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26 December- Veer Baal Diwas

‘Veer Baal Diwas’ is observed annually on 26 December.

The day honours the martyrdom of 10th Guru Govind Singh Ji's Sahibzade, Baba Fateh Singh, and Zorawar Singh.

Guru Gobind Singh, the leader of the Sikhs, during the Mughal rule, had four sons. They were called Char Sahibzade. Ajit, Jujhar, Zorawar and Fateh.

All of them were killed by the mughals before they turned 19.

On the instructions of Aurangzeb, Mughal forces besieged Anandpur Sahib (1704). Guru Gobind Singh's two sons, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh were apprehended in the battle.

Aurangzeb tried to convert Guru Gobind Singh Ji by putting condition. ‘If he became an Islamic convert, they would not be slained’.

On refusal from Guru Gobind Singh, both were both handed the death penalty and hurled alive into a brick wall. Like father, both of these martyrs also chose death over violating religious values.

Remembering Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh on their Martyrdom Day !

25 December- Good Governance Day

India has been marking Good Governance Day every year since 2014. The day is celebrated on December 25, on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The purpose of celebrating the day is to create awareness amongst the citizenry, especially young people, who are the future of the country.

It is important that the people of the country are aware of the duties and responsibilities of the government in order to hold them accountable and ensure good governance in its truest sense.

Happy Good Governance Day !

24 December- Neeraj Chopra

As a child, he was fed all yummy, calorie-rich desi delights by loving grandmother and he had become a chubby child.

Physically very inactive, he was 90Kgs at the age of 12.

It took nudging from family, he started jogging in nearby Shivaji Stadium to attain a basic level of fitness.

And he began his tryst with sports to shed a few extra kilos off his body.
But a forced morning jog session proved fruitful.

It landed him a chance meeting with javelin thrower Jaiveer Choudhary.
Jaiveer asked him to throw the javelin. That travelled about 35-40m.
It was pretty impressive for a first-timer.

He used to be overweight those days. But Jaiveer knew it that his body was pretty flexible.

It was the moment where the making of history begin!

And the Kid battles obesity to become India’s finest Javelin thrower- Neeraj Chopra.

A few years later, Neeraj was breaking world records at the 2016 World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He is the first Indian athlete to ever win a World title in Track and Field at U-20.

In 2018, Neeraj made history in 2 big sporting events.

He won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in April.

And he shattered his own national record of 87.43 by 88.06m to clinch Asian Games Gold in Jakarta.

And Neeraj baged Gold Medal in Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

He was also coached by Uwe Hohn, a retired German track and field athlete. Incidentally, Hohn is the only athlete to throw a javelin 100 metres or more.

Hohn's world record of 104.80 m is now an ‘eternal world record’ since a new javelin was designed and implemented from 1986.

Join us to wish, Happy Birthday to golden boy- Neeraj Chopra !!

23 December- Farmers Day

Every year, India observes Farmers’ Day or Kisan Diwas on December 23.

Farmers are the driving force of the country’s economy and deserve to be honored. The day also celebrates the birth of the fifth Prime Minister of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh, who started as a farmer before earning his seat in the government.

This day aims to promote awareness of the importance of farmers and their valuable contribution to the overall social- and economic development of the nation.

Chaudhary Charan Singh is a remarkable testimony to the fact that, despite having humble beginnings and living a plain lifestyle, one can go on to do great things. Kisan Diwas is celebrated on December 23 to honor the anniversary of this great man’s birth.

Remembering Chaudhary Charan Singh on his birth anniversary!!

21 December- First Crossword of World

Crossword puzzles are said to be the most popular and widespread word game in the world, yet have a short history. The first crosswords appeared in England during the 19th century.

They were of an elementary kind, apparently derived from the word square, a group of words arranged so the letters read alike vertically and horizontally, and printed in children's puzzle books and various periodicals.

In the United States, however, the puzzle developed into a serious adult pastime.

The first known published crossword puzzle was created by a journalist named Arthur Wynne from Liverpool, and he is usually credited as the inventor of the popular word game.

December 21, 1913 was the date and it appeared in a Sunday newspaper, the New York World. Wynne's puzzle differed from today's crosswords in that it was diamond shaped and contained no internal black squares.

