OTD Entertainment

Remembering Sarojini Naidu on Her Birthday: Forget March 8th - Why February 13th is the 'Real' Women's Day for India

While the world waits for March, India has its own date with destiny today, celebrating the original firebrand feminist who used poetry as a political weapon. Look, March 8th is fine. It’s global, it’s corporate-friendly, and it gets the requisite hashtags trending every year. But if you are in India, and you really want to tap into the bedrock of homegrown female power, today - February 13th - is the actual date to circle in red ink. It’s Sarojini Naidu’s birthday, officially recognized as National Women's Day in India. And honestly, she feels a lot more relevant to our specific historical context than a generic international observance ever could.  History books, the older ones anyway, like to box her in as the "Nightingale of India" (Bharat Kokila). It sounds sweet, doesn’t it? A bit delicate. But don’t let the pretty moniker fool you for a second. Naidu was incredibly tough. ...

Devyani
  • 2 weeks ago
  • 3 minutes read
Zubeen Garg's Birthday: The Late Assamese Singer Sang in 40 Languages - Did You Know?
Zubeen Garg's Birthday: The Late Assamese Singer Sang in 40 Languages - Did You Know?
More than a melody maker - Zubeen Garg was the heartbeat of Assam whose songs reached far beyond language barriers. Funny how people can echo throu...
Zubeen Garg Birthday Feature: Remembering Bollywood’s Hit Machine Who Left Us Wanting More
Zubeen Garg Birthday Feature: Remembering Bollywood’s Hit Machine Who Left Us Wanting More
Not every melody fades; some linger on, keeping us suspended between nostalgia and longing. September 2025 in Guwahati turned into a sea of candles...
From Apu to Feluda: How Soumitra Chatterjee Became Ray's Most Trusted Muse Across 14 Iconic Films - Birthday Special
From Apu to Feluda: How Soumitra Chatterjee Became Ray's Most Trusted Muse Across 14 Iconic Films - Birthday Special
A tale of cinematic camaraderie – Soumitra, Ray, and the magic that happens when muse and maestro find each other. Strange, isn’t it? You can step...
Happy Birthday SRK: From Selling 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa' Tickets for Survival to Owning Bollywood – A Full Circle Moment
Happy Birthday SRK: From Selling 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa' Tickets for Survival to Owning Bollywood – A Full Circle Moment
Long before the crowds gathered outside Mannat, there was a quieter, humbler scene where Shah Rukh Khan was just another guy behind a ticket counter,...
Happy Birthday, SRK: The Antagonist Over the King of Romance -- No Other Villain Comes Close
Happy Birthday, SRK: The Antagonist Over the King of Romance -- No Other Villain Comes Close
For us, SRK will forever remain one of the best antagonists the Indian film industry has ever produced Fondly called the Badshah of Bollywood, Shah...
Hindi Diwas 2025: How OTT and Bollywood Are Giving Hindi a Global Stage
Hindi Diwas 2025: How OTT and Bollywood Are Giving Hindi a Global Stage
A language of poetry and cinema, now thriving on digital platforms and global stages Every year on September 14, India celebrates Hindi Diwas. It i...
On This Day in 1994: How Sushmita Sen's Miss Universe Win Redefined Fashion & Beauty in India
On This Day in 1994: How Sushmita Sen's Miss Universe Win Redefined Fashion & Beauty in India
Sushmita Sen became the first Indian to win the Miss Universe title on May 21, 1994. The idea of fashion and beauty in India wasn't the same after tha...
On This Day in 1929: First Oscars Held - A Look at India's Journey at the Academy Awards
On This Day in 1929: First Oscars Held - A Look at India's Journey at the Academy Awards
India's association with the Academy Awards began in the mid-20th century and has only grown stronger over the decades. The Oscars may be the most...
On This Day, 2011: 'Game of Thrones' First Episode Premiered - Did You Notice THESE Hidden Details?
On This Day, 2011: 'Game of Thrones' First Episode Premiered - Did You