This Day In History- December 1

1954 – Renowned Social Activist and the face of the ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’, Medha Patkar was born. She was born in a family of activists where her father was actively involved in India’s struggle for freedom while mother was associated with an organization dedicated to the upliftment of women. She has received many honours including Right Livelihood Award, Goldman Environment Prize and the Green Ribbon Award.

Medha Patkar

Medha Patkar

1963 – Nagaland State Inaugration Day. The Parliament of India enacted the State of Nagaland Act, 1962 as Nagaland attained statehood.

1965 – The Border Security Force, the armed force that protects India’s international boundaries, was formed.

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day

1988 – World AIDS Day. According to the the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), approximately 1.2 lakh people in India have AIDS. This reduction has been from an estimated 2.5 lakhs, almost 57 percent. According to the UN’s AIDS Report published in 2012, there has been 50 percent decline in new infectivity in the last ten years in India.

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

1990 – The first Indian woman to hold a position in the cabinet and the first woman President of the United Nations General Assembly, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit passed away.After India gained Independence she became India’s ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1949, the United States and Mexico from 1949 to 1951, Ireland from 1955 to 1961 and Spain from 1958 to 1961.She headed the delegation of India to the United Nations from 1946 to 1968 and in 1953 became the first woman President of the United Nations General Assembly. She served as the Indian representative to the UN Human Rights Commission before retiring from public life.

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