26 January in Indian and World History
26 January in Indian and World Historyย is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 26 January is the birth anniversary ofย Rani Gaidinliu, Bhagwat Dayal Sharma, and Anil Ganguly.
26 January is also observed as the death anniversary ofย Manvendra Nath Roy, Madhav Shrihari Aney, and Kartar Singh Duggal.
Birth Anniversary on 26 January
26 January in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Rani Gaidinliu (26 January 1915 โ 17 February 1993), was one of the famous women revolutionaries of India. He carried out his revolutionary activities in Nagaland to get independence for the country. She is called ‘Rani Laxmibai of Nagaland’ for doing the same heroic act as Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. When Rani Gaidinliu was arrested by the British for her revolutionary activities, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru made efforts to get the queen released, who had been sentenced to many years. But the British did not accept this, because they were very afraid of the queen and considered her dangerous for themselves. She was born on 26 January 1915 in Manipur, India.
Bhagwat Dayal Sharma (28 January 1918 โ 22 February 1993), the first Chief Minister of the state of Haryana. He also contributed in the ‘Indian Freedom Struggle’. He was famous as ‘Panditji‘ among his workers. B. D. Sharma was made the Governor of Orissa on 23 September 1977. After this, he was also the Governor of Madhya Pradesh state from 1980 to 1984. He was born on 28 January 1918 in Rohtak, Haryana.
Anil Ganguly (26 January 1933 โ 15 January 2016), is an Indian film director and screenwriter, who worked in Hindi cinema from the 1970s to the 1990s. He is best known for the Jaya Bhaduri starrer, Kora Kagaz (1974), and the Rakhee starrerTapasya (1975), both of which won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. He was born on 26 January 1933 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India.
Read More: 25 January in Indian and World History
Death Anniversary on 26 January
26 January in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Manvendra Nath Roy (21 March 1887 โ 26 January 1954), was a revolutionary thinker and strong supporter of humanism among Indian philosophers of the present century. He has also held a very important place in Indian Philosophy. Manvendra Nath Rai helped the revolutionary organizations in smuggling money and weapons from abroad during the freedom struggle. In the year 1912, he was also arrested in the ‘Howrah Conspiracy Case’. He made an important contribution to the establishment of the Communist Party in India. In 1922, he also brought out a newspaper called ‘The Langard of Indian Independence’ from Berlin. He died on 26 January 1954.
Madhav Shrihari Aney (29 August 1880 โ 26 January 1968), was one of the freedom fighters who fought for the independence of India. His father was a learned man. Madhav Srihari Aney was greatly influenced by Lokmanya Tilak. He was also a member of the ‘Indian National Congress’ for some time. During Gandhi’s ‘Salt Satyagraha’, he also served jail time from 1943 to 1947, he was also the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka. After gaining independence, he was also made the governor of Bihar. Madhav Shrihari Aney died on 26 January 1968.
Kartar Singh Duggal (1 March 1917 โ 26 January 2012), was a noted litterateur who wrote in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu languages, who wrote short stories, and novels in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, and English. His works have also been translated into Indian and foreign languages. Kartar Singh Duggal was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1988 in the field of literature and education. He died on 26 January 2012.
Read More: 26 January in Indian and World History
Notable events on 26 January in Indian and World History
26 January 1666 – France declared war on England.
26 January 1748 – Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, and Sardinia signed the Anti-French Treaty.
26 January 1841 – Hong Kong went under British occupation.
26 January 1845 – British General Charles Garden was killed in Sudan.
26 January 1837 – Michigan was made the 26th province of America. Before it was under British rule after the defeat of France, Michigan was assigned to the United States after the American Revolutionary War.
26 January 1891 โ Wilder Penfield, an American Canadian neurosurgeon, was born.
26 January 1892 โ Bessie Coleman, was the first African-American woman, and the first of Native American descent, to hold a pilot license, was born.
26 January 1898 โ Katarzyna Kobro, a Polish avant-garde sculptor and a prominent representative of the Constructivist movement, was born.
26 January 1905 – The world’s largest 3106-carat diamond Cullinan was found excavated in South Africa.
26 January 1930 – Swaraj Day was celebrated for the first time in India under British rule.
26 January 1931 – Mahatma Gandhi was released to negotiate with the British government during the ‘Civil Disobedience Movement.
