26th December - A Day in the life of India

Learn about the importance of 26th December. Major historical events of this day, the famous Birthdays of December 26 and death anniversaries on this day.

26th December in the history of India

• 2022 - Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in 'Veer Baal Diwas' programme at Major Dhyanchand Stadium in Delhi.
  
  
• 2004 - The 9.1–9.3 Mw  Indian Ocean earthquake shakes northern Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). One of the largest observed tsunamis follows, affecting the coastal areas of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia; the death toll is estimated at 227,898.

Famous Birthdays on 26th December

• 1976 - Captain Vijyant Thapar was an officer of the Indian Army and belonged to the famous 2 Rajputana Rifles (infantry regiment). He was posthumously awarded India's 3rd highest military honour the Vir Chakra by the president, for his audacious bravery during the Kargil War. He fell while leading an attack of 2 Rajputana Rifles at Tololing (Black Rocks -KNOLL) during the Kargil War on 29 June 1999. He was 22 years old and was a fourth-generation officer in his family. He belongs to Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
  
  
• 1973 - Vikas Divyakirti is an educator, he founded the Drishti IAS coaching centre. He is one of the finest UPSC coaching teachers in India.
  
  
• 1914 - Murlidhar Devidas Amte, commonly known as Baba Amte, was an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for his work for the rehabilitation and empowerment of people suffering from leprosy. He has received numerous awards and prizes including the Padma Vibhushan, the Dr Ambedkar International Award, the Gandhi Peace Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Templeton Prize and the Jamnalal Bajaj Award.
  
  
• 1899 - Udham Singh was a revolutionary belonging to the Ghadar Party best known for his assassination in London of Michael O' Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab in India, on 13 March 1940. The assassination was in revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919. Singh was subsequently tried and convicted of murder and hanged in July 1940. While in custody, he used the name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, which represents the three major religions of Punjab and his anti-colonial sentiment. Udham Singh is a well-known figure of the Indian independence movement. He is sometimes referred to as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh (the expression "Shaheed-i-Azam", means "the great martyr"). A district (Udham Singh Nagar) of Uttarakhand was named after him to pay homage in October 1995 by the then Mayawati government.

Death Anniversaries on December 26

• 2011 – Sarekoppa Bangarappa, Indian politician, 15th Chief Minister of Karnataka (born: 1932)
  
  
• 2006 – Munir Niazi, Indian-Pakistani poet (born: 1928)
  
  
• 1999 – Shankar Dayal Sharma, Indian academic and politician, 9th President of India (born: 1918)
  
  
• 1998 – Ram Swarup, Indian writer on Hindu philosophy and religion (born: 1920)
  
  
• 1981 – Savitri, Indian actress, playback singer, dancer, director and producer (born: 1936)
  
  
• 1705 - Zorawar Singh was the third of Guru Gobind Singh's four sons. He and his younger brother, Fateh Singh are among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism. (born: 1696)