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This Day in History on 26 January
The historical events hold a lot of value for aspirants who are sitting for UPSC competitive exams including that of the IAS Exam.
On this page, we will list all historical events that have occurred on 26 January. The students can refer them while preparing for all competitive exams and banking exams.
Important Days
Republic Day (India)
Important Events
1565: Battle between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan Sultan at Talikota. Rama Raya was defeated in this battle and unrestricted Muslim rule began in South India.
1837: Michigan became the 26th state of the United States.
1856: First Battle of Seattle. Marines from the USS Decatur drive off American Indian attackers after all day battle with settlers.
1876: Railway service between Mumbai and Calcutta began.
1924: St. Petersburg renamed Leningrad in Russia.
1930: The Indian National Congress declares 26 January as Independence Day or as the day for Poorna Swaraj (“Complete Independence”) which occurred 17 years later.
1931: Mahatma Gandhi was released for talks with the British government during the ‘Civil Disobedience Movement’.
1933: The Indian National Congress began celebrating Independence Day on January 26, demanding complete independence instead of colonial independence.
1949: The first draft of the Constitution of India was approved.
1950: With the enactment of the Constitution of India, India became a sovereign republic. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was sworn in as the first President of India. H. J. Kaniya became the first Chief Justice of India.
1950: “Jan Gan Man” was recognized as the national anthem of India.
1963: Due to the amazing beauty of the peacock, the Government of India declared it a national bird on 26 January.
1972: The National Memorial Amar Jawan Jyoti was established at India Gate in Delhi.
1981: Keeping in mind the ease of air traffic in Northeast India, the air service Vayudoot started.
2001: A massive earthquake in the Kuchh region of Gujarat kills at least 20,000 people.
2008: NR Narayanamurthy was awarded ‘The Officer of the Legion of Ours’, the highest civilian honor of the Government of France.
Birth/Birth Anniversary
1874: Kalapi, an Indian-Gujarati poet and the Thakor of Lathi state in Gujarat.
1915: K. S. Narasimhaswamy, an Indian poet in the Kannada language.
1921: Akio Morita, a Japanese businessman and co-founder of Sony along with Masaru Ibuka.
1956: P. C. Sreeram, an Indian cinematographer and film director.
1958: Ellen Lee DeGeneres, an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer.
1968: Ravi Teja, an Indian film actor who predominantly works in Telugu cinema.
1980: Varun Grover, an Indian stand-up comic and poet.
1982: Mamta Kharab, the former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team.
Death/ Death Anniversary
1823: Edward Jenner, an English physician, and scientist who pioneered the concept of vaccines including creating the smallpox vaccine, the world’s first vaccine.
1831: Sangolli Rayanna, Indian soldier (b. 1798)
1875: George Finlay, a Scottish historian.
1887: Anandi Gopal Joshi, One of the first female Indian physicians (b. 1865)
1895: Arthur Cayley, a prolific British mathematician who worked mostly on algebra.
2000: Alfred Elton van Vogt, a Canadian-born science fiction author.
2013: Padma Kant Shukla, Indian physicist and academic (b. 1950)
2015: R. K. Laxman, an Indian cartoonist, illustrator, and humorist.