23 August in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 23 August is the birth anniversary of Govind Vinayak Karandikar, Balram Jakhar, Saira Banu, and Haravu Venkatanarasimha Varadaraja Iyengar.
23 August is also observed as the death anniversary of Kuldip Nayar, Dr. Raghuvansh Sahay Verma, andArati Saha.
Birth Anniversary on 23 August
23 August in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Govind Vinayak Karandikar (23 August 1918 – 14 March 2010) was a famous poet, writer, translator, and critic who wrote in Marathi. He is mostly known as Vinda Karandikar. He was especially known as a literary critic and translator. He was awarded the 39th ‘Gyanpeeth Award’ in 2006.
Balram Jakhar (23 August, 1923 – 3 February, 2016) is a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and former Lok Sabha Speaker. He has also been the Governor of Madhya Pradesh state. Dr. Balram Jakhar had the distinction of starting his parliamentary life by assuming the post of Speaker immediately after his first election to the Seventh Lok Sabha. He also received the unique honor of being unanimously elected Speaker for a full term in the Lok Sabha twice in a row. Balram Jakhar, a farmer turned politician, faced the challenges of the post of Lok Sabha Speaker with full vigor and conducted the proceedings of the House with full dignity, decency and impartiality. He resigned from the post of Speaker in the year 1989 to play an active role in his party and through this to remain active in the socio-political life of the country.
Saira Banu (23 August 1944 – Present): Born on the cusp of India’s independence, Saira Banu is a renowned actress who graced the Indian film industry with her performances. She debuted in the film ‘Junglee’ and became a prominent figure in Hindi cinema. Her career spans over two decades, and she is celebrated for her roles in films like ‘Padosan’ and ‘Diwana’.
Haravu Venkatanarasimha Varadaraja Iyengar (English: Haravu Venkatanarasimha Varadaraja Iyengar, born- 23 August, 1902; died- 22 February, 1978) was the sixth governor of the Reserve Bank of India. His tenure lasted from 1 March 1957 to 28 February 1962. Prior to his appointment, he had been a member of the Indian Civil Service and Chairman of the State Bank of India.
Read More: 22 August in Indian and World History
Death Anniversary on 23 August
23 August in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Kuldip Nayar (14 August 1924 – 23 August, 2018) was a famous writer and journalist of India. After working for many years as the Press Information Officer of the Government of India, he was associated with UNI, PIB, ‘The Statesman’, and ‘Indian Express’ for a long time. Kuldeep Nayar was also a correspondent for ‘The Times’ London for 25 years.
Dr. Raghuvansh Sahay Verma (30 June, 1921 – 23 August, 2013) was a famous Hindi writer and critic. He was the head of the Hindi department at Allahabad University and a fellow of the ‘Indian Institute of Advanced Studies’, Shimla. Dr. Raghuvansh was handicapped in both hands, but still he did not let this disability become his weakness. He used to write with his feet. He kept writing continuously with his feet and wrote so much that he was honored with many honors and awards.
Arati Saha (24 September 1940 – 23 August, 1994) was a famous female swimmer of India. She was the first female swimmer from India and Asia who swam across the English Channel. Arati Saha did this feat on 29 September, 1959 and was awarded ‘Padma Shri’ in 1960. Arati Saha was the first Indian female player to receive ‘Padma Shri’. She is called “Hindustani Mermaid”.
Read More: 21 August in Indian and World History
Notable events on 23 August in Indian and World History
Some of the Notable events on 23 August in World History are mentioned below:
23 August 1821 – Mexico declared independence.
23 August 1839 – Britain captured Hong Kong in the war with China.
23 August 1851 – Alois Jirásek a prominent Czech writer, renowned for his historical novels and plays, was born.
23 August 1914 – Japan declared war on Germany.
23 August 1918 – Anna Mani an esteemed Indian physicist and meteorologist, was born.
23 August 1923 – Nazik al-Malaika, a distinguished Iraqi poet who left a significant mark in the literary world, was born.
23 August 1931 – Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy, widely recognized under her stage name Coccinelle, was born.
23 August 1939 – A non-aggression pact was signed between the then Soviet Union and Germany.
23 August 1943 – Aimé Painé, an Argentine singer with Mapuche and Tehuelche heritage, was born.
23 August 1947 – Vallabhbhai Patel became the Deputy Prime Minister of India.
23 August 1993 – The hosting of the historic Olympic Games of 2000 was handed over to the Australian city of Sydney.
23 August 1997 – The United States cancelled the turmeric patent granted to Mississippi University Medical Center of America four years ago.
23 August 1999 – Talks on recognition related issues resumed between Israel and Palestine.
23 August 2002 – The United States stopped testing missile defense system, Italy threatened to close consulate in Pakistan.
23 August 2003 – At least 21 people were killed in Brazil when a spacecraft exploded before launch. Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf declared that Pakistan will maintain minimum defensive weapons.
23 August 2004 – Justin Gatlin of America became the fastest runner on earth by winning the 100 meter sprint. Chile’s Nicolas Massu defeated Mardy Fish of America to win the Olympic men’s singles tennis gold medal.
23 August 2007 – 30 manuscripts of Rigveda were included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register-2007. Pakistan’s Supreme Court allowed Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was living in exile, to return to his country.
23 August 2016 – Reinhard Selten, a German economist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, died.
23 August Historical Significance
The date of August 23 holds a rich tapestry of historical events that have shaped the world in various ways. On this day in 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius began its famous eruption, which would lead to the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum. In 1305, the Scottish patriot William Wallace was executed for high treason by Edward I of England. The year 1799 marks the departure of Napoleon from Egypt as he began his return to France to eventually seize power. Additionally, August 23 is also remembered for the 1793 French Revolution event, the levée en masse, which was a mass conscription of able-bodied men for military service during the French Revolutionary Wars. Each of these events, among others, contributed significantly to the cultural, political, and social evolution of their times, leaving a lasting impact on history.
Important Days of 23 August in History
Some of the Notable events on 23 August in History are mentioned below:
- International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (Multiple Countries): A day designated by UNESCO to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade.
- European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism (European Union): Recognized to honor the victims of totalitarian regimes.
- ISRO Day (India): Celebrated to commemorate the soft landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the south pole of the Moon.
- National Sponge Cake Day (United States): A day to enjoy and celebrate the light and airy dessert that is sponge cake.
