This Day in History: April 29

International Dance Day

Today is celebrated as International Dance Day. Various festivals and performances are held around the world to highlight the value and importance of dance. This day was chosen in honour of Jean-Georges Noverre, known as the creator of modern ballet. It was initiated in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of UNESCO, which is headquartered in Paris. UNESCO provides resources and encourages participation in celebrations held by individual countries.

Raja Ravi Varma’s Birthday

Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma was born in 1848 in Kilimanoor, Kerala. He gained recognition for his depictions of scenes from Indian epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In 1873, he won first prize at the Vienna Art Exhibition.

Andre Agassi’s Birthday

American tennis player and former world No. 1, Andre Kirk Agassi, was born in 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is an eight-time major champion and an Olympic gold medalist, the first person to achieve a Career Golden Slam and the only person to win a Career Super Slam.

Also Read: This Day in History: April 28

Swarnalatha’s Birthday

South Indian singer Swarnalatha was born in 1973 in Chittoor village, Palakkad, Kerala. She sang around 7,000 songs in languages including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Bengali, Oriya, Punjabi, and Badaga. Her first opportunity to sing came in 1987, and she received the National Best Female Playback Singer Award for the song “Porale Ponnuthayi” from the film Karuthamma, composed by A.R. Rahman.

Ashish Nehra’s Birthday

Former Indian cricketer and cricket coach Ashish Nehra was born in 1979 in Sadar Bazaar, Delhi Cantonment. He played for India in all cricket formats and notably took 6 wickets for 23 runs against England in a 2003 World Cup match, which remains one of the best bowling performances by an Indian in World Cup history. He was part of the ICC, Cricinfo 2016 T20 World Cup series Team of the Tournament. Nehra announced his retirement from all formats of cricket in 2017. He was part of the joint winners of the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy and the 2011 Cricket World Cup-winning team.

Also Read: This Day in History: April 27

R Vidyasagar Rao’s Death

Telangana water resources expert and retired Chief Engineer R Vidyasagar Rao passed away in 2017 in Hyderabad. Following the formation of Telangana state, he served as an advisor to the government on water resources. He was born on November 14, 1939, in Jajireddygudem village, Suryapet district. Known for his work in water resources, the Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme was named R. Vidyasagar Rao Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme in his honour. He contributed significantly to providing safe water to the fluoride-affected Nalgonda district and irrigating arid lands in Telangana.

Irrfan Khan’s Death

Indian actor and producer Irrfan Khan passed away in 2020 due to a colon infection at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. He primarily acted in Hindi films and was also noted for his roles in Hollywood and other Indian languages. Born on January 7, 1967, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Khan was widely appreciated by critics and contemporaries for his natural acting and diverse roles. He acted in the Telugu film “Sainikudu” starring Mahesh Babu.

Also Read: This Day in History: April 26

Tarsame Singh Saini’s Death

Indian-born UK singer Tarsame Singh Saini died in 2022 due to a hernia in London, UK. Born on May 23, 1967, in Coventry, West Midlands, UK, he debuted with the hit album “Hit the Deck” in 1989 and sang many songs throughout the 1990s.

Other Glimpses from World History on April 29

• Prominent scholar, social reformer, and writer Bankupalle Mallayya Sastry was born in 1876 in Urlam village, Narasannapeta mandal, Srikakulam district.
• Poet, and scholar in Sanskrit and Persian, Vuyyuru Zamindar Raja Meka Venkatadri Appa Rao was born in 1893 in Nuzividu, Krishna district.
• Famous rationalist Avula Gopala Krishnamurthy, known as A.G.K., was born in 1917 in Mulaparru village, Tenali taluka, Guntur district.
• Freedom fighter, Gandhian, and former AP assembly member Vavilala Gopalakrishnayya passed away in 2003. He was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan and ‘Kala Prapoorna’ awards and was born on September 17, 1906, in Sattenapalli, Guntur district.
• American economist and diplomat John Kenneth Galbraith passed away in 2006. Galbraith was born on October 15, 1908, in Ontario, Canada.
• Telugu film director Gutta Ramineedu passed away in 2009 in Chennai. He directed many notable films in Telugu and was a founder of Sarathi Studios in Hyderabad. He was born on October 5, 1929, in Chataparru, Eluru Mandal.