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Amrita Pritam, born on 31 August 1919  was an Indian writer and poet, who wrote in Punjabi and Hindi.She is considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist, and the leading 20th-century poet of the Punjabi language, who is equally loved on both sides of the India-Pakistan border. With a career spanning over six decades, she produced over 100 books of poetry, fiction, biographies, essays, a collection of Punjabi folk songs and an autobiography that were translated into several Indian and foreign languages. She is most remembered for her poignant poem, Ajj aakhaan Waris Shah nu (Today I invoke Waris Shah – "Ode to Waris Shah"), an elegy to the 18th-century Punjabi poet, an expression of her anguish over massacres during the partition of India. As a novelist, her most noted work was Pinjar (The Cage) (1950), in which she created her memorable character, Puro, an epitome of violence against women, loss of humanity and ultimate surrender to existe

The International Day against Nuclear Tests is observed on August 29. It was established on December 2, 2009 at the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly by the resolution 64/35, which was adopted unanimously. The resolution in particular calls for increasing awareness "about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world".The resolution was initiated by Kazakhstan together with several sponsors and cosponsors to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site on August 29, 1991. Following the establishment of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, in May 2010 all state parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons committed themselves to "achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons".

James Wong Howe, A.S.C. born on August 28, 1899  was a Chinese American cinematographer who worked on over 130 films. He was a master at the use of shadow and was one of the first to use deep-focus cinematography, in which both foreground and distant planes remain in focus. During the 1930s and 1940s, Howe was one of the most sought after cinematographers in Hollywood. He was nominated for 10 Academy Awards for cinematography, winning twice for The Rose Tattoo (1955) and Hud (1963). Howe was judged to be one of the 10 most-influential cinematographers in a survey of the members of the International Cinematographers Guild in the United States

Located in South America, Uruguay or the Oriental Republic of Uruguay was assimilated into the Empire of Brazil by Portugal in 1816.The empire mainly consisted of present day Brazil and Uruguay. After decades of bitter battles and political negotiations, Uruguay became independent on August 25, 1825. Each year this day is observed as the Independence Day of Uruguay. The people of Uruguay celebrate the Independence Day to mark the birth of their country in 1825. The day is an occasion to relive history, while moving forward.The celebrations on this day are marked by political speeches, music and dance performances. The first European presence in Uruguay can be dated back to 1516, when the Spanish discovered the land. The resistance by the local tribes, and the absence of gold and silver limited European interest in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries. By the late 17th and the early 18th century, the Spanish interest grew in the region. The Spanish founde

Located in South America, Uruguay or the Oriental Republic of Uruguay was assimilated into the Empire of Brazil by Portugal in 1816.The empire mainly consisted of present day Brazil and Uruguay. After decades of bitter battles and political negotiations, Uruguay became independent on August 25, 1825. Each year this day is observed as the Independence Day of Uruguay. The people of Uruguay celebrate the Independence Day to mark the birth of their country in 1825. The day is an occasion to relive history, while moving forward.The celebrations on this day are marked by political speeches, music and dance performances. The first European presence in Uruguay can be dated back to 1516, when the Spanish discovered the land. The resistance by the local tribes, and the absence of gold and silver limited European interest in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries. By the late 17th and the early 18th century, the Spanish interest grew in the region. The Spanish founded

Every year on August 24, Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day to commemorate the Declaration of Independence in 1991. This declaration established the democratic and sovereign state of Ukraine. Ukraine’s struggle for independence was not the archetypal freedom movement against a foreign colonial power. Instead, it was a struggle for secession from the former Soviet Union or USSR. By the early 19th century Ukraine was part of the Russian and the Austro-Hungarian Empires. While most of Ukraine was under Russian control, the extreme west, - Lviv and neighboring areas - was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. By the 1840s, the seeds of nationalism started to take shape in the Ukrainian society. Following World War I and the Russian Civil War (1917-1922), Ukraine made several attempts to proclaim freedom. The Ukrainian People's Republic was formed in 1919 and united both Russian and Austro-Hungarian Ukraine but was short-lived and could not withstand Pol

Konidela Siva Sankara Vara Prasad Aka Chiranjeevi,  born on 22 August 1955, better known by his stage name Chiranjeevi, is an Indian film actor, dancer, producer, singer, voice artist, TV host, politician, businessman, investor and a member of the Indian National Congress. He was the Minister of State with independent charge for the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Prior to politics, Chiranjeevi has attended the Madras Film Institute, and had worked primarily in Telugu cinema, in addition to Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films. He made his acting debut in 1978, with the film Punadhirallu. However, Pranam Khareedu was released earlier at the box office. Known for his break dancing skills, Chiranjeevi starred in 150 feature films in a variety of roles. In 1987, he was starred in Swayam Krushi, which was dubbed into Russian, and was screened at the Moscow International Film Festival. In the same year, Chiranjeevi was one of the Indian delegates at the 59th Academy Awards. In 19

