Category: Biography Story

Known as one of the greatest comedians to ever grace the earth, Charlie Chaplin was born Charlie Spencer Chaplin. A world-renowned personality, he is remembered for his extraordinary comic timings and his ability to emote without words. In the history of motion pictures, Charlie Chaplin stands out as one of the most prominent figures. Here, we will learn about his childhood, Charlie Chaplin date of birth, Charlie Chaplin death date, nationality, achievements and more. 

Early Childhood

The date of birth of Charlie Chaplin was 16th April 1889. He was born in London England to actor parents. The real name of Charlie Chaplin was Charlie Spencer Chaplin and it was inspired by his father’s name, a versatile actor and entertainer. He spent his early childhood years with his mother, a popular singer and actress before she was confined to a mental asylum. Charlie also had a half-brother named Sydney. 

Given to look after themselves, both the brothers found themselves in numerous residential schools and bleak workhouses. In the year 1897, Charlie was able to become a member of a clog-dancing act, the ‘Eight Lancashire Lads’ as an entertainer. 

Career 

Charlie had already gained favour as a tap-dance artist among the ‘Eight Lancashire Lads’, when at the age of 12, he got a chance to act on stage, essaying the role of ‘Billy’, the page boy and then went on to act in William Galette’s Sherlock Holmes, where he played a small role. 

Post this, Charlie Chaplin began his career as a comedian with the Casey’s Court Circus’ vaudeville act. It was the year 1908 when he joined the Fred Karno Repertoire Company as a part of the pantomime troupe. It was here when Charlie Chaplin’s status quickly escalated to that of a star and eventually took him to the United States of America. His portrayal of the Drunk in the sketch ‘A Night in an English Music Hall’ was an immediate hit with the American audiences so much so that in Fred Karno Troupre’s repeat tour of the USA in 1912, Charlie was offered a contract of a motion picture. 

With his Vaudeville commitments expiring in 1913, Charlie agreed to appear before cameras when he joined the Mack Sennett and the Keystone Film Company. This was Charlie Chaplin’s first entrance into the world of cinema. 

The first onscreen character that he portrayed was that of a mercenary dandy, which, claim historians, did not showcase his talents in the best light. He was then ordered by Sennet to come up with an image that would work better on screen. This was the moment when the iconic too small coat, too large pair of pants, floppy shoes and battered derby completed with a postage stamp moustache look of Charlie Chaplin that we all know and love was born. He also adopted a cane as an all-purpose prop to complete his look. This eventually gave birth to his on-screen alter ego the ‘Little Tramp’  in his second Keystone film ‘Kid Auto Races at Venice’, an immortal presence until today. 

In the vast array of characters portrayed by Charlie Chaplin, however, he was not always confined to the role of a tramp. His characters in the parts that he played were often employed as a fireman, store clerk, waiter, etc. A more apt description of his character portrayal was the archetypical misfit, usually left out by the ‘polite society’, not so lucky in love and of the like. He was also depicted as a survivor, someone who is able to plunge out of his sorrows and move on jauntily to newer adventures. 

The tramp, however, had more of a universal appeal for the character was cheeky yet casually savage. Combined with a gallantry that is unexpected of such a character and the ability to be resilient in the face of adversity struck a chord with a majority of the audiences. The portrayal of this character made Charlie Chaplin the biggest movie star within months after his debut as the same. The 35 comedy films that Charlie Chaplin had with Keystone is usually regarded as the gestation period of the ‘Tramp’ with caricature usually shifting up to be the character. 

On completion of his contract with Sennet, Charlie Chaplin moved on to work with the Essanay Company in 1915. During his time with Essanay studios, the element of paths was incorporated into his comedy by Charlie Chaplin in shorts such as The Tramp and Burlesque on Carmen. 

Given the rise in his popularity, Charlie then moved on to sign an even better deal with the Mutual Film Corporation where he was required to make twelve two-reel comedies. Some of the popular works from this association include The Rink (1916), One A.M. (1916), The Vagabond (1916) and Easy Street (1917). 

In the year 1918, Charlie Chaplin entered a contract with First National Film Corporation where he was required to produce eight short films. Some of the notable works under this include Shoulder Arms (1918), The Pilgrim (1923) and The Kid (1921), his first starring feature. 

Independent Achievements

Charlie Chaplin was famous for being a perfectionist. He went to great lengths to achieve the desired outcomes in his films. He went on from producing for other film studios to building his own production company, United Artists, which he co-founded with D.W. Griffith, and husband and wife Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford (both of whom were superstars). From his own company, Charlie Chaplin produced three movies between 1923 and 1929. This included his masterpiece and only dreams, The Gold Rush (1925), A Woman of Paris (1923) and The Circus (1928). After a  number of successful films, Charlie Chaplin produced his first sound picture in the year 1940, The Great Dictator, regarded as his most overt political satire. This film performed well on the box-office and also earned Charlie Chaplin his only Academy Award nomination in the Best Actor category. Among his greatest works from the latter years include Monsieur Verdoux (1947), Limelight (1952), A King in New York (1957) and A Countess from Hong Kong.

Personal Life

Charlie Chaplin’s personal life was rather a tumultuous one. It was after his contract with the First National Film Corporation when Charlie Chaplin got married to Mildred Harris, a 16-year old who worked as a film extra. They, however, got divorced in the year 1921. Charlie Chaplin then again married Lillita MacMurray in 1924, 16-years old at the time, and later became known to the world as Lita Grey, the film star. But this marriage was also short-lived as the couple got divorced, rather noisily, in the year 1927. Post this, in the year 1932, Charlie courted Paulette Goddard, who starred in a number of his productions but the couple separated in 1942. Charlie again re-married in 1943, the 18-year old Oona O’Neill. He was the father of 8 children from his last marriage with Oona O’Neill, along with one son from his marriage to Lita Grey.

Final Years

Charlie Chaplin, in his final years, was conferred with several honours. In 1972 he accepted the Special Academy Award for the immeasurable effect that he projected in the making of motion pictures the art form of this century. His final public appearance was in 1975 when he was knighted. Charlie Chaplin passed away on 25th December 1977.  In addition to being an author and a producer, Charlie Chaplin also honed a number of other skills, he was a musician, played a variety of instruments and authored at least four books. He was truly a remarkable personality whom the world remembers with great fondness.

