits….

1969 – Bishen Singh  Bedi takes 7-98 (career-best) vs. Australia at Calcutta.  Bedia had been a member of India’s deadly zSpin Quartet alongwith S. Venkataghavan, EAS Prasanna and Bhagwat  Chandrasekhar.

You may have known….

Africa’s population will be  more than double to 2.3 billion people by 2050

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