Raghupati Sahay  born on 28 August 1896, better known under his pen name Firaq Gorakhpuri was a writer, critic, and, according to one commentator, one of the most noted contemporary Urdu poets from India.He established himself among peers including Muhammad Iqbal, Yagana Changezi, Jigar Moradabadi and Josh Malihabadi. He was selected for the Provincial Civil Service (P.C.S.) and the Indian Civil Service (I.C.S.), but he resigned to follow Mahatma Gandhi's Non-cooperation movement, for which he went to jail. Later, he joined Allahabad University as a lecturer in English literature. It was there that he wrote most of his Urdu poetry, including his magnum opus Gul-e-Naghma which earned him the highest literary award of India, the Jnanpith Award, and also the 1960 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu. During his life, he was given the positions of Research Professor at the University Grants Commission and Producer Emeritus by All India Radio. After a long illness, he died on 3 March

The largest minority community, not only in India but also in the world, Parsis, are all set to celebrate their new year on today i.e, August 17. Pateti is celebrated on the eve of Parsi New Year. The vibrant festival began 3,000 years back by the mighty emperor Jamshed, who introduced the new calendar in Persia. Hence, Pateti is also known as Jamshedi Navroz or Navroz. The festival is celebrated by people in Middle-East, USA and South Asian countries such as India and Pakistan. According to the Gregorian calendar, Pateti falls in the month of August. The auspicious day falls on the spring equinox – the day when both North and South pole have sunlight making day and night of equal duration. Pateti is celebrated to gain health, wealth, prosperity, and productivity. Four ‘Fs’ – Fire, Fragrance, Food, and Friendship – play an important role in the celebration. It is the day to relish Parsi cuisine, greet each other and exchange gifts. A variety of dishes is prepared on the day inc

Saif Ali Khan, born Sajid Ali Khan on 16 August 1970  is an Indian film actor and producer. The son of actress Sharmila Tagore and the late cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Khan made his acting debut in Yash Chopra's unsuccessful drama Parampara (1993), but achieved success with his roles in the romantic drama Yeh Dillagi and the action film Main Khiladi Tu Anari (both 1994). Khan's career prospect declined through much of the 1990s, and his biggest commercial success of the decade came with the ensemble drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999). He rose to prominence with roles in two ensemble comedy-dramas—Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003). The 2004 romantic comedy Hum Tum proved to be Khan's first success in which he played the sole male lead, earning him the National Film Award for Best Actor, and starring roles in the drama Parineeta and the romantic comedy Salaam Namaste (both 2005) established him as a leading actor in Bollywood. He went on to earn

We wish you all a very Happy Independence Day. Independence Day is annually observed on 15 August, as a national holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947, the UK Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act 1947 transferring legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly. India still retained King George VI as head of state until its transition to full republican constitution. India attained independence following the Independence Movement noted for largely nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience led by the Indian National Congress (INC). Independence coincided with the partition of India, in which the British India was divided along religious lines into the Dominions of India and Pakistan; the partition was accompanied by violent riots and mass casualties, and the displacement of nearly 15 million people due to religious violence. On 15 August 1947, the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru raised th

Sridevi Kapoor Aka Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; born on  13 August 1963 is an Indian film actress who has worked in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada films. She has been called the first female superstar of Hindi cinema. Sridevi started her career as a child artist in M.A. Thirumugham’s devotional Thunaivan at the age of four, and continued to act as a child artist in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. She made her Bollywood debut as a child artist in the hit Julie (1975) and played her first adult role at age 13 with the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu (1976). Subsequently, Sridevi established herself as one of the leading actresses of Tamil and Telugu cinema, with roles such as 16 Vayathinile (1977), Sigappu Rojakkal (1978), Varumayin Niram Sivappu (1980), Meendum Kokila (1981), Premabhishekam (1981), Moondram Pirai (1982), Aakhari Poratam (1988), Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari (1990), and Kshana Kshanam (1991). In Bollywood, she made her debut as a lead actr

Today, It’s the International Left-Handers Day. August 13 is designated International Left-Handers Day by Lefthanders International. It was first observed on the 13th of August, in the year 1976. As the name suggests, it is meant to promote awareness of the inconveniences faced by left-handers in a predominantly right-handed world. It celebrates their uniqueness and differences, who are from seven to ten percent of the world's population. Hundreds of millions of left-handed people in today's society have to adapt to use right handed tools and objects. There’s also a more serious side to the day, which spreads awareness about the special needs of left-handed kids. Also, left-handed people may be more likely to develop schizophrenia. International Left Handers Day is observed on Aug. 13 of each year by many left-handers since 1976, Left-handers Day was declared by the Left-Hander's Day Club on August 13, 1997. It was made to annually celebrate certain people&#

