This Day in History: March 9

Yuri Gagarin is born

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, better known as Yuri Gagarin, was born on March 9, 1934. He was a Soviet cosmonaut, and his historic spaceflight on April 12, 1961, marked the first human journey into outer space, orbiting the Earth aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. Gagarin became an iconic figure in space exploration and a hero in the Soviet Union. He holds the distinction of being the first person to orbit the Earth. Gagarin received numerous honours and awards from various countries worldwide in recognition of his groundbreaking achievement.

Zakir Hussain’s birthday

The renowned tabla player Zakir Hussain was born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai, India. A prodigy in music, Hussain began learning the tabla at the age of three and embarked on international concert tours by the age of eleven. He earned his doctorate in music from the University of Washington, USA, in 1969. Hussain’s contributions to music have been acknowledged with prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002, and Padma Vibhushan in 2023, bestowed upon him by the Government of India. Additionally, he received a Grammy Award in 2009 for his exceptional musical talents.

RP Patnaik’s birthday

Ravindra Prasad Patnaik, known as RP Patnaik, was born on March 9, 1972. He is a prominent figure in the Telugu film industry, serving as a music director, actor, writer, and director. Patnaik has composed music for numerous Tollywood movies and has also garnered acclaim as an actor and director, earning accolades such as the Filmfare and Nandi Awards for his contributions to cinema.

Death of Bezawada Gopala Reddy

Bezawada Gopala Reddy, a prominent political figure, was born on August 7, 1907, in Buchireddypalem village of Nellore district. He served as the second Chief Minister of Andhra State and later held key positions in both state and central governments. Gopala Reddy was a polyglot and a prolific writer. He passed away in 1997 after a distinguished career in politics and public service.

Death of Devika Rani

Devika Rani, a celebrated Indian actress and recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, passed away on March 9, 1994. Born on March 30, 1908, in Visakhapatnam, she hailed from a distinguished family. Devika Rani made significant contributions to Indian cinema and co-founded the iconic film studio ‘Bombay Talkies’ with her husband Himanshu Roy in 1934, where she nurtured emerging talents in the film industry.

What else happened on March 9 in history?

1985: Parthiv Patel, former Indian cricketer, was born.
1934: Mahatma Gandhi visited Hyderabad for the first time.
1916: Germany declared war on Portugal.
1943: Bobby Fischer, the legendary American chess prodigy and world champion, was born.
1981: Max Delbrück, a pioneering figure in molecular biology, passed away.
1945: The US Army Air Forces conducted a devastating napalm bombing raid on Tokyo, resulting in significant civilian casualties.