One of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio, along with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, nationalist, writer and uncompromosingly indepedent in his views. Man who took on Gandhiji over the Khilafat issue, and paid a heavy price, being marginalized in Congress.

Bipin Chandra Pal, a freedom fighter whose story needs to be known more.
He , was born on November 7, 1858, in a small village, near to Habibganj in Sylhet division( now in Bangladesh). His father was a leading lawyer, and came from a well to do Zamindari family.

The Pokhran experiment was a landmark in the history of nuclear research in the country. It was an assertion of the technological advancement India had determined to perfect in the post-independence era.- Dr Raja Ramanna

On this date in 1974, India carried out Operation Smiling Buddha, it's first ever nuclear test, one of it's greatest scientific achievements.


And the man behind this feat, was one of the most multifaceted personalities ever, an eminent nuclear physicist, technologist, administrator, a gifted musician, Sanskrit scholar. Handpicked by Homi J Bhabha himself, he would go on to lead the team for Pokhran I.

Dr. Raja Ramanna.

Nikola Tesla gives one of the most significant lectures in history of science on this date in 1888, that would explain the benefits of AC to transmite electric power over long distances. He had already got a patent for his electrical motor on May 1,1888.

Tesla had founded Tesla Electric with Alfred Brown and NY attorney Charles Peck in 1886, both of whom had experiencing in patenting. Lab was set up for Tesla at 89 Liberty Street, Manhattan, for him to work on his motors.
He developed his induction motor on principle of AC , which at that time was already in vogue in US and Europe for long distance, high voltage transmission. The motor used polyphase current, that generated a rotating magnetic field.

The basic concept of Alternating Current( AC) is that it periodically reverses direction, instead of DC that flows only in one direction. AC is what you use when you plug your appliances to a socket, DC is what you use in your flashlight, simply put

The Sangama Dynasty was the first dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire, so named after Bhuvana Sangama, the father of Harihara and Bukka Raya, the founders of the empire. I had earlier covered about these 2 brothers here.

This post looks at the rise of the Sangamas, and Deva Raya 1 one of the great rulers, under whom Hampi rose to be one of the greatest cities ever.
historyunderyourfeet.wordpress.com/2014/07/19/san… Following Bukka I’s demise in 1379, his son Harihara II, succeeded him to the throne.  It was not an easy ascent to the throne though, with large scale revolts breaking out in the Tamil region. 

These revolts were said to be instigated by the sons and officer’s loyal to Kumara Kampana, Bukka I’s son who was seen as the natural heir, and died on the battlefield.

One of the important events in the history of India, is the founding of Vijayanagara Empire by the brothers Harihara and Bukkaraya, on the advice of Vidyaranya Swami in 1336 AD.

While there are different theories on the origin of the brothers, what is clear is that these brothers laid the foundation for one of the greatest Hindu empires ever.


The Vijayanagara Empire was founded at a very critical point in our history. The Muslim invasions that had devastated most of the North, had now swept into the Deccan and South, as the existing kingdoms like Hoysalas, Kakatiyas, Yadavas collapsed, while further South Madurai faced the brunt of the invasions.

Leonidas the first ship carrying Indian indentured laborers arrives in Fiji on this date in 1879. Around 400 Indian laborers would arrive to work on the sugarcane fields there, and soon would be an important part of Fiji. Like Surinam, Guyana, Trinidad, most of the Indian laborers who were bought to Fiji were from eastern, central UP and Bihar. Called as Girimitiyas,they were bought by the British to work on the sugarcane fields here.

While there were some Indians who arrived in batches earlier to work as labor, it was with the British colonization of Fiji, that the migration began to increase. Or rather the forced migration.

One of the great scientists of the 20th century, whose contribution to the field of medicine, is on par with the likes of Alexander Fleming, Ronald Ross, Jonas Salk. A scientist who deserved the Nobel as much as these greats.

Dr. Yellapragada Subbarao, a scientist whose story needs to be known more. Remember the deadly plague that struck Surat in 1994. A 3rd generation tetracycline called Doxycycline helped in combating the plague epidemic, and controlling it. The tetracylines were the effort of Dr. Subbarao's untiring efforts.

