Vikram Samvat (Bikram Sambat, Vikram Samvat Vikram Samwat or Vikram's Era, Devanagari:विक्रम संवत्, abbreviated "V.S." or "B.S") is the calendar established by Indian emperor Vikramaditya. It is a popularly used calendar in India and the official calendar of Nepal.
The Vikrama Samvat was founded by the emperor Vikramaditya of Ujjain following his victory over the Sakas in 56 BCE, although it is popularly (and incorrectly) associated with the subsequent king Chandragupta Vikramaditya. It is a lunar calendar based on ancient Hindu tradition (see Hindu calendar and Vedic time keeping). The Vikram Samvat calendar is 56.7 years ahead (in count) of the solar Gregorian calendar. For example, the year 2056 BS began in CE 1999 and ended in CE 2000. In Northern India the calendar starts with the first day after the new moon in the month Chaitra, which usually falls in March/April in the Gregorian calendar. Again in Western India the same era begins with the first day after the new moon in the month of Kartika which usually falls in October and November in the Gregorian calendar. In Nepal, it begins in mid-April and marks the start of the solar new year. It is official calendar of Nepal.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji (born: Gobind Rai) (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ [ɡʊɾu ɡobɪnd sɪ́ŋɡ], Marathi: गुरु गोबिंद सिंघ; 22 December 1666 - 7 October 1708) is the Tenth of Eleven Sikh Guru Ji'. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, He was also a Warrior, Poet and Philosopher. He succeeded His Father Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji as the Leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine. He contributed much to Sikhism; notable was His contribution to the continual formalisation of the faith which the First Sikh Guru Ji Guru Nanak Dev Ji had founded, as a religion, in the 15th century. Guru Gobind Singh transformed Sikhs into Khalsa (pure) in 1699.
Gobind Singh was born to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru, and Mata Gujri in Patna. He was born while his father was on a tour of a neighbouring state Assam, spreading God's word. He learned Persian and Sanskrit when he was a child and was also trained to become a warrior.
Gobind Singh married three times and had four children. He was married off to Mata Jito in 1677, when he was only 11-years-old. They had three children together Zorawar Singh, Jujhar Singh and Fateh Singh. He married Mata Sundari in 1684, and the couple had one child, Sahibzada Ajit Singh. His third wife was Mata Sahib Dewan.
Lt Col Kulwant Singh Pannu was an officer of the Indian Army and a recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra. Lt Col Pannu is most famous for having led the 2nd Paras in the famous Tangail Airdrop to capture the Poongli Bridge over the River Jamuna on 11 December 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation war. The battalion was airdropped near Tangail (now in Bangladesh) and tasked to cut off the 93 Brigade of Pakistani Army which was retreating from the north to defend Dacca and its approaches. For his conspicuous gallantry and leadership, Lt Col Pannu was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.
Brahmananad Swami (Devnagari: ब्रह्मान्द स्वामी) (1772-1832) was a saint of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and one of Swaminarayan's Paramahamsas.
Brahmanand Swami was born Ladudan to Gadhavi Shambhudanji Aashiya and Laluba Charan in Khan village, at the foot of Mount Abu, in sirohi district of Rajasthan in 1772.
At a young age In the royal court he sang poems in Gujarati. The Rana of sirohi, impressed with him, directed to be taught Pingal (science of constructing poetry) to the child at the cost of the state, hence Ladudan was well educated and later became a part of King of Udaipurs court. Ladudan learnt pingal and Sanskrit scriptures from Ladhaji Rajput of Dhamadka, becoming a scholar in Pingal, poetry and scriptures. Ladudan earned fame and wealth by visitng stately courts of Jaipur, Jodhpur among others, which were impressed by his poetry.
Ladudan was in Bhuj where he had heard about Swaminarayan and went to meet him. Swaminarayan was addressing a gathering in Bhuj. Ladunan was attracted to him. Swaminarayan returned to Gadhada with poet Ladudan. Ladudan lived a majestic and royal life befitting a courtier. He was always clad in most precious attires and was adorning jewellery befitting royalty. Swaminarayan did not like such luxurious life style but instead of preaching directly he changed Ladudan. He did so and became an ascetic. On the way from Gadhpur to Siddhapur, there is one small village named Gerita. Swaminarayan stopped at Gerita and administrated Bhagwati Deeksha (initiation as sadhu) to Ladudan by giving sainthood name 'Shrirangdasji.' After some time, he renamed him as Brahmanand Swami.
Acharya Tulsi (October 20, 1914 – June 23, 1997) was a Jainist Acharya (an ascetic). He was the founder of the Anuvrata and the Jain Vishva Bharti Institute, Ladnun and the author of over one-hundred books. Dr. Radhakrishnan in his "Living with Purpose" included him in the world's 15 great persons. He was given the title "Yuga-Pradhan" in a function officiated by President V.V. Giri in 1971.
He was influential in the development of Acharya Mahapragya and Sadhvi Kanakprabha.
The son of devout Jain traders, Tulsi was born in 1914 in Ladnun, India to Jhumarmal Khatter and Vadana Ji. Acharya Kalugani, the family guru, greatly influenced Tulsi, later recalling: "His divine face fascinated my heart and I used to gaze at him for hours."
Tulsi took his monk's vows at age 11 with remarkable dedication, and by the time he was 16, he had already started attracting acolytes. In 1936, Kalugani nominated Tulsi to be his successor, making him head of Terapanth group. Through his oversight, he initiated more than 776 monks and nuns.