(India) Kisan Divas – Farmers Day
(Japan) Birthday of Emperor Akihito (1933)
(Sweden) Birthday of the Queen Silvia (1943).
HAL by Walchand Hirachand
Event: 23 Dec 1940 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India
(India) Hindustan Aircraft Limited was founded by Walchand Hirachand, in association with the princely State of Mysore. It became Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on 01 Oct 1964, but 23 December is still celebrated as Foundation Day.
Shashikant Ruia
Birth: 23 Dec 1943 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Indian industrialist, he is the son of Nand Kishore Ruia, the founder of Essar Group, and serves as Chairman of the Board of the multinational conglomerate with a global footprint. He and his brother Ravi, together are worth $4 billion.
PV Narasimha Rao
Death: 23 Dec 2004 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Indian politician (INC) and scholar, he was Chief Minister (1971-73) of Andhra Pradesh, and the 10th Prime Minister (1991-96), when Dr Manmohan Singh laid the foundation for the economic revival of the country. A suitable recognition is due.
DAV School Fire
Event: 23 Dec 1995 in Dabwali, Haryana, India
(India) DAV Public School held its annual day function at Rajeev Palace with the Deputy Commissioner as chief guest. A fire (1345 hrs) claimed the lives of 446 children and parents, while the DC ran away from the scene of the disaster.
HAL by Walchand Hirachand
Event: 23-12-1940 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India
(India) Hindustan Aircraft Limited was founded by Walchand Hirachand, in association with the princely State of Mysore. It became Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on 01 Oct 1964, but 23 December is still celebrated as Foundation Day.
Emperor Akihito
Birth: 23 Dec 1933 in Tokyo, Japan
The 125th Emperor of Japan, he succeeded his father, Emperor Hirohito to the throne in 1989, and was the first to marry a commoner, Shoda Michiko, who was the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Crown Prince Naruhito, was born on 23 Feb 1960.
Lord Irwin
Death: 23 Dec 1959 in Yorkshire, England, UK
British politician, he was the Viceroy (1926-31) of India. He inaugurated (18 Jan 1927) the Parliament House and his attempt to improve relations (Simon Commission) was met with Gandhiji’s demand for ‘Complete National Independence’.
Non Stop Around the World Flight
Event: 23 Dec 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA
(USA) The experimental airplane ‘Voyager’ piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, landed at Edwards Air Force Base, after a 42,432 km, 9 day (14-23 Dec) flight around the world, without any refuelling and without break for the crew.
Arthur Gillgian
Born: 23 Dec 1894 in England, UK
British cricketer and captain (1924), he was in India in 1927 when he helped lay the foundation for BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), and the first official Test in 1932. His younger brother Harold Gilligan also captained England.
USS Pueblo Seized by North Korea
Event: 23 Dec 1968 in DMZ, North Korea
(USA) The 82 crew members of the research ship, USS Pueblo were released, and crossed over the DMZ in to South Korea, 11 months after the USS Pueblo was seized by North Korea (23 Jan). The Pueblo is still in Pyongyang, as a war trophy.
Lt Gen Mikhail Kalashnikov
Death: 23 Dec 2013 in Izhevsk, Udmurtia, Russia
Russian engineer and soldier, he designed the AK-47 assault rifle (Avtomat Kalashnikov-1947) – one of the most widely used automatic weapon the world over and credited with killing more people than any other similar firearm.
VAdm RKS Ghandhi VrC
Death: 23 Dec 2014 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Indian naval officer (1945-82), he was ADC to Lord Mountbatten, CO of INS Mysore during the 1971 Indo-Pak War and a recipient of the Vir Chakra. He retired as C-in-C West, and was appointed Governor (1986-90) of Himachal Pradesh.
Mikhail Kalashnikov
Death: 23 Dec 2013 in Izhevsk, Russia
Russian engineer and soldier, he designed the AK-47 assault rifle (Avtomat Kalashnikov-1947) – one of the most widely used automatic weapon the world over and credited with killing more people than any other similar firearm.
USS Pueblo Seized by North Korea
Event: 23-12-1968 in DMZ, North Korea
(USA) The 82 crew members of the research ship, USS Pueblo were released, and crossed over the DMZ in to South Korea, 11 months after the USS Pueblo was seized by North Korea (23 Jan). The Pueblo is still in Pyongyang, as a war trophy.
Today We Remember 