During the early 1920's other newspapers picked up the newly discovered pastime and within a decade crossword puzzles were featured in almost all American newspapers.

Happy Crossword Day !!

20 December- International Human Solidarity Day

International Human Solidarity Day is based on the Sustainable Development Agenda, which focuses on lifting people from poverty, hunger and disease.

Every year December 20, is celebrated as International Human Solidarity Day across the world. The United Nations announced to celebration of this day on December 22, 2005, to explain the importance of unity in diversity. Since then, International Human Solidarity Day is being celebrated every year on December 20.

According to the United Nations, the purpose of International Human Solidarity Day is:

To show unity in diversity
To remind various governments of international agreements
To convey the importance of solidarity among people
To motivate people, and govetoents for sustainable development
To find new ways to eradicate poverty
To get people out of poverty, hunger, and diseases

Happy Human Solidarity Day !

Fastest Arranging of 1 Lakh Chess Pieces

Kasparov Chess Academy, Karur, TN, India, organized an event wherein R. Shivani born on September 13, 2012 from Erode, arranged 1Lakh chess pieces in 5 hours 34 Minutes and 30 Seconds, at Global International School, Kangayam, Tirupur, TN, on December 17, 2023.

18 December- International Migrants Day

Migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life.

This phenomena is testimony throughout the human history. Today in era of globalization, has greatly increased the number of people, who have the desire and the capacity to move to other places. This has been fuelled by advances in communications and transportation.

This era has created both - challenges and opportunities for societies across the world. It also has served to underscore the clear linkage between migration and development. And also the opportunities it provides for co-development.

Migration draws increasing attention in the world nowadays. Mixed with elements of unforeseeability, emergency, and complexity, the challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries and regions.

The United Nations is actively playing a catalyst role in this area, with the aim of creating more dialogues and interactions within countries and regions, as well as propelling experience exchange and collaboration opportunities.

16 December – Vijay Diwas

India celebrates Vijay Diwas on December 16 to commemorate its victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war.

This victory led to the creation of Bangladesh.

After World War II, this was also the biggest-ever military surrender.
This tells the story about the bravery of the mighty Indian Army.

The ‘Instrument of Surrender’ was signed and accepted by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, the then General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of India’s Eastern Command.

On this day, Indians pay homage to the brave soldiers of our country. The defining moments in the history of the subcontinent also established the prowess of the Indian Armed Forces including the Army, Air Force and Navy.

After fighting for 13 days, India won the war against Pakistan on December 16, 1971. During the struggle for independence in East Pakistan, the war started on December 3, 1971, and ended 13 days later on December 16 with the unconditional surrender of the Pakistan army.

On this day, the then Major-General in the Pakistan Army, Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, surrendered to the joint forces of Indian Army and Bangladesh’s Mukti Bahini. Niazi, who surrendered with 93,000 Pakistani troops, was the Commander of the Pakistan Eastern Command, and had also signed the ‘Instrument of Surrender’ at Ramna Race Course in Dacca (now Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh).

Happy Vijay Diwas !
Jai Hind !!

15 December- International Tea Day

Many nations, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Uganda, and Tanzania, commemorate International Tea Day on December 15.

Tea is a fragrant beverage with a high demand on the global market.

After water, it is the world's second most popular beverage. Tea is an important element in some people's lives because it adds rhythm. China is currently the world's largest tea exporter.

According to a survey conducted by the Tea Board of India in 2007, the domestic population consumes almost 80% of the total tea produced in India.

In 2005, the first ITD was conducted in New Delhi, India. The Indian government, on the other hand, recommended to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2015 to expand International Tea Day around the world.

The United Nations designated May 21 as International Tea Day since the tea harvesting season begins in May in most tea-producing countries.

Tea cultivation needs a great deal of attention and labour.

Every year, International Tea Day is commemorated to attract the attention of the government and the general public to the challenges plaguing tea production and how the global tea trade affects tea plantations, local tea growers, and consumers.

So, Have a Cup of tea today with friends & family !!

14 December - National Energy Conservation Day

Every year, December 14 is celebrated as Energy Conservation Day to raise awareness on the importance of energy conservation for the present and future generations.

