July 20
On July 20th 1905, the first partition of Bengal along religious lines was approved in London by the Secretary of State of India. The decision to partition the state of Bengal was announced by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India in July 1905. This partition came into effect in October 1905 and divided the Muslim majority of eastern... Read More →
July 19
On July 19th 1955, famous Indian cricketer Roger Binny was born in Bangalore, Karnataka. Roger Binny was a popular cricket all-rounder who is especially remembered for his outstanding bowling performance in the 1983 cricket World Cup, which India won against the West Indies. Binny was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium bowler. Binny was the highest wicket taker... Read More →
July 18
On July 18th 1947, the India Independence Act 1947 was given the royal assent and came into force. The India Independence Act was a United Kingdom act of parliament which separated British India into two new dominions of India and Pakistan. Pakistan came into being on August 14th 1947 and India on August 15th of the same year. After... Read More →
July 17
On July 17th 1996, M. Karunanidhi, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu announced in the state assembly that the state capital of Madras would from then on be known as Chennai. The name Madras was originally given to an area comprising of the present state of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring areas of North Kerala, Lakshadweep Islands, Coastal Andhra... Read More →
July 16
On July 16th 1856, the remarriage of Hindu widows was legalized across all jurisdictions under the rule of the East India Company. Hindu widows for many years were subject to extreme hardships including the practice of sati, a social funeral practice, which required a widow to immolate herself on the funeral pyre of her husband. Sati was finally banned... Read More →
July 15
On July 15th 1955, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, was awarded the Bharat Ratna (India’s highest civilian honour) by then President Rajendra Prasad. Pandit Nehru is remembered not only as India’s first Prime Minister, but also as India’s most charismatic leader who was greatly admired, not only in India, but across the globe, for his idealism and... Read More →
July 14
On July 14th 1636, Aurangzeb was appointed the Viceroy of Deccan by his father and Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Aurangzeb, the son of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India. Under the rule of Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire stretched from Ghazni to Chittagong and from Kashmir to Karnataka, covering almost the whole of India.... Read More →
July 13
On July 13th 1830, the Scottish Church College was established by popular Indian religious and social reformer, Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Alexander Duff, a Christian missionary in India. The school had a humble beginning with only five students. Located in Kolkata (then Calcutta), the Scottish Church College is one of the oldest colleges for liberal arts and sciences... Read More →
July 12
Bahlol Khan Lodi, founder of the Lodi Dynasty, died in Delhi on July 12th 1489. Bahlol Khan was of Afghan descent and belonged to a family of traders. He was recognized as a renowned warrior and was also the governor of Sirhind (Punjab). Khan came to power after the last Syyed ruler Allaudin Alam Shah stepped down from his... Read More →
July 11
On July 11th 2000, noted Punjabi writer Amrita Pritam was honoured with the highest award for Punjabi literature, the Shatabdi Samman. Amrita Pritam remains one of the most popular figures in Punjabi literature today and was a Punjabi writer and poet and is considered as one of the most prominent among poets, novelists and essayists. Pritam was born on August... Read More →
