Today In History – 15 August 2020
Learn what happened today in history around the world including major events across the world!
Year: 1461
Empire of Trebizond surrenders to forces of Sultan Mehmet II – last Byzantine Empire remnant to fall. Emperor David exiled and later murdered.
Year: 1620
Mayflower sets sail from Southampton, England, with 102 Pilgrims
Year: 1854
The first train of the East Indian Railways steamed out of Howrah station destined for Hoogly, which was at a distance of 24 miles. It was the first passenger train catering to public traffic. Officially, it was inaugurated in 1855.
Year: 1900
The Boxer Rebellion: In China, the Empress, her family, and court retainers flee while foreign troops move through Peking in an attempt to quell the rebellion
Year: 1947
- India gains independence from Great Britain, remains a dominion until 1950 on 15 August.
- Sir Cyril Radcliffe Award on the new boundaries of West Punjab, East Punjab, West Bengal, East Bengal, and Assam. (INDIA)
- India gains independence from the British rule and Pakistan emerges as a separate Islamic nation. Around 600,000 die in clashes during the subsequent population exchange of 14 million people between the two new countries. (INDIA)
- At the stroke of midnight, India is free after 163 years of British Raj. At the same time, Muslims win a degree of freedom from Hindus. They have their own separate dominion Pakistan in the British Commonwealth Sect. (INDIA)
- Hindu-Muslim association in Calcutta( 15 August). (INDIA)
- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru becomes the first Indian Prime Minister of free India.
- Lord Louis Mountbatten took charge as the first British Governor-General of the Indian Union and occupied this office till June 20, 1948. (INDIA)
- On the stroke of midnight on 14th August 1947, India became independent and was partitioned. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru became the first prime minister and Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first president of free India. The mixed economy policy was taken on a five-year plan basis for economic development. On 26th January 1950, India became democratic and is the biggest democracy in the world today. In 1956, on the basis of languages, India was divided into 14 states and 6 union territories. Today, there are 27 states and 7 union territories. (INDIA)
- India and Pakistan gain independence (dominion status). Lord Mountbatten becomes Governor-General of India and Mohammad Ali Jinnah is appointed the Governor-General of Pakistan. Independent India’s first cabinet meeting with Jawaharlal Nehru as Prime Minister held. Members of the first Cabinet were: 1. J. L. Nehru – PM, External and Commonwealth Relations and Scientific Research, 2. Sardar Patel – Home Information and Broadcasting and States, 3. Dr. Rajendra Praised – Food and Agriculture, 4. Maulana Azad – Education, 5. John Mathai – Railways and Transport, 6. Sardar Baldev Singh – Defence, 7. Jagjivan Ram – Labour, 8. C. H. Bhabha – Commerce, 9. R. A. Kidwai – Communications, 10. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur – Health, 11. B. R. Ambedkar – Law 12. R. K. Sanmukham Chetty – Finance, 13. Shyama Prasad Mookerji – Industries and Supplies, 14. N. V. Gadgil – Works, Mines, and Power. (INDIA)
- The Defence department becomes the Ministry of Defence under a Cabinet Minister. Each service was placed under its own Commander-in-Chief. Under the Constitution, the supreme command of the Armed Forces was vested with the President. (INDIA)
- The Indian independence divided not only the country but its armed forces as well. These units came down and their equipment was transferred to the newly created Royal Pakistan Air Force. Thus, the principal components of the Royal Indian Air Force, during the partition, were nos. 3, 4, 7, 8, and 10 Squadrons with Tempest US, No. 2 Squadron with Spitfires and No. 12 Squadron with C-47s and No. 1 Air Observation Flight (AOF). The establishment of this AOF with AOP Auster 4s, 5s and 6s, coincided with independence. No. 6 Squadron, which had been in process of converting from Spitfires to C-47s at Drigh Road, had been stood down and its transports transferred to Pakistan. (INDIA)
- Brigadier Thakur Mahadeo Singh was the first Indian Commandant. He was the DSO of the Indian Military Academy. (INDIA)
Year: 1950
Indian Constitution goes into effect. (INDIA)
Year: 1955
Satyagrah started for the freedom of Goa. (INDIA)
Year: 1969
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formed under the Department of Atomic Energy. (INDIA)
Year: 1972
Postal Index Number (PIN Code) of 6-digits was introduced. (INDIA)
Year: 1982
Doordarshan’s national program and the first nationwide color transmission started by Delhi Doordarshan. (INDIA)
Year: 1990
India successfully test-fires ‘Akash’, an advanced medium-range surface to air missile.
Year: 1997
The Government bans doctors from determining the sex of the foetus. (INDIA)
Year: 1998
in Northern Ireland, the worst terrorist incident of The Troubles kills 29 people and injures about 220
Year: 1999
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, says Agni-2 to be inducted in the defense arsenal. (INDIA)
Year: 2000
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, says in his Independence Day address, “Borders cannot be redrawn either in the name of religion or on the strength of the sword”.(INDIA)
Thanks for reading: Today In History – 15 August 2020
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