While we know about Baji Rao, his younger brother Chimaji Appa was an equally great warrior, often overshadowed by his more legendary elder brother.

While Baji Rao conquered most of the Deccan, Central India, Malwa, it was Chimaji Appa who played the vital role in driving out the Portuguese from the Konkan, and restricting them to Goa and making it a Maratha stronghold. Two noteworthy battles he fought were those of Tarapur and Vasai.

Tarapur is a small town in Palghar district, around 45 km from the Mumbai suburb of Virar. It is known for it’s nuclear power station, and the township around it. As also the Industrial complex there. 

The town also has a fort, overlooking the small beach here, though it lies more or less tucked away in a corner, surrounded by lush greenery, covered with creepers.

One of my favorite novelist, Alistair MacLean, author of Where Eagles Dare, Guns of Navaronne, The Golden Gate, HMS Ulysses. My very first bestselling novelist, one of the best thriller writers ever.

The name brings back memories of the good ole circulating libraries, of old paperbacks. Going into a world of spies, double agents, intrigues, suspense, laced with some good humor, just the kind of book to chill out with. Most of MacLean's novels have been adapted into successful movies- Where Eagles Dare, Guns of Navaronne, Ice Station Zebra, Fear is the Key, Puppet on a Chain. Though more often than not, the movies were quite different from the original novel.

Sri Krishna Deva Raya, under whose reign Vijayanagara attained greatest heights. His reign was marked by military conquests, patronage of arts and culture and flourishing of literature, and regarded as the Empire's Golden Age. One of the greatest Hindu rulers ever. His father Tuluva Narasa Nayaka, a former Bunt chieftain, who became the commander, and later rose to power, founding the Tuluva dynasty, was a formidable warrior, and ruler himself.

Much before Sri Krishna Deva Raya ascended the throne, however his elder brother Vira Narasimha Raya ruled for a brief period of 4 yrs between 1505 and 1509. Not really is known much about him except that he spent a good amount of his reign in fighting off rebellious chieftains

One of the greatest victories of Sri Krishnadeva Raya was at the Battle of Raichur in May, 1520, where he delivered a crushing blow to the Bahmani Sultans.

One of the main aspects of the Vijayanagara Empire history, was the regular conflicts with the Bahmani rulers, primarily over the Raichur-Tungabhadra Doab region.  It  was a conflict, that often kept going back and forth, with the Vijayanagara rulers winning at times, and Bahmani Sultans the other times.

One of the fascinating stories in the history of Mewar, is that of Panna Dhai, a lady who sacrified her own son for the sake of a kingdom.

There can be no greater agony for a mother than to see her own son killed in front of her eyes, she not only witnessed that, but bore it stoically, for the sake of Mewar.
She was a nursemaid of Rani Karnavati, the wife of Rana Sanga, and bought up her sons Vikramaditya and Udai Singh, along with her own son Chandan. After Sanga died broken hearted after his defeat at Khanwa, one of his sons Ratan Singh II, ascended to the throne, however he did not rule for long and died soon.

He defeated the Dutch, ended their reign in India, founded the state of Travancore, created a modern army on European lines, built a robust administrative system, patronized arts and culture.

Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, one of the great Hindu rulers, whose story needs to be known. The early 18th century was the time when medieval Kerala’s political structure was going through a period of turmoil.

The state had become decentralized with the  Ettuveetil Pillamar( local landlords) and the Madampimar( the barons) calling the shots, while the authority of the throne was curbed by the Yogakkar( council of eight and a half), who also managed the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

One of the later rulers of Mewar, about whom not much is known is Rana Raj Singh, who had a long conflict with Aurangzeb.
As I had mentioned, Amar Singh, fought a long battle with Jahangir, before surrendering, and he renounced the throne, placing his son Karan Singh II on it.
historyunderyourfeet.wordpress.com/2020/03/17/lan… Karan Singh II's reign bought peace to Mewar after centuries of conflict, he enlarged palaces, strengthened existing defenses, and during his time, the Jain temples at Ranakpur, were renovated.

He also constructed the water ditches that ran all along the walls of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, that diverted the storm water to Lake Udai Sagar which in turn was used for irrigation.