26 January 1931 – Austria and Hungary signed a Peace Treaty.
26 January 1934 – a ten-year non-aggression pact was signed between Poland and Germany.
26 January 1943 โ Soad Hosny, known as the “Cinderella of Egyptian cinema”, was born.
26 January 1950 – India was declared a sovereign democratic republic and the Constitution of India came into force.
26 January 1950 – Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first and last Governor-General of independent India, resigned from his post and Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the country’s first President.
26 January 1950 – The Lions of the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh got the recognition of a national emblem.
26 January 1950 – The Federal Court of India constituted in the year 1937 was renamed as the Supreme Court.
26 January 1958 – The Japanese boat Nankai sank off southern Awaji Island, killing 167 people.
26 January 1963 – Due to the amazing beauty of the peacock, the Government of India declared it a national bird.
26 January 1972 – The National Memorial ‘Amar Jawan Jyoti’ was established at the India Gate in Delhi in memory of the soldiers who died in the war.
26 January 1975 โ ย Lyubov Orlova, a Soviet and Russian actress, singer, dancer, and People’s Artist of the USSR, died.
26 January 1978โ ย Louay Kayali, a Syrian modern artist, died.
26 January 1981 – Keeping in mind the ease of air traffic in Northeast India, the air service Vayudoot was started.
26 January 1982 – the Indian Railways started the Palace on Wheels service to provide tourists with the luxury of rail travel.
26 January 1994 – Inauguration of the first women’s police station in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
26 January 1999 – The World Conference on Sexual Exploitation of Women was organized in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
26 January 2000 – the Konkan Railway project was completed, and the first passenger train was run.
26 January 2001 – music composer Lata Mangeshkar was given Bharat Ratna, India’s highest honor.
26 January 2001 – eminent shehnai player Ustad Bismillah Khan was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest honor.
26 January 2004 – Queen Elizabeth of Britain announced conferring the title of ‘Knight’ to Microsoft President Bill Gates.
26 January 2004 – Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai signed the country’s new constitution.
26 January 2008 – NR Narayana Murthy was awarded the French Government’s highest civilian honor ‘The Officer of the Legion of Hour’.
26 January 2010 – Pratibhatai Patil, India’s first woman President and 12th President in succession, announced the names of 130 Padma awardees.
26 January 2014 – a tourist boat sank in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, killing about 21 people.
26 January 2015 – Rasipuram Krishnaswami Laxman, widely known as R. K. Laxman a celebrated Indian cartoonist and humorist – died.
26 January Historical Significance
January 26 holds significant historical importance in various contexts. Notably, 1950, marks the day when India officially became a republic, adopting its Constitution and severing its final ties with British colonial rule. This day is celebrated annually as Republic Day, one of India’s three national holidays, featuring grand parades, cultural displays, and a tribute to India’s rich heritage and diverse culture. Additionally, on January 26, 1788, the First Fleet, consisting of British ships, arrived at Port Jackson in New South Wales, Australia, leading to the establishment of a penal colony and laying the foundations for modern Australia. This event is commemorated as Australia Day, although it is also a day of reflection and mourning for many Indigenous Australians who view it as the beginning of a period of colonization and disruption of their traditional way of life. Both instances highlight January 26 as a day of profound national significance and historical reflection in these two countries.
Important Days of 26 January in History
Republic Day in India: This is one of the most significant national holidays in India. It marks the day in 1950 when the Constitution of India came into effect, making India a sovereign republic. The main celebration is held in the capital, New Delhi, with a grand parade showcasing India’s cultural diversity, military might, and achievements.
Australia Day: Celebrated annually on January 26, Australia Day marks the arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson in New South Wales in 1788. It is a day of national celebration for many Australians, featuring events such as community festivals, concerts, and fireworks. However, it is also a day of reflection and mourning for many Indigenous Australians, who view it as “Invasion Day” or “Survival Day.”
International Customs Day: Initiated by the World Customs Organization (WCO), International Customs Day is celebrated on January 26 to recognize the role of customs officials and agencies in maintaining border security. The day highlights the importance of customs administration and the challenges faced in the facilitation of global trade.
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