August15

Karnataka seeks army help to nab sandal wood smuggler Veerappan.

Bhartendu Harishchandra publishes a Hindi monthly 'Kavi Vachan Sudha'.

Marathwada', a daily newspaper, published.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, says Agni-2 to be inducted in the defence arsenal.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, says in his Independence Day address, "Borders cannot be redrawn either in the name of religion or on the strength of the sword".

Hans Kumar Tiwari, famous poet and translater, was born.

Amrit Rai, novelist and translater, was born .

Sadashiv Pandurang Jantre, great freedom fighter and social worker, was born .

GOI declares Prophet Mohammed's birthday a national holiday.

India gains independence from the British rule and Pakistan emerges as a separate Islamic nation. Around 600,000 die in clashes during the subsequent population exchange of 14 million people between the two new countries.

At the stroke of midnight, India is free after 163 years of British Raj. At the same time Muslims win a degree of freedom from Hindus. They have their own separate dominion Pakistan in the British Commonwealth Sect.

Sri Aurobindo Man Mohan Ghosh born in Calcutta. He was a renaissance yoga philosopher, freedom fighter and teacher. His 30-volume work discusses the 'superman', a metaphor for the divinely transformed individual soul. He withdrew from the world in 1910 and founded International Ashram in Pondicherry.

Hindu-Muslim association in Calcutta.

Indian Independence Day.

On the the stroke of mid-night on 14th August 1947, India became independent and was partitioned. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru became the first prime minister and Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first president of free India. The mixed economy policy was taken on a five-year plan basis for economic development. On 26th January 1950, India became a democratic and is the biggest democracy of the world today. In 1956, on the basis of languages, India was divided into 14 states and 6 union territories. Today, there are 27 states and 7 union territories.

The Defence department becomes the Ministry of Defence under a Cabinet Minister. Each service was placed under its own Commander-in-Chief. Under the Constitution, the supreme command of the Armed Forces was vested with the President.

The Indian independence divided not only the country but its armed forces as well. These units came down and their equipment was transferred to the newly created Royal Pakistan Air Force. Thus, the principal components of the Royal Indian Air Force, during the partition, were nos. 3, 4, 7, 8 and 10 Squadrons with Tempest US, No. 2 Squadron with Spitfires and No. 12 Squadron with C-47s and No. 1 Air Observation Flight (AOF). The establishment of this AOF with AOP Auster 4s, 5s and 6s, coincided with independence. No. 6 Squadron, which had been in process of converting from Spitfires to C-47s at Drigh Road, had been stood down and its transports transferred to Pakistan.

Chandernagore joins the Indian Union. Panchayati Raj inaugurated in 114,000 villages.

Indian Constitution goes into effect.

Satyagrah started for the freedom of Goa.

Maharashtra State Sahkari Grihvitta Corporation was established.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formed under Department of Atomic Energy.

Postal Index Number (PIN Code) of 6-digits was introduced.

Doordarshan's national programme and the first nationwide colour transmission started by Delhi Doordarshan.

Accord reached on the Assam foreign nationals issue, agitation called off.

P.V Narasimha Rao introduces the mid-day meal scheme for the primary school children under the Central Government Welfare Programme.

Freedom fighter's pension to be doubled from the existing Rs. 1,500.

Golden jubilee celebrations of the Indian Independence ends.

India successfully test fires 'Akash', an advanced medium range surface to air missile.

Sir Cyril Radcliffe Award on the new boundaries of West Punjab, East Punjab, West Bengal, East Bengal and Assam.

Paramveer Chakra, Mahaveer Chakra, Veer Chakra instituted as 'Awards for Gallantry'.

K. R. Narayanan, President, posthumously confers nation's highest peace-time gallantry award 'Ashok Chakra' to second Lieutenant Puneet Dutta.

Divani and Faujdary courts seperated by East India Company.

The first train of the East Indian Railways steamed out of Howrah station destined for Hoogly, which was at a distance of 24 miles. It was the first passenger train catering to public traffic. Officially, it was inaugurated in 1855.

At Churchgate railway station on platform No.1, noted film actor A.K. Hangal signalled the start of theatre in a train by waving a green flag.

IWM Vijayalakshmi wins Asian Zonal Women's Chess tournament in Tehran.

K.Sasikaran gets third IM norm in British Open Chess tournament.

Television starts in New Delhi.

Five more Doordarshan channels launched.

Uttar Maharashtra University was established.

Mahadev Haribhai Desai, an activist and Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary, died of heart failure at Aga Khan's Palace.

Earthquake measuring 8.6 on Richter Scale hits Assam in north eastern India claiming 11,000 lives.

Sukumar Gupta, a socialist, dies.