INDIAN EVENTS ON 7 JULY

On 7 June, various significant events have taken place throughout history in India. From political milestones to cultural celebrations, this date holds historical importance. Let's delve into some of the noteworthy events that occurred on this day in India's past.

1. BIRTH OF INDIAN CINEMA: The Lumiere Brothers showcased six films at the Watson Hotel in Bombay (now Mumbai) on 7th July 1896. This marked the birth of the Indian Cinema. 

The Lumiere brothers were French Cinematographers who arrived in India after having proved their cinematic excellence in Paris. The screening of the films took place on July 7th 1896 at the Watson Hotel in Mumbai and the ticket was priced at Re.1. The Times of India referred to this event as the “miracle of the century”. The show received an overwhelming response and motion pictures were soon introduced to India, in Kolkata (Calcutta) and Chennai (Madras).

The six films screened that day were Entry of Cinematographe, The Sea Bath, Arrival of a Train, A Demolition,  Ladies and Soldiers on Wheels and Leaving the Factory. The second film screening by the Lumiere Brothers took place on July 14th at a new venue, the Novelty Theatre, Bombay and twenty four films were screened that day, including A Stormy Sea and The Thames at Waterloo Bridge. Alternating between these two venues, the shows culminated on August 15th 1896.

Much before the introduction of film (silent or talkies) three elements were vital in Indian culture natya (drama) nritya (pantomime) and nrrita (pure dance). These three aspects were eventually passed on to Indian cinema. Bollywood films today epitomize Indian culture by their extravagant song and dance sequences and flamboyant costumes and Bollywood has contributed immensely to Indian music by composing some of the most melodious tunes in Indian music history.

After the film screening in Mumbai by the Lumiere brothers, films became a sensation in India and the following year a Professor Stevenson staged a show at Calcutta’s (now Kolkata) Star Theatre. Using Stevenson’s camera, Hiralal Sen, an Indian photographer, made a motion picture of scenes from that show, namely The Flowers of Persia (1898). The first film ever to be shot by an Indian was called the The Wrestlers made in 1899 by H.S Bhatavdekar depicting a wrestling match in Mumbai’s Hanging Gradens. This was also India’s first documentary film. The first film released in India was Sree Pundalik a silent Marathi film by Ram Chandra Gopal Torne also know as Dadasaheb Torne on May 18th 1912.

India’s first full length film was made by Dadasahed Phalke (also known as the father of Indian cinema), India’s earliest film maker who blended together elements from Sanskrit epics to make his first film Raja Harishchandra in 1913, which was a silent film in Marathi. The roles of females were played by men and this film remains a landmark moment in the history of Indian cinema. Raja Harishchandra was a great commercial success and was an inspiration for further such films.

India’s very first talkie (that is the first talking film) was Alam Ara made by Ardeshir Irani which was released on March 14th 1931. The first two south Indian films to have a theatrical release were Prahalada (Telegu) and Kalidas (Tamil) and were released on October 31st 1931. The first Bengali talkie to be released was Jumai Shasthi. Talkies soon became very popular in India and actors in these films were much in demand and made a decent amount of money by acting. 

With the development of sound technology, the 1930s saw the use of music in Indian films and Indra Sabha and Devi Deviyani were one of the first song and dance films in India.  Indian commercial cinema (also known as masala films), which were a heady cocktail of dance, music, drama, comedy and romance came up after the Second World War. During the 1940s, south Indian films too had gained immense prominence in Indian cinema.

The Partition of India in 1947 also greatly affected Indian cinema and many films were made on this historic event for many years to come. The Golden Age of Indian cinema came following the independence of India in 1947 which saw the rise of a new genre of Indian cinema called parallel cinema, which was predominantly led by Bengali cinema. A few examples of films from this era were Nagarik by Ritwik Ghatak (1952) and Do Biga Zameen by Bimal Roy (1953). By the mid 1950s, Satyajit Ray had made his entry into Indian Cinema and made Pather Panchali in 1955 which was the first part of his famous Apu trilogy.

