5 April in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 5 April is the birth anniversary of Jagjivan Ram.
5 April is also observed as the death anniversary of Pandita Ramabai Medhavi, Charles Freer Andrews, and Divya Rana.
Birth Anniversary
5 April in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Jagjivan Ram, (5 April 1908 – 6 July 1986), the pinnacle of modern Indian politics, who was respectfully addressed as ‘Babuji’. His dedication and loyalty to the nation in his parliamentary life of nearly 50 years is unmatched. His entire life has been full of political, social activism, and distinguished achievements. The legal provisions made by Jagjivan Ram to protect the basic rights of Dalits, workers, exploited and oppressed for centuries, are historical. Jagjivan Ram was such a personality who never compromised with injustice and always struggled for the honor of Dalits. From student life, he raised his voice against injustice. Babu Jagjivan Ram has a great contribution in the development of parliamentary democracy in India. He was born on 5 April 1908.
Read More: 25 April in Indian and World History
Death Anniversary
5 April in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Pandita Ramabai Medhavi (23 April 1858 – 5 April 1922), an eminent scholar, and social reformer and dedicated to the upliftment of Indian women from their backward status. Medhavi Crater is named after Ramabai Medhavi. She was born and died on 5 April 1922.
Charles Freer Andrews (12 February 1871 – 5 April 1940), a priest in England. He was a Christian missionary, teacher, and social reformer. One of Mahatma Gandhi’s close friends, C. F. Andrews was one too. He remained at par with Gandhiji in the freedom movement as well. Perhaps he was the only person who addressed Gandhiji as ‘Mohan’.
Divya Rana, an Indian Hindi film actress. Many heroines entered Bollywood in the 80s. At that time new heroines like Mandakini and Divya Rana had also stepped into films. Both these heroines appeared together in the film ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’, but Divya Rana could not be seen in front of Mandakini’s bold avatar and acting. When the film became a hit, all the credit went to Mandakini. Actor Rajiv Kapoor was in the lead role in this film and this was his second film with Divya Rana.
Read More: 24 April in Indian and World History
Notable events on 5 April in Indian and World History
5 April 1722 – Jacob Rogerwin discovered Eastern Ireland.
5 April 1843 – Queen Victoria of Britain announced the inclusion of Hong Kong in the British Colony.
5 April 1887 – Hedwig Kohn, the pioneering physicist, was born.
5 April 1925 – Sadri Alışık, a Turkish stage and movie actor, and one of the most loved comedians in Turkey, was born.
5 April 1929 – Ivar Giaever, a Norwegian-American physicist and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
5 April 1930 – Mahatma Gandhi along with his followers reached Dandi to break the salt law.
5 April 1944 – Erich Ohser, a German cartoonist, died by suicide.
5 April 1949 – Bharat Scouts and Guides was established.
5 April 1955 – Winston Churchill resigned as British Prime Minister.
5 April 1957 – After the first democratically held elections in the country and the first in the world in Kerala, the Communist Party came to power and E.M.S Namboodiripad was sworn in as the Chief Minister.
5 April 1961 – The first ‘Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited Company’ sponsored by the Government of India was established.
5 April 1964 – The Navy celebrated National Maritime Day for the first time.
5 April 1967 – Hermann Joseph Muller, an American geneticist, evolutionary biologist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, died.
5 April 1975 – Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal was assassinated.
5 April 1976– Wilder Penfield, an American Canadian neurosurgeon, died.
5 April 1979 – The country’s first Naval Museum opened in Mumbai.
5 April 2022 – India, Myanmar, and Thailand agreed to complete the Morey-Kalwa-Mandalay Road project.
5 April 2003 – a proposal to cut Pakistan’s financial aid was introduced in the US Parliament.
5 April 2006 – In Singapore, 45 Indians were arrested for immigration offenses.
5 April 2007 – Iran released 15 British naval servicemen.
5 April 2008 – At least 10 people were killed in a suicide attack in Iraq.
5 April 2019 – Sydney Brenner was a South African biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate.
Important Days
April 5 holds significance for various reasons across different cultures and communities. Here are some notable observances on this date:
- National Maritime Day (India): India celebrates National Maritime Day on April 5 to acknowledge the achievements of the Indian maritime sector. This day marks the maiden voyage of the first Indian-owned ship “SS Loyalty” from Bombay to London on April 5, 1919, under the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd, signifying the start of India’s shipping history post-colonization.
- Cold Food Festival (China, and some East Asian cultures): Although not fixed on April 5 and based on the lunar calendar, the Cold Food Festival is traditionally observed the day before Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping Day) in China and among some East Asian communities. It involves the prohibition of fire and hence, the consumption of cold food. The festival’s date varies but can fall on or around April 5.
- International Day of Conscience: This day is observed globally on April 5. It was established by the United Nations to promote a culture of peace with love and conscience. It aims to remind people to self-reflect, follow their conscience, and foster global peace and love.