World Asthma Day / May Day (International Labour Day) 2018

ASTHMA DAY

World Asthma Day 2018 will be celebrated all across the world on 1st of May (1st Tuesday of May), at Tuesday.World Asthma Day is a big event celebrated all over the world by the people to increase the awareness among public worldwide about the precautions and preventions of the asthma. This event is annually organized on international level by the GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma) in order to increase the asthma awareness all around the world. It is celebrated on annual basis at 1st Tuesday of the May month. World Asthma Day celebration was first started celebrating in the year 1998 by the GINA in more than 35 countries after its first “World Asthma Meeting” in the Barcelona, Spain.

BJECTIVES OF WORLD ASTHMA DAY

World asthma day is celebrated every year by organizing lots of programmes and events to fulfill the following objectives:

> The HSE National Asthma Programme (NAP) was established in the year 2010 by the Asthma Society, Ireland aiming to improve the asthma care.

> To identify the patient for accurate treatment of primary or secondary level based on the standard guidelines.

> Maximize the number of people without asthma and minimize the number of people with asthma to get proper control.

> Reduce death rates caused by the asthma.

> Enroll all the asthma patients to ensure that all patients are diagnosed and getting treatment.

> To reduce an emergency department visits because of the asthma and number of days spent by the asthmatic patients in the hospital.

May Day

International Workers Day also popularly known as Labour Day is celebrated to mark the hardships of laborers and working class. The Labour Day is promoted by International Labour Movement, socialists, communists and anarchists. It occurs annually on the first of May. In India, the very first May Day was celebrated in 1923 in Chennai. On this day around India organizations and trade unions arrange fun activities to understand the importance of laborers and sometimes political leaders give speeches.

The history of Labour Day is pretty interesting. It goes back to May 1, 1886, when labor unions went on a strike in the United States of America and demanded that workers should not be forced to work more than eight hours a day. The strike was followed by a bomb blast in Chicago’s Haymarket Square on May 4. The bomb blast took lives of several people and police officers and injured more than 100 people.

However, the strike did not have any immediate effect on the laborers work but it helped in establishing the eight hour work day rule in India and other countries of the world.

In India to celebrate the Labour Day, the first initiative was taken by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan wherein the Comrade Malayapuram Singaravelu Chettiar, founder of the first trade union, arranged two meetings to celebrate the day. One meeting was held at the Triplicane Beach, and the other took place at the beach opposite the Madras High Court. In the meeting, Singaravelar passed a resolution that government should announce a national holiday on May 1 which will be marked as Labour Day. This was the first time a red flag was used in India.

On this day, workers and laborers come together and showcase their strength that indicates that how effectively together they can struggle to bring a positive reform for the working class in the society.

Person of the day : Dadasaheb Phalke

Dadasaheb Phalke

Also Known As: Dhundiraj Govind Phalke

Famous As: Father Of Indian Cinema

Nationality: Indian

Birthday: April 30, 1870

Died At Age: 73

Sun Sign: Taurus

Born In: Tryambakeshwar, Bombay Presidency

Died On: February 16, 1944

Place Of Death: Nasik

Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, famously known as Dadasaheb Phalke, was a renowned Indian filmmaker and screenwriter, popularly dubbed as the ‘Father of Indian Cinema’. From an early age, he was artistic in nature and displayed great interest in the creative arts. He pursued arts for completing his graduation and later took up various jobs such as that of a photographer and a draftsman. He also tried setting up his printing business but closed it down when problems arose with his partner. The turning point in his life came when he saw a silent film and was deeply moved by its poignancy. He decided to become a filmmaker and viewed it as his mission to present Indian mythological characters on the moving picture screen. Eventually he released the first full length Indian motion picture, ‘Raja Harishchandra’, the most important milestone in Indian cinematic history. His persistent faith and pioneering efforts laid the foundation of Indian cinema. He was a visionary who foresaw the potential of the film medium and also made people realize its cultural and financial worth. Through his relentless commitment and earnest efforts, cinema has become an inevitable part of Indian culture in today’s world. Named after him, the ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’ is the most prestigious award in the realm of Indian cinema which is bestowed every year to honor distinguished contribution to the film medium.

Childhood and Early Life

He was born on April 30, 1870 at Tryambakeshwar, Maharashtra, India into a Marathi Brahmin family. His father was a proficient Sanskrit scholar.

He received his early education from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai in 1885. In 1890, he 
completed his school education and then attended the Kala Bhavan in Baroda.

He learnt about sculpture, engineering, drawing, painting and photography in Kala Bhavan.

Major Works :

His most remarkable and unprecedented contribution to the world was Indian cinema. His debut film, ‘Raja Harishchandra’ (1913), a work based on Hindu mythology, is considered to be India's first full-length motion picture which laid the foundation of filmmaking in India.

Personal life and Legacy:

He married his first wife in 1885 but unfortunately she died in 1900. Later he married 
Saraswatabai and raised a family with her. His wife was very supportive of his profession.

He passed away on February 16, 1944, in Nashik, Bombay, British India, at the age of 73.

In recognition of his lifetime contribution to the Indian cinema, the ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’ was instituted in 1969 by the India government. The prestigious award is the highest official recognition for film personalities in India and is presented annually by the president of India for remarkable contribution to Indian cinema.