On this day in 1919 navigation history was created when SS Loyalty, the first ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, journeyed to the United Kingdom. The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on 5th April, 1964.

Notable Note: In USA National Maritime Day is celebrated on May 22, the date that the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. The holiday was created by the United States Congress on May 20, 1933.

It is a little known fact that Mumtaz Mahal, Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan’s favorite queen died due to complications related to repeated childbirth. The Taj Mahal for all its beauty is a grim reminder of the fact that even today there are thousands of women in the country who continue to die during childbirth.
Every minute one woman somewhere in the world dies due to pregnancy related causes. In India every seven minutes a maternal death occurs leading to more than 77,000 women dying each year in India alone. The tragedy is that a majority of these deaths can be prevented. It is a question of not just a Right to Health but is also a Human Rights issue. It is every woman’s right to live and survive pregnancy and childbirth.
These were some of the issues and concerns expressed during the celebrations of the National Safe Motherhood Day organized by White Ribbon Alliance India . The White Ribbon Alliancefor Safe Motherhood is a coalition of organizations working together to increase awareness, build alliancesand act as a catalyst for action in order to reduce maternalmortality. CEDPA launched the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood in India (WRAI) in November 1999.

The Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi has been celebrating April 24- as Women”s Political Empowerment Day since 1994. The 16th year celebrations of the Women”s Political Empowerment Day will take place on 23-24 April 2009. The theme of this year”s celebration is ”Climate Change, Women and Role of Panchayats”. About 1000 elected Panchayat members gather together every year to discuss a given theme and use this opportunity as a solidarity meeting. On this occasion, the Institute gives awards to outstanding women panchayat leaders for their valuable contribution in the field of panchayati raj.
Some of the themes of Women’s Political Empowerment day celebrations in the recent past were: Panchayats, Water and Sanitation; Panchayats and Women’s Economic Empowerment; Gram Sabha and Women; HIV and AIDS, Women and Role of Panchayats etc.
The programme comprises plenary and open house sessions as well as group discussions on various dimensions of climate change including Tsunami and super cyclone and the role of women in Panchayats to addressing these issues. Along with that enough space will be given to express the hidden cultural expressions of the women to make the event livelier. The Institute awards panchayat members every year for their outstanding performance.

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO).
In 1948, the World Health Organization held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7th April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The World Health Day is celebrated to create “awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization (WHO)”. Activities – related to that particular theme and the resources provided – continue beyond 7 April, that is, the designated day for celebrating the World Health Day
World Health Day 2009with the theme of “Save lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies” focuses on the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers who treat those affected by emergencies. Health centres and staff are critical lifelines for vulnerable people in disasters – treating injuries, preventing illnesses and caring for people’s health needs.
They are cornerstones for primary health care in communities – meeting everyday needs, such as safe childbirth services, immunizations and chronic disease care that must continue in emergencies. Often, already fragile health systems are unable to keep functioning through a disaster, with immediate and future public health consequences.
This year, WHO and international partners are underscoring the importance of investing in health infrastructure that can withstand hazards and serve people in immediate need. They are also urging health facilities to implement systems to respond to internal emergencies, such as fires, and ensure the continuity of care.

April 17 is World Hemophilia Day. This day is celebrated by hemophilia organizations around the world, and gives them an opportunity to increase awareness of hemophilia.
World Hemophilia Day was started in 1989. The World Federation of Hemophilia chose April 17 in honour of WFH founder Frank Schnabel, who was born on that day.
It is a day for us to remember and reflect on the contributions of people like Frank Schnabel who have dedicated themselves to improving care for people with hemophilia. It is also a time for us to re-commit ourselves to continuing the fight to improve the quality of life of people with hemophilia around the world.

World Heritage is the shared wealth of humankind. Protecting and preserving this valuable asset demands the collective efforts of the international community. This special day offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability. On 18 April 1982 on the occasion of a symposium organised by ICOMOS in Tunisia, the holding of the “International Day for Monuments and Sites” to be celebrated simultaneously throughout the world was suggested. This project was approved by the Executive Committee who provided practical suggestions to the National Committees on how to organise this day.
The idea was also approved by the UNESCO General Conference who passed a resolution at its 22nd session in November 1983 recommending that Member States examine the possibility of declaring 18 April each year “International Monuments and Sites Day”. This has been traditionally called the World Heritage Day.
ICOMOS, the International Council for Monuments and Sites makes a number of suggestions on how to celebrate the World Heritage Day.

Earth Day is one of two observances, both held annually during spring in the northern hemisphere, and autumn in the southern hemisphere. These are intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. The United Nations celebrates an Earth Day each year on the March equinox, a tradition which was founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969.
A second Earth Day, which was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970, is celebrated in many countries each year on April 22.

April 01- Prevention of Blindness Week

April 02- International Children’s Book Day

April 07- Handloom Week

April 13- Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

April 14- Customs Day

April 14- Fire Service Week

April 18- World Amatuer Radio Awarness Day

April 23- World Book and Copyright Day

April 29- International Dance Day

April 30- Anti-Child Labour Day