What happened on 19 August?
From minting money
and mass movements in India to independence in Afghanistan, a Soviet power
struggle, space firsts, and a tech IPO that reshaped markets—this date spans
revolutions of politics, science, and society.
🇮🇳 India Events
💰 1757 – First rupee minted in Calcutta (East India Company)
Soon after the Battle of Plassey, the East India Company struck the first rupee at its Calcutta Mint, inaugurating a new phase in South Asian coinage and colonial revenue.🚩 1942 – Ballia’s “independence” during Quit India
In the heat of the Quit India Movement, local leader Chittu Pandey led the Ballia uprising and announced a short-lived “independent” administration—an emblematic flashpoint of popular resistance.🚆 2013 – Dhamara Ghat train tragedy (Bihar)
A speeding express train hit pilgrims at Dhamara Ghat station, killing dozens and injuring many, prompting national soul-searching on rail safety.🌍 World Events
🎉 1919 – Afghanistan’s Independence Day
Afghanistan marks independence following the Third Anglo-Afghan War; the Rawalpindi peace treaty recognized Afghan control of foreign affairs, and 19 August was declared the national day.🧭 1991 – Soviet coup attempt begins
Hardliners tried to unseat Mikhail Gorbachev, triggering a dramatic standoff that accelerated the Soviet Union’s collapse.🛰 1960 – “Belka” and “Strelka” orbit Earth on Sputnik 5
The mission carried dogs that safely returned, a key biological milestone paving the way for human spaceflight.🛰 1964 – Syncom 3 launched
The world’s first geostationary communications satellite lifted off, enabling live TV coverage across the Pacific.⚓ 1812 – USS Constitution defeats HMS Guerriere
In the War of 1812, “Old Ironsides” won a celebrated naval victory, boosting American morale.📷 World Photography Day
Observed on 19 August to commemorate the 1839 public announcement of the daguerreotype process in Paris.🕊 2003 – UN Headquarters bombing in Baghdad
A truck bomb destroyed the Canal Hotel, killing 22, including UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello; the date is now World Humanitarian Day.💻 2004 – Google goes public
Google’s IPO debuted on Nasdaq, heralding a new era for Big Tech and the modern internet economy.🎂 Birthdays
Indian Personalities
·
Sudha Murty (1950) — author & philanthropist;
former chair of Infosys Foundation.
·
Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918) — India’s 9th President.
·
Satya Nadella (1967) — CEO of Microsoft.
International Personalities
·
Bill Clinton (1946) — 42nd U.S. President.
·
Coco Chanel (1883) — fashion designer and house
founder.
·
Gene Roddenberry (1921) — creator of Star
Trek.
·
Orville Wright (1871) — aviation pioneer.
·
Matthew Perry (1969) — actor, Friends.
✝️ Deaths
Indian Personalities
·
Utpal Dutt (1993) — actor-director of stage
& screen.
·
Jagannath Mishra (2019) — former Chief Minister of
Bihar.
International Personalities
·
Blaise Pascal (1662) — mathematician &
philosopher.
·
Groucho Marx (1977) — comedian & film star.
·
Otto Frank (1980) — diarist Anne Frank’s father
& custodian of her legacy.
·
Sergio Vieira de Mello (2003) — UN diplomat.
💡 Did You Know?
·
19
August is also World Photography Day, tied to the French
Academy’s 1839 announcement of Daguerre’s process—often described as
photography’s “public launch.”
·
The
Assam
connection for this week’s series: while off-date, it’s worth noting that the
state formally became a constituent state of India on 26
January 1950—a milestone you can nod to with an Assam-themed
header image.
📝 Final Thoughts
19 August stitches
together the currency and courage of India’s past, Afghanistan’s bid for
sovereignty, a last-gasp Soviet drama, and leaps in space and technology. It’s
a date where struggles for freedom meet feats of human ingenuity—well-suited to
an Assam-framed lens on history and progress.For regular updates on government job notifications in Assam, join our channels:
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