I.  TENZING NORGAY, BORN 29^TH MAY 1914Born Namgyal Wangdi, Sherpa Tenzing was one of the first 2 individuals along with Edmund Hilary to scale Mt. Everest (Nepalese – Sagarmāthā or Tibetian -Chomolungma). The 1953 British expedition was a massive undertaking with 350 porters, 20 Sherpas, and tons of supplies to support a batch of just ten climbers. Even though Norgay was a Tibetian by origin, he lived and was brought up as a Nepalese Buddhist. As most Sherpa boys, Tenzing spent his early years running errands for his family and doing daily chores. He ran away from home a few times, enthralled with the stories recounted by the local Sherpas, looking for adventure and the urge to explore. Made to join a monastery, he quit soon, indicative of his wish to not be tied down. Having seen the mountain from a young age while tending to his father’s heard of Yaks, Tenzing reached Darjeeling in 1933 to be a part of a expedition, which to his dismay he wasn’t allowed to be a part of owing to his age. Over the next 2 decades, Norgay went on numerous US, British and Swiss expeditions, amidst the partition of India as he moved to Darjeeling with his wife passing away, in the hope of climbing the elusive mountain. Finally on 29^th of May 1953, at  about 11:30 a.m, they reached the highest point on Earth. Unsure of his birthday, Tenzing Norway decided to celebrate his birthday, on the day he scaled his lifelong ambition.   Get monthly updates 
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II. Dara Shikoh was defeated by Aurangzeb in the battle of Samugarh near Agra – 29^th May 1658  

 Dara Shikoh as history has witnessed, was the scholarly brother elder brother of the tyrannical Aurangzeb. Steeped in the teachings of the Vedas, he held the Indian dharmic and philosophical teachings in high regard, an anomaly in the Islamic sentiment of that time.  After the illness of their father Shah Jahan, it was effectively a battle between Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb for the ascension to the throne. The Battle of Samugarh, was a decisive one in the struggle for the throne during the Mughal war of succession (1658–1659). While Dara Shikoh had the support of the Rajputs and the Mughal Sowars, Aurangzeb had the backing of his brother Murad Baksh, the youngest of the 4 brothers.  The military tactics Aurangzeb and sheer numbers in his force, was too much for his elder brother as he retreated and tried to forge one final attack from Gujarat the following year in 1659. Completely routed , he took refuge under Malik Jiwan whom he considered a friend. He was betrayed and handed over to Aurangzeb who paraded through the streets of Agra, declaring him a “Non-Muslim” due to his respect for Hindu traditions. He was executed shortly thereafter while Aurangzeb took over the Mughal kingdom, having imprisoned his father, Shah Jahan, in the famous Red Fort.  

III.  Mahatma Gandhi, (29^th May-1933) ends his 21-day fast

This was his third amongst a total of four for the cause of the Harijans (A term coined by Dayanand Saraswati). The 3 week long fast was held for self purification purposes and over his distress at the continuing practice of untouchability.He had stated that the terrible earthquake that had hit Bihar, was supposedly divine retribution for the sins of the upper castes. On being denied facilities in his jail cell for continuing his anti-untouchability campaign, Gandhi began his protest fast. His health took a turn for the worse. He was released from jail and diagnosed with appendicitis but he continued his fast until the 21 days were over. Gandhi then embarked upon an all-India tour, collecting funds for the untouchability cause.  

IV. Indian Arrival Day, (Trinidad and Tobago) 30^th May 1845

 The day marks the arrival of the first immigrants from the Indian subcontinent on the ship Fatel Razack. The indentured labourers or ‘coolies’ as they were also called, were deemed unskilled and made to work on the plantations owned by the British colonialists after the abolition of African slavery. There were 225 adult passengers on board who spent 103 days at sea during the arduous journey that spanned 36,000 kms. The immigrants were contracted for five to ten years to work in the sugarcane estates in a system that ended in 1917. During this period over 140,000 Indians were sent to the island. They were promised a free return passage but around 75% decided to stay back and settle down bringing with them their own native culture, religion and customs. Descendants of these Indian immigrants, who comprise about half of the multi-ethnic society of the island (1.3 million), celebrate the arrival of their ancestors to these shores annually. It takes place in the form of prayers, songs, music and dance, plus the reenactment of the landing of the first ship of pioneers who gave birth to the Indian community. The historic day has been proclaimed a national holiday since 1994.  

V. Swaminarayan (Svāmīnārāyaṇa, 3^rd April 1781 – 1^st June 1830)

 Born Ghanshyam Pande in Chhapaiya, UP, India, Swaminarayan as he was later called, is the founder of one of Hindusim’s modern sects known as Swaminarayan Hinduism. Having left home at an early stage, he travelled across India on a seven year pilgrimage through the Himalayas. After having mastered Ashtanga yoga and being well versed in the Bhagavad Gita, he was taken into the Uddhav Sampraday by his Guru Swami Ramaanand who in time made him the leader at the age of 21. His philosophy of Navya Vishishtadvaita (Neo-qualified non-dualism), upholds the existence of the five eternal realities, namely: Jiva, Ishwar, Maya, Brahman and Parabrahman. Brahman in this context refers to Akshar(indestructible) which is the highest eternal reality where Parabrahman resides i.e. Akshardham.  He was a great proponent of the upliftment of women, encouraging the masses to abolish the practice of Sati, female infanticide that had creeped into Indian society due to large scale invasions. His seminal work, Shikshapatri – The Code of Precepts, deals with dharma, bhakti, Ahimsa, self conduct, ecological awareness which his followers ardently emulate to this day.   

VI. The Indian Independence Act 1947 (3^rd June 1947) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan. 

This was the ominous day when the British decided to issue the partition plan, worked out by Louis Mountbatten, that was accepted by both the Muslim League and Indian National Congress. Also known as the 3 June Plan or Mountbatten Plan, it was the last plan for independence.Some of the salient features of the 3 June Plan were:  • Provices of Bengal and Punjab were to be divided.  • The Indians will form the constitution of India and it will only be applicable in the areas where people accept it.  • The province of Baluchistan shall adopt proper ways to decide its future.  • 562 Princely States shall be free to decide their own future.  • Referendum shall be held in N.W.F.P. and Assam.  • Military assets shall be divided between the two countries  • Radcliffe Mission was setup, to demarcate the boundaries of the two countries. India would become free on 15th August 1947. This was the   most hasty decision taken by the British, having repercussions for countless people and their generations to come. Radcliffe justified the division by saying that no matter what he did, people would suffer.  As recounted years later, he was heavily influenced by his lack of fitness to the Indian climate and his eagerness to depart India that he left on Independence Day, before even the boundary was properly distributed.