The conservation of energy is an important step that needs to be taken to ensure that the coming generations live in a brighter tomorrow.

Energy conservation emphasises the judicious use of energy to minimise wastage and to save sources for the future. Energy conservation also advocates the importance of non-renewable resources.

The India Energy Conservation Act was first implemented by the Energy Efficiency Bureau (BEE) in 2001. The BEE is a body that works under the jurisdiction of the Government of India and formulates policies regarding the use of energy.

Happy Energy Conservation Day !!

11 December - International Mountain Day

Mountains are home to, about 15% of the world´s population. And these host about half of the world's biodiversity hotspots.

These provide freshwater for everyday life to half of humanity. Their conservation is a key factor for sustainable development and is part of Goal 15 of the SDGs.

Biodiversity encompasses the variety of ecosystems, species and genetic resources, and mountains have many endemic varieties. The differentiated topography in terms of altitude, slope and exposure in mountains offers opportunities to grow a variety of high-value crops, horticulture, livestock and forest species.

For example, mountain pastoralists in Pakistan have a highly treasured livestock genetic resource pool with special traits bred into animals, such as disease resilience, which can help adaption to changing climate.

Nearly 70% of mountain land is used for grazing and provides manure that enhances soil fertility. Livestock not only produces food items such as milk, butter and meat, but also valuable by-products, such as some of the most precious yarns, like cashmere wool.

Unfortunately, mountains are under threat from climate change and overexploitation.

As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people — some of the world’s poorest — face even greater struggles to survive.

The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people.

Celebrate Nature ! Save Mountains !!

10 December- Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on 10 December.

The formal inception of Human Rights Day dates from 1950, after the Assembly passed resolution 423 (V) inviting all States and interested organizations to adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day.

When the General Assembly adopted the Declaration, it was proclaimed as a "common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations", towards which individuals and societies should ‘strive by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance’.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out a broad range of fundamental rights and freedoms to which all of us are entitled.

It guarantees the rights of every individual everywhere, without distinction based on nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, language, or any other status.

Happy Human Rights Day !!

9 December- International Anti-Corruption Day

The world today faces some of its greatest challenges in many generations – challenges which threaten prosperity and stability for people across the globe. The plague of corruption is intertwined in most of them.

Corruption has negative impacts on every aspect of society and is profoundly intertwined with conflict and instability jeopardizing social and economic development and undermining democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Corruption not only follows conflict but is also frequently one of its root causes. It fuels conflict and inhibits peace processes by undermining the rule of law, worsening poverty, facilitating the illicit use of resources, and providing financing for armed conflict.

Preventing corruption, promoting transparency and strengthening institutions is crucial if the targets foreseen in the Sustainable Development Goals are to be met.

International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) seeks to highlight the crucial link between anti-corruption and peace, security, and development.

At its core is the notion that tackling this crime is the right and responsibility of everyone, and that only through cooperation and the involvement of each and every person and institution can we overcome the negative impact of this crime. States, government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, the private sector, civil society, academia, the public and youth alike all have a role to play in uniting the world against corruption.

8 December- Bodhi Day

Bodhi Day is observed every year on December 8. It commemorates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

This significant day is celebrated by Buddhists around the world as a reminder of the profound spiritual awakening attained by the Buddha under the Bodhi tree.

The day that Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is said to have achieved enlightenment, or bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali, is celebrated as Bodhi Day in Buddhism.

Siddhartha, according to legend, had lately abandoned years of severe austerity and made the decision to sit under a peepal tree, also called a Bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa), and simply meditate until he discovered the cause of suffering and the means of eliminating it.

Happy Bodhi Day !!

6 December- Maitri Diwas (Friednship Day)

Maitri Diwas is being observed on 6 Dec to mark India recognizing the newly-formed country Bangladesh in 1971.

5 December- World Soil Day

World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

An international day to celebrate Soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.

Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness raising platform.

The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly.

In December 2013, the UN General Assembly responded by designating 5 December 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.

Why 5 December?
The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official birthday of the late H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of this initiative.

Happy World Soil Day !!

4 December - World Wildlife Conservation Day

World Wildlife Conservation Day is observed on December 4th each year.

This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of protecting and conserving the world's wildlife and their habitats.

