31 JAN  TODAY IN HISTORY DINVISHESH GHADAMODI

Today in Indian History
Events for January 31

31-January-1561	Akbar's Vajir-E-Ajam 'Bairam Khan' was assassinated at Patan, Gujarat by an Afghan assassin Mubarak Khan Lohani ( whose father was slain by Bairam Khan) in the battle of Machiwara.
31-January-1896	Dattatray Ramchandra Bendre, Bhartiya Gyanpeeth Award winner and Kannad poet, was born.
31-January-1903	Smt. Sharda Bhaurao Diwan, educationalist, was born.
31-January-1931	Gangadhar Mahambre, famous Mmarathi writer, was born.
31-January-1941	Second Lieutenant Premindra Singh Bhagat of the Bombay Sappers showed an act of unparalleled bravery and inspiring leadership when commanding a detachment of 21 Field company of the Bombay Sappers on the road to Gondar, in Abyssinia. Hence, The Victoria Cross (VC) was bestowed upon him and he became the first Indian Commissioned Officer receipeant of The Victoria Cross (VC).
31-January-1946	Subroto Guha, cricketer (right arm swing bowler for India 1967-69), was born in Calcutta.
31-January-1948	Cities swept by riots in wake of Gandhi murder.
31-January-1949	Maharajas of Baroda and Kolhapur decide to merge their states with Bombay.
31-January-1958	First Earth Satellite Explorer I was launched from Cape Kennedy.
31-January-1960	Milkha Singh at Lahore sets record for 200m in 20.7s.
31-January-1961	Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha, first Chief Minister of Bihar, passed away.
31-January-1963	Peacock declared as National Bird of India.
31-January-1969	Saint Meherbaba passed away.
31-January-1976	Air Chief Marshal Om Prakash Mehra, PVSM, retired as the Air Officer Commanding, India Command.
31-January-1983	The first floating Dry Dock was launched at Howrah.
31-January-1985	Under the 52nd Constitutional Amendment, Anti-Defector Bill was passed unanimously in Lok Sabha. This avoided the Representatives of People to switch over political parties.
31-January-1986	Shri Vishwanath More, famous music director, passed away.
31-January-1992	LTTE Supremo, V. Prabhakaran, declared offender in Rajiv Gandhi murder case and ordered to surrender by a Madras court.
31-January-1992	The Securities and Exchange Board of India given statutory power as an autonomous body.
31-January-1994	Milind Desai, 12, the youngest editor in Gujarati journalism, died of leukemia.
31-January-1994	Punjab and Haryana High Court orders plastic surgery to remove 'Jebkatri' (pickpocket) tattooed on the forehead of four women by Amritsar Police.
31-January-1995	ISRO and Intelsat sign a $100 m 10-year-long agreement for leasing some of the capacity of the Indian-built INSAT-2E (scheduled for launch in 1997).
31-January-1996	Asia's first Sports University inaugurated in Pune.
31-January-1997	Government raises quantity of gold that can be brought into the country by non-residents to 10 kg. (from the existing 5).
31-January-1997	INS Vikrant, Indian Navy's first aircraft carrier, de-commissioned.
31-January-1997	Merger of SCICI and ICICI confirmed with effect from 1/4/1996.
31-January-1998	D. R. Karthikeyan became the director of Central Bureau of Investigation (till 31/03/98).
31-January-2000	All seven accused in the Jain hawala case discharged.