Neil Alden Armstrong was an American astronaut and was the first person to walk on the Moon. He was also an aeronautical engineer, a naval aviator, a test pilot, and a professor at the University of Cincinnati. 

In this article let us learn more about Neil Armstrong life, achievements and journey to the moon.

Neil Armstrong History on Early life 

When was Neil Armstrong Born?

Neil Armstrong Birthday was August 5, 1930. Neil Armstrong height was 1.8 m.

Neil Armstrong Belongs to Which Country?

Neil Armstrong was born near Wapakoneta, Ohio. So, Neil Armstrong belongs to the United States of America (USA).

Neil Armstrong Family

• Mother – Viola Louise

• Father – Stephen Koenig Armstrong

• Younger brother – Dean Armstrong

• Younger sister – June Armstrong

Education of Neil Armstrong

• Neil Armstrong attended Blume High School in 1944 and learned to fly at the Wapakoneta airfield.

• Neil Armstrong started studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, when he was 17 years old.

• The Holloway Plan provided for his higher education. Successful candidates agreed to complete two years of study, two years of flight training, and one year of service as an aviator in the United States Navy before finishing their bachelor’s degree.

• In January 1955, Armstrong earned his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering.

• He earned his Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1970. 

• Several universities would later bestow honorary doctorates on him.

Naval Service

• On January 26, 1949, Armstrong received a call from the Navy, instructing him to report to Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida for flight training with class 5-49. 

• On February 24, 1949, he was commissioned as a midshipman after passing the medical examinations.

• He made his first aircraft carrier landing on the USS Cabot on March 2, 1950, which he compared to his first solo flight.

• Armstrong was told by letter on August 16, 1950, that he was a fully trained naval aviator.

• On November 27, 1950, he was assigned to VF-51, an all-plane squadron, and became its youngest pilot. 

• On January 5, 1951, he flew his first jet, a Grumman F9F Panther.

• Armstrong served in the Korean War as an escort for a photo reconnaissance plane over Songjin on August 29, 1951. He flew armed reconnaissance over the primary transportation and storage facilities south of Majon-ni, west of Wonsan, five days later, on September 3.

• Armstrong flew 78 missions over Korea for a total of 121 hours in the air, with the third mission taking place in January 1952 and the last mission taking place on March 5, 1952.

• Neil Armstrong achievements in naval service are Air Medal, two gold stars for the next 40 combat missions, the Korean Service Medal and Engagement Star, the National Defense Service Medal, and the United Nations Korea Medal.

• On February 25, 1952, Armstrong’s regular commission was revoked, and he was assigned to the United States Navy Reserve as an ensign.

• In May 1952, he was assigned to VR-32, a transport squadron, after completing his combat tour with Essex.

• On August 23, 1952, he was discharged from active service but remained in the reserve, and on May 9, 1953, he was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade).

Neil Armstrong Family after Marriage

Neil Armstrong was married twice. He was married to Janet Shearon from 1956 to 1994 and Carol Knight from 1994 to his death.

Neil Armstrong had 3 children from his first marriage. A daughter named Karen Armstrong died at the age of 2 due to pneumonia. He has two sons Eric Armstrong and Mark Armstrong.

Test Pilot Career

• Armstrong worked as an advanced research test pilot after graduating from Purdue.

• On March 1, 1955, Armstrong flew his first test flight at Cleveland’s Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory.

• After this short stint at Cleveland’s Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory Armstrong was tasked with piloting chase planes at Edwards. He also flew the modified bombers and had his first flight incident at Edwards on one of these missions.

• He flew over 200 different aircraft types throughout his career.

• Armstrong flew the North American F-100 Super Sabre A and C versions, the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, and the Convair F-106 Delta Dart as a project pilot.

• He also operated the Douglas DC-3, Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, North American F-86 Sabre, McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, Douglas F5D-1 Skylancer, Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Boeing B-47 Stratojet, and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, as well as the Parasev paraglider research vehicle programme.

• Armstrong was involved in a number of events that have become part of Edwards legend or have been recorded in the memoirs of colleagues.

• Armstrong’s engineering ability was admired by many of the test pilots at Edwards.

Astronaut Career

• Armstrong was chosen for the US Air Force’s Man In Space Soonest programme in June 1958, but funding was cancelled by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) on August 1, 1958, and it was superseded by Project Mercury, a civilian project administered by NASA, on November 5, 1958. 

• Armstrong was ineligible to become an astronaut because he was a NASA civilian test pilot at the time, as the selection was limited to military test pilots.

• NASA announced in April 1962 that it was accepting applications for the second group of NASA astronauts for Project Gemini, a planned two-man spacecraft. This time, only eligible civilian test pilots were considered. 

• In May 1962, Armstrong visited the Seattle World’s Fair and spoke at a NASA-sponsored conference on space exploration. He applied to become an astronaut after returning from Seattle on June 4th.

• Astronaut Neil Armstrong and Astronaut Elliot See were named the backup crew for Gemini 5 on February 8, 1965, with Armstrong serving as commander and assisting the prime crew of Gordon Cooper and Pete Conrad. The aim of the project was to practise space rendezvous and establish procedures and equipment for a seven-day flight, all of which would be essential for a Moon mission.

• Armstrong’s final assignment in the Gemini programme was as the back-up Command Pilot for Gemini 11 on September 12, 1966, which was confirmed two days after the landing of Gemini 8.

• Slayton offered Armstrong the role of commander of Apollo 11 after he acted as backup commander for Apollo 8 on December 23, 1968, as Apollo 8 orbited the Moon.

• On January 9, 1969, the crew of Apollo 11 was formally announced as Neil Armstrong, Micheal Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, with Lovell, Anders, and Fred Haise serving as backups.

Journey to the Moon

• On July 16, 1969, at 13:32:00 UTC, a Saturn V rocket launched Apollo 11 from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

• The aim of Apollo 11 was to land safely on the Moon rather than to land at a specific spot.

