This Day in History: January 9

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (January 9, 1915)

Marking the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India in 1915, this day has been designated as NRI Day or Non-Resident Indian Day since 2003. Recognizing the vital role played by expatriates in the country’s development, the government annually organizes special programs for them.

Telangana Movement Commencement (January 9, 1969)

The Telangana movement originated on this day in 1969 when Rabindranath, a student leader from Gandhi Chowk in Khammam, initiated a hunger strike due to the lack of job opportunities for locals after the merger of Seemandhra into Telangana.

NTR’s Sworn-in as Chief Minister (January 9, 1989)

Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, the founder of the Telugu Desam Party, assumed the role of Chief Minister on this day in 1989. NTR made history by rewriting political dynamics in the state.

Introduction of the iPhone (January 9, 2007)

The revolutionary ‘iPhone’ was unveiled on this day in 2007, transforming the landscape of mobile phones with its unprecedented features, cutting-edge technology, and full screen capacitive touch capabilities. Steve Jobs, the CEO, introduced the iPhone.

Introduction of Income Tax (January 9, 1799)

On this day in 1799, British Prime Minister William Pitt introduced income tax, a landmark development in taxation history.

Sicily Tragedy of 1693

In 1693, a tragic event occurred in Sicily, Italy, where between 60,000 and 100,000 people lost their lives due to two severe earthquakes on the same day.

Celebrities

• Birth of Telangana singer and writer Mittapalli Surender (1985)
• Birth of Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar (1974)
• Birth anniversary of director and actress Farrukh Jaffar (1965)
• Birth anniversary of eminent environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna(1927)
• Nobel laureate in Biology Har Gobind Khorana (1922)