Commercial cinema too was mushrooming and some of the most popular commercial film in the 1950s and '60s were Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955) Pyaasa (1957), Mother India (1957) Kaagaz  Ke Phool (1959) and Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Commercial cinema continued to grow in the 1980s and 1990s and is today flourishing as one of the most popular and loved genres in Indian cinema today. Like in the past, Indian films still continue winning prominent awards at home and abroad.

The credit of establishment of cinema in India goes to the Lumiere Brothers, who ignited the spark of making motion pictures in various Indian filmmakers.

2. BIRTH ANNIVERSARY:

1. Chenraj Roychand was born on July 7, 1961. He is the founder Chairman of the Jain Group. He is a visionary leader, educationist, social entrepreneur, and angel investor. He incepted the Jain Group in 1990 with the objective of providing quality educational and entrepreneurial opportunities to the masses. He established Jain College in Bangalore.

2. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra was born on July 7, 1963. He is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing Rang De Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. 

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is a director, writer and producer who established Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Pictures (Romp) in India. Romp has cultivated in them an attitude to pioneer the way for the new wave and new age cinema from India, by identifying talent (writers & directors) from India and telling Indian stories to the world. He has written, produced and directed the film Rang de Basanti (Color of Sacrifice) (2006), with an ensemble of Indian and International cast. Rang De Basanti won 4 National Awards (President's Medals), was India's official entry to the Oscars 2006- 2007 It was also nominated by British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in the Best Foreign language film category 06-07.

He went onto make Delhi -6 (2009) which is set against the backdrop of the caste and religious divide of the Indian social fabric. Delhi -6 has achieved tremendous critical acclaim and was an official selection at the prestigious Venice Film Festival. It won two National Awards (President Of India Medals). The Variety has termed it as un-bollywood , and "a step forward from Rang De Basanti , ushering an era of new age Indian cinema."

In 2011, Rakeysh's documentary film Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story (which was co-directed by Jeffery Zimbalist) was an official selection at the Cannes 2011 to celebrate 100 years of Indian Cinema. It is a documetary feature, an avantgarde take on how Indian cinema has reflected the changing socio-political landscape since India got independence from the British Raj. 

 

3. Nabam Tuki was born on July 7, 1964. He is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He belongs to the Indian National Congress. He has a special interest in sports and the preservation and protection of the environment.He held this position twice between 2011 and 2016. His first term spanned between November 2011 and January 2016, while the second term merely lasted for 3 days in the month of July 2016.

4. Kailash Kher the mystical nomad was born on July 7, 1973. He is an Indian playback singer and music composer. Born Into the world of Nirgun Sangeet his childhood rhythmed with Pandit Meher Singh Kher (Father), Saint Kabir, Shri Guru Nanak, Saint Ravidas and Guru Goraknath. He started his career through a jingle in 2002 and thereon there was no looking then. In 2003 saw a new light of Music through ‘Allah ke Bande’ and thereafter his music continued to grow in all the 22 languages of India with countless numbers of Hindi and regional film songs He earned recognition and honours ranging from MTv, Filmfare, etc. to the highly coveted Padma Shri Award.

5. MS Dhoni an Indian International Cricketer, born on July 7, 1981, Ranchi, Bihar (now in Jharkhand). He was the captain of an Indian national team in limited-overs format from 2007 to 2016.

 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was captain of the Indian national team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2017 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014. Dhoni is widely considered one of the greatest cricket captains, wicket-keeper-batsman and finishers in the history of cricket

He is considered one of the best wicket-keepers in the world of cricket and is also one of the finest captains India has ever had. In 2004, he made his debut in the One Day International (ODI) and played his first Test a year later in 2005.

Dhoni did his schooling at DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Ranchi, Jharkhand and excelled in multiple sports such as badminton, football and cricket. He played as a goalkeeper for his football team and played cricket for a local club. 

Dhoni showed impressive wicket-keeping skills at the Commando Cricket Club during 1995-98 and was picked up for Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-16 Championship for the 1997-98 session and played well. After completing High School, Dhoni focussed on Cricket. 

