17 April in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 17 April is the birth anniversary of Nisargadatta Maharaj, Binodanand Jha, Thakaji Sivasankara Pillai, and Beno Zephine.
17 April is also observed as the death anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Brigadier Bhawani Singh, Nityananda Mahapatra, and VS. Ramadevi.
Birth Anniversary
17 April is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personality:
Nisargadatta Maharaj (17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981) was an Indian guru known for his teachings on nondualism. He belonged to the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya. In 1933, he met his guru, Siddharameshwar Maharaj, who initiated him into the Inchegiri Sampradaya. Siddharameshwar instructed him in self-inquiry, which Nisargadatta followed diligently. He was born on 17 April 1897 in Mumbai, India.
Binodanand Jha (17 April 1900 – 1971) was an Indian National Congress politician. He was the former third Chief Minister of Bihar. He was born on 17 April 1900 in Deodhar,
Thakaji Sivasankara Pillai (17 April 1912 – 10 April 1999) was a famous writer who composed in Malayalam. He is counted among the foremost writers of Malayalam. Through his writings, Takaji Sivasankara Pillai mainly put the problems of poor people in front of society. In his story collections, he has presented a person struggling with the adverse conditions of his time. He was awarded the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ in 1957 and the ‘Jnanpith Award’ in 1984 for the novel ‘Chemmin’ written by Takaji Sivasankara Pillai. He was born on 17 April 1912.
Beno Zephine is India’s first completely blind IFS officer. She is from Tamil Nadu. She had received an order from the Central Government to report within 60 days. After passing the exam in 2014, She was sent a letter from the Ministry of External Affairs. Beno Zephine was born on 17 April 1990.
Read More: 16 April in Indian and World History
Death Anniversary
17 April is also observed as the death anniversary of the following personality:
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975), the first Vice President and second President of independent India. He carried forward the glorious tradition of Dr. Rajendra Prasad. His tenure lasted from May 13, 1962, to May 13, 1967. His name is included in the first line of the great Presidents of India. Dr. Radhakrishnan spent 40 years of his life as a teacher. He was an ideal teacher. He also became the Vice President of India. Radhakrishnan did many important works in the philosophical world. In 1925, he wrote ‘Indian Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore’, ‘The Rain of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy, ‘Contemporary Indian Philosophy ‘Eastern Religion and Western Thought, etc. He died on 17 April 1975.
Brigadier Bhawani Singh (22 October 1931 – 17 April 2011) was the Maharaja of Jaipur. He was awarded the ‘Mahavir Chakra’ in 1972 for his gallantry in the Indo-Pak war of 1971 in the Bangladesh War. Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh was the Maharaja of Jaipur from 24 June 1970 to 28 December 1971. After this, he served in the Indian Army. He was awarded the rank of Brigadier after his retirement. Bhawani Singh died on 17 April 2011.
Nityananda Mahapatra (17 June 1912 – 17 April 2012) was an Indian Odia politician, poet and journalist. He actively participated in nationalist activities during the British Raj and was imprisoned three times between 1930 and 1942. He translated the Ramavataram (also known as the Kamba Ramayanam), the Tamil version of the Ramayana, into Odia. His other translated works include “Ramana Maharshee” and “Swarajya Sanghitaa”. He died on 17 April 2012, in Bhubaneswar.
V.S. Ramadevi (15 January 1934 – 17 April 2013) was the first woman in India to hold the post of Chief Election Commissioner. She was the Chief Election Commissioner from 26 November 1990 to 11 December 1990. She also held the post of Secretary General of Rajya Sabha. She was the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha from 1 July 1993 to 25 July 1997. Ramadevi died on 17 April 2013.
Read More: 15 April in Indian and World History
Notable events on 17 April in Indian and World History
17 April 1885 – Karen Blixen, a Danish author who wrote works in Danish and English, was born.
17 April 1919 – Chavela Vargas, a Mexican singer, was born.
17 April 1970 – The Apollo 13 spacecraft returned safely to Earth after experiencing a critical failure during its mission to the Moon. The phrase “Houston, we’ve had a problem” was famously uttered during this mission.
17 April 1995 – Murder of Iqbal Masih, a young activist who ended child labour in Pakistan.
17 April 2006 – Chad African Union withdraws from peace talks due to Sudan’s attitude.
17 April 2008 – The inflation rate fell by 0.27% to 7.14%. Hanung Thomas & Textiles Ltd. gave a memorandum of understanding to buy the Chinese company.
17 April 2008 – Four important agreements were signed between India and Brazil.
Important Days
Here are a few notable events and observances that fall on April 17th:
World Hemophilia Day: This day is dedicated to raising awareness about hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. It aims to improve access to care and treatment for those affected by these conditions.
International Haiku Poetry Day: Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry characterized by its simplicity and brevity. This day celebrates the art of haiku poetry and encourages people to create and share their haikus.
Syrian Independence Day: April 17th marks the anniversary of the withdrawal of French troops from Syria in 1946, leading to the country’s independence from French rule.
Malbec World Day: Malbec World Day celebrates the Malbec grape variety, which is primarily associated with Argentina. It’s an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate Malbec wines from around the world.