December12

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore founded the first dance school called as "Kala Bhawan" and established the "Barahamacharya Ashram", the core of Vishwa Bharati University of Shantiniketan, near Bolpur. It was formally opened on December 22.

Violence in Karnataka over the centre's notification on Cauvery.

Government asks CBI to probe the demolition of the masjid in Ayodhya.

R. K. Raghavan, CBI Director, said the agency will be ready for probe again in Priyadarshini Matto murder case.

Patel's statement in the Parliament, ""Pakistan will get Rs. 750,000,000 from the balance in cash.

No transparency in judicial appointments, says Justice Kuldip Singh, retired judge of the Supreme Court.

Ram Prakash Gupta, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, said Ram temple issue is still on BJP's agenda.

Balaji Bajirao (Nanasaheb Peshwa), third Peshwa, was born.

Balkrishna Shivram Munje, freedom fighting leader and president of Hindu Mahasabha, was born.

Mulkraj Anand, Indo-Anglian novelist and critic of international repute, was born in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Dattatreya Gajanan Phadkar alias "Dattu" Phadkar, cricketer (pace bowler all-rounder for India), Kolhapur, Maharastra, was born.

Ghulam Mustafa Guard, cricketer (lefty pace bowler in 2 Tests for India 1959), was born in Surat, Gujarat.

Krishnammachari Srikkanth, cricketer (big-hitting Indian opener 1981-92), was born in Madras.

Jasu Patel, cricketer, 29 wkts for India and best 9-69 vs Australia, passed away.

Babu Genu sacrificed his life to stage the boycott of foreign goods.

Gaandhiji released from Volksrust Gaol. Indian National Congress adopts resolution on South Africa, criticizing the harsh, humiliating and cruel treatment to British Indians in South Africa as injurious to English Empire.

The world's largest monolithic granite statue of Lord Buddha, weighing 350 tonnes, placed on the 'Rock of Gibraltar' in the midst of Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad.

Maithili Sharan Gupta, famous Indian poet, Hindi litterateur, writer, social worker, patriot and Padma Bhushan awardee, died.

The President promulgated an ordinance providing the usage of Hindi with English for official purposes of Indian Union. B.G. Kher Commission (under article 344(I) of the Constitution) constituted. Hindi Teaching Scheme was introduced under Ministry of Home Affairs.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, American President, came to India.

Portuguese civilians are evacuated amid fears of an Indian troop invasion at Goa, Daman and Diu.

Vijayanta, first India-made millitary tank which was handed over to the Army, was manufactured at Avadi Heavy Vehicles Factory at Madras.

All the facilities and pocket money provided to the former kings were cancelled by the Indian Parliament.

The first aerial victory was when MiG-21FLs of No. 47 Squadron shot down a PAF F-104 over the Gulf of Kutch and this was followed by three more victories in quick succession on 17 December, when MiG-21FLs of No. 29 Squadron escorting HF-24 Maruts, shot down intercepting F-104s near Uttarlai in the Rajasthan desert in gun-missile encounters, while a third F-104, on an intruding mission, was shot down by another MiG 21FL of No.29 Squadron.

Madanlal Dhingra's ashes were brought to India.

A special court for CBI cases rejects Hinduja brothers' plea and summons them to appear on January 19, 2001.

HJT-16, the first Indian jet trainer, made its inaugural flight.

Fergie Gupte takes 9-102 with leggies vs West Indies at Kanpur.

Sadik Gulam Muhammad, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, died.

J.H. Patel, (71), senior Janata Dal (U) leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister, died in Bangalore.

N.T. Rama Rao, TDP leader in Andhra Pradesh, and Pavan Kumar Chamling, leader of Sikkim Democratic Front, take oath of office; Rishang Keishing of Manipur sworn in as CM; Liquor banned in AP by NT Rama Rao.

India and Bangladesh arrive at a settlement to share Ganga water.