29 April in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 29 April is the birth anniversary of Raja Ravi Varma, Ashish Nehra, Bharathidasan, Ramachandra Guha, Vatta Parambath Sathyan, and Zubin Mehta.
29 April is also observed as the death anniversary of Mahendra Pratap Singh, Mohan Gokhale, Kedar Sharma, and Irrfan Khan.
Birth Anniversary
29 April in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Raja Ravi Varma (29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906), was an Indian painter and artist. He is one of the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. He was notable for making affordable lithographs of his paintings available to the public, which greatly enhanced his reach and influence as a painter. Raja Ravi Varma was born on 29 April 1848 in Kilimanoor at Kilimanoor (present Kerala).
Ashish Nehra is an Indian cricket coach and former cricketer. He is a magnificent bowler who played in all formats. During his whole career, he suffered from injuries he went through 12 surgeries. Nehra announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in late 2017, in the Twenty20 International match against New Zealand on 1 November 2017 at Feroz Shah Kotla. He was born on 29 April 1979 in Delhi.
Bharathidasan (29 April 1891–21 April 1964), was a Tamil poet, writer, teacher, and activist. His writing mainly focuses on socio-political issues. His writings served as a catalyst for the growth of the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu. He was born on 29 April 1891 in Pondicherry, India.
Ramachandra Guha is an Indian writer who mainly writes on economics, environmental, political, social, contemporary, and cricket history. In October 2013, he published Gandhi Before India, which describes life from his childhood to the two decades in South Africa. After that, a book came to India after Gandhi for which he got Sahitya Akademi Award in 2011, he also got Padma Bhushan in 2009. He was born on 29 April 1958 in Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh.
Vatta Parambath Sathyan (29 April 1965 – 18 July 2006), was a former Indian professional footballer who played the center-back position. He was the captain of the Indian national football team from 1991 to 1995. The 2018 Indian biographical film Captain is based on Sathyan’s life. He was born on 29 April 1965 in Mekkunnu near Chokli, Kannur district, Kerala.
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of Western and Eastern classical music. Mehta’s father was the founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra, and Mehta received his early musical education from him. In September 2013, President of India Pranab Mukherjee awarded him the Tagore Award 2013 for his outstanding contribution towards cultural harmony. He was born on 29 April 1936 into a Parsi family in Bombay (now Mumbai), India.
Read More: 27 April in Indian and World History
Death Anniversary
29 April in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Mahendra Pratap Singh (1 December 1886 – 29 April 1979), was an Indian freedom fighter, journalist, writer, and revolutionary. He was very much against social evils, especially untouchability. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1932. He died on 29 April 1979 at the age of 92.
Mohan Gokhale (7 November 1953 – 29 April 1999), an Indian film, television, and theater actor who has worked in art films such as Sparsh, Bhavani Bhavai, and Mirch Masala. Gokhale died in his sleep of a heart attack in Chennai on 29 April 1999.
Kedar Sharma (12 April 1910 – 29 April 1999), was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and Lyricist of Hindi films. He was active during the years 1935-1998. He worked with most of the famous actors Madhubala, Geeta Bali, Raj Kapoor, Mala Sinha, Bharat Bhushan, and Tanuja. He died on 29 April 1999 at the age of 89 in Mumbai, India.
Irrfan Khan (07 January 1967 – 29 April 2020), is an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema as well as British and American films. Khan made his film debut with a small role in Salaam Bombay! (1988). He also got numerous awards including a National Film Award, an Asian Film Award, and six Filmfare Awards. Khan died on 29 April 2020 due to a neuroendocrine tumor.
Read More: 26 April in Indian and World History
Notable events on 29 April in Indian and World History
29 April 1785 – Karl Drais – forest official and significant inventor in the Biedermeier period– was born.
29 April 1893 – Harold Urey, an American physical chemist, and the Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
29 April 1919 – Ustad Alla Rakha – an Indian tabla player and percussionist – was born.
29 April 1919 – Gerard Oury – a French film director, actor, and writer– was born.
29 April 1922– Toots Thielemans – a Belgian jazz musician – was born.
29 April 1939 – Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose resigned from Congress.
29 April 1965 – Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) successfully launches its seventh rocket in its Rehber series.
29 April 1991 – A cyclone came in Bangladesh, (April 22–30, 1991). It is one of the deadliest tropical cyclones ever recorded. This storm hit the Chittagong region, which is one of the most populated areas in Bangladesh. Around 140,000 people were killed and over 10 million people lost their homes.
29 April 1991 – Dr. Sulianti Saroso – Indonesia’s first female doctor – died.
29 April 1992 – Deadly riots occurred in Los Angeles, U.S. In this riot, 63 people died, 2383 were injured and 12111 were arrested.
29 April 1993 – First time Buckingham Palace was opened for general people and a ticket of 8 pounds was charged to enter it.
29 April 1999 – Tama – a calico cat who served as the stationmaster of Kishi Station – was born.
29 April 2002 – Sawong Supsamruay, a Thai comedian and actor, died.
29 April Historical Significance
On April 29th, several significant historical events occurred. In 1429, Joan of Arc arrived at the siege of Orléans, marking a pivotal moment in the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. Her leadership and military prowess played a crucial role in lifting the siege and boosting French morale. Additionally, in 1861, Maryland’s House of Delegates voted against seceding from the Union during the American Civil War, maintaining the state’s allegiance to the United States. This decision had significant implications for the war’s trajectory. Fast forward to 1945, April 29th marked the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp by American troops, revealing the horrors of the Holocaust to the world and underscoring the need for justice and remembrance. These events on April 29th underscore the diverse range of historical moments that have shaped our world.
Important Days of 29 April in History
International Dance Day is observed globally on 29 April every year. This day was created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO. This event takes place every year on 29th April, to celebrate the birth anniversary of Jean-Georges Noverre (1729–1810), the creator of modern ballet. Every year a message from an outstanding choreographer or dancer is circulated throughout the world.
World Wish Day: A day to commemorate the founding of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of children with critical illnesses to bring them hope, strength, and joy.
International Guide Dogs Day: Recognizes the important role that guide dogs play in assisting individuals who are blind or visually impaired, helping them navigate the world safely and independently.
Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare: Established by the United Nations to honor the victims of chemical warfare and to reaffirm the commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which aims to eliminate chemical weapons worldwide.