December 25 is known around the world as Christmas, but the day also carries a remarkable place in history. Beyond festive celebrations, it has witnessed significant events in science, politics, and culture that continue to shape our world. From pioneering space missions to the births and deaths of influential leaders and artists, this date has a rich historical footprint. On 25 December 2008, India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission captured new images of the Moon, while in 2021, NASA launched the James Webb Space Telescope, opening a new window to the cosmos. Over the centuries, the day has also marked the arrival and farewell of personalities whose contributions left lasting impacts in education, governance, and the arts.Reviewing these historical events enables us to appreciate how actions and ideas of the past have led to the present and are still setting the stage for the future.Let’s explore the most significant things that make 25 December worth remembering.
Historical events that happened on 25th December
2008 – One of India’s 11 Chandrayaan-1 payloaders sent into space provided a new image of the MoonIndia’s first lunar mission carried 11 instruments, including the Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC) and NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), which scanned the Moon’s surface and provided critical data and photos, ultimately leading to the finding of water molecules in lunar soil. 2021- NASA launched the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest optical telescope in orbitThe James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) orbits the Sun at the second Lagrange point (L2), approximately 1.5 million kilometres (1 million miles) from Earth, rather than orbiting the Earth itself, as Hubble does. This unique location allows its large sunshield to shield it from the heat and light of the Sun, Earth, and Moon, allowing it to see the universe in infrared light to study the first galaxies, star formation, and exoplanets.
On this day in history: Key events of 25th December
Birth anniversary25 December in history is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the following personalities:Madan Mohan Malaviya (25 December 1861 – 12 November 1946)He was not only a great freedom fighter, statesman, and educator but also an amazing social reformer. According to historian VC Sahu, Madan Mohan Malviya, a Hindu nationalist, sought to break the country’s caste system. He initiated a national campaign against the sin of prohibiting Dalits from entering temples. On December 24, 2014, India’s President Pranab Mukherjee posthumously awarded Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya the country’s highest civilian award, the ‘Bharat Ratna’. Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari (25 December 1880 – 10 May 1936)Was a distinguished physician and nationalist who lived in Varanasi (previously Banaras). He helped establish the Nationalist University Kashi Vidyapeeth and Jamia Millia in Delhi. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018)One of the most popular Prime Ministers in India. After Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister for barely 13 days in 1996. Following this, he was re-elected as Prime Minister in 1998. As a result, H. D. Deve Gowda and Indra Kumar Gujral served as Prime Ministers from 1996 to 1998. Following that, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was re-elected Prime Minister in October 1999, and he concluded his term with great success. Prior to this, he served as interim prime minister from April to October 1999. Death anniversary25 December in history is observed as the death anniversary of the following personalities:Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (10 December 1878 – 25 December 1972)Rajaji is the pinnacle of Indian politics. He was an advocate, author, politician, and philosopher. He was the second Governor-General of independent India and the first Indian Governor-General. The renowned independence warrior, social reformer, and Gandhian politician Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, also known as ‘Rajaji’, is regarded as the ‘Chanakya’ of contemporary Indian history because of his remarkable and prominent personality. Satyadev Dubey (1936 – 25 December 2011)An Indian playwright, screenwriter, and film and theatre director. He has also appeared in films and written various scripts. He was the only Hindi playwright in the country, immortalising himself by adapting plays from other languages into Hindi.Charlie Chaplin (16 April 1889–25 December 1977)Charlie Chaplin, regarded as one of the most pivotal performers of early Hollywood, led an intriguing life both on screen and behind the camera. He is most known as a silent film icon, often connected with his popular figure, the Little Tramp, who had a toothbrush moustache, bowler hat, bamboo cane, and goofy stride.
