Year 1853
Boribunder to Thane passenger train service started for the first time in India.
APRIL 16
Daily Historical Chronicle
UPSC CSE • State PSC • SSC CGL Matrix
16 April: What Happened On This Day in History
Curated historical timeline of momentous political pacts, freedom struggle uprisings, constitutional developments, scientific breakthroughs, and prominent birthdays recorded on 16 April.
Observances & Special Days
World Voice Day
Year 1917
Rebellion of soldiers and formation of temporary government in Russia. Czar Nicholas II left the throne.
Year 1919
M. K. Gandhi announced a fast to pay tribute to those who died in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Year 1948
Establishment of the National Students Union (NCC).
Year 1972
Apollo 16 launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Year 1999
A ground-to-air Trishul missile tested at Chandipur, India.
Year 2001
India and Bangladesh begin a five-day border conflict, but are unable to resolve the disputes about their border.
Born 1162
Genghis Khan, the founder and first Great Khan and Emperor of the Mongol Empire.
Born 1848
Kandukuri Veeresalingam, an Indian social reformer and writer.
Born 1867
Wilbur Wright, an American engineer who invented the engine aircraft with Orville Wright.
Born 1889
Charlie Chaplin, an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer.
Born 1924
Madanjeet Singh, Indian diplomat, author, and philanthropist (d. 2013)
Born 1942
Frank Williams, a British businessman, former racing car driver, and mechanic.
Born 1961
Jarbom Gamlin, Indian lawyer and politician, 7th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh (d. 2014)
Born 1969
S. Sowmya, a Carnatic music singer.
Born 1978
Lara Dutta, an Indian actress, entrepreneur, and the winner of the Miss Universe 2000 pageant.
Died 1756
Jacques Cassini, a French astronomer.
Died 1828
Francisco Goya, a Spanish romantic painter, and printmaker.
Died 1850
Marie Tussaud, a French artist known for her wax sculptures and ‘Madame Tussauds, the wax museum’.
Died 1961
Randhir Singh, Famous Sikh leader and revolutionary.
Died 1966
Nandalal Bose, an Indian artist.