15 December in Indian and World History

15 December in Indian and World History is celebrated, observed, and remembered for various reasons. 15 December is the birth anniversary of Swami Ranganathananda, Sattiraju Lakshminarayana, and Bhaichung Bhutia.

15 December is also observed as the death anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel.

Birth Anniversary

15 December in Indian history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:

Swami Ranganathananda (15 December 1908 – 25 April 2005) was a Hindu swami of the Ramakrishna Math order. He served as the 13th president of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission.

Sattiraju Lakshminarayana (15 December 1933 – 31 August 2014), known professionally as Bapu, was an Indian film director, painter, illustrator, cartoonist, screenwriter, music artist, and designer known for his works in Telugu cinema, and Hindi cinema.

Bhaichung Bhutia (born 15 December 1976), also spelled as Baichung Bhutia, is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Bhutia is considered the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena.

Death Anniversary

15 December in Indian history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:

Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel (31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950), commonly known as Sardar Vallabhai Patel, was an Indian independence nationalist and barrister who served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India from 1947 to 1950. He was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, who played a significant role in the country’s struggle for independence and its political integration.

Notable events on 15 December in Indian and World History

15 December 1903 – Italian-American food cart vendor Italo Marchiony receives a U.S. patent for inventing a machine that makes ice cream cones.

15 December 1905 – The Pushkin House is established in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to preserve the cultural heritage of Alexander Pushkin.

15 December 1906 – The London Underground’s Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway opens.

15 December 1914 – World War I: The Serbian Army recaptures Belgrade from the invading Austro-Hungarian Army.

15 December 1914 – A gas explosion at Mitsubishi Hōjō coal mine, in Kyushu, Japan, kills 687.

15 December 1917 – World War I: An armistice between Russia and the Central Powers is signed.

15 December 1939 – Gone with the Wind (highest inflation-adjusted grossing film) receives its premiere at Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

15 December 1941 – The Holocaust in Ukraine: German troops murder over 15,000 Jews at Drobytsky Yar, a ravine southeast of the city of Kharkiv.

15 December 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse begins during the Guadalcanal Campaign.

15 December 1943 – World War II: The Battle of Arawe begins during the New Britain campaign.

15 December 1944 – World War II: a single-engine UC-64A Norseman airplane carrying United States Army Air Forces Major Glenn Miller is lost in a flight over the English Channel.

15 December 1945 – Occupation of Japan/Shinto Directive: General Douglas MacArthur orders that Shinto be abolished as the state religion of Japan.

15 December 1960 – Richard Pavlick is arrested for plotting to assassinate U.S. President-Elect John F. Kennedy.

15 December 1960 – King Mahendra of Nepal suspends the country’s constitution, dissolves parliament, dismisses the cabinet, and imposes direct rule.

15 December 1961 – Adolf Eichmann is sentenced to death after being found guilty by an Israeli court of 15 criminal charges, including charges of crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people, and membership of an outlawed organization.

15 December 1965 – Project Gemini: Gemini 6A, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, is launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Four orbits later, it achieves the first space rendezvous, with Gemini 7.

15 December 1970 – Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 successfully lands on Venus. It is the first successful soft landing on another planet.

15 December 1973 – John Paul Getty III, grandson of American billionaire J. Paul Getty, is found alive near Naples, Italy, after being kidnapped by an Italian gang on July 10.

15 December 1973 – The American Psychiatric Association votes 13–0 to remove homosexuality from its official list of psychiatric disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

15 December 1978 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will recognize the People’s Republic of China and sever diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan).

15 December 1981 – A suicide car bombing targeting the Iraqi embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, levels the embassy and kills 61 people, including Iraq’s ambassador to Lebanon. The attack is considered the first modern suicide bombing.

15 December 1989 – The Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights relating to the abolition of capital punishment is adopted.

15 December 1993 – The Troubles: The Downing Street Declaration is issued by British Prime Minister John Major and Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds.

15 December 1997 – Tajikistan Airlines Flight 3183 crashes in the desert near Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, killing 85.

15 December 2000 – The third reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is shut down.

15 December 2001 – The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 was spent to stabilize it, without fixing its famous lean.

15 December 2005 – Introduction of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor into USAF active service.

15 December 2010 – A boat carrying 90 asylum seekers crashes into rocks off the coast of Christmas Island, Australia, killing 48 people.

15 December 2013 – The South Sudanese Civil War begins when opposition leaders Dr. Riek Machar, Pagan Amum, and Rebecca Nyandeng vote to boycott the meeting of the National Liberation Council at Nyakuron.

15 December 2014 – Gunman Man Haron Monis takes 18 hostages inside a café in Martin Place for 16 hours in Sydney. Monis and two hostages are killed when police raid the café the following morning.

15 December 2017 – An earthquake strikes the Indonesian island of Java in the city of Tasikmalaya, resulting in four deaths.

15 December Historical Significance

On December 15th, several significant events left their mark on history. In 1791, the United States Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was ratified, guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms to American citizens. Fast forward to 1891, when James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, invented the game of basketball, which would go on to become one of the most popular sports worldwide. Additionally, in 1939, the film classic “Gone with the Wind” premiered in Atlanta, Georgia, captivating audiences with its epic story and memorable characters. Moving into the realm of space exploration, on December 15, 1965, NASA’s Gemini 6A spacecraft performed the first successful space rendezvous with Gemini 7, a crucial milestone in advancing human spaceflight capabilities. Lastly, in 2001, the People’s Republic of China was admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO), marking a significant step in its integration into the global economy. These events on December 15th have had enduring impacts across various aspects of society, culture, and technology.

Important Days of 15 December in History

International Tea Day: This day highlights the importance of tea in promoting sustainable agriculture, supporting the livelihoods of millions of people, and celebrating cultural diversity around the world.

Bill of Rights Day (United States): This day commemorates the ratification of the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, which protects individual freedoms and rights.

National Cupcake Day (United States): A fun celebration dedicated to the small, sweet treats known as cupcakes, often enjoyed with friends and family or as a special indulgence.