This Day in History on 4 December
The historical events hold a lot of value for aspirants who are sitting for UPSC competitive exams including the IAS Exam.
On this page, we will list all historical events that occurred on 4 December. The students can refer to them while preparing for all competitive exams and banking exams.
Important Days
Indian Navy Day
“To recognize the achievements and role of the Indian Navy to the country.”
December was chosen as on that day in 1971, during Operation Trident, the Indian Navy sank four Pakistani vessels including PNS Khaibar, killing hundreds of Pakistani Navy personnel. On this day, those who martyred in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 are also remembered. The Indian Navy is a maritime part of the Indian Army, which was established in 1612. The East India Company formed an army as the East India Company’s Marine to protect its ships. Which was later named Royal Indian Navy.
After the independence of India, the Navy was re-constituted in 1950 and renamed the Indian Navy.
Navy Day (India)
Indian Navy Day
Important Events
1791: The Observer, the world’s first Sunday newspaper, published.
1796: Bajirao became the second Peshwa.
1860: Agustino Lawrenceo of Madgaon, Goa, holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Paris. He became the first Indian to pursue a doctorate from a foreign university.
1881: The first issue of the Los Angeles Times published.
1924: Inauguration of the Gateway of India by Lord Reading, Viceroy.
1940: Khurshid Novrojee, freedom fighter, was arrested for not giving prior intimation to go in tribal area. She had founded Gujarat, Kathiwad and Bombay Presidency “Women Voluntary Amry”.
1948: General Kariappa appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
1959: Gandak Irrigation and Power Project signed between India and Nepal.
1971: 3rd India-Pakistan War – Operation Trident, Indian fleet attacked Karachi.
1971: United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session because of the deteriorating situation between India and Pakistan.
1975: Suriname joined the United Nations.
1982: Asian Games at Delhi concluded.
1989: Hardeo Joshi replaces Shiv Charan Mathur as CM of Rajasthan.
1990: Maharashtra Gomantak Party withdraws support to Goa ministry led by Dr. Luis Proto Barbosa.
1991: Lok Sabha approves a vital bill seeking to bring sick public sector units within the purview of the BIFR.
1992: RBI devalues Rupee by 1.18 \% against the US dollar. India emerges overall champions with 10 golds; 8 silver and 14 bronzes in the 4th Asian Junior Athletic meet in New Delhi.
1993: Bahadur Prasad wins the second gold medal in 5000 m in Asian Track and Field meet in Manila.
1993: Mulayam Singh Yadav, takes over as CM of UP; Bhairon Singh Sekhawat of Congress sworn in as CM of Rajasthan.
1996, 4th December: US space agency NASA launched the Mars mission.
1997: Lok Sabha was dissolved with immediate effect and new House was to be constituted by March 15 next.
1997: World Bank commits to Haryana a loan of $600 millions (about Rs. 2,350 crores) – largest single bank loan to any State.
1998: Christians across the country observe a protest day against the recent attacks on the community and its institutions.
1998: Sonia Gandhi said the Congress(I) was prepared to meet the challenge of contesting a mid-term poll if it was forced on the country. But it would not take any initiative to pull down the BJP-led coalition.
1998: Ilayaraja, nusic composer, selected for the Lata Mangeshkar award instituted by the Madhya Pradesh Government.
1999: A batch of 1,690 Indian soldiers leave for Sierra Leone to join the U.N. Mission to implement the peace accord.
1999: Uman J. Shah is sworn in West Bengal Governor
2008: Renowned Indian historian Romila Thapar was honored with the Kluge Prize.
Birth/Birth Anniversary
1807: Sher Singh, Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.
1884 – R. C. Majumdar, Indian historian (d. 1980)
1835: Samuel Butler, an English writer.
1852: Forest K Olson, a Russian physicist.
1859: Change Hoffstein, Iceland’s first prime minister.
1888: Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, an Indian historian.
1892: Francisco Franco, a Spanish general.
1894: Swami Brahmanand was born at Hamirpur district in UP. He joined freedom movement and participated in Salt Satyagraha, Non Cooperation Movement and Quit India Movement. He also established Brahmanand Inter College (1938), Brahmanand Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya (1943) and Brahmanand Mahavidyalaya (1960).
1898: Kariamanikkam Srinivasa Krishnan, Indian Scientist and Physicist-Philosopher, was born in Tamil Nadu.
1910: R. Venkataraman, an Indian lawyer, and the 8th President of India.
1910: Amar Singh Ladha Nakum, cricketer (dashing Indian all-rounder of thirties), was born at Rajkot.
1910: Motilal, famous film actor, was born.
1916: Balwant Gargi, an Indian-Punjabi language dramatist.
1919: Indra Kumar Gujral, an Indian politician, and the 12th Prime Minister of India.
1920: Michael Bates, actor (Clockwork Orange, Patton), was born in Jhansi, India.
1922: Ghantasala Venkateswararao, an Indian film composer, and Playback Singer.
1963: Javed Jaffrey, an Indian actor, dancer, and comedian.
1969: Jay-Z, an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and businessman.
1977: Ajit Agarkar, an Indian cricketer.
Death/ Death Anniversary
1131: Omar Khayyam, a Persian philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, and poet.
1679: Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher.
1850: William Sturgeon, inventor of the first electromagnet, and the first electric motor.
1829: Britain abolished “sati” in India (widow burning herself to death on her husband’s funeral pyre).
1902: Charles Dow, co-founder of Dow Jones & Company.
1973: Mohan Rakesh, famous modern Hindi dramatist, novelist and story writer, passed away.
1975: Hannah Arendt, a German philosopher, and author.
2000: Henck Arron, the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Suriname.
2014: V. R. Krishna Iyer, Indian lawyer and judge (b. 1914)
2017 – Shashi Kapoor, Indian actor (b. 1938)