The aim is to emphasize the need for global action to address the various threats that wildlife faces, including habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.

Billions of people, in developed and developing nations, benefit daily from the use of wild species for food, energy, materials, medicine, recreation, inspiration and many other vital contributions to human well-being.

The accelerating global biodiversity crisis, with a million species of plants and animals facing extinction, threatens these contributions to people.

World Wildlife Day (WWD) is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people. At the same time, the Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts.

Happy World Wildlife Conservation Day !

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

‘NOT All Disabilities are Visible’.
Over 1 billion people live with some form of disability.

WHO estimates that more than one billion people - about 15% of the world's population - experience some form of disability.

This figure is predicted to rise given population ageing and an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. While disability correlates with disadvantage, not all people with disabilities are equally disadvantaged.

Much depends on the context in which they live, and whether or not they have equal access to health, education and employment, among others.

Theme of this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is ‘United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with, and by persons with disabilities.’

The Day is observed to spotlight the rights and well-being of individuals with special needs. It seeks to shed light on the disparities, both political and socio-economic, faced by people with disabilities.

Collaboratively acknowledged by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, the day underscores the significance of securing the rights of specially-abled individuals so that they can participate freely and efficiently in society with others.

Celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities !!

2 December- National Pollution Control Day

National Pollution Control Day is observed on December 2 every year in memory of those who suffered and lost their lives in the horrific 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

The day is about raising awareness and public conscience with regards to the ecology and its protection from human activities.

The fateful incident occurred due to the accidental discharge of the toxic chemical gas Methyl Isocyanate and other toxic gases from the Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal on the night of December 2, 1984.

Bhopal Gas Tragedy, listed by the International Labour Organization as among the world’s major industrial accidents in the last century.

Remembering 25K+ Bhopal Gas Leak Tragedy Victims !!

1 December- BSF Raising Day

The Border Security Force (BSF), India’s first line of defence, Raising Day is celebrated on 1 December.

It was on December 1, 1965 that the first sector of the Punjab Frontier of the BSF was raised with its headquarters in Jalandhar.

The Western Frontier initially comprised of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat and with its headquarters at Jalandhar.

After the Indian Army, the BSF is the only Central Armed Police Force in the nation that has an independent air wing, effective artillery regiment, dedicated marine division and a special intelligence branch.

The BSF is also the sole paramilitary organisation globally to use an active camel cavalry to patrol the sands of the Thar Desert, which comprise of the common border between India and Pakistan.

The ‘Creek Crocodile - a Quick Reaction Team made of BSF commandos - was also raised to counter threats like that of 26/11. They guard the brackish waters of the Kutch region in Sir Creek to prevent cross-border infiltration.

Despite being a border force, more than 7,000 women of all ranks are serving in the force on the eastern and western theatre.

Happy BSF Raising Day!

30 November- Rajiv Dixit

Rajiv Dixit (30 November 1967 – 30 November 2010) was an activist who promoted ayurveda and great Indian life style.

He completed his elementary and middle school education in Faizabad. In 1994 he went to Allahabad for higher education, but became an activist before completing his education.

He was an Indian Orator. He started social movements in order to spread awareness on topics of national interest through the Swadeshi Movement, Azadi Bachao Andolan and others. He served as the National Secretary of ‘Bharat Swabhiman Trust’.

He was technocrate and has been associated with CSIR (Counsil of Science and Industrial Research).

He used to say PEPSI-COKE are the PESTISIDES and Toilet cleaner.
Now Dr. Sunitha Narayan and many others have proved him right.

Remembering Rajiv Dixit on his birth anniversary!

Dev Deepawali-2023

Kashi celebrated Dev Deepawali on November 27, 2023.

27 November- Gurpurab

Gurupurab, also known as ‘Guru Nanak Jayanti’ or ‘Guru Nanak Ji's Prakash Utsav’, is observed on Kartik Poornima, the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik month. This year in 2023, Gurpurab is being celebrated on November 27, 2023 marking the 554rd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji'.

On Guru Nanak Jayanti, may the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji illuminate our (all) path and guide us towards a life of compassion, humility, and righteousness.

Happy Gurpurab !