International Youth Day (IYD) is an awareness day designated by the United Nations. The purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth. The first IYD was observed on 12 August, 2000. International Youth Day is observed annually on 12 August. It is meant as an opportunity for governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide. During IYD, concerts, workshops, cultural events, and meetings involving national and local government officials and youth organizations take place around the world. IYD was designated by the United Nations in 1999 with the adoption of Resolution 54/120. International Youth Day's Slogan for 2014 was Youth and Mental Health. For 2015, it was Youth and Civic Engagement. The theme of the 2016 International Youth Day was “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production."  For 2017, the theme of IYD is "Youth Building Peace"

Chad, a landlocked nation in north-central Africa, celebrates its Independence Day every year on August 11 to commemorate its freedom from France, gained in 1960. The Independence Day is a public holiday in Chad. The day honors the historic occasion of achieving freedom from the France, after a long and bitter struggle. In Chad many festivities mark the day. Political assemblies, speeches, sports event such as football games, parades, music and dance, are held and the Chadians celebrate their independence and patriotism in style. In 1913, France absorbed the Kingdoms of the Kanem-Bornu, Baguirmi, and Ouaddai, which were ruled by Sudanese conqueror Rabih al-Zubayr. These formed the colony of French Equatorial Africa and a region of Ubangi-Shari (Central African Republic). The battle between Rabih and the French troops over these kingdoms left Rabih dead, and French reinstated the traditional sultanate of the Kanembu dynasty. They established a protectorate over mo

Well, Today it’s the birthday of Anna of the Industry – Sunil Shetty. Suniel Shetty, born on 11 August 1961 is an Indian film actor, producer and entrepreneur predominantly active in Bollywood who has acted in more than 110 films. His major works have been action films. Suneil Shetty's debut film was Balwaan (1992) opposite the late Divya Bharti. The film was an above average grosser and launched his career as an action hero. He went on to play the protagonist in various successful movies such as Dilwale (1994), Anth (1994), Mohra (1994), Gopi Kishan (1994), Krishna (1996), Sapoot (1996), Rakshak (1996), Border (1997), Bhai (1997), Hera Pheri (2000), Dhadkan (2000) Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar (2001), Main Hoon Na (2004) and Red Alert: The War Within (2010). In 2014, he changed the spelling of his name from Sunil to Suniel for numerological reasons. Shetty was involved primarily in action films throughout the 1990s, playing the male protagonist in most of the movi

Today, It’s the birthday of Vinayaka Krishna Gokak. Born on 9 August 1909, Gokak was a major writer in the Kannada language and a scholar of English and Kannada literatures. He was the fifth writer to be honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 1990 for Kannada language, for his epic Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi. Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi deals with the Vedic age and is perhaps the longest epic narrative in any language in the 20th Century. In 1961, Gokak was awarded the Padmashree from the Government of India for Dyava Prithvi. Gokak was a prolific writer in both Kannada and English. He was deeply influenced by the Kannada poet D.R Bendre who mentored him during his early forays into Kannada literature. Bendre is reputed to have said that were Gokak to allow his talent to bloom in Kannada, there was a bright future in wait for Gokak and Kannada literature. His epic 'Bharatha Sindhurashmi', running into 35000 lines, is notably the longest epic written in this century, for w

Do you love Cats? Well today its International Cat Day International Cat Day is a full 24 hours of recognition and veneration of one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved pets. The festivities were put together for the first time in 2002 by IFAW, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, among other animal rights groups, to celebrate the most popular pet on the planet. An estimated 500 million cats are thought to be frolicking in neighbours’ gardens across the world, which means that most every extended family is bound to have an aunt with more kittens than former husbands, whatever the country or climate. And that’s great, because owning a cat has been shown to improve mental health and to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. So when it’s raining cats and dogs outside and you don’t have someone to cuddle with, any black, ginger, Persian, Siamese, Burmese, Bengal, Shorthair, Munchkin, Balinese, RagaMuffin or any old stray cat will do the trick. So roll out the r

Maithilisharan Gupt , born on 3 August 1886 was one of the most important modern Hindi poets.He is considered one among the pioneers of Khari Boli (plain dialect) poetry and wrote in Khari Boli dialect, at a time when most Hindi poets favoured the use of Braj Bhasha dialect.He was a recipient of the third highest (then second highest) Indian civilian honour of Padma Bhushan for his book Bharat-Bharati (1912), widely quoted during India's freedom struggle, he was given the title of Rashtra Kavi by Mahatma Gandhi. Gupt entered the world of Hindi literature by writing poems in various magazines, including Saraswati. In 1910, his first major work, Rang mein Bhang was published by Indian Press. With Bharat Bharati, his nationalist poems became popular among Indians, who were struggling for independence. Most of his poems revolve around plots from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Buddhist stories and the lives of famous religious leaders.His famous work Saket revolves around Urmila, wife