• On July 20, 1969, at 20:17:40 UTC, a man stepped onto the Moon’s surface for the first time.

• “That’s one small move for a man, one giant leap for mankind,” Armstrong said after placing his left boot on the lunar surface at 02:56 UTC on July 21, 1969.

• Aldrin joined Armstrong on the Moon about 19 minutes after Armstrong took his first move, making him the second human to walk on the Moon. They started their investigation into how simple it would be for a human to work on the lunar surface.

• After assisting with the installation of the Early Apollo Scientific Experiment Package, Armstrong went for a walk to what is now known as East Crater, which is 59 metres east of the LM and represents the mission’s greatest distance travelled from the LM.

• The three astronauts returned to Earth and were picked up by the USS Hornet after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

Life of Neil Armstrong after a Walk on the Moon

• Armstrong revealed shortly after Apollo 11 that he would not be flying in space again.

• He was appointed Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics for ARPA’s Office of Advanced Research and Technology, where he served for a year until resigning from both the agency and NASA in 1971.

• He started his master’s degree while stationed at Edwards years before and finished it after Apollo 11 by presenting a paper on different aspects of Apollo rather than a thesis on hypersonic flight simulation.

• He accepted a teaching position at the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Aerospace Engineering. Armstrong was a University Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He took on a large teaching load, teaching core classes and developing two graduate-level courses: aircraft design and experimental flight mechanics. He was regarded as an excellent teacher and a strict grader.

• Armstrong was a part of Edgar Cortright’s inquiry into the Apollo 13 mission after an accident aborted the mission’s lunar landing in 1970. He compiled a comprehensive timeline of the flight. He discovered that the explosion was caused by a 28-volt thermostat switch in an oxygen tank that was supposed to be replaced with a 65-volt version.

• President Ronald Reagan appointed Armstrong to a fourteen-member commission to establish a blueprint for American civilian spaceflight in the twenty-first century.

• Armstrong worked as a spokesperson for many companies after retiring from NASA in 1971.

• He has worked on the boards of directors of a number of businesses.

• Mike Dunn, a professional expedition leader, arranged a trip to the North Pole in 1985 for men he considered to be the “greatest explorers.” Armstrong, Edmund Hillary, Hillary’s son Peter, Steve Fossett, and Patrick Morrow were among the party. On April 6, 1985, they arrived at the North Pole.

When Did Neil Armstrong Die?

• On August 7, 2012, Armstrong underwent bypass surgery to treat coronary artery disease. Despite appearing to be recovering well, he died in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the age of 82, due to complications in the hospital.

• Neil Armstrong Death date is August 25, 2012.

• On September 13, a memorial service for Armstrong was held at Washington National Cathedral’s Space Window, which portrays the Apollo 11 mission and contains a sliver of Moon rock among its stained-glass windows.

• Armstrong was described by his Apollo 11 crewmate Buzz Aldrin as “a true American hero and the best pilot I ever met,” and he expressed regret that they will not be able to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing together in 2019.

• Another Apollo 11 crewmate Michael Collins said that “He was the best and I will miss him terribly”.

Neil Armstrong Achievements

Neil Armstrong was a recipient of many awards and honours, few are listed below.

• Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Richard Nixon.

• Cullum Geographical Medal from the American Geographical Society.

• Collier Trophy from the National Aeronautic Association in 1969.

• NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

• Dr Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy in 1970.

• Sylvanus Thayer Award by the United States Military Academy in 1971.

• Congressional Space Medal of Honor from President Jimmy Carter in 1978.

• Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy from the National Aeronautic Association in 2001.

• Congressional Gold Medal in 2011.

• Langley Gold Medal from the Smithsonian Institution in 1999 along with Apollo 11 crew members.

• NASA’s Ambassador of Exploration Award in 2006.

• Inducted into Aerospace Walk of Honor, International Space Hall of Fame, National Aviation Hall of Fame, and the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Interesting Neil Armstrong Facts

• When Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon for the first time, more than half a billion people watched it live around the world.

• The Saturn V rocket, which launched Neil Armstrong and his crew into orbit, was the size of a 36-story building. The Launch Control Center, which housed the team in charge of coordinating the launch from the site, was 3.5 miles away from the launchpad.

• The Eagle was the name of the Lunar Module that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin piloted together to land on the moon. It’s from here that the now-famous phrase “The Eagle Has Landed” was coined.

• Neil and Buzz were not only the first humans to walk on the moon, but they were both the first to see Earth from its surface. Neil said that he could block out the Earth with his thumb while there! He said that the Moon made him feel lonely, but that it also reminded him of how beautiful our home is.

• Neil Armstrong and his co-pilot, Buzz Aldrin gathered dust materials from the moon’s surface to sample back on Earth while they were on the moon. The samples were auctioned for £1.4 million in 2017.

In this biography of Neil Armstrong we have talked about Neil Armstrong Birthday, Neil Armstrong Family, Neil Armstrong achievements and finally, When did Neil Armstrong Die.

Conclusion

Neil Armstrong lifted the hopes and aspirations of every human being on the planet. We all believe that humans can do amazing things, that we can think about our place in the universe, that we can all reach up and out, that we can all fly, and that we can all change the world.

So reading the biography of Neil Armstrong life and accomplishments is one of the inspiring and useful things to students.

Subhash Chandra Bose’s birthday is on the 23rd of January 1897, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack. He was born to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutt. He was an Indian nationalist in the era of British colonialism in India whose defiant patriotism and immovable nerve and bravery made him a national hero whose praises are still sung with pride by every Indian citizen. His attempts to get rid of the British with the help of the Nazi party and Imperial Japan during the time of the second world war left him a troubled legacy. Although every Indian feels proud by hearing his name, it was not the case during the freedom struggle, especially in the INC where he often faced clashes of ideologies with Gandhiji and he did not get the recognition that he deserved. Let us take a look into the life of this extraordinary yet unsung hero. In honour of his contribution to the freedom struggle recently it was announced that his birthday is celebrated as “PARAKRAM DIWAS” as “parakram” translates to courage in English thereby recognizing his immense contribution by calling his birthday the day of courage. The day will now be commemorated each year in memory of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the unsung hero of the Indian independence struggle!  Let us look at the Subhash Chandra Bose Biography and know our hero, in and out! 

