Last Updated: August 18, 2026
Today in History – August 18 has witnessed several landmark events in world and Indian history, ranging from scientific discoveries and political developments to social reforms and major international milestones. The date is especially remembered for the first discovery of helium during a total solar eclipse observed from India, the advancement of women’s voting rights in the United States, and significant personalities connected with this day.
This article covers:
- Major historical events on August 18
- Famous personalities born on August 18
- National and international observances
- Important current affairs and competitive exam facts
Table of Contents
🌟 Top Highlights of August 18
- Discovery of Helium (1868): French astronomer Pierre Janssen discovered the element Helium while analyzing a total solar eclipse in Guntur, India.
- Disappearance of Netaji (1945): The controversial plane crash in Taihoku, Taiwan, leading to the reported demise of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
- Establishment of IIT Kharagpur (1951): India’s premier and first-ever Indian Institute of Technology officially opened in West Bengal.
🗓️ Important Historical Events on August 18
1868 – Discovery of Helium in Guntur, India
While observing a total solar eclipse from the town of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, India, French astronomer Pierre Janssen noticed a distinct bright yellow spectral line in the solar chromosphere. This line did not match any element known on Earth at the time. It was later co-identified as a new element and named Helium, making it one of the most prominent scientific breakthroughs recorded on Indian soil. This is the first chemical element discovered in space before being identified on Earth.
1945 – The Taihoku Plane Crash involving Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
Indian nationalist leader and founder of the Azad Hind Fauj, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, reportedly boarded a Japanese bomber plane that crashed shortly after taking off from Taihoku Army Airfield in Taiwan. While the Japanese authorities announced his death from third-degree burns, the event remains one of the most enduring and heavily debated mysteries in modern Indian history.
1951 – India’s First IIT Inaugurated at Kharagpur
To pave the way for high-quality technical education in independent India, the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Kharagpur) was formally inaugurated in West Bengal by the first Union Minister of Education, Maulana Abul Kalan Azad.
Other Major Events
- 1487: The siege of Málaga ended during the Spanish Reconquista as Christian forces under King Ferdinand II captured the city from the Moors.
- 1920: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, officially guaranteeing women the right to vote.
- 1958: Vladimir Nabokov’s highly controversial yet literary masterpiece novel, “Lolita”, was published for the first time in the United States.
- 2008: Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf resigned from office in a televised address to avoid facing impeachment charges from the coalition government.
🎂 Famous Birthdays on August 18
| Year | Personality | Domain / Notable Achievement |
| 1650 | Sardar Sarvai Papanna Gaud | Legendary warrior from Telangana who raised a guerrilla army to fight against local Mughal imperial oppression. |
| 1685 | Brook Taylor | Renowned English mathematician who formulated “Taylor’s Theorem” and the Taylor Series, fundamental concepts in calculus. |
| 1700 | Peshwa Baji Rao I | He was a general and 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire; famous for his unvanquished record across 41 major battles. |
| 1934 | Gulzar (Sampooran Singh Kalra) | Iconic Indian poet, lyricist, and director. Recipient of the Oscar, Dada Saheb Phalke, and Padma Bhushan awards. |
| 1959 | Nirmala Sitharaman | Distinguished Indian politician; served as India’s first full-time female Defence Minister and first full-time finance minister of Union Finance Minister. |
📌 Other Notable Personalities: The first English child born in the Americas (Roanoke Colony) Virginia Dare (1587), British Prime Minister and a key architect of parliamentary reforms in the United Kingdom Lord John Russell (1792).
🕯️ Notable Death Anniversaries on August 18
- 1227 – Genghis Khan: The legendary and brutal Mongol conqueror who founded the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in history.
- 1953 – Maharani Adilakshmi Devamma: The queen of the historic Gadwal Samsthanam (in present-day Mahabubnagar district), known for patronizing literature.
- 1998 – Protima Bedi: Celebrated Indian Odissi exponent and model who founded ‘Nrityagram’, India’s first residential dance village.
- 2018 – Kofi Annan: Diplomat from Ghana and the 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations; co-recipient of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.
📢 National & International Days Observed on August 18
- World Never Give Up Day: An internationally recognized day curated to celebrate human resilience, mental fortitude and the determination to keep pushing forward when facing difficult life challenges.
💡Did You Know?
- Named After the Sun: Helium is the only element in the periodic table that was discovered in outer space (on the Sun) before it was ever found on Earth. It takes its name from Helios, the Greek God of the Sun.
- Tactical Brilliance: Peshwa Baji Rao I is regarded as one of the finest exponents of the rapid guerrilla cavalry movement. His lightning-fast deployment during the Battle of Palkhed (1728) is still studied in military institutions.
- A Single Vote Changed American History: On 18 August 1920, the U.S. state of Tennessee became the 36th and decisive state to ratify the 19th Amendment, granting women the constitutional right to vote. The amendment passed the Tennessee House by just one vote (49–47), making it one of the closest and most consequential legislative decisions in American history.
❓Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: In which Indian city was Helium first discovered during a solar eclipse in 1868?
Ans: Helium was discovered in the city of Guntur, located in Andhra Pradesh, India, by French astronomer Pierre Janssen on August 18, 1868.
Q2: Which is the oldest and first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) established in India?
Ans: IIT Kharagpur in West Bengal is India’s first IIT, officially inaugurated on August 18, 1951.
Q3: Which iconic Indian freedom fighter is traditionally believed to have passed away in a Taiwan air crash on August 18, 1945?
Ans: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Q4: When and where was India’s current Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman born?
Ans: She was born on August 18, 1959, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Q5: What is Brook Taylor (born August 18, 1685) famous for in mathematics?
Ans: He is famous for inventing “Taylor’s Theorem”, which allows functions to be expressed as infinite series in calculus.
Q6: Who was the former UN Secretary-General who passed away on August 18, 2018, and won the Nobel Peace Prize?
Ans: Kofi Annan from Ghana.
Q7: Which revolutionary leader from Telangana who fought against Mughal dominance has his birth anniversary on August 18?
Ans: Sardar Sarvai Papanna Gaud (Born on August 18, 1650).
Q8. Which chemical element was first discovered in space?
Q9: Which U.S. constitutional amendment guaranteed women’s voting rights?
Ans: The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Q10: What is the official historical position regarding Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s death?
Ans: The official record states that Netaji died from injuries sustained in the Taihoku (Taipei) air crash on 18 August 1945. However, the circumstances surrounding his death remain the subject of historical debate and multiple official inquiries.