19 February in Indian and World History

OV Digital Desk

19 February in Indian and World Historyย is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 19 February is the birth anniversary of Shivaji, Gokulbhai Bhatt, Balwantrai Gopalji Mehta, and Padmanabhan Balaram.

19 February is also observed as the death anniversary ofย Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Narendra Deva, and Narayan Shridhar Bendre.

Birth Anniversary on 19 February

19 February in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:

Shivaji (19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), was the founder of the Maratha Empire in western India. Shivaji’s father’s name was Shahaji Bhonsle, and his mother’s name was Jijabai. Shivaji’s greatness as a general has been undeniable. Shivaji has many forts built and renovated. According to his instructions, Annaji Dutta got a detailed land survey done in 1679, which resulted in a new revenue assessment. He was born on 19 February 1630.

Gokulbhai Bhatt (19 February 1898 โ€“ 6 October 1986), was one of the famous freedom fighters of India. He was also known as a true social worker. Along with this, he was also a skilled speaker, poet, journalist, polyglot, and writer. In the year 1939, people started wearing flag caps on the inspiration of Gokulbhai. He was born on 19 February 1898 in Sirohi, Rajasthan.

Balwantrai Gopalji Mehta (19 February 1900 – 19 September 1965), was an Indian politician and the second Chief Minister of Gujarat. He also participated in the Indian independence movement. He is considered the architect of Panchayati Raj for his contribution towards democratic decentralization. He was born on 19 February 1900.

Padmanabhan Balaram, is an Indian biochemist and a former director of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India. He is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan and TWAS Prize. He has been awarded the 2021 R. Bruce Merrifield Award by the American Peptide Society. He was born on 19 February 1949.

Read More: 18 February in Indian and World History

Death Anniversary on 19 February

19 February in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:

Gopal Krishna Gokhale (9 May 1866 โ€“ 19 February 1915), was a unique parliamentarian and nationalist of his time. He was also a freedom fighter, social worker, thinker, and reformer. Gokhale was born nine years after the freedom struggle of 1857. This was the time when the freedom struggle had definitely failed, but the fire of freedom started burning in the hearts of most of the countrymen of India. He died on 19 February 1915.

Narendra Deva (31 October 1889 โ€“ 19 February 1956), was a famous Indian scholar, socialist, thinker, educationist, and patriot. Due to the influence of his father, he was inclined towards politics. He was a member of the ‘All India Congress Committee’ from 1916 to 1948. For the independence of the country, he also made several jail visits and was also imprisoned in Ahmednagar fort along with Jawaharlal Nehru. He was born on 19 February 1956 in Madras.

Narayan Shridhar Bendre (21 August 1910 – 19 February 1992), was a famous Indian painter. His first public recognition came in 1934 when he was awarded the Bombay Art Society’s, Silver Medal. He also received its highest honor, the Gold Medal in 1941. In 1969, the Government of India honored him with ‘Padma Shri’. He died on 19 February 1992.

Read More: 17 February in Indian and World History

Notable events on 19 February in Indian and World History

19 February 1389 – Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq II of Delhi was assassinated.

19 February 1570 – The Duke of Anjou invaded the southern Netherlands, aided by the French army.

19 February 1618 – The War of Australasia and Venice ended under the Venetian Peace Treaty.

19 February 1674 – British forces withdrew from the Dutch War.

19 February 1719 – The assassination of the Mughal ruler Farrukh Siyar.

19 February 1807 – British troops arrived to help Russia in the war with Turkey.

19 February 1833 – Elie Ducommun a Swiss peace activist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.

19 February 1859 – Svante Arrhenius a Swedish scientist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.

19 February 1878 – Thomas Edison patented the phonograph.

19 February 1941 – David Jonathan Gross an American theoretical physicist, string theorist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.

19 February 1942 – During World War II, a Japanese warplane attack on the northern Australian city of Darwin killed nearly 200 people.

19 February 1959 – An agreement was signed between Britain, Turkey, and Greece regarding the independence of Cyprus.

19 February 1963 – The Soviet Union agreed to withdraw a substantial portion of its troops from Cuba.

19 February 1978 – Famous singer, composer, and actor of Bengali and Hindi films Pankaj Malik died.

19 February 1986 – Computerized railway reservation ticketing was introduced for the first time in India.

19 February 1997 – Deng Xiao Ping, known for initiating economic reforms in China.

19 February 1999 – Danish scientist Dr Len Vestergaard succeeded in slowing down the speed of light in Washington.

19 February 2000 – Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations.

19 February 2000 – Friedensreich Hundertwasserย an Austrian artist, architect, and environmentalist renowned for his vibrant, unconventional works.

19 February 2000 – The President of Egypt Hustri Mubarak visited Lebanon. Let us tell you that after the year, this was the first such visit between the two countries.

19 February 2001 – Riots in Brazil’s prisons, 8 killed, 7000 people taken hostage by prisoners, Taliban ready to extradite bin Laden.

19 February 2003 – The United Arab Emirates handed over Dawood’s brother Iqbal Sheikh and his associate Ejaz Pathan to India.

19 February 2008 – Fidel Castro formally resigned from the presidency of Cuba after he stepped down, his brother took the chair of the presidency.

19 February 2012 – 44 people were killed in a prison riot in Nuevo Leรณn, Mexico.

19 February Historical Significance

On February 19th, several significant events have left their mark on history. In 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who formulated the heliocentric model of the universe, was born. His work revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos. Moving ahead to 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, leading to the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States. This action remains a dark chapter in American history, reflecting the impact of wartime fear and discrimination. Fast forwarding to 1986, the Soviet Union launched the space station Mir into orbit, marking a milestone in space exploration and cooperation. Mir served as a crucial platform for scientific research and collaboration between various nations until its decommissioning in 2001. These events on February 19th illustrate the diversity of human achievement, the complexities of history, and the enduring quest for knowledge and understanding.

Important Days of 19 Februaryย in History

Chinese New Year: Also known as the Lunar New Year, this traditional Chinese holiday marks the beginning of the new year according to the lunar calendar. It is celebrated with various customs, festivities, and family gatherings.

International Tug-of-War Day: This day celebrates the sport of tug-of-war, which involves two teams pulling on opposite ends of a rope in a test of strength and strategy. It promotes teamwork, cooperation, and physical activity.

National Chocolate Mint Day: A day dedicated to enjoying the delightful combination of chocolate and mint flavors. Whether it’s in the form of candies, desserts, or beverages, chocolate mint enthusiasts indulge in their favorite treats.

Engineer’s Day in Iran: This day honors the contributions of engineers in Iran. It is celebrated in memory of the Iranian engineer and former president Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi.


Observer Voice is the one stop site for National, International news, Editorโ€™s Choice, Art/culture contents, Quotes and much more. We also cover historical contents. Historical contents includes World History, Indian History, and what happened today. The website also covers Entertainment across the India and World.

Follow Us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, & LinkedIn