Education

Subhas Chandra Bose was the ninth out of the fourteen children of Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutt. He attended the Protestant European School, which is now called Stewart High School, along with his other siblings in Cuttack. He was a brilliant student and had a knack for knowing which earned him a second position in the matriculation exam. He attended the Presidency College (now University) in Calcutta and was greatly influenced by the teachings and philosophies of Swami Vivekananda and Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dev by reading their works when he was 16 years old.

He was later expelled by the college on grounds of assaulting a professor named Oaten even though he appealed that he was not even a participant in the act but only a mere spectator. This incident ignited a strong sense of rebellion in him and the mistreatment of Indians at the hands of the British which he observed to be happening widespread in Calcutta only added fuel to the fire. He joined the Scottish Church College under the University of Calcutta where he completed his graduation in Philosophy in the year 1918. He then left for London with his brother Satish to prepare for the Indian Civil Services exam that used to be held during that time. He took the exam and passed with flying colours on the very first attempt, such a bright student he was! But he still had mixed feelings as he would now have to work under the government set up by the British whom he had already started to despise. So, in the year 1921, he resigned from the Indian Civil Services as a symbol of boycotting the British after the incident of the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Subhash Chandra Bose’s Family

His father was Janaki Nath Bose, his mother Prabhavati Devi and he had 6 sisters and 7 brothers. His family was a well to do family in financial terms which belonged to the Kayastha caste.

Subhash Chandra Bose’s Wife 

Subhash Chandra Bose married a woman named Emilie Schenkel. Not much is known about the wife of the revolutionary man. However, he does have a daughter who was named Anita bose! He always preferred to keep his private life very private and never talked much in a public forum. He wasn’t much of a family man and dedicated all his time and attention to the country. His only aim was to see an independent India someday! He lived for the country and died for it as well!  

Role in Freedom Struggle

Subhas Chandra Bose joined the Indian National Congress (INC) under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and started the newspapers called “Swaraj” which means self-governance which marks his entry into politics and his role in the freedom struggle in India has just started. Chittaranjan Das was his mentor. In the year 1923, he became the President of the All India Youth Congress and became the editor of the newspaper “Forward” started by C.R. Das himself. He had also been elected as the mayor of Calcutta back then. He gained leadership spirit and made his way up to the top in the INC very soon. In 1928, the Motilal Nehru Committee demanded Dominion Status in India but Subhash Chandra Bose along with Jawaharlal Nehru asserted that nothing would satisfy other than complete independence of India from the British. Gandhiji strongly opposed the ways of Bose, who wanted independence by hook or by crook, as he was a firm believer of non-violence itself.

He was sent to jail in 1930 during the Civil Disobedience movement but was related along with other prominent leaders in the year 1931 when the Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed. In 1938, he was elected as President at the Haripura session of the INC and re-elected at the Tripuri Session in 1939 by competing against Dr P. Sitaramayya who was supported by Gandhi himself. He maintained strict standards during the commencement of the first World War and demanded full independence of India from the British within six months. He faced vehement objections from inside the Congress which led him to resign from INC and form a more progressive group called the “Forward Bloc”. 

He started a mass movement against using Indian men in the wars of foreign countries which received immense support and voice which led him to be put under house arrest in Calcutta but he left the house in disguise in January 1941 and reached Germany via Afghanistan and met the Nazi leader there to seek help from them to drive the British away from India. He also sought help from Japan. He made full use of the philosophy “an enemy’s enemy is a friend”.

Disappearance

In July 1943, he arrived in Singapore and took over the reins of the Indian Independence Movement started by Rash Behari Bose and organized the Azad Hind Fauj which is also known as the Indian National Army. It was at this time he was hailed as “Netaji” by which he is commonly referred to even today. The next few events have been blurry in the history of their struggle for independence by him. The INA liberated the Andaman and Nicobar islands but when it reached Burma, bad weather conditions, as well as the defeat of Japan and Germany in the Second World War, forced him to retreat. He is rumoured to have been killed in a plane crash in Taipei, Taiwan on August 18, 1945. Even though it is widely believed that he was still alive for many years after that. 

The life of Subhash Chandra Bose was full of surprises and dangerous adventures. Know more about interesting facts, life and how he led India to independence on engineeringinterviewquestions’s website. You can also download the app and get free study materials on every subject which you can access anytime, anywhere! 

Akbar is considered to be the greatest Mughal emperor of India. Akbar’s full name is Abū al-Fatḥ Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Akbar. He was born in Umarkot on October 15, 1542, which is now in Sindh province, Pakistan, and died on October 25, 1605, at Agra, India. He extended Mughal power over most of the Indian subcontinent and he reigned from 1556 to 1605. He was always considered to be the king of people as he listens to his people. To preserve the unity in his empire, various programs were adopted by Akbar which helped in winning the loyalty of the non-muslim population in his realm. He made sure that the central administration of his kingdom was reformed and strengthened. 

 

Akbar also focused on the centralization of his financial system and reorganized the tax-collection process. Akbar practised Islam as his religion but he had the utmost respect for other people and their religion. He took a keen interest in understanding other religions asking various religious scholars from religions like Hindu, Parsis, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam to engage in religious discussion in front of him. Akbar was illiterate, and he always encouraged art and respected people who can teach him new things, and that is the reason his court was considered to be a centre of cultures as he would encourage different scholars, poets, artists, etc. to show their art in front of him. 

 

Personal Details:

• Akbar Full Name: Abū al-Fatḥ Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Akbar.

• Date of Birth: October 15, 1542

• Death Date: October 25, 1605

• Cause of Death- Dysentery, an infection in the intestines that causes bloody diarrhoea

• Age (at the time of death)- 63

 

Akbar History

Akbar the great also known as the Abū al-Fatḥ Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Akbar was descended from Turks, Iranians, and Moguls. Genghis Khan and Tamerlane are considered to be the ancestors of Akbar. Humayun was the father of Akbar who succeeded to the throne of Delhi as ruler of the Mughal territories in the Indian subcontinent. He came to power at the age of 22 and as a result of which he was very inexperienced. 

