ON THIS DAY

 30th December 1996: Brahmaputra Mail Train Bombing @Assam  The Brahmaputra Mail train bombing was a terrorist attack on a train traveling in Western Assam in Eastern India on 30 December 1996. The bomb totally wrecked three carriages of the train and derailed six more, killing at least 33 people.  The bomb was of unknown composition and had been left next to a line of track between Kokrajhar and Fakiragram stations. It is likely the bomb was detonated by a remote control device, and timed to cause maximum destruction, as the Brahmaputra Mail passenger service to New Delhi came past at high speed.  Official reports claimed that 33 people were killed in the explosion, but the remote region in which the blast occurred and government desires to minimize the impact of the attack has led some commentators to question this figure. Some have claimed that 100 fatalities are a more likely figure.  The Indian government blamed the attack on an Assamese separatist organiza...

 29th December 1949: Indian Cricketer and Wicket-Keeper Syed Kirmani were Born Syed Mujtaba Hussain Kirmani was born on 29 December 1949. He played cricket for India and Karnataka as a wicket-keeper. In 2016, he was awarded the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award for Cricket in India.  He started off as an understudy to Farokh Engineer in the tours of England in 1971 and 1974 and to the 1975 World Cup. Kirmani made his debut against New Zealand and in his second Test equalled the world record of six victims in an innings.  When New Zealand toured India the next year, he topped the batting averages with 65.33 and scored 305 runs in the tour of Australia. He did not have a very good time behind the stumps against Pakistan and West Indies in 1978–79.  He was dropped in favour of Bharath Reddy for the 1979 Cricket World Cup and the subsequent series against England. Sunil Gavaskar was also sacked as the captain. Though Kirmani was dropped ostensibly for performance,...

28th December 1885: The First Session Of The Indian National Congress Was Held On The first session of the Indian National Congress was held on 28 December 1885 in Bombay. The initial name of the organization was Indian National Union.  From its foundation on 28 December 1885 by A.O. Hume, a retired British officer, until the time India gained its independence on 15 August 1947, the Indian National Congress was the central and defining influence of the long Indian Independence Movement.  Retired British Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer Allan Octavian Hume founded the Indian National Congress. To form a platform for civil and political dialogue among educated Indians. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, control of India was transferred from East India Company to the British Empire. British-controlled India, known as the British Raj, or just the Raj, worked to try to support and justify its governance of India with the aid of English-educated Indians, who tended to be more fam...

27th December: National Fruitcake Day   Across the United States, fruitcake lovers young and old, commemorate National Fruitcake Day each year on December 27th. Made with chopped candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices and sometimes soaked in spirits, fruitcake has been a holiday gift-giving tradition for many years. Dating back to ancient Rome, one of the earliest known recipes lists pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and raisins mixed into barley mash. Records indicate that in the Middle Ages, makers added honey, spices, and preserved fruits. Recipes for fruitcakes vary from country to country, depending on available ingredients and tradition. In the 16th century, two achievements crystallized to make fruitcakes more affordable and accessible. First, sugar from the American Colonies became abundant. Second, it was discovered that high concentrations of sugar could preserve fruits. These two actions resulted in excess candied fruit. Consequently, fruitcake making grew.

 26th December 2004 Tsunami: 16 years on  As per the official count, 10,136 people died in India with the majority of the casualties reported from Tamil Nadu.  On the night of December 26, 2004, a massive quake of magnitude 9.1-9.3 — with its epicentre in the Bay of Bengal — triggered one of the biggest Tsunamis the world had ever witnessed. The massive waves, measuring up to 30 meters, created havoc in 15 different countries killing more than 2,00,000 people. More than half of those who perished in the calamity belonged to Indonesia.  In India, over 10,000 people were killed in the disaster, which is considered to be one of the deadliest in recorded history. The extent of damage it caused was attributed to several reasons, mainly poor infrastructure and warning systems and the large population living in coastal areas.  The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami or Christmas Tsunami, caused fatalities among a large number of tourists because of the holiday season. Today mark...

 25th December: Christmas Day  Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God.  The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. The 'Christ-Mass' service was the only one that was allowed to take place after sunset (and before sunrise the next day), so people had it at Midnight! So we get the name Christ-Mass, shortened to  Christmas. Christmas is now celebrated by people around the world, whether they are Christians or not. It's a time when family and friends come together and remember the good things they have. People, and especially children, also like Christmas as it's a time when you give and receive presents!  Jesus was a Jew, so this could be another reason that helped the early Church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas!...

