History through Philately ,This day , That year.(08.07.2021)

Poosapati Sanjeevi Kumarswamy Raja (8 July 1898 – 16 March 1957) was a politician who served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from 6 April 1949 to 10 April 1952  and Governor of Orissa between 1954 till 1956. 

He was born in Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu.

It was in 1919 that he met Mahatma Gandhi for the first time and started following with great interest the events in Gandhi's life. Gandhi's epic struggle in South Africa, the founding of the Ashram in Ahmedabad and the Champaran struggle made a profound impression on him and the utter simplicity of Mahatma's life also evoked his unbounded admiration.

In all the years of his life, most of Raja's wealth was spent in helping the poor and in serving public causes, particularly for the Congress movement. He was much interested in co-operative movement also.

It was said that Raja studied in Srivilliputtur G.S Hindu Higher Secondary School and thus he chose Srivilliputtur temple as the symbol of Tamil Nadu emblem.

Indraprastha College for Women also known as Indraprastha College or IP College is the oldest women's college in Delhi.

The origins of IP College lie in the Indraprastha Girls School. It was founded in 1904, at the call of noted freedom fighter, educationist and theosophist Annie Besant by a group of Delhi theosophists, led by Lala Jugal Kishore, in Chhipiwara, Old Delhi.

United Theological College (UTC) is a Christian seminary founded in 1910 situated in Bangalore and affiliated to India's first Theological University, the Senate of Serampore College (University) with degree-granting authority validated by a Danish Charter.

Damodar Hari Chapekar (25 June 1869 – 18 April 1898), alongwith his two brothers Balkrishna Hari Chapekar  and Vasudeo Hari Chapekar were Indian revolutionaries involved in assassinating W. C. Rand, the British Plague Commissioner of Pune, after the public of Pune was frustrated with the vandalism from the officers and soldiers appointed by him, in late 19th century. Mahadev Vinayak Ranade was also an accomplice in the assassination.

Above 4 stamps information got from Mr.Baskaran, Treasurer of SIPA, Chennai.

Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India by sea, set sail on July 8, 1497

Courtesy :Mr.Pratap Adtiya

On 8 July 1954, Jawaharlal Nehru ji inaugurated the world's longest DAM, bhakra-Nangal in Punjab.  Courtesy :Mr.Pratap Adtiya

Today Titbits by Mr.Mani Muthu Krishnan

A small tribute to Raja Virbhadra Singh ( 23 June 1934 - 08 July 2021 ) .

Raja saab was the ruler of erstwhile princely state of Bushahr ( Present day Rampur / Sarahan , Kinnaur and Rohru ). He was the 6 times Chief Minister of Himachal. He was elected as an MLA 9 times and MP 5 times. Besides that he also served as a Union Minister in Centre thrice. He was the sitting MLA from Arki constituency of Solan District.

He was a leader of masses and had a huge fan base not only in Himachal but India as a whole. He was rightly labelled as the " Architect of Modern Himachal " .

He had done so much to uplight the poor and downtrodden section of the society. He had granted Dharamsala the status of Second Capital of Himachal Pradesh.

It's the biggest loss that Himachal as a state has suffered.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

This reminds me of the popular slogan that every Himachali used to raise on seeing Raja Saab 

" यह राजा नहीं फ़कीर है , हिमाचल की तकदीर है "

Born on this day, is the famous German  inventor of the Zeppelin airships, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (German: Graf Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August von Zeppelin; 8 July 1838 – 8 March 1917). He was a German general, and later invented  the Zeppelin rigid airships. He there after founded  the company Luftschiffbau Zeppelin, to manufacture these airships.

New Honourable Communication and Information Technology minister Shri Ashwini vaishnaw

*Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy,* born on 8 July 1949, was a two-time Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, serving from 2004 to 2009.

On 8 July 1497, Portuguese navigator *Vasco da Gama* departed on his first voyage, became the *1st European to reach India by sea.*

*Vasco da Gama* was the first European explorer to reach India by sea, helping to establish Portugal as a colonial power and changing the previous dependence Europe had on trade overland.

*Vasco da Gama* left Portugal with 4 ships on his first voyage in 1497, rounded the Cape of Good Hope and travelled up the African coast. Arriving in the trading port of Calicut, India in May of 1498 he was warmly received, though failed to establish permanent relations.

*Ferdinand von Zeppelin,* born on 8 July 1838, was a German general and later inventor of the *Zeppelin rigid airships;* he founded the company Luftschiffbau Zeppelin.

On 8 July 1913, *Alfred Carlton Gilbert's* patent for the *Erector Set* was issued, it became one of the most popular toys of all time.

*Gilbert* invented the *Erector Set* in 1913, a construction toy that eventually became one of the most popular toys of all time. When the US considered a ban on toy production during World War I in 1918, Gilbert successfully argued against it, becoming known as _"the man who saved Christmas."_

Best known for the Erector Set, Gilbert had more than 150 patents to his name.

*Erector Set,* was a brand of metal toy construction sets which were originally patented by Alfred Carlton Gilbert and first sold by his company, the Mysto Manufacturing Company of New Haven, Connecticut in 1913.

John Stith Pemberton,* born on July 8, 1831, was an American pharmacist who is best known as the inventor of *Coca-Cola.* In May 1886, he developed an early version of a beverage that would later become world-famous as *Coca-Cola,* but sold his rights to the drink shortly before his death.

*Christiaan Huygens,* passed away on 8 July 1695, was Dutch Astronomer, physicist, mathematician and inventor, who was chiefly known for his studies of the rings of _Saturn_ and the discovery of its _moon Titan_ & made groundbreaking contributions in optics and mechanics. His most famous invention was the invention of *pendulum clock* in 1656 which was a breakthrough in timekeeping and become the most accurate time keeper for almost 300 years.

Courtesy: Mr.Kholi