26 November: Constitution Day

Constitution Day or Samvidhan Diwas is celebrated annually in India on 26 November.

The day is also known as National Law Day.

The day commemorates the adoption of the Constitution in India.

On this day in 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the Constitution of India that came into force on 26 January 1950.

While on 26 November, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India, which came into effect from 1950.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 19 November, 2015, notified the decision of the Government of India to celebrate 26 November as 'Constitution Day'.

The day is celebrated to promote Constitution values among citizens.
History of how the Constitution of India came into being:

The two-month period between the adoption and enforcement of the Constitution was used for a thorough reading and translation from English to Hindi. The Constituent Assembly met for 166 days spread over two years, 11 months and 18 days before the Constitution was adopted.

The members of the Constituent Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on January 24, 1950. Two days later, the Constitution of India became the law of the land.

Happy Indian Constitution Day !

25 November- No Non-veg Day

Uttar Pradesh government declared November 25 as ‘No Non-veg Day’ on the birth anniversary of Sadhu TL Vaswani. He advocated for a vegetarian lifestyle.

Sadhu Vaswani was born on November 25, 1879, in Hyderabad, Sindh (now in Pakistan). After completing his BA from the University of Bombay in 1899 and MA in 1902, he sought his mother's permission to dedicate his life to serving God and humanity.

Despite her desire for his worldly success, he initially accepted a teaching position. However, his pledge to remain unmarried, combined with his devotion to a spiritual life, guided his decisions.

He eventually held academic roles as a Professor of History and Philosophy at City College, Kolkata, and later at DJ Science College in Karachi. Upon the death of his mother, he resigned from his employment, keeping his promise to her.

At the age of 30, Vaswani embarked on a significant journey with his guru, Sri Promotholal Sen, attending the Welt Congress in Berlin in 1910. Representing India, he advocated for peace and unity.

In the era of India's struggle for independence and societal norms, he championed women's liberation and education.

Initiating the 'Sakhi Satsang' in 1929, he encouraged women's spiritual elevation, liberating them from domestic confines. He strongly believed in women's potential for societal up-liftment and inaugurated the Mira School for Girls in 1933. This institution marked the genesis of the 'Mira Movement in Education,' providing advanced education integrated with spiritual ethos across the globe.

Remembering 'Sadhu TL Vaswani' on his birth anniversary!!

24 November- 'Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day'

The 9th of the 10 Gurus of the Sikh religion, Guru Tegh Bahadur martyred on November 24, in the year 1675. He was executed in the city of Delhi on the orders of Aurangzeb after he refused to embrace Islam.

He is known for the protection he provided to the Sikhs and the Hindus against a 17th-century law that forced them to convert to Islam.

He is famous for having made long journeys to places such as Kashmir and Assam in the country to preach the tenets of Guru Nanak. They have a unique place in the history of the world among those who sacrificed their lives to protect religion and principles.

He was appointed Guru of the Sikhs on March 20, 1664.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, an idol of patience, detachment, and renunciation, meditated in solitude for 20 consecutive years at a place called ‘Baba Bakkala’.

His other works include 15 ragas, 782 compositions, and 116 shabads.

Remembering 'Guru Tegh Bahadur JI' on his Martyrdom Day !

23 November- Fibonacci Day

The Fibonacci number is the number one divided by the Italian mathematician Leonardo of Pisa (named after Leonardo Fibonacci) in the 13th century.

Starting at 0,1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144....... goes to this number line. A number is summed up with the number in front of it and the sum is the sequence in the sequence as the next number.

November 23 is celebrated as Fibonacci day because when the date is written in the mm/dd format (11/23), the digits in the date form a Fibonacci sequence: 1,1,2,3. and so on.

Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers where a number is the sum of the two numbers before it.

21 November- World Television Day

World Television Day is marked on November 21 annually to celebrate the invention and development of the 'idiot box' that has carved a significant position in people's everyday life.

Television, more than a tool, is a philosophy that represents a symbol for communication and globalisation, the United Nations says. Television is an interactive link between emerging and traditional forms of broadcast that creates a great opportunity to raise awareness about the important issues facing our communities and our planet. It is also considered to be a major tool for information, channeling, and influencing public opinion.

Happy World Television Day!