Important Historical Events -  May 26

1896 : Nicholas II became Tsar of Russia.

1986 : European Union (EU) adopted a new flag.

1999 : PSLV-C2, a polar satellite carrier from Sriharikota, successfully launched India’s ISSP4 (OceanSat), Korea’s Kitsat, and Germany’s DLR-Tubsat.

1999 : In a World Cup match against Sri Lanka, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid notched a mesmerizing partnership of 318 runs for the second wicket in Taunton.

Famous Birthdays  -May 26

1885: Ram Ganesh Gadkari, an Indian-Marathi poet, playwright, and humourist.

1902: Sadashiv Anant Shukla (Kumudbandhav), an Indian playwright and writer.

1906: Benjamin Pierre Pal, an internationally renowned Indian agricultural researcher.

1930: Karim Emami, a highly regarded Iranian translator, editor, lexicographer, and literary critic.

1937: Manorama, an Indian actress, playback singer, and comedian.

1945: Vilasrao Deshmukh, an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of the state of Maharashtra.

1968: Dilip Joshi, an Indian film and television actor.

1983: Sushil Kumar, an Indian freestyle wrestler. 

Death Anniversaries -  May 26

1703: Samuel Pepys, famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man.

1908: Mirzā Ghulām Ahmad, an Indian religious leader and the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement in Islam.

1943: Edsel Ford, an American business executive, and philanthropist.