20 July in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 20 July is the birth anniversary of Rajendra Kumar Tuli, Naseeruddin Shah, and R Banumathi.
20 July is also observed as the death anniversary of Batukeshwar Dutta, Geeta Dutt, and Khurshed Alam Khan.
Birth Anniversary on 20 July
20 July in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Rajendra Kumar Tuli (20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999) was an Indian film actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1950, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. He was popularly known as the ‘Jubilee Kumar’. He was considered one of the most successful Indian actors in the 1960s. He also produced several films starring his son Kumar Gaurav. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1969. He was born on 20 July 1927 in Punjab, British India.
Naseeruddin Shah, an Indian film and stage actor, and director in the Hindi language film industry. He has won numerous awards in his career, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfare Awards, and an award at the Venice Film Festival. The Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan awards for his contributions to Indian cinema. He was born on 20 July 1950 in Uttar Pradesh, India.
R Banumathi, a Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India. Earlier, she served as the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court and Judge at Madras High Court. She had also served as the Chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad. She was born on 20 July 1955.
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Death Anniversary on 20 July
20 July in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Batukeshwar Dutta (18 November 1910 — 20 July 1965) was an Indian socialist revolutionary and independence fighter in the early 1900s. He is best known for having exploded two bombs, along with Bhagat Singh, in the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi on 8 April 1929. After they were arrested, tried, and imprisoned for life, he and Bhagat Singh initiated a historic hunger strike protesting against the abusive treatment of Indian political prisoners and eventually secured some rights for them. He was also a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. He died on 20 July 1965 in New Delhi, India.
Geeta Dutt (23 November 1930 – 20 July 1972) was a prominent Indian playback singer and a famous Hindi and Bengali classical artist. She found particular prominence as a playback singer in Hindi cinema. She also sang many modern Bengali songs, both in the film and non-film genres. She died on 20 July 1972 in Mumbai.
Khurshed Alam Khan (5 February 1919 – 20 July 2013) was an Indian politician and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress political party. He was Governor of Karnataka from 1991 to 1999 and governor of Goa from 1989 to 1991. Before that, he was the Union Minister of External Affairs in the Government of India. He was associated with Jamia Millia Islamia. He died on 20 July 2013 in New Delhi, India
Read More: 18 July in Indian and World History
Notable events on 20 July in Indian and World History
Some of the Notable events on 20 July in World History are mentioned below:
20 July 1864 – Gerd Binnig, a German writer, and Nobel Prize Laureate was born.
20 July 1897 – Tadeusz Reichstein, a Polish-Swiss chemist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
20 July 1905 – The first partition of Bengal was approved in London by the Secretary of State of India.
20 July 1937 – Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian physicist, inventor, and Nobel Prize Laureate, died.
20 July 1944 – Adolf Hitler survives an assassination attempt led by German Army Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.
20 July 2006 – Gerard Oury – a French film director, actor and writer – died.
20 July 2015 – The United States and Cuba resumed full diplomatic relations after five decades.
20 July 2017 – Sri Ram Nath Kovind won the election and became the 14th President of India.
20 July Historical Significance
The date of 20 July holds a prominent place in history, most notably marked by the Apollo 11 lunar landing in 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first human to step onto the moon. This momentous event, celebrated as National Moon Day, symbolizes the pinnacle of human exploration and achievement in space. Additionally, the date is remembered for the Battle of Ankara in 1402, where the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I was captured by Timur, leading to a significant power shift in the region. Throughout history, 20 July has been a day of pivotal events, from the fall of Stirling Castle in 1304 during the Wars of Scottish Independence to the first east-to-west crossing of North America north of Mexico by Alexander Mackenzie in 1793. Each event on this date has contributed to the rich tapestry of global history, reflecting the enduring impact of human endeavors across various fields.
Important Days of 20 July in History
Some of the Notable events on 20 July in History are mentioned below:
- International Chess Day (Worldwide): Celebrated to honor the establishment of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
- Space Exploration Day (United States): Observes the achievements in space exploration and promotes continued efforts in the space industry.
- National Lollipop Day (United States): A fun celebration of this sweet treat enjoyed by people of all ages.
- 20 July is observed as International Moon Day. It commemorates the day when man first walked on the moon in 1969. International Moon Day marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 lunar mission.
- On 20 July, we celebrate the foundation of the Federation Internationale des Eches (FIDES).