 

In December 1530, Humayun succeeded his father to the throne of Delhi as ruler of the Mughal territories in the Indian subcontinent. Humayun was an inexperienced ruler when he came to power, at the age of 22. Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun and won many Mughal territories. Humayun went to Persia and took political shelter for almost 10 years and returned 15 years later to regain the lost Mughal territories.

 

Humayun Regained the throne in 1555 but had no authority in his kingdom. Humayun further expanded his Mughal territories and he then met with an accident and passed away in 1556 leaving a substantial legacy for his son, Akbar. At 13 years of age, Akbar was made the governor of the Punjab region. Humayun had barely established his authority as an emperor when he died in 1556 which led to many other rulers seeing it as a possibility to capture the Mughal dynasty. As a result of which many governors of the Mughal empire lost several important places. Delhi was also captured by Hemu, a Hindu minister who claimed the throne for himself. 

 

But under the guidance of Bairam Khan who was the regent to the young emperor, on November 5, 1556, Mughal forces defeated Hemu in the second battle of Panipat and recaptured Delhi thus ensuring Akbar’s succession. 

 

Akbar Wife: Akbar had six wives, his first wife’s name was Princess Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, who was also his cousin. His second wife was Bibi Khiera, daughter of Abdullah Khan Mughal. His third wife was Salima Sultan Begum, the daughter of Nur-ud-din Muhammad Mirza. Another of his wives was Bhakkari Begum, the daughter of Sultan Mahmud of Bhakkar. Akbar married Jodha Bai, the daughter of the Rajput ruler of Ajmer, Raja Bharmal. She is also known as Mariam-uz-Zamani. Qasima Banu Begum, the daughter of Arab Shah was also the wife of Akar. 

 

Akbar Son: Akbar had five sons from different wives. His first two sons were Hassan and Hussain and their mother was Bibi Aram Baksh. Both of them died at a young age for an unknown reason. The other Akbar sons were Murad Mirza, Daniyal Mirza, and Jahangir. Akbar’s favourite son was Daniyal Mirza as he also had a keen interest in poetry like his father. Out of the three sons, Prince Salim or Jahangir succeeded Akbar as the fourth emperor of the Mughal dynasty. 

 

Akbar Religious Policy

Mughal emperor Akbar was known for his religious policies and liberal ideas towards it. He adopted a policy that helped in maintaining mutual understanding between people of a different faith. The policy introduced by Akbar treated every religion with respect and equality. He always tried to maintain peace and harmony between people of different faith. He also founded a new religion called ‘Din-i-Ilahi’ having all the common points from all the religions. The main steps taken for religious harmony in Akbar’s time were to treat everyone irrespective of their faith. Akbar saw the injustice that was done by his predecessors on Hindus and he resolved all of them like the abolition of taxes on Hindu, Employment of Hindus at a higher post, allying with Hindu families, and most importantly allowing freedom of worship to all. 

 

Due to Akbar’s religious policies, people of different faith trusted him and truly accepted him as their king. The impact of religious policies was huge and it allowed the empire to get strong. Cultural unity emerged and there was an environment of goodwill developed between people of a different faith. Akbar also was credited as the national king by all the people.

 

Akbar Reign 

After Bayram Khan retired in 1560, Akbar started to govern on his own. Akbar first attacked Malwa and captured it in 1561. In 1562, Raja Bihari Mal of Ajmer offered Akbar his daughter in marriage and Akbar accepted it and it was considered as a sign of total surrender. Akbars followed the same feudal system as other Rajput chiefs. they were allowed to have their ancestor’s territories under the condition that they acknowledged Akbar as their emperor.

 

Akbar paid tribute to, supplying his soldiers to fight their wars when required to strengthen his alliance with the Rajputs. Akbar showed no mercy to those who refused him as his emperor and acknowledged his supremacy. While fighting Mewar, In 1568 Akbar captured the fortress of Chitor and killed its inhabitants. The fall of Chitor made many Rajput rulers surrender themselves against the supremacy of Akbar and accept him as their emperor in 1570.

 

In 1573 Akbar conquered Gujarat. It was the area with many ports that was very successful in having trade with western Asia. After conquering Gujarat, Akbar’s eyes were set on Bengal, a city that had networks of Rivers. Bengals Afghan rulers decided to surrender to the supremacy of Akbar in 1575.

 

Towards the end of his reign, Akbar conquered Kashmir in 1586, Sindh in 1591, and Afghanistan in 1595. After completely conquering the north, The Mughals then set their eyes on the South. In 1601 Khandesh, part of Ahmadnagar and Berar was added to the Akbar’s empire. Throughout his reign, Akbar had captured two-thirds of the Indian subcontinent. 

 

Conclusion 

Akbar was the third emperor of the Mughal dynasty and the most successful one too. At the end of his reign, he had conquered two-thirds of the Indian subcontinent that including Afghanistan too. One of the noticeable features of how governed his kingdom was that he treated everyone equally irrespective of their religion. Everyone was allowed to follow their faith without any fear. The discrimination against Hindus was reduced by abolishing the taxation of pilgrims. He gave equal employment opportunities to Hindus for the higher post. 

 

Akbar was very successful as a ruler as every in his kingdom of any faith trusted him and his way of running the kingdom. Akbar was successful in bringing cultural unity among the people and because of that he was given the title of the national king by all people.

The real and full name of Dhirubhai Ambani is Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani. He was famously called Dhirubhai Ambani after his successful venture into the markets. A man with humble beginnings, took the world by storm with his intelligent and innovative minds. Dhirubhai Ambani is the sole reason that changed the scene of Indian industries and was a very successful capitalist. With his knowledge about the stock market and how it can impact an economy, he put India on the global map with his business endeavours. He is considered a business tycoon for his economical prominence and the power he holds in the market scene. The founder of Reliance Industries and later he also dabbled into many business ventures. His legacy is truly a remarkable one and still stays strong long after he has gone. 

Basic Information about Dhirubhai Ambani 

• Date of BIrth – December 28, 1932

• Birthplace – Chorwad in Junagadh State, under the Western India States Agency in British Raj [that is present-day Gujarat in India]

• Works- Founder of the Reliance Industries and credited for many more branches under Reliance corporation. 