24th December 1986: National Consumer Day Every year the 24th of December is observed as “National Consumer Day” and the significance of this day is that on 24th December in the year 1986, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, had received the assent of the President of India.  The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is considered to be a historic milestone in the consumer movement in the country. Every year the observance of this day provides an opportunity for highlighting the importance of the consumer movement and the need to make the consumer more aware of their rights and responsibilities.  The awareness of consumer rights and duties is more important in rural areas and the responsibility of this rests with all of us, and more particularly with the government agencies. The state government has to play a vital role in promoting the welfare of consumers and protection of their rights. As a week-long observance of National Consumer Day, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation...

 23rd December 2001: National Farmers Day It was in the year 2001, the Government of India decided to observe December 23 every year as Kisan Diwas.  During his tenure as the Prime Minister of India from July 1979 to January 1980, Chaudhary Charan Singh introduced a slew of policies to improve the lives and conditions of farmers in the country. He also played a leading role in the agricultural sector of the country by introducing bills for farmers' reforms.  Kisan Diwas or National Farmers Day will be observed across the country on 23rd December to celebrate the birthday of Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was the 5th Prime Minister of India.  On this day, seminars and programs for the farmers are being organized at divisional, district, and block levels. Political leaders will pay tribute to the 5th PM of India on his birth anniversary. Leaders will also visit the former PM’s Samadhi at Kisan Ghat in New Delhi. Government in 2001 had decided to observe 23rd December ever...

 22nd December 2012: National Mathematics Day.  In 2012 former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had declared Srinivasa Ramanujan's birthday (December 22) as National Mathematics Day.  As we know that since ancient times various scholars had made significant contributions to mathematics including Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, Mahavira, Bhaskara II, Srinivasa Ramanujan, etc. At a very young age, Srinivasa Ramanujan showed the signs of an unfolding genius and his contributions regarding fractions, infinite series, number theory, mathematical analysis, etc. set an example in mathematics.  On 22 December 2012, the former Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, paid tribute to Srinivasa Ramanujan at a function organized on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of the great mathematician Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan in Chennai. 22 December was declared as National Mathematics Day. Thus, on 22 December 2012, National Mathematics Day was celebrated across the country for the...

21st December: Shortest Day Of The Year The reason we have a solstice - and seasons - is because the Earth is tilted on its axis of rotation by about 23.5 degrees.  Winter may just be getting started, but if you're ready for more sunlight, you won't have much longer to wait. Dec. 21 is the winter solstice: the shortest day and longest night of the year here in Earth's northern hemisphere.  Starting Friday, the sun will be up for a few seconds longer each day, signaling the start of our slow but steady march toward spring. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Winter is just getting into high gear.  The December solstice marks the exact moment when the sun's most direct rays reach their southernmost point south of the equator, along the Tropic of Capricorn, at 23.5 degrees south latitude. The time and date of the solstice change slightly each year, but this year's solstice occurs at 11:28 a.m. Eastern Time on Dec. 21.   The reason we have a solstice - and seasons...

 20th December 2005: International Human Solidarity Day.  International Human Solidarity Day is observed on 20 December annually to highlight the importance of unity in diversity. This day also reminds people to work together in fighting against poverty, hunger, and disease.  Solidarity is defined as an awareness of shared interests and objectives that create a psychological sense of unity. Solidarity also refers to the ties in a society that bind people together as one.  According to the United Nations Millennium Declaration, solidarity is among the fundamental values that are essential to international relations. The Declaration also states that global challenges must be managed so that costs and burdens are distributed fairly. This is under the basic principles of equity and social justice. Additionally, those who suffer the least should help those who suffer the most.  The UN is convinced that solidarity creates a spirit of sharing, which is essential for er...

