Today’s Motto: ‘He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions’

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

On this day, 22 Feb….

1630 – Popcorn was introduced to the English colonists by an Indian named Quadequina who brought it in deerskin bags as his contribution at their first Thanksgiving Dinner.

1907 – 1st cabs with taxi meters begin operating in London.

1918 – The documented world record tallest human Robert Pershing Wadlow was born in US. As on date, according to the Guinness World Records, Sultan Kösen is the tallest living human standing at 8 feet 2.82 inches (251 centimeters) tall; he is a Turkish farmer.

1946 – The first specific antibiotic (streptomycin) effective against tuberculosis was discovered.

1947 – Nehru welcomes British independence offer, invites Muslims to join at New Delhi.

1983 – 3000 die in communal clashes in Assam.

1995 – Steve Fossett completed the first hot air balloon flight over Pacific Ocean:9600 km. (On 3 Mar 2005, he completed the first solo non-stop and fastest flight around the world without refuelling, in The Global Flyer, a single-engine, single-use experimental jet plane).

1995 – Bomb attack on train in Assam (27 soldiers killed).

2003 – Pakistani pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar bowls the fastest ball recorded in cricket history at 100.2 mph (161.3 km/h) on April 27, 2002 (pic credit-thePrint.in).

2016 – 10 million people are without water in Delhi after reported sabotage of the Munak water canal.

2023 – Astronomers reveal Webb telescope data is upending existing theories of how early galaxies were formed, after finding six massive galaxies 100x  larger than expected soon after the Big Bang.

Born…. 1873 – Sir Muhammad Ekbal, famous writer,  Urdu poet  and  writer of  popular film song ‘Sare Jahan se Achha, Hindostan Hamara’.  He shifted to Pakistan in 1947 but later repented on  his error of judgment.

1889 – Sehjanand Saraswati. Indian ascetic, freedom fighter, Kisan leader of Up and Bihar.

1906 – Sohan Lal Dwivedi. famous Indian poet who wrote many patriotic and inspiring songs, bhajans  etc. Was honoured as Rashtrakavi and Padma Shri award.

1920 – Iftikhar Ahmed. Famous Bollywood  Supercop who went to Calcutta  as a painter for  Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein  but became  a successful actor. He is known for  roles in  films Taqrar, Bandini, Sangam, Sawan Bhadon, Call Girl, Shaheed, Janzeer,  Deewar,  Agent Vinod, Joru ka Ghulam, Johanny Mera Naam, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Teesri Manzil, Teesri Kasam etc. Acted in about 400 films including an American TV serial and English film City of Joy.  He won many awards and accolades.

1948 – Jayalalitha,  popular Tamil  heroine, politician  and  former chief minister of Tamil Nadu. She co-founded the AIADMK alongwith  legendary actor  and CM of Tamil Nadu MG Ramachandran.  She was CM for about 14 years and is one of the richest politicians of the country. 27 Kg of Gold and ornaments, 1,116 kg silver were found from her possession and 1,526 acres of land in her name on Bengaluru court orders. More properties are reported to be in possession of her longtime secretary Sasikala.

RIP…. 1944 – Kasturba Gandhi, wife of  Mahatma Gandhi, who  participated in agtions during their stay in South Africa.  She passed away in British imprisonment in Aga Khan Palace at Pune.

1958 – Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He was a popular muslim  leader,  orator, revolutionary and fighter for national freedom. He was the first education minister of India after Independence. He is alleged to have promoted Mughal  and Western history in schools/colleges.

You may have known…. 

The post war period was characterised by many ups and downs and by the overall decline in industrial products. Several factors contributed to this state of affairs, the most prominent among them being fall in demand, overworked machinery, labour trouble and bottlenecks of transport and distributions till 1946. Cotton textiles, sugar, cement and steel industries were the worst sufferers.

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