2 October in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 2 October is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Asha Parekh, Persis Khambatta, and Havildar Hangpan Dada.
2 October is also observed as the death anniversary of Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, and Chintamani Dwarakanath Deshmukh.
Birth Anniversary on 2 October
2 October in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Mahatma Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), is considered the leader of the Indian national movement against British rule and the ‘Father of the Nation’. His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He gained international fame for his theory of non-violent protest to achieve political and social progress. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was a prominent political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement. He had an unbreakable relationship with the ‘Sabarmati Ashram. Mahatma Gandhi was associated with this ashram for life, that is why he also got the title of ‘Saint of Sabarmati’. Mohandas was the last child of his father’s fourth wife. His father Karamchand (Kaba Gandhi) was first the Diwan of Porbandar, the capital of a small princely state in the Gujarat state of western India under British rule, and later the Diwan of Rajkot (Kathiawad) and Wankaner respectively. Karamchand Gandhi did not receive much formal education, The European magistrate at the Durban Court asked him to take off his turban, he refused and left the court. A few days later, on his way to Pretoria, he was thrown out of the railway’s first-class compartment and spent the night chilling at the station. On the next leg of the journey, he was beaten up by the driver of a horse carriage, for refusing to travel on the pedestal by accommodating a European passenger. Eventually, they were barred from going to hotels ‘safe for Europeans only’. These humiliations were part of daily life for Indian merchants and workers in Natal. What was new was not Gandhi’s experience but his reaction. Till now he was not in favor of dogma and extremism, but when he had to undergo unexpected humiliations, something changed in him. He was fascinated by Tolstoy’s writings on Christianity. He studied the translation of the Qur’an and delved into Hindu inscriptions and philosophy. From the study of relative karma, conversations with scholars, and personal study of theological works, he concluded that all religions are true and yet each one is imperfect. Because sometimes they have been interpreted with a narrow-mindedness of squalid intelligence and often misinterpreted. Bhagavad Gita, who Gandhi first studied in England. He was Born on 2 October 1869 in Gujrat.
Lal Bahadur Shastri (2 October 1904 – 11 January 1966), was a famous Indian politician, great freedom fighter, and the second Prime Minister of India after Jawaharlal Nehru. He was such a personality who, as Prime Minister, not only gifted the country with military glory but also showed the path of the Green Revolution and industrialization. While Shastri Ji considered the farmers as the food donors of the country, he also had a great love for the border guards of the country, due to which he gave the slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. While Lal Bahadur Shastri considered the farmers as the food donors of the country, he also had a great love for the border guards of the country, due to which he gave the slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. Lal Bahadur Shastri Education with his wife Smt. Lalita Devi Lal Bahadur, an activist of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement against the British government in India, went to jail for a short time (1921). Upon his release, he studied at Kashi Vidyapeeth (present-day Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth), a nationalist University, and earned the title of post-graduate Shastri (scholar of scriptures). In 1928, he was married to ‘Lalita’, the daughter of Ganesh Prasad. He had six children from Lalita Ji, four sons – Harikrishna, Anil, Sunil, and Ashok: And two daughters- Kusum and Suman. Two of his four sons – Anil Shastri and Sunil Shastri – are still there, the remaining two have passed away. After his post-graduation, he returned to politics as a follower of Gandhi, was imprisoned several times, and held influential positions in the Congress Party of the United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh. In 1937 and 1946, Shastri was elected to the provincial legislature. He was Born on 2 October 1904 in Utter Pradesh.
Asha Parekh (2 October 1942), an acclaimed Bollywood actress and director. She was one of the top stars in Hindi cinema during the 1960s and early 1970s and has been awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India for her contributions to the arts. She was Born on 2 October 1942 in Bangalore.
Persis Khambatta (2 October 1948 – 18 August 1998) an Indian model, actress, and author, Persis Khambatta. She was best known for her role in the original ‘Star Trek’ film series as Lieutenant Ilia. Her work paved the way for Indian actors in international cinema. Khambatta was born on October 2, 1948, in Mumbai.
