8 February in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 8 February is the birth anniversary of Dr. Zakir Hussain, Shobha Gurtu, Jagjit Singh, Dr. Ashok Chakradhar, and Mohammad Azharuddin.
8 February is also observed as the death anniversary of Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshi, and Kalpana Dutt.
Birth Anniversary on 8 February
8 February in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:
Dr. Zakir Hussain (8 February 1897 – 3 May 1969), the third President of India. His presidential term lasted from 13 May 1967 to 3 May 1969. He was a famous educationist and a visionary of modern India. He was also the Governor of Bihar (a term from 1957 to 1962) and the Vice President of India (a term from 1962 to 1967). He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in the year 1963. Due to his untimely death in 1969, he could not complete his presidential term. He was born on 8 February 1897 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
Shobha Gurtu (8 February 1925 – 27 September 2004), was a famous Indian classical singer. Her original name was ‘Bhanumati Shirodkar’. She was one such classical artist who brought the Thumri style of singing to worldwide fame. Shobha Gurtu is known as the ‘Queen of Thumris’. Apart from Thumri, he was also instrumental in saving the existence of sub-classical styles like Kajri, Hori, and Dadra. She was born on 8 February 1925 in Karnataka.
Jagjit Singh (8 February 1941 – 10 October 2011), was the king of the Ghazal world and a famous Ghazal singer who ruled the hearts of millions and millions of listeners with his melodious voice. If anyone takes the credit of taking the ghazals to the common man on the praises of wah-waah in the world of Nawabs, Raqasas, and in the gatherings of poets, then it is Jagjit Singh. His ghazals not only increased the understanding of shero-Shayari among the less knowledgeable of Urdu but also introduced him to poets like Ghalib, Mir, Majaz, Josh, and Firaq. Jagjit Singh sang the song in many languages including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Bhojpuri. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honors of the Government of India in the year 2003. He was born on 8 February 1941 in Ganganagar, Rajasthan.
Dr. Ashok Chakradhar is one of the stage poets of Hindi. The writings of Ashok Chakradhar are known for the genre of humor. Along with Gopaldas Neeraj, Shail Chaturvedi, Surendra Sharma, and Omprakash Aditya, the credit for bringing the oral tradition of poetic conferences to every household goes to him. Ashok Chakradhar was born on 8 February 1951 in Khurja, Uttar Pradesh.
Mohammad Azharuddin is a world-famous former cricketer from India and the captain of the Indian cricket team. There are only a few cricketers in India who have mastered the skill of sending the ball outside the boundary line with the wrist. Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin was also one of those players. Known as “the magician of the wrist“, Azharuddin was not only a better batsman of his era but also one of the best fielders. He took incredible catches at slip, gully, point, and other close positions. In the year 2009, he started his political career with the Congress Party and became MP from Moradabad. Mohammad Azharuddin was awarded the title of ‘Wisden Cricketer of the Year’ in 1991, while ‘Arjun Award’ in 1986 and ‘Padma Shri’ in 1988. He was born on 8 February 1963 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
Read More: 7 February in Indian and World History
Death Anniversary on 8 February
8 February in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:
Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshi (29 December 1887 – 8 February 1971), was an Indian freedom fighter, politician, legal expert, and a famous litterateur and educationist of Gujarati, English, and Hindi, who served as the Home Minister of Bombay. He was also the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. Served as the Food Minister of the Government of India. He established Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mumbai. He also handled the editing of Hans with Munshi Premchand. Kanhaiyalal Maniklal Munshi died on 8 February 1971.
Kalpana Dutt (27 July 1913 – 8 February 1995), was one of the women revolutionaries who fought for the country’s independence. She had associated with the revolutionary Surya Sen’s team to carry out his revolutionary activities. In 1933, Kalpana Dutt was arrested after an encounter with the police. She was able to come out of jail only due to the efforts of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. For her important contribution, Kalpana Dutt was awarded the title of ‘Veer Mahila’. She died on 8 February 1995.
Read More: 6 February in Indian and World History
Notable events on 8 February in Indian and World History
8 February 1238 – The Russian city of Vladimir was set on fire by the Mughals.
8 February 1785 – Warren Hastings, who was Governor-General from 1774 to 1785, left India on this day.
8 February 1834 – Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist and inventor, was born.
18 April 1842 – Antero de Quental — a prominent Portuguese poet, philosopher, and writer — was born.
8 February 1872 – Sher Ali attained martyrdom by attacking the governor in Andaman Jail i.e. Cellular Jail.
8 February 1874 – Comtesse de Ségur – the pen name of Sophie Rostopchine, a French writer known for her children’s books and novels – died.
8 February 1909 – The Treaty of Morocco was signed between the European countries Germany and France.
8 February 1943 – Freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose left for Japan by a ferry from Kell, Germany.
8 February 1952 – Queen Elizabeth became Queen of Britain and President of the Commonwealth of Nations.
8 February 1957 – Walther Bothe a German nuclear physicist, and Nobel Laureate, died.
8 February 1971 – Nasdaq, the world’s first electronic stock exchange was launched.
8 February 1971 – Laos was invaded by South Vietnamese forces.
8 February 1986 – The prepaid taxi service was first introduced at Delhi airport.
8 February 1994 – Cricketer Kapil Dev broke Richard Hadlee’s world record for most wickets in Test matches by taking 432 wickets.
8 February 1999 – The American spacecraft Stardust departs from the Kennedy Space Center.
8 February 2002 – Esther Afua Ocloo — a Ghanaian businesswoman and pioneer of microlending, a program of making small loans — died.
8 February 2006 – three agreements were signed between India and South Korea in Seoul.
8 February 2007 – The King of Bhutan made his first Indian visit on this day.
8 February 2008 – Shantanu Bhattacharya, a senior scientist at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, was awarded the G.D. Birla Award.
8 February 2008 – A 2500-year-old city was found during an excavation in Orissa’s Shishupalgarh.
8 February 2009 – an avalanche in the Khilanmarg area near Sri Nagar buried 350 jawans of the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School under snow.
8 February 2014 – a fire broke out in a hotel in the Saudi Arabian city of Medina, killing 15 people and injuring about 30.
8 February 2017 – Peter Mansfield, a British physicist, and Nobel Prize Laureate, was born.
8 February Historical Significance
On February 8th, several significant events have unfolded throughout history. One notable event occurred in 1587, when Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed for her involvement in plots against Queen Elizabeth I of England. This event had far-reaching consequences for the political landscape of Europe at the time. In 1910, the Boy Scouts of America organization was incorporated, marking the official beginning of its mission to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes. Fast forward to 1952, when Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne of the United Kingdom following the death of her father, King George VI. This marked the beginning of her long and influential reign. Additionally, on February 8th, 1960, the first-ever 8th Winter Olympic Games opened in Squaw Valley, California, showcasing the athletic prowess of participants from around the world. These events, spanning centuries and continents, have left indelible marks on history, shaping the course of nations and cultures.
Important Days of 8 February in History
World Urbanism Day: This day aims to raise awareness about the importance of urban planning in creating sustainable, livable cities. It highlights the role of urban design, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability in shaping urban areas.
Safer Internet Day: Safer Internet Day promotes safer and more responsible use of online technology, especially among children and young people. It raises awareness about online safety issues such as cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and digital literacy. Various events and activities are organized globally to educate people about internet safety practices.
