This Day in History on 13th February

The historical events hold a lot of value for aspirants who are sitting for UPSC competitive exams including the IAS Exam. 

On this page, we will list all historical events that occurred on 13th February. The students can refer to them while preparing for all competitive exams and banking exams.

Important Days

World Radio Day

Important Events

1630: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan arrived at Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh intending to end Adilshahi and Nizamshahi.

1668: Spain recognized Portuguese independence.

1739: Battle of Karnal – Nadir Shah of Persia defeated Muhammad Shah of the Mughals in three hours. This victory paved the way for Nadir Shah to reach Delhi.

1959: Children’s favorite Barbie doll began selling.

1960: France tested the first atomic bomb.

1984: Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched the Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai for the Navy.

1988: The 15th Winter Olympics began in Calgary, Canada.

2003: Dadasaheb Phalke Award presented to filmmaker and director Yash Chopra.

2010: A bomb explodes in the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India, killing 17 and injuring 60 more.

2011: For the first time in more than 100 years the Umatilla, an American Indian tribe, are able to hunt and harvest a bison just outside Yellowstone National Park, restoring a centuries-old tradition guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1855.

Birth/Birth Anniversary

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Sarojini Naidu

1766: Thomas Robert Malthus, an English cleric, scholar, and influential economist.

711 BC: Emperor Jimmu, the first legendary Emperor of Japan according to the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki.

1835: Mirzā Ghulām Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement in Islam.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz

1879: Sarojini Naidu, an Indian political activist, and poet.

1894: V.C. Bendre, a historian and author.

1911: Faiz Ahmad Faiz, a Pakistani poet, and author in Urdu.

1945: Vinod Mehra, an Indian actor.

Death/ Death Anniversary

Balu Mahendra

1974: Ustad Amir Khan, an Indian classical vocalist and the founder of the Indore Gharana.

1977: Kozhikode Abdul Kader, an Indian playback singer who was active in Malayalam cinema.

2008: Rajendra Nath Malhotra, an Indian actor and comedian.

O. N. V. Kurup

2012: Akhlaq Mohammad Khan, a Hindi film lyricist.

2014: Balu Mahendra, Sri Lankan-Indian director, cinematographer, and screenwriter (b. 1939)

2016: O. N. V. Kurup, a Malayalam poet and lyricist from Kerala, India.

Further Reading

Month-wise This Day in History