Havildar Hangpan Dada (2 October 1979 – 27 May 2016), the brave soldiers of the Indian Army who attained martyrdom while fighting alongside terrorists. He was martyred in an encounter with terrorists at Shamsabari in North Kashmir on May 27, 2016. Before attaining martyrdom, he killed four armed terrorists. For this bravery, he was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra on August 15, 2016. The Ashok Chakra is India’s highest peacetime gallantry award. On the occasion of India’s 68th Republic Day (2017), President Pranab Mukherjee posthumously awarded ‘Ashok Chakra’ to Havildar Hangpan Dada, who was martyred for the country. According to Hungpan Dada’s elder brother Laphang Dada- “Hungpan was naughty in childhood. He plucked the fruits in childhood and ate the fruits himself and also fed them to his friends. He was physically very fit. Every morning he used to run, push. During this, there was an army recruitment rally in Khonsa, where he was selected for the Indian Army. He was Born on 2 October 1979 in Arunachala Pradesh.
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Death Anniversary on 2 October
2 October in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (2 February 1889 – 2 October 1964), a noted Gandhian, freedom fighter, and social activist from India. She was the Minister of Health for ten years in the Indian Cabinet after the independence of the country. She has the honor of being the first woman cabinet minister of the country. Princess Amrit Kaur belonged to the royal family of Kapurthala. Only after coming under the influence of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, he left all the comforts of material life and adopted the life of an ascetic. She was also a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1957 to her death in 1964. You were the first woman in India who became a union minister. In 1950, he was made the President of the ‘World Health Organization’. She was the first Asian woman to receive this honor. Founded the ‘All India Women’s Conference’ in 1927. He was also a major contributor to the establishment of the ‘All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. She died on 2 October 1964.
Chintamani Dwarakanath Deshmukh (14 January 1896 – 2 October 1982), a member of the ICS under British rule. officer and was the third Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. The British Raj gave him the title of ‘Sir’. After this, he also served in the Union Cabinet as the third Finance Minister of India. CD. Deshmukh was made the chairman of the ‘University Grants Commission’ and the vice-chancellor of Delhi University. He was honored with ‘Padma Vibhushan’ by the President in 1975. He also wrote many books. He made a significant contribution to the transformation of the Reserve Bank from a private balance holder’s bank to a national bank. CD. Deshmukh was deeply attached to the Sanskrit language, in which he had published a collection of poems, although he was also fluent in many foreign languages. He died on 2 October 1982.
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Notable events on 2 October in Indian and World history
Some of the Important events of 2 October in World History are mentioned below:
2 October 1852 – William Ramsay, a Scottish chemist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
2 October 1871 – Cordell Hull, an American politician, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
2 October 1907 – Alexander R. Todd, a British biochemist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
2 October 1917 – Christian de Duve, a Belgian biochemist, cytologist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
2 October 1927 – Svante Arrhenius a Swedish scientist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, died.
2 October 1933 – John Gurdon, a British developmental biologist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
2 October 1951 – Shyama Prasad Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
2 October 1952 – The Community Development Program was started.
2 October 1961 – The Shipping Corporation of India was formed in Bombay (now Mumbai).
2 October 1971 – The then President V.V. Giri dedicated the Birla House, popularly known as Gandhi Sadan, to the nation.
2 October 1985 – The Dowry Prohibition Amendment Act came into force.
2 October 1987 – Peter Medawar, a Brazilian-British biologist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, died.
2 October 2006 – South Africa decided to support India on the nuclear fuel supply issue.
2 October 2007 – The second summit between North and South Korea was held.
2 October Historical Significance
October 2nd is a date marked by numerous significant historical events. On this day in 1187, Sultan Saladin captured Jerusalem from the Crusaders, a pivotal moment in the Crusades. In 1789, George Washington transmitted the proposed Constitutional amendments, which would become known as the United States Bill of Rights, to the States for ratification. The date also marks the birth of Mahatma Gandhi in 1869, a leader whose philosophy of non-violence had a profound impact on the world and led India to independence. Additionally, October 2nd is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence to honor Gandhi’s legacy. These events, among others, make October 2nd a day of reflection on the forces of change and resistance throughout history.
Important Days of 2 October in History
- Gandhi Jayanti: Celebrated in India to honor the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a key figure in India’s independence movement.
- Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti: Marks the birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India.
- World Habitat Day: Observed on the first Monday of October to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter.
- International Day of Non-Violence: Commemorates the philosophy of non-violence advocated by Mahatma Gandhi.
- World No Alcohol Day: Aims to raise awareness about the health risks associated with alcohol consumption.
- Guinea’s Independence Day: On October 2, 1958, Guinea made a bold move, becoming the first French African colony to gain independence. This day is not just a public holiday; it’s a celebration of national pride, cultural heritage, and the enduring spirit of freedom.