18 March in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 18 March is the birth anniversary of Kunji Lal Dubey, Shashi Kapoor, and Eknath Solkar.
18 March is also observed as the death anniversary of Augustus De Morgan.
Birth Anniversary
18 March in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Kunji Lal Dubey (18 March 1896 – 2 June 1970), an Indian independence activist, lawyer, educationist, and politician. He was also honored with Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award in 1964. India Post issued a commemorative stamp on Dubey in 1996. He was born on 18 March 1896 in Madhya Pradesh, India.
Shashi Kapoor (18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017), an Indian actor and film producer. HE worked in numerous Hindi films which brought him numerous accolades: Several accolades, including four National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards. He was also honored with Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award in 2011. In 2014, Dadasaheb Phalke Award was conferred upon him for his contribution to Indian cinema. He was born on 18 March 1938.
Eknath Solkar (18 March 1948 – 26 June 2005), an Indian all-around cricketer who played 27 Tests and seven One Day Internationals. He was born on 18 March 1948 in Bombay, British India.
Read More: 17 March in Indian and World History
Death Anniversary
18 March in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Augustus De Morgan (27 June 1806 – 18 March 1871), a British mathematician and logician. He was born in Madurai, British India. The crater De Morgan on the Moon is named after him and he is known for De Morgan’s laws.
Read More: 15 March in Indian and World History
Notable events on 18 March in Indian and World History
18 March 1828 – Randal Cremer a British politician, pacifist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
18 March 1844 – Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a Russian composer, a member of the group of composers known as The Five, was born.
18 March 1858 – Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel, a German engineer who invented the internal-combustion engine that bears his name, was born. After boarding an English Channel steamer, he was found dead in the sea. It was most likely suicide resulting from depression, after having lost control over his invention and after receiving a great deal of criticism in the German engineering journals for his theories. Diesel’s unwitnessed presumed suicide at sea leaves the exact date of death uncertain, and some sources give 30 September 1913, by which time he was known to be missing from those on board the steamer.
18 March 1903 – Erich Ohser, a German cartoonist, was born.
18 March 1919 – The infamous Rowlatt Act was passed. The act gave indefinite powers to the British government where they could incarcerate anyone for a period of 2 years without any trial. This was enacted by the British government to deal with Indian revolutionaries who are a part of the Indian freedom struggle. The act also called upon reducing the freedom of the press and extending the emergency measures for a longer period. The Act was made with strong resistance by the Indian population including the Rowlatt Satyagraha called on by congress.
18 March 1922 – Mahatma Gandhi was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of 6 years. He was accused of ‘civil disobedience, an act of violation of rules imposed by the government. However, Gandhi happened to serve only 2 years in prison.
18 March 1936 – Frederik Willem de Klerk a South African politician, and Nobel Prize Laureate, died.
18 March 1940 – Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini meet at the Brenner Pass in the Alps and agree to form an alliance against France and the United Kingdom.
18 March 1966 – Isidro Baldenegro López, a farmer and community leader of Mexico’s indigenous Tarahumara people, was born.
18 March 1995 – Sadri Alışık, a Turkish stage and movie actor, and one of the most loved comedians in Turkey, died.
18 March 1996 – Odysseas Elytis a Greek poet, and Nobel Prize Laureate, died.
18 March: Ordnance Factories Day
Ordnance Factories Day is observed on the 18th of March every year to commemorate the establishment of the first ordnance factory in India in 1801. The day serves as a tribute to the exceptional work and commitment of the Indian Ordnance Factories, which have been an integral part of India’s defense system for over two centuries.