World Teachers' Day on October 5: what else happened on this date in history

World Teachers' Day is observed every year on October 5 to honour the invaluable contribution of teachers to education. UNESCO began the day in 1994. It marks the anniversary of the 1966 recommendation on the status of teachers.

The day highlights the importance of the teacher's role, because teachers do not merely impart bookish knowledge but also try to instil values and skills in children. Teachers are regarded as pillars of society, preparing students to face the challenges of studies and personal life. In different countries, the day draws attention to the problems teachers face, such as limited resources, low pay and heavy workloads.

The theme of the day changes every year, for example the empowerment of teachers, innovation in education and equal opportunity. The day is meant to honour teachers and make them aware of their role in the progress of society.

October 5 is also remembered for several major events in India and the world. In 1864, a severe cyclone devastated Kolkata, killing about 60,000 people. In 1877, the Nez Perce War ended in the north-western United States. In 1910, the monarchy ended in Portugal and it became a republic. In 1948, the IUCN was founded, and in the same year an earthquake in Ashgabat killed about 110,000 people.

In 1955, Pandit Nehru inaugurated the Hindustan Machine Tools factory, which is regarded as having an important place in India's industrial development. In 1962, the first James Bond film, Dr. No, was released. In 1989, M. Fathima Beevi became the first woman judge of the Supreme Court. In 1995, the Jnanpith-style Janasthan Award, given by the Kusumagraj Pratishthan, was announced for senior poet Indira Sant. In 1998, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was announced as the recipient of the Indira Gandhi National Integration Award.

Many well-known people were born on this date. They include philosopher and Harijan editor Kishorelal Ghanshyamlal Mashruwala (1890); writer and editor Yadunath Thatte (1922; died May 10, 1998); and Shankarsingh Raghuvanshi of the Shankar-Jaikishan music duo (1922; died April 26, 1987). Also born were Kailashpati Mishra, a former Governor of Gujarat (1923; died November 3, 2012); Indian cricketer Madhav Apte (1932); and Vaclav Havel, the first president of the Czech Republic (1936; died December 18, 2011). Walter Wolf, founder of Walter Wolf Racing, was born in 1939, Indian cricketer Sarbindu Mukherjee in 1964 and British actress Kate Winslet in 1975.

Among the deaths on this date are Sam Warner, co-founder of Warner Bros (1927; born August 10, 1887), and Indian priest Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly (1929; born August 8, 1876). Padma Bhushan-winning Hindi writer Bhagwati Charan Verma died in 1981 (born August 30, 1903). Earl Tupper, inventor of Tupperware, died in 1983 (born July 28, 1907), and Padma Bhushan recipient Rajkumar Verma, a playwright, critic and Hindi poet of the Chhayavad tradition, died in 1990 (born September 15, 1905).

Ramnath Goenka, founder of the Indian Express group, died in 1991 (born April 3, 1904). In 1992, noted diplomat and Padma Shri recipient Barrister Parashuram Bhavanrao Pant died. In 1997, MP and Forward Bloc general secretary Chitta Basu died (born December 25, 1926). Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died in 2011 (born February 24, 1955).