Historical Events – May 20

1540 : Photographer Abraham Ortelius published the first modern atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.

1873 : Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patented blue jeans with copper buttons.

1891 : Thomas Edison demonstrated the prototype of the kinetoscope.

1902 : Cuba gained independence from the United States.

1948 : Chiang Kai-shek elected the first President of the Republic of China.

1996 : Former Union Finance Minister Manmohan Singh was awarded the Honest Man of the Year award for his outstanding work in improving the country’s economy.

2019 : The International System of Units (SI): The base units were redefined, making the international prototype of the kilogram obsolete.

Famous Birthdays  - May 20

1850: Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, an Indian-Marathi writer.

1851: Emil Berliner, a German-American inventor. 

1900: Sumitranandan Pant, an Indian poet.

1944: Dietrich Mateschitz, the co-founder and 49% owner of the Red Bull energy drink company.

1977: Anjum Chopra, a former Indian cricketer. 

1983: Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, also known as Jr NTR, an Indian film actor.

Death Anniversaries  - May 20

1506: Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, and navigator.

1766: Malhar Rao Holkar, a subhedar of the Maratha Empire.

1932: Bipin Chandra Pal, an Indian nationalist, writer, orator, social reformer, and Indian independence movement activist.

1994: Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, India.

2012: Leela Dube, an Indian renowned anthropologist, and feminist scholar.