Today’s history: Ambedkar, the architect of the constitution, was born, lost his first Lok Sabha election, the country’s first law minister

Year 1951-52. India, a newly independent country, was engaged in the preparations for the first festival by adopting democracy. Despite all the doubts and apprehensions, it was a proud moment for the country. Elections were held in February 1952. The results came and Congress won the election. The surprising thing in the results was that the leader who wrote the Constitution, the soul of democracy, himself lost his first election. We are talking about- Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the constitution.

Poverty and inequality from childhood

Ambedkar, the youngest of 14 brothers, was born on this day in the small town of Mhow near Indore. Being born in a Dalit family, he had to face discrimination since childhood. Ambedkar had to sit in the last row in the school. Good in studies from his childhood, Ambedkar was the first Dalit student of Government High School in Mumbai.

First attempt for women empowerment in the country – Hindu Code Bill

On 5 February 1951, Dr. Ambedkar introduced the Hindu Code Bill in the Parliament. In this, there was a preparation to bring things like women’s right in family property, right to divorce, prohibition of polygamy, recognition of widow marriage in the Hindu Code Bill. When the bill was introduced in Parliament, a ruckus started. The debate went on for 3 days in the Parliament.

The reasoning of those who opposed was that why the law was being brought only for Hindus. This law should be applied to all religions. Opposition to the bill was increasing. Demonstrations against the bill started across the country. The bill could not be passed at that time due to protests. Later Ambedkar resigned from the post of Law Minister over other issues including the Hindu Code Bill. This voice of the oppressed and downtrodden of the country became silent forever in Delhi on 6th December 1956. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.

assassination of abraham lincoln

Democracy is government of the people, for the people, and by the people. You must have read this definition of democracy in the book of social science. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of America, who gave this definition, was attacked on this day. The president was watching the play ‘Our American Cousin’ at the Ford Theater in Washington. The shooter, John Wikes Booth, was a professional dramatist. Seeing the opportunity at 10.15 pm, John shot Lincoln in the head from behind. Lincoln was taken to the hospital, where he died the next morning, on April 15. John Wikes Booth was killed ten days later in a gunfight by American soldiers.

Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, USA. When Lincoln was 9 years old, his mother also died. In March 1830, he moved to live with his family in Macon County. They started working as laborers here. Lincoln was also defeated twice in the Senate elections. He became the President of America on 4 March 1861.

Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya passes away

On this day in 1962, Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, popularly known as ‘Vishvakarma of modern India’, passed away. His birthday 15 September is celebrated as Engineers Day. He designed and patented a water-stopping automatic floodgate, which was first used in 1903 at the Khadakwasla Reservoir in Pune. He is also considered as the main pillar of the construction of Krishnaraja Sagar Dam. He also gave a system to save the city of Hyderabad from floods. Visvesvaraya was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955.

Rail service started between Kolkata and Dhaka

For the first time after the formation of independent Bangladesh, rail service between India and Bangladesh started on 14 April 2008. Although there was rail connectivity between Dhaka and Kolkata till 1965, train operations were stopped during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Bandhan Express train is also operated between India-Bangladesh.

Other events that happened on April 14 in history

2014: Islamic organization Boko Haram kidnapped 275 girls from a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria.

2010: A 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck Qinggai, China. About 2700 people died.

2010: 123 people lost their lives in cyclonic storms in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.

2006: The first Buddhist World Conference began in China.

2005: India and the US signed a historic agreement to open their respective flight areas to each other’s airlines.

1995: India defeated Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup. With this, India became the champion of Asia Cup for the fourth time.

1988: The Soviet Union agreed to the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan by signing an agreement in Geneva with the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

1963: Prominent Hindi litterateur Rahul Sankrityayan passed away.

1958: The Soviet satellite Sputnik-2 was destroyed 162 days after its space mission.

1944: A ship laden with ammunition exploded at Bombay Port. More than 800 people died in this.

1922: Born Ali Akbar Khan, a famous Indian musician, classical singer and sarod player.

1919: Birth of Shamshad Begum, a famous singer of Hindi films.

1912: The Titanic, which was on its maiden voyage from Southampton in Britain to New York in the United States, collided with an iceberg and sank.