20 November in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 20 November is the birth anniversary of Rajkumar Hirani, Tusshar Kapoor and Babita Phogat.
20 November is also observed as the death anniversary of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Shyam Bahadur Verma, Nirmala Thakur, and Priyaranjan Dasmunsi.
Birth Anniversary on 20 November
20 November in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Rajkumar “Raju” Hirani an Indian filmmaker known for his works in Hindi films. He is the recipient of several accolades, including four National Film Awards and 11 Filmfare Awards. Hirani is referred to as one of the most successful filmmakers of Indian cinema. He was born on 20 November 1962 (age 61 years), in Nagpur.
Tusshar Kapoor (born 20 November 1976) is an Indian actor and producer working in Hindi films. He made his debut in 2001 under the guidance of his Gujarat-based friend Dharmanshu Parmar alias Monty with the blockbuster Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, a remake of the Telugu super hit Tholi Prema, along with Kareena Kapoor. He received the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his work in the film. He then starred as Rahul in a coming-of-age film Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa alongside Esha Deol. He was born on 20 November 1976.
Babita Phogat is an Indian female freestyle wrestler who won a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She won a bronze medal at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships and gold medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Babita Phogat is the sister of Commonwealth Games winner Geeta Phogat. She was born on 20 November 1989 in Bhiwani district, Haryana.
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Death Anniversary on 20 November
20 November in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Faiz Ahmad Faiz (13 February 1911 – 20 November 1984), was a famous poet, known for his revolutionary compositions, due to the combination of Rasik Bhava (Inquilabi and Romantic). Faiz, who lived in the army, prison, and exile, wrote many nazms, and ghazals and strengthened the compositions of the modern progressive era in Urdu poetry. He was also nominated for the Nobel Prize. His poem ‘Zinda-Nama’, written during the prison, was liked very much. He died on 20 November 1984 in Lahore.
Shyam Bahadur Verma (10 April 1932 – 20 November 2009), a versatile genius, a scholar of many subjects, thinker, and poet. He provided many dictionaries of Hindi literature. Books were visible in each of his rooms from floor to ceiling. Shyam Bahadur Verma made a deep study of various languages ​​and many branches of knowledge science. In 1953, he traveled alone to Tibet by crossing the Himalayas on foot. For his complete literary services, the Hindi Academy, Delhi awarded him the ‘Sahityakar Samman’ in 1997-98. Verma died on 20 November 2009 in New Delhi.
Nirmala Thakur (1942 – 20 November 2014), is a famous Indian poet. His poems were continuously published in leading newspapers and magazines of the country. She had a love marriage with famous storywriter Dudhnath Singh. In the year 2005 Nirmala Thakur’s poetry collection ‘Kai Roop-Kai Rang’ and in 2014 ‘Laughing Girl’ was published by ‘Radhakrishna Prakashan’. He died on 20 November 2014 in Jhansi, Allahabad.
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi (13 November 1945 – 20 November 2017), a senior Congress leader and former All India Football Federation President. He was a Member of Parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He was an MP from Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal. Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi was the former Information and Broadcasting Minister of India. Dasmunsi died on 20 November 2017.
Read More: 17 November in Indian and World History
Notable events on 20 November in Indian and World History
20 November 1815 – Russia, Prussia, Austria, and England allied to maintain European peace.
20 November 1829 – Jews were expelled from the Mykolaiv and Sevastopol regions of Russia.
20 November 1858 – Selma Lagerlof a Swedish author, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
20 November 1866 – Howard University was established in Washington, USA.
20 November 1886 – Karl Ritter von Frisch, a German-Austrian ethologist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
20 November 1917 – Ukraine was declared a republic on this day.
20 November 1917 – Establishment of Bose Research Institute in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
20 November 1923 – Nadine Gordimer, a South African writer, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
20 November 1942 – British forces recaptured the Libyan capital Benghazi.
20 November 1945 – More than twenty Nazi officers were tried for war crimes in Germany.
20 November 1945 – Japan’s complete surrender to America and the end of World War II.
20 November 1949 – The number of Jews in Israel increased to one million.
20 November 1955 – Polly Umrigar scored India’s first double-century in a Test match against New Zealand.
20 November 1967 –  Casimir Funk – known as the father of vitamins– died.
20 November 1968 – The US conducted a nuclear test in Nevada.
20 November 1981 – The constitution was adopted in the African country of Burundi.
20 November 1981 – Bhaskar satellite was launched on this day.
20 November 1985 – Microsoft Windows 1.0 was released on this day.
20 November 1994 – A peace treaty was concluded in Lusaka to end the 19-year conflict between the Angolan government and the UNITA rebels.
20 November 1995 – Diana, Princess of Wales, spoke candidly on BBC television about her separation from the Prince of Wales and her extramarital affairs.
20 November 1997 – The American space shuttle ‘Colombia’ was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
20 November 1998 – The first module of the International Space Station Zarya was released.
20 November 2007 – the Election Commission of Pakistan announced the schedule of elections for the national and provincial assemblies.
20 November 2016 – PV Sindhu won her first Super Series title by defeating Sun Yu of China in the final of the China Open Super Series.
20 November Historical Significance
November 20 has witnessed several significant events throughout history. One notable occurrence is the Mexican Revolution, which began on this day in 1910, marking the start of a decade-long struggle for social and political reform in Mexico. Additionally, in 1945, the Nuremberg Trials began, where prominent Nazi leaders were held accountable for war crimes committed during World War II. On November 20, 1989, the Velvet Revolution culminated in Czechoslovakia, leading to the downfall of the Communist regime. Moreover, in 2009, President Barack Obama announced the surge of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, outlining his strategy for combating insurgency in the region. These events highlight November 20 as a significant date in the realms of revolution, justice, and international politics.
Important Days of 20 November in History
Universal Children’s Day: This day aims to promote international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide, as well as improve children’s welfare.
Africa Industrialization Day: This day highlights the importance of industrialization in Africa for sustainable development and economic growth.
Transgender Day of Remembrance: This day honors the memory of transgender individuals who have lost their lives due to violence and discrimination.