 19th December 1961: Goa's Liberation Day Goa Liberation Day is observed on 19th December every year in India. The occasion marks the day Indian armed forces freed Goa in 1961 from, 450 years of Portuguese rule.  The Portuguese first arrived in Goa in 1498 under the able guidance of explorer Vasco da Gama when he first landed in Calicut on the eastern western shores of India. They were very much happy with the discovery and establishment of Cape of Good Hope which turned out to be a very profitable trading route for them.   The Portuguese colonized several parts of India in 1510 but by the end of the 19th century Portuguese colonies in India were limited to Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Anjelica Island.  The Goa liberation movement, which sought to end Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, started off with small scale revolts, but reached its peak between 1940 to 1960, ending when India invaded Goa in 1961.  After the failure of diplomatic efforts with the...

 18th December 1990: International Migrants Day On 18 December 1990, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.  Each year on Dec 18, the United Nations, through the UN-related agency International Organization for Migration (UN Migration), uses International Migrants Day to highlight the contributions made by the roughly 272 million migrants, including more than 41 million internally displaced persons, (IDPs) and the challenges they face.  This global event, supported by events organized by IOM's nearly 500 country offices and sub-offices as well as governmental, international, and domestic civil society partners examine a wide range of migration themes, Social Cohesion, Dignity, Exploitation, Solidarity to advocate for migration guided by the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society.  In 1997, Filipino and other Asian...

17th December 1928: British Police Officer John Saunders was killed by Indian revolutionaries.  On 17 December 1928, Bhagat Singh and an associate, Shivaram Rajguru, fatally shot a 21-year-old British police officer, John Saunders, in Lahore, British India, mistaking Saunders, who was still on probation, for the British police superintendent, James Scott, whom they had intended to assassinate. They believed Scott was responsible for the death of popular Indian nationalist leader Lala Lajpat Rai, by having ordered a lathi charge in which Rai was injured, and, two weeks after which, died of a heart attack. Saunders was felled by a single shot from Rajguru, a marksman. He was then shot several times by Singh, the postmortem report showing eight bullet wounds. Another associate of Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, shot dead an Indian police constable, Chanan Singh, who attempted to pursue Singh and Rajguru as they fled.  After escaping, Singh and his associates, using pseudonyms, publi...

 16th December 1971: Vijay Diwas was celebrated in India. Vijay Diwas is commemorated every 16 December in India, to Indian military's victory over Pakistan in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. The end of the war also resulted in the unilateral and unconditional surrender of the Pakistan Army and subsequent secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh. On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to the allied forces consists of the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, led by General Jagjit Singh Aurora, of India in the Ramna Race Course, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka after their defeat in the war. The same day and event are commemorated in Bangladesh as Bijoy Dibos.  On 16 December every year, Citizens, senior officials, students & war veterans lay wreaths and remember the sacrifices of the soldiers. Member of Parliament Mr. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who has con...

 15th December 1950: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was Passed away.  Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950), popularly known as Sardar Patel was an Indian politician. He served as the First Deputy Prime Minister of India. He was an Indian barrister and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress who played a leading role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation. In India and elsewhere, he was often called Sardar, meaning "chief" in Hindi, Urdu, and Persian. He acted as Home Minister during the political integration of India and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.  Patel was born in Nadiad District Kheda and raised in the countryside of the state of Gujarat. He was a successful lawyer. He subsequently organized peasants from Kheda, Borsad, and Bardoli in Gujarat in non-violent civil disobedience against the British Raj, becoming one of the most influential leaders in Gujarat. He was appoin...

 14th December 1991: National Energy Conservation Day.  The National Energy Conservation Day is being celebrated every year on December 14 since 1991. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Ministry of Power, spearheads the celebrations every year.  The objective to celebrate the National Energy Conservation Day is to drive mass awareness about the importance of energy efficiency and conservation.NECD BEE recognizes and encourages endeavors of industries in reducing energy consumption by felicitating them with National Energy Conservation Awards.  BEE also awards prizes to the National winners of the annual National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation. The annual energy conservation awards recognize innovation and achievements in energy conservation by the industries, buildings, zonal railways, state-designated agencies; manufacturers of BEE star labeled appliances, electricity distribution companies, municipalities and raise awareness that energy c...

 13th December 2001: Indian Parliament Attack.  The 2001 Indian Parliament attack was a terrorist attack on the Parliament of India in New Delhi, India on 13 December 2001. The perpetrators belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) - two Pakistan-raised terrorist organizations. The attack led to the deaths of six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Service personnel, and a gardener – in total 9 – and led to increased tensions between India and Pakistan, resulting in 2001–02 India–Pakistan standoff. The 5 terrorists were killed outside the parliament.  On 13 December 2001, five terrorists infiltrated the Parliament House in a car with Home Ministry and Parliament labels. While both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha had been adjourned 40 minutes before the incident, many members of parliament (MPs) and government officials such as Home Minister LK Advani and Minister of State for Defence Harin Pathak were believed to have still been in the buildin...