• Awards- received Padma Vibhushan posthumously, in 2016.

• Died on- July 6, 2002.

Dhirubhai Ambani’s Early Life in Ambani Family

Born to Hirachand Gordhanbhai Ambani and Jamnaben Ambani on December 28 1932, in his mother’s native place Chorwad in Junagadh State under the British Raj and is now Gujarat, India. Belonging to the Modh Baniya community like his father, who was a school teacher in the village. He was one of the three sons and had one sister. His brothers are Ramaniklal Ambani and Saurabh Patel and his sister Trilochana Ben. Dhirubhai Ambani lived a modest life with his parents and siblings.

He attained his primary education from the Bahadur Khanji school, and even in his younger years he was righteous and possessed leadership qualities. One such instance is during his youth, he participated in the protests against the Nawab of his own state Junagadh who was planning to join the Muslim clan in Pakistan post-independence. 

At the age of 16, in the year 1948, Dhirubhai Ambani left for work in A. Besse and Co. in Port to Aden, Yemen. He worked there alongside his brother Ramaniklal as a clerk in a company that was considered the largest transcontinental trading firm in the 1950s in the east of Suez, Egypt. And in his course of work, he learnt trading and accounting. He sharpened his skills over the years. 

His business acumen was evident even in those early years, as he made strides to achieve his ambitions of making more money. The silver bullion, which is the metal in bulk that was very popular then was widely sold. He went a step further and thought of selling the precursor of the bullion by melting the silver. He sold the pure silver and at a higher price too. 

He was truly a financial wizard. His friends too described him as friendly, easy to talk to, with good nature and a cheerful personality. And the drive and ambition in him were always prominent. He worked with the Shell Oil Agents for a few years. And at the age of 23 in the year 1955, Dhirubhai Ambani tied the knot with Kokilaben, who was 21 at the time from Jamnagar. In the later years, Kokilaben always spoke of her husband’s support that got her through tough times away from family in India and how she cherished the time spent in those early years. 

Dhirubhai Ambani wife, Kokilaben Ambani became a first time mother in Aden to Mukesh Ambani in the year 1957. In 1958, Dhirubhai along with his family shifted to India and settled in Mumbai. They were also blessed with three children Anil Ambani, Nina Ambani, Dipti Ambani. In the early years in Mumbai, they were living in a two-bedroom apartment in Bhuleshwar, a small neighbourhood. 

Business Developments

In the first few years only, he partnered with his 2nd cousin Champaklal Damani and then included other relatives and friends to work with them as they started exporting spices to the Eastern and Asian countries. He was always a risk-taker, starting the business with just 15000 bucks and building from scratch. In these nascent years, the business was called Reliance Commercial Corporation. Their office was tiny, and the assistants helped him a great deal in setting up the business. Many members who joined Dhirubhai in the initial days were long associated with Reliance. He offered high-quality products and the profit margins accepted were also less than his other competitors, which led to rapid growth in his business.

After a few years, in 1965 due to temperamental differences, Dhirubhai separated from Champaklal and started his own. Then he mostly dealt with the export of polyester and it was his foray into the textile industry, and under the name of the label, ‘Vimal’ other clothing items like sarees, dresses, shawls and suits were sold. On May 8 1973 he changed the name Reliance Commercial Corporation to Reliance Industries. 

And very soon, it held a name for itself even in the domestic market for its good quality products and with extensive endorsing of the same values in the Indian interiors.  And there was no turning back since the dominance in the market began. He also delved into synthetic textiles when the commodities of his company were at their peak. 

In 1966, he made his debut in backward integration and opened the Reliance Textile mill. And gradually built into the magnum petrochemical, plastic and power generation mammoth. In 1975, a technical team from the World Bank also paid a visit to their textile mill. 

Building an Empire

Dhirubhai Ambani proposed for investing and finance from the National Banks, and on refusal, he made the company public in the year 1977. Dhirubhai also became the first face of Indian business who conquered the Industrial sector globally.

He also rallied with the Bombay Stock Exchange when he attained a huge profit from supplying his own shares to The Bear Cartel, who were trying to overtake him. There was a roar in the market about how he could make such a profit when the crisis fell on the entire nation. And to figure out the Bombay office was also closed for 3 days to figure out the workings. And Pranab Mukherjee, the then Prime Minister also came to his defence about the stock market and Dhirubhai’s works which were legal and by any means did not engage in unethical transaction procedures. 

Even with many allegations of fraud and debauchery from the media and the market, the investors stood unshaken and trusted him. The investors never doubted Dhirubhai’s capability as a businessman and their shares and dividends value only grew. He was truly a maestro in the stock market and many people attended his meetings where he talked about it to gain knowledge. In fact, because of humongous crowds and many attendees from all the sectors, the meetings were held in stadiums and even televised to be aired for people.

Reliance Industries became the first-ever privately-owned Indian Company enlisted in the illustrious list of Fortune 500 in the year 2012. He lived a fine life with his family, children, and grandchildren.

Death

Dhirubhai Ambani suffered from a stroke in February 1986 and shortly after handed over the business to his sons Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani. The brothers now run the business separately due to reasons and issues that shall remain private. The first stroke’s aftermath was paralysis of his right hand. And he suffered from a major stroke again in the year 2002 on June 24th and was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital, and breathed his last shortly after on July 6th 2002. 

Honours and Recognition

1. In 2016, Dhirubhai Ambani was also honoured with the 2nd highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan after many years post his death for his excellent contribution to the Indian market and its economy.

2. In an unauthorized biography, by an Australian journalist Hamish McDonald in 1988, Dhirubhai was referred to and rightly so as, ‘The Polyester Prince.’ 

3. He was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 by The Economic Times Awards on August 10th in Mumbai. 

4. He became the first Indian ever, to receive the “Dean’s Medal” by The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, in 1998 on June 15th for setting a remarkable example in leadership. 

5. He was also featured in the Asiaweek magazine for 3 years, 1996, 1998 and 2000 in the list of 50 most powerful people of Asia.