During 2001-2003, Dhoni was a TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner) at Kharagpur Railway Station, under South Eastern Railway in West Bengal. He bagged Man of the Match for his outstanding performance in the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

6. Guru Har Kishan Singh (7 July 1656 – 30 March 1664), the eighth Guru of the Sikhs. He became the Guru on 6 October 1661 and remained in this post till 1664. He ruled for only three years, but he was very knowledgeable and used to amaze the Brahmins who came to him with the knowledge of the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita. Kishan Singh was born on 7 July 1656 in Kiratpur, Sivalik Hills.

7. Mohammad Barkatullah (7 July 1854 – 20 September 1927) an Indian freedom fighter. He was an anti-British anti-imperialist revolutionary who took us pains from the Sarva-Islam movement. Barkatullah spent most of his life abroad and supported the Indian independence movements. He was born on 7 July 1854 in Bhopal.

8. Randhir Singh (7 July 1878 – 16 April 1961), a famous Sikh leader and revolutionary. He was an opponent of untouchability and a supporter of women’s rights. Singh was born on 7 July 1878 in Ludhiana, Punjab.

9. Chandradhar Sharma Guleri (7 July 1883 – 12 September 1922), a noted litterateur of Hindi literature. Before the age of twenty, he was selected in the group formed for the restoration and related research work of the observatory of Jaipur, and together with Captain Garrett he composed an English book titled “The Jaipur Observatory and its builders”. He was born on 7 July 1883 in Guler Village, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh.

10. Anil Biswas (7 July 1914 – 31 May 2003), a famous Bollywood musician. Anil Biswas has been the charioteer of the golden age of Hindi films. Not only did he make film music classical, artistic, and melodious with his music, but he also carved many singers and singers and presented them like diamonds and jewels. Among them, the names of Talat Mahmood, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar, Suraiya can be counted prominently. Anil Biswas was well versed in folk music along with being a master of classical music. He was born on 7 July 1914 in Barisal, East Bengal.

3 DEATH ANNIVERSARY:

1. Vikram Batra was an officer of the Indian Army who was martyred during the Kargil War in 1999 (between India and Pakistan). He was awarded Param Vir Chakra posthumously.Captain Vikram Batra (9 September 1974 – 7 July 1999), an officer of the Indian Army, awarded with the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest and most prestigious award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War. He led one of the toughest operations in mountain warfare in Indian history. Batra died on 7 July 1999 at the age of just 24 in Kargil, Jammu & Kashmir, India.

2. Abdul Qavi Desnavi (1 November 1930 – 7 July 2011), the famous Indian, made his mark as a writer of the Urdu language. He had a wonderful knowledge of literature, that is why he was a well-known figure in India and the world of the Urdu language. Abdul Qawi Desnavi was not only a famous writer but also an Urdu poet, critic, and linguist i.e. he had a great knowledge of the language. He died on 7 July 2011 in Bhopal.

3. Madan Lal Madhu (22 May 1925 – 7 July 2014) has been one of the modern bridge builders of Hindi and Russian literature. As editor-translator for nearly four decades at Moscow’s leading publishing house Progress and Raduga Publications, he wrote more than a hundred classic Russian books, including classics by Pushkin, Mayakovsky, Tolstoy, Gorky, Chekhov, Turgenev, etc. Hindi translation made accessible to Indian readers. He died on 7 July 2014.

4. C. Kesavan died on July 7, 1969. He was a politician, social reformer, statesman, and the Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin during 1950-52.Keshavan was born in Mayyanad in Kollam on 23 May 1891 in a family of weavers. He was an active member of the Swadeshi Movement. He even visited Burma in order to propagate the message of Khadi and Charkka.

He was a lawyer by profession and Secretary of SNDP Yogam. He entered into the political agitations in Travancore by joining Abstention Movement and the movement for Responsible government. The leaders of the Abstention Movement demanded judicious representation of communities in the government jobs of Travancore on the basis of their population.

He opposed the Diwan of Travancore Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyer. He was arrested and imprisoned for two years for the seditious speech he had made in Kozhaencherry on 11 May 1835.  

Even after his release from prison, he continued his fight for freedom and the oppressive rule of Diwan. Due to his courageous fight for freedom, he was called the ‘Uncrowned King of Travancore’. He demanded the resignation of Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Ayyer from the position of the Diwan of Travancore in July 1947. He died on 7 July 1969.