 12th December 1911: Delhi as the National Capital of India (Significance of 12th December for Delhi).  Delhi has always been of the greatest historical significance which dates back thousands of years. The momentous sites in the city have witnessed many significant royal events that have shaped the historical legacy of the sub-continent. Unfortunately, few of them are still ignorant to us and stand quietly in one corner serving as the memento from the pages of the past.  On 12th December 1911, King George V announced Delhi as the National Capital of India, replacing Kolkata at the Coronation Park which is situated near Burari towards Nirankari Colony, 2.5 km away from Kingsway Camp in North Delhi.  The site marks the place where the declaration to shift British India’s capital from Calcutta to Delhi was made, and the coronation of King George V as Emperor of India on December 12, 1911, took place.  The site was developed as the venue to hold the Durbars, or imp...

 11th December 1935: Pranab Mukherjee, 13th President Of India, was born.  Pranab Kumar Mukherjee was born in Mirati, a village in Birbhum district of what is now the state of West Bengal on 11th December 1935. He was an Indian politician who served as the 13th President of India from 2012 until 2017. In a political career spanning five decades, Mukherjee was a senior leader in the Indian National Congress and occupied several ministerial portfolios in the Government of India. Before he was elected President, Mukherjee was Union Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012. He was awarded India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 2019, by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.  Mukherjee got his break in politics in 1969 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi helped him get elected to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament of India, on a Congress ticket. Following a meteoric rise, he became one of Gandhi's most trusted lieutenants and a minister in her cabi...

 10th December 1878: C. Rajagopalchari, last Governor-General of India, was born.  Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the last Governor-General of India and founder of the Swatantra Party — the first political party in India to openly espouse market-friendly economic policies — was born on December 10, 1878, in Thorapalli village in the Madras Presidency. Known as ‘Rajaji’ to friends, family, and admirers, he was a writer, politician, lawyer, and minister played an active role in the Indian independence movement, and was close to both Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi.  Rajagopalchari's father Chakravarty Venkatarya and mother Singaramma were lyengars. When he turned five years old, he was admitted to a boy's school in Hosur. He later studied arts at Bangalore's Central College. While practicing yoga at Salem, he became involved in the nationalist movement and was attracted to the Indian National Congress. He later became a member and then Chairman of the Salem municipality. ...

 9th December 1947: The First Meeting Of Constituent Assembly Was Held On. The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India. Following India's independence from the British Government in 1947, its members served as the nation's first Parliament.  India was still under British rule when the Constituent Assembly was established following negotiations between Indian leaders and members of the 1946 Cabinet Mission to India from the United Kingdom. Provincial assembly elections were held in early 1946. Constituent Assembly members were elected indirectly by members of the newly elected provincial assemblies, and initially included representatives for those provinces that formed part of Pakistan (some of which are now in Bangladesh). The Constituent Assembly had 299 representatives, including fifteen women.   The Assembly met for the first time in New Delhi on 9 December 1946, and its last session was held on 24 January 1950. The hope of the Asse...

8th December 1996:  Sachin Tendulkar became the youngest cricketer Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar is regarded as one of the finest batsmen in the history of the spot, if not the best. The Legendary Indian cricketer holds multiple batting records to his name in both One-day Internationals and Test cricket. D uring the Asia Cup match vs Sri Lanka,   Sachin Tendulkar   cracked his fourth century in the ODI format and thus became the youngest batsman in the world to reach 3000 runs in the format. Batting first in the must-win match in Sharjah, Sri Lanka were restricted to 202/9. Hashan Tillakaratne's top scored with 48. Venkatesh Prasad and Javagal Srinath were the picks of the bowlers, while Anil Kumble and Manoj Prabhakar also chipped in with one wicket each. Tendulkar and Prabhakar, opening the batting for India, got off to a splendid start and always looked in control of the chase. Their 161-run opening stand put India well on course to a win. Prabhakar fell for 60 but Ten...