Conclusion

Dhirubhai Ambani truly embodies greatness and humility in equal measure. Even after achieving so much wealth and fortune he always celebrated his roots and took pride in them. It is not easy to start from scratch and build an empire that lasts several generations. With support from his family, he was unstoppable. India takes pride in an icon like him that comes rarely. 

Michael Faraday was an English scientist who made important contributions to the fields of electrochemistry and electromagnetism. The concepts underlying electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and electrolysis were among his most important discoveries.

Despite his lack of formal education, Faraday was one of the most prominent scientists in history. Faraday provided the foundation for the idea of the electromagnetic field in physics through his experiments on the magnetic field around a conductor holding a direct current. Faraday also discovered that magnetism could influence light rays and that the two phenomena had an underlying relationship.

He also discovered the rules of electrolysis and the concepts of electromagnetic induction and diamagnetism. His electromagnetic rotary system designs laid the groundwork for electric motor technology, and it was because of his efforts that electricity became useful in technology. Faraday was an excellent experimenter who communicated his ideas in simple language; however, his mathematical skills were limited to the simplest algebra.

Michael Faraday’s Information

Faraday’s date of birth: September 22, 1791

Faraday’s place of birth: Newington Butts, England

Faraday’s date of death: August 25, 1867

Faraday’s Place of death: Hampton Court, London, England

Spouse:  Sarah Barnard ​(m. 1821)

Michael Faraday’s Inventions: 

Faraday’s Law of Induction; 

Faraday Effect; 

Faraday Cage;

Faraday Constant; 

Faraday’s laws of electrolysis etc.

About Michael Faraday

History of Michael Faraday

Michael Faraday was born on September 22, 1791, in Newington Butts, a Surrey suburb that is now part of the London Borough of Southwark. His family did not have a lot of income. James, his father, belonged to the Glassite Christian sect. During the winter of 1790, James Faraday moved his wife and two children from Outhgill, Westmorland, to London, where he had worked as an apprentice to the village blacksmith. In the autumn of that year, Michael was born. Michael Faraday, the third of four brothers, had to educate himself after receiving only a basic school education.

He began working as an apprentice to George Riebau, a local bookbinder and bookseller on Blandford Street when he was 14 years old. Faraday read a lot of books during his seven-year apprenticeship, including Isaac Watts’ The Improvement of the Mind, of which he vigorously applied the given principles and recommendations. He also became interested in science, especially electricity. Jane Marcet’s book Conversations on Chemistry was especially inspiring to Faraday.

Faraday attended lectures by eminent English chemist Humphry Davy of the Royal Institution and the Royal Society, and John Tatum, member of the City Philosophical Society, in 1812, when he was 20 years old and approaching the end of his apprenticeship. 

William Dance, one of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s members, gave Faraday a large number of tickets to these lectures. Faraday then sent Davy a 300-page book based on the notes he made during these lectures. When Davy’s eyesight was destroyed in an accident with nitrogen trichloride in 1813, he decided to hire Faraday as an assistant.

On the same day that one of the Royal Institution’s assistants, John Payne, was shot, Sir Humphry Davy was asked to find a replacement; as a result, on March 1, 1813, he appointed Faraday as Chemical Assistant at the Royal Institution. Davy soon entrusted Faraday with the preparation of nitrogen trichloride samples, and they were both hospitalised when this highly sensitive material exploded.

Faraday was awarded an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree by the University of Oxford in June 1832. During his lifetime, he was given a knighthood in recognition of his contributions to science, which he declined on religious grounds, claiming that accumulating wealth and seeking worldly reward was against the word of God, and preferring to remain “plain Mr Faraday to the end.” He was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1824, but he declined to be President on two occasions. In 1833, he was appointed as the first Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution.

Faraday was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as a Foreign Honorary Member in 1832. In 1838, he was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences as a foreign member, and in 1844, he was one of eight foreign members elected to the French Academy of Sciences. He was elected as an associate member of the Royal Institute of the Netherlands in 1849, which became the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences two years later, and he was later promoted to foreign member.

Faraday had a nervous breakdown in 1839, but he recovered and resumed his electromagnetism research. Faraday was granted a grace and favour house in Hampton Court, Middlesex, in 1848, as a result of the Prince Consort’s representations. The house was free of all expenses and maintenance. This was the Master Mason’s Home, which later became known as Faraday House and is now known as No. 37 Hampton Court Road. Faraday moved there in 1858 to retire.

Faraday declined to engage in the manufacture of chemical weapons for use in the Crimean War (1853–1856) after providing a variety of different service projects for the British government. He cited ethical grounds for his refusal.

Michael Faraday Information: Marriage and Family

On June 12, 1821, Faraday married Sarah Barnard (1800–1879). They met at the Sandemanian church through their friends, and he confessed his faith to the Sandemanian congregation a month after they married. They didn’t have any children.

Faraday was a devout Christian who belonged to the Sandemanian sect of the Church of Scotland. He served as a deacon and an elder in the meeting house where he grew up for two terms after his marriage. Paul’s Alley in the Barbican was the location of his church.

This meeting house moved to Barnsbury Grove, Islington, in 1862, and it was here that Faraday spent the final two years of his second term as an elder before resigning.

Michael Faraday Inventions

Michael Faraday, known for his discovery of electromagnetic induction and laws of electrolysis, has a number of scientific achievements under his belt. Below are a few inventions/discoveries by him-

1. Faraday’s Law of Induction: 

• Faraday’s law of induction (also known as Faraday’s law) is a fundamental law of electromagnetism that describes how a magnetic field interacts with an electric circuit to create an electromotive force (EMF), a phenomenon known as electromagnetic induction. Transformers, inductors, and several types of electrical motors, generators, and solenoids all work on this principle.

• Faraday’s law was discovered, and one of its aspects (transformer EMF) was later developed as the Maxwell–Faraday equation. 

• The Maxwell–Faraday equation states that a spatially varying (and possibly also time-varying, depending on how a magnetic field varies in time) electric field always accompanies a time-varying magnetic field, while Faraday’s law states that there is EMF (electromotive force, described as electromagnetic work done on a unit charge when it has travelled a certain distance).

• The Maxwell–Faraday equation (which describes transformer EMF) and the Lorentz force can be used to derive Faraday’s law (describing motional EMF).

2. Faraday Effect: 

• The magneto-optic Faraday effect (MOFE), also known as the Faraday effect or Faraday rotation, is a physical magneto-optical phenomenon. The Faraday effect induces polarisation rotation that is proportional to the magnetic field projection along the light propagation direction. Formally, when the dielectric permittivity tensor is diagonal, it is a special case of gyro electromagnetism.

• The Faraday effect, discovered by Michael Faraday in 1845, was the first experimental proof that light and electromagnetism are related. In the 1860s and 1870s, James Clerk Maxwell and Oliver Heaviside completed the theoretical foundation of electromagnetic radiation (which includes visible light). Under the influence of magnetic fields, this phenomenon occurs in most optically transparent dielectric materials (including liquids).

• Circular birefringence, a property that causes the Faraday effect, is caused by left and right circularly polarised waves propagating at slightly different speeds. Since a linear polarisation can be decomposed into the superposition of two equal-amplitude circularly polarised components of opposite handedness and phase, a relative phase shift caused by the Faraday effect rotates the linear polarisation of a wave.

3. Faraday Cage: 

A Faraday cage, also known as a Faraday shield, is an electromagnetic field-blocking enclosure. A Faraday shield may be made out of a continuous layer of conductive material, or a mesh of such materials in the case of a Faraday cage. 

4. Faraday Constant: 

Michael Faraday is the name of the Faraday constant, which is denoted by the symbol F and sometimes stylized as F. This constant represents the magnitude of electric charge per mole of electrons in chemistry and physics.   

F = 96485.33212… Cmol 

5. Faraday’s Laws of Electrolysis: 

Faraday’s laws of electrolysis are quantitative relationships derived from Michael Faraday’s electrochemical study published in 1833.

The mass (m) of elements deposited at an electrode is directly proportional to the charge (Q in ampere seconds or coulombs), according to Michael Faraday.

m ∝ Q

⇒ [frac{m}{Q}] = Z

The electrochemical equivalent (e.c.e) of the substance is the constant of proportionality Z. As a result, the mass of the substance deposited/liberated per unit charge can be defined as the e.c.e.

Faraday discovered that the mass of the substance liberated/deposited at the electrodes in g is directly proportional to their chemical equivalent/equivalent weight(E) when the same amount of electric current is passed through different electrolytes/elements connected in series. This is calculated by dividing the molar mass (M) by the valence (v)

m ∝ E

E = [frac{text{Molar mass}}{text{Valance}}]

⇒ m₁ : m₂ : m₃ :……..= E₁ : E₂ : E₃ : ……

⇒Z₁Q : Z₂Q : Z₃Q : ……… = E₁ : E₂ : E₃ :……(From 1st law) 

⇒Z₁ : Z₂ : Z₃ : ……… = E₁ : E₂ : E₃ :….

Michael Faraday Scientist

Let us elaborate on Michael Faraday Discovery as a Chemist and Physicist.

Chemistry

Faraday began his chemistry career as a chemist’s assistant to Humphry Davy. Faraday was particularly interested in the study of chlorine, and he found two new chlorine-carbon compounds. He also carried out the first rudimentary experiments on gas diffusion, which was first observed by John Dalton.

Faraday was active in liquefying several gases, researching steel alloys, and producing several new forms of optical glass. A specimen of one of these heavy glasses became historically significant after Faraday determined the rotation of the plane of polarization of light when the glass was put in a magnetic field.

Faraday developed an early version of what would become the Bunsen burner, which is still used as a convenient source of heat in science laboratories around the world. Faraday was a chemist who discovered chemical compounds like benzene (which he called bicarbonate of hydrogen) and liquefied gases like chlorine.

Faraday announced the first synthesis of carbon and chlorine compounds, C₂Cl₆ and C₂Cl₄, in 1820, and published his findings the following year. Faraday also deduced the chemical structure of the chlorine clathrate hydrate, which Humphry Davy had discovered in 1810.

Faraday is often credited with discovering the laws of electrolysis and popularising concepts like anode, cathode, electrode, and ion, which were first proposed by William Whewell. He was the first to identify metallic nanoparticles, as they are now known. In 1847, he discovered that gold colloids had different optical properties than the corresponding bulk metal. This was most certainly the first discovery of the effects of quantum size, and it could be considered the beginning of nanoscience.    

Electricity and Magnetism 

Faraday’s work on electricity and magnetism is what he is best known for. The creation of a voltaic pile of seven British halfpenny coins, seven discs of sheet zinc, and six pieces of paper moistened with salt water was his first known experiment. He broke down the sulphate of magnesia with this pile.

Faraday continued his laboratory work after his initial observation in 1821, investigating the electromagnetic properties of materials and gaining the necessary knowledge. Faraday set up a circuit in 1824 to see whether a magnetic field could influence current flow in an adjacent wire, but he found no such relationship. This experiment followed three years of related experiments with light and magnets, which yielded identical results. Faraday spent the next seven years perfecting his formula for optical consistency (heavy) glass, borosilicate of lead, which he would later use in his experiments linking light and magnetism.

Faraday used “static,” batteries, and “animal electricity” to generate the phenomenon of electrostatic attraction, electrolysis, magnetism, and other phenomena in 1832, as part of a series of experiments aimed at determining the fundamental essence of electricity. He came to the conclusion that contrary to popular belief at the time, the distinctions between different “kinds” of electricity were illusory. Instead, Faraday suggested that there is only one “electricity,” and that differing quantities and intensities (current and voltage) generate various classes of phenomena.

Diamagnetism

Faraday discovered in 1845 that certain materials had a mild repulsion to a magnetic field, which he called diamagnetism.

Faraday also discovered that by applying an external magnetic field aligned with the direction in which the light is travelling, the plane of polarization of linearly polarised light can be rotated. The Faraday effect is the name given to this phenomenon. “I have at last succeeded in lighting a magnetic curve or line of force and in magnetising a beam of light,” he wrote in his notebook in September 1845.