Today In History – 20 August 2020
Learn what happened today in history around the world including major events across the world!
Year: 1597
1st Dutch East India Company ships return from the Far East
Year: 1619
1st known African Americans in English North America (approx. 20) land at Point Comfort (Fort Monroe), Virginia. They are then sold or traded into servitude.
Year: 1741
Alaska first sighted by Danish explorer Vitus Bering at head of Russian expedition
Year: 1828
Brahmo Samaj, the first movement to initiate religio-social reforms, was founded by Ram Mohun Roy (1772-1833) in Calcutta. Influenced by Islam and Christianity, Roy denounced polytheism, idol worship, repudiated the Vedas, avataras, karma and reincarnation, caste and more.
The first session of Adi Brahmo Samaj was held in the rented house by Kamal Bose of Chitpore Road in Jorasanko area in Calcutta.
Year: 1866
President Andrew Johnson formally declares US Civil War over
Year: 1885
First meeting of the Indian National Congress held.
Year: 1905
Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen forms the first chapter of T’ung Meng Hui, a union of all secret societies determined to bringing down the Manchus (Qing dynasty)
Year: 1905
Lord George Curzon reigned as the Viceroy of India. He was then replaced by Lord Minto II, the Earl of Minto.
Year: 1921
The Mopla revolt, one of the important uprisings of India, was started at Kerala.
Year: 1933
Mahatma Gandhi is rushed to the hospital on the fourth day of his latest fast.
Year: 1944
Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India and Bharat Ratna awardee, was born in Bombay.
Year: 1955
Jawaharlal Nehru breaks off relations with the Portuguese after the invasion of Goa by Indian nationalists.

Year: 1968
During the night 250,000 Soviet and Warsaw Pact Troops invade Czechoslovakia in response to the Prague Spring
Year: 1969
Varahagiri Venkata Giri was elected President and G. S. Pathak as Vice President of India.
Year: 1974
- Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed is elected fifth President of India.
- Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed elected President of India with B. D. Jatti as Vice President.
Year: 1979
India premier Charan Singh resigns
Year: 1986
A restructured 20-point programme announced.(India)
Year: 1988
- 6.5 earthquake strikes India/Nepal, 1,000s killed
- An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter Scale strikes India and Nepal. Thousands killed.
Year: 1991
- Indian Oil Executive Director K. Doraiswamy released after 52 days of being in the custody of Kashmir ultras.
- Sivarasan and Subha, the main suspects in the Rajiv Gandhi case, commit suicide in Bangalore.
Year: 1993
Oslo Peace Accords signed, after secret negotiations in Norway, followed by a public ceremony in Washington, D.C. the following month
Year: 1995
- 305 killed and 345 injured in a collision between Purushottam Express and Kalindi Express at Murlinagar near Firozabad (UP).
- India and China decide to withdraw four army battalions from Chu Sumdurong valley near the Line of Actual Control.
- Indira Mahila Vikas Yojana launched.
Year: 1996
India defeat Pakistan in Under-15 World Challenge Final at Lord’s, England.
Year: 1997
- Arun Gawli, Mumbai underworld don, arrested for his alleged involvement in the killing of a builder.
- Premananda, self-styled godman, sentenced by Pudukottai district and sessions court to life imprisonment for two terms and a fine of Rs. 66.4 lakhs for the rape of 13 inmates of his ashram and murder of a male inmate.
Year: 1998
The Punjab and Haryana High Court upholds the conviction of former Punjab DGP K.P.S. Gill for outraging the modesty of an IAS officer Mrs. Rupan Deol Bajaj.
Thanks for reading: Today In History – 20 August 2020
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