1. The British Empire took control and annexed Punjab on 29th March in 1849 after two Anglo Sikh Wars. By virtue of its geo-political position, Punjab was one of Great Britain’s most important assets in colonial India allowing it to execute control over the numerous princely states that made up the country.

2. On March 29th, 1857: Mangal Pandey fired for the first time on an English officer of the East India Company in Barrackpore. This was the first rebellion in India against the British rule, which was called a military rebellion. The Indian Mutiny against British rule in India had been begun by Indian troops (sepoys) that were in the service of the British East India Company

3. Indian Institute of Public Administration was created under the Societies Act of 1860. The Institute was formally inaugurated by the first Prime Minister of India, as the first President of the Society, on March 29th,1954 in New Delhi.

4. Today is birth anniversary of Utpal Dutta born on 29th March in 1929 – was an Indian actor, director, and writer-playwright. He was primarily an actor in
actor in Bengali theatre, where he became pioneering figure in Modern Indian theatre, when he founded the “Little Theatre Group” in 1949. This group enacted many English, Shakespearean and Brecht plays, in a period now known as the “Epic theatre” period, before it immersed itself completely in highly political and radical theatre. The first thing that comes to mind upon hearing his name is the 1979 hit, Gol Maal. He was a founding member of IPTA and a towering theatre personality. He was arrested on occasions because of his so-called ‘seditious’ plays. His plays were and are still being adapted throughout the country.

5. Freedom fighter and leader Shaheed Laxman Nayak executed in Berhampur jail on this day in 1943. Right from when he was young, Nayak played an active role in fighting against the British rule. A social-reformer in the real sense, he proactively pursued the tribals in his region to help them get rid of their deep-rooted superstitions. At the break of dawn on 29th March 1943, Shaheed Laxman Nayak said the words “If the sun is true, and so is the moon, it is then equally true that mother India shall be independent” and became immortal. On the basis of a fabricated case of having killed a forest guard, Nayak was executed on the morning of that day in day in the Berhampur jail in Odisha

6. Today is death anniversary of Sardar Jamalapuram Keshavarao was a man who opposed the Nizam’s tyrannical rule. He was a freedom fighter from the state of Hyderabad. He was the first Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee. He lived as a man of the people, living for the people, instilling in the people courageous adventures against injustice. That is why everyone calls him ‘Sardar’ of Telangana. He died on 29th March in 1953.

7. On 29th March in 1974 Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft sent to the planet Mercury; the first mission to explore two planets (Mercury and Venus) during a single mission; the first to use a gravity assist to change its flight path; the first to return to its target after an initial encounter; and the first to use the solar wind as a major means of spacecraft orientation during flight. It had been launched on November 3rd, 1973

8. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a regional Indian political party active in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The party was founded by N. T. Rama Rao on 29th March in 1982. Since 1995 the party has been headed by N. Chandrababu Naidu, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The party’s headquarters is located at NTR Bhavan in Hyderabad.

9. Ireland becomes the first country to ban smoking in the workplace. Smoking in workplaces in Ireland was banned on 29th March in 2004 From that date onwards, under the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts, it has been illegal to smoke in all enclosed workplaces. The ban is strictly enforced and includes bars, restaurants, clubs, offices, public buildings, company cars, trucks, taxis and vans.

10. On 29th March in 2010: The Tokyo Skytree tower reached a height of 338 m (1,109 ft), becoming the tallest structure in Japan.

11. On 29th March 2015, Nehwal won her maiden women’s singles title at the India Open BWF Super Series beating Ratchanok Intanon. She became the first Indian player to achieve this feat in Women’s category. This assured her of becoming World number 1