AUGUST
August is the eighth month of the year. It was named in honour of Augustus Caesar. It means venerable or auspicious !
August 1
In 1498, Christopher Columbus became the first European to visit Venezuela.
In 1916, Annie Besant started the Home Rule League.
In 1944, Anne Frank made the final entry in her diary.
August 2
In 1858, the Parliament passed a bill to take over the administration of India from the East Indian Company by the British Crown. The title of Viceroy was introduced.
In the year 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait starting the Gulf War.
August 3
In 1914, Germany declared war against France in WW I.
In the year 1998, India’s medium range surface to air missile Akash was test fired.
August 4
Percy Shelley, the famous poet was born on this day in 1792.
Birth of actor and singer Kishore Kumar in the year 1929.
The year 1961, marked the birth of the first black President of US, Barack Obama.
August 6
In 1825, Bolivia gained independence from Spain.
In 1914, Serbia declared war on Germany; Austria declared war on Russia. It marked the beginning of World War I.
In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
In 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in Japan.
August 8
Launch of the Quit India Movement by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942.
In 1963, a gang of robbers stole 2.6 million pounds in bank notes from an English train. This was the Great Train Robbery.
The day also marks the birthday of Tennis legend Roger Federer who was born in the year 1981.
August 12
In the year 1851, the sewing machine was patented by Isaac Singer.
In 1898, the Spanish American War came to an end.
In 1960, the first communications satellite, Echo I, was launched into space.
Pete Sampras, the tennis player was born on this day in 1971.
August 14
In 1945, Japan surrendered to the allies in WW II.
In 1947, India was partitioned into India and Pakistan.
August 15
In 1877, Thomas Edison made the first ever recording. He recorded Mary had a little lamb.
In 1947, India gained freedom from the United Kingdom.
The day marks the birthdays of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769) and poet Sir Walter Scott (1771).
August 16
In 1930, the first colour cartoon called Fiddlesticks came up. This cartoon was special because it had sounds in it.
In 1958, the great film maker Satyajit Ray’s movie Pather Panchali won the top five awards at the Vancouver Film Festival.
In 1977, the great singer Elvis Presley passed away at the young age of 42.
In 1958, the all time hit Madonna was born.
August 19
In 1990, Leonard Bernstein, an American composer, conductor, author and pianist conducted his final concert.
In 1991, Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev was overthrown by a military coup.
The day also marks the birthdays of Airplane Inventor Orville Wright (1871) and US President Bill Clinton (1946).
August 21
In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by a worker at the Louvre Museum.
In the year 1972, the Wildlife Protection Act was passed in India to protect wildlife.
In 1986, the great sprinter Usain Bolt was born.
August 23
1839, The United Kingdom gained control of Hong Kong.
1986, Shambhoo Anbhawane of Mumbai, India broke the world record of the longest duration typing marathon.
1990, East and West Germany decided to unite.
August 24
1891, Thomas Edison patents the motion picture camera.
1932, Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly non-stop across the United States.
1929, Birth of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
August 25
In 1609, Galileo demonstrated the first telescope.
In 1917, seven selected Indians were granted King’s Commission in the Infantry and the Cavalry leading to the Indianization of the Army under the British.
In the year 1991, Michael Schumacher debuted in the Formula 1 racing.
August 27
1859, The world’s first successful oil well was tapped in Pennsylvania.
1910, Birth of Mother Teresa.
1939, First flight of a jet aircraft.
2003, Mars comes closest to Earth in 60,000 years.
2006, Death of famous Indian film director Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
August 28
1828, Birth of Leo Tolstoy, the author of War and Peace.
1896, Birth of famous Urdu poet Firaq Gorakhpuri.
1963, The famous speech ‘I have a Dream’ by Martin Luther King.
August 31
1897, The movie projector is patented by Thomas Edison.
1995, Assassination of Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh.
1997, Death of Princess Diana of Wales in a car crash in Paris.