He also built the Gol Mahal, and the dome at the Jagmandir Island Palace, as well as a tank in the Krishna Niwas at Udaipur.

Death anniversary of Peshwa Baji Rao 1, one of the greatest warriors ever in Indian history, a man who never lost a battle, a man who conceived of a Hindu Pad Padshahi, and expanded the Maratha empire beyond Deccan.

The son of an equally illustrious father Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, who was rated on par with the great US Civil War general William Sherman by Field Marshal Bernard Montogomery in his book a History of Warfare. Baji Rao was born into the Bhat family on August 18, his younger brother Chimaji Appa, would prove to be an equally renowned warrior. He grew up in Saswad, now a suburb of Pune and their family’s personal fiefdom too.

Accompanying his father on various military campaigns, made Baji Rao, a battle hardened warrior in his teens itself. And when his father passed away in 1720, Shahu appointed Baji Rao I as the Peshwa, he was just 20.

Veer Kunwar Singh, one of the heroes of the 1857 Revolt, who at 80 years, led the rebellion in Bihar and Eastern UP. And gave one of the toughest fights ever to the British, constantly harassing them till his end. A hero whose story needs to be known more. Kunwar Singh belonged to the Ujjainiya Rajput clan, who are primarily found in Bihar- Eastern UP. They claim descent from Raja Bhoj, and in fact Bhojpur region gets it's name from this. Most of the Purbiya soldiers known for their martial skills were from this clan.

Wishing all an auspicious #HanumanJayanthi. On this occasion taking a look at one of his forms Panchamukha Hanuman, a representation of him, showing 5 faces, in different directions. It is based on the incident in Ramayana, where Hanuman assumes the form to kill, Ahiravana, the king of Pathala, and Ravan’s brother. Apparently when Indrajit was killed, and Ravan was losing the battle against Ram, he summoned his brother Ahiravan, to help him out, who promised to capture Ram and Laxman alive, take them to his kingdom, where he would sacrifice them to the Goddess Mahamaya.

Mokshagundam Viswesarayya, one of the builders of modern India, an engineering genius, and one of the greatest Indians of modern era, founder of the modern Mysore State, whose legacy lives on todate.

Every where you go in Mysore region, you can find his legacy, be it the mighty Krishna Raja Sagar Dam or institutions like State Bank of Mysore or the Bhadravati Steel Factory. He was born in Mudenahalli, now located in Chikballapur district on Sept 15,1861 to Srinivasa Sastry and (Venkachamma) Venkatalakshmamma. His father was a well known Sanskrit scholar, from whom he learnt to respect the culture and traditions of Bharat.

Anant Lakshman Kanhere was hanged to death on this date in 1910 for the asssasination of Collector Jackson in Nashik. He was just 18, one of the youngest martyrs in the history of the revolutionary movement.

It was in connection with this assasination, that Veer Savarkar was convicted, on the basis that he wrote an article Martyrs of Nashik prasing him. Born on January 7, 1892 to a Chitpavan Brahmin family in a small village of Ratnagiri dt, Kanhere would grow up in Nizamabad where he completed his schooling, and later studied in Aurangabad, where he began to meet members of secret revolutionary societies.

Jayanti of Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu, regarded as the father of Modern Telugu literature, social reformer, activist, writer, the quintessential Renaissance man. While the Bengali renaissance is well known and discussed, one aspect that has often not really got the due attention is the way it impacted reform movements in other parts of India.

The work done by Brahmo leaders like Raja Rammohun Roy, Keshav Chandra Sen and reformers like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, began to spread to other parts. Kandukuri Veeresalingam was one among them, deeply influenced by Keshav Chandra Sen

While we know of the great Ranas- Kumbha, Sanga and Pratap, not much is known of the founder of the Sisodia dynasty, the first Rana of Mewar, Rana Hammir Singh aka Veer Hammir. A hero who bought back the glory of Mewar after it was devastated by Allaudin Khilji.

Rana Hammir in a way began the next phase of Rajput rule of Mewar with Chittorgarh as the capital that started in 1326 and ended in 1568, when Rana Udai Singh II, had to flee after Akbar occupied the fort.