Year 1791
The Observer, the world’s first Sunday newspaper, published.
DECEMBER 4
Daily Historical Chronicle
UPSC CSE • State PSC • SSC CGL Matrix
4 December: 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 4 December.
Observances & Special Days
Indian Navy Day
"To recognize the achievements and role of the Indian Navy to the country."
December was chosen as on that day in 1971, during Operation Trident, the Indian Navy sank four Pakistani vessels including PNS Khaibar, killing hundreds of Pakistani Navy personnel. On this day, those who martyred in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 are also remembered. The Indian Navy is a maritime part of the Indian Army, which was established in 1612. The East India Company formed an army as the East India Company's Marine to protect its ships. Which was later named Royal Indian Navy.
After the independence of India, the Navy was re-constituted in 1950 and renamed the Indian Navy.
Navy Day (India)
Indian Navy Day
Year 1796
Bajirao became the second Peshwa.
Year 1860
Agustino Lawrenceo of Madgaon, Goa, holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Paris. He became the first Indian to pursue a doctorate from a foreign university.
Year 1881
The first issue of the Los Angeles Times published.
Year 1924
Inauguration of the Gateway of India by Lord Reading, Viceroy.
Year 1940
Khurshid Novrojee, freedom fighter, was arrested for not giving prior intimation to go in tribal area. She had founded Gujarat, Kathiwad and Bombay Presidency "Women Voluntary Amry".
Year 1948
General Kariappa appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
Year 1959
Gandak Irrigation and Power Project signed between India and Nepal.
Year 1971
3rd India-Pakistan War – Operation Trident, Indian fleet attacked Karachi.
Year 1971
United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session because of the deteriorating situation between India and Pakistan.
Year 1975
Suriname joined the United Nations.
Year 1982
Asian Games at Delhi concluded.
Year 1989
Hardeo Joshi replaces Shiv Charan Mathur as CM of Rajasthan.
Year 1990
Maharashtra Gomantak Party withdraws support to Goa ministry led by Dr. Luis Proto Barbosa.
Year 1991
Lok Sabha approves a vital bill seeking to bring sick public sector units within the purview of the BIFR.
Year 1992
RBI devalues Rupee by 1.18 \% against the US dollar. India emerges overall champions with 10 golds; 8 silver and 14 bronzes in the 4th Asian Junior Athletic meet in New Delhi.
Year 1993
Bahadur Prasad wins the second gold medal in 5000 m in Asian Track and Field meet in Manila.
Year 1993
Mulayam Singh Yadav, takes over as CM of UP; Bhairon Singh Sekhawat of Congress sworn in as CM of Rajasthan.
1996, 4th December: US space agency NASA launched the Mars mission.
Year 1997
Lok Sabha was dissolved with immediate effect and new House was to be constituted by March 15 next.
Year 1997
World Bank commits to Haryana a loan of $600 millions (about Rs. 2,350 crores) - largest single bank loan to any State.
Year 1998
Christians across the country observe a protest day against the recent attacks on the community and its institutions.
Year 1998
Sonia Gandhi said the Congress(I) was prepared to meet the challenge of contesting a mid-term poll if it was forced on the country. But it would not take any initiative to pull down the BJP-led coalition.
Year 1998
Ilayaraja, nusic composer, selected for the Lata Mangeshkar award instituted by the Madhya Pradesh Government.
Year 1999
A batch of 1,690 Indian soldiers leave for Sierra Leone to join the U.N. Mission to implement the peace accord.
Year 1999
Uman J. Shah is sworn in West Bengal Governor
Year 2008
Renowned Indian historian Romila Thapar was honored with the Kluge Prize.
Born 1807
Sher Singh, Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.
Born 1884
R. C. Majumdar, Indian historian (d. 1980)
Born 1835
Samuel Butler, an English writer.
Born 1852
Forest K Olson, a Russian physicist.
Born 1859
Change Hoffstein, Iceland’s first prime minister.
Born 1888
Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, an Indian historian.
Born 1892
Francisco Franco, a Spanish general.
Born 1894
Swami Brahmanand was born at Hamirpur district in UP. He joined freedom movement and participated in Salt Satyagraha, Non Cooperation Movement and Quit India Movement. He also established Brahmanand Inter College (1938), Brahmanand Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya (1943) and Brahmanand Mahavidyalaya (1960).
Born 1898
Kariamanikkam Srinivasa Krishnan, Indian Scientist and Physicist-Philosopher, was born in Tamil Nadu.
Born 1910
R. Venkataraman, an Indian lawyer, and the 8th President of India.
Born 1910
Amar Singh Ladha Nakum, cricketer (dashing Indian all-rounder of thirties), was born at Rajkot.
Born 1910
Motilal, famous film actor, was born.
Born 1916
Balwant Gargi, an Indian-Punjabi language dramatist.
Born 1919
Indra Kumar Gujral, an Indian politician, and the 12th Prime Minister of India.
Born 1920
Michael Bates, actor (Clockwork Orange, Patton), was born in Jhansi, India.
Born 1922
Ghantasala Venkateswararao, an Indian film composer, and Playback Singer.
Born 1963
Javed Jaffrey, an Indian actor, dancer, and comedian.
Born 1969
Jay-Z, an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and businessman.
Born 1977
Ajit Agarkar, an Indian cricketer.
Died 1131
Omar Khayyam, a Persian philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, and poet.
Died 1679
Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher.
Died 1850
William Sturgeon, inventor of the first electromagnet, and the first electric motor.
Died 1829
Britain abolished "sati" in India (widow burning herself to death on her husband's funeral pyre).
Died 1902
Charles Dow, co-founder of Dow Jones & Company.
Died 1973
Mohan Rakesh, famous modern Hindi dramatist, novelist and story writer, passed away.
Died 1975
Hannah Arendt, a German philosopher, and author.
Died 2000
Henck Arron, the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Suriname.
Died 2014
V. R. Krishna Iyer, Indian lawyer and judge (b. 1914)
Died 2017
Shashi Kapoor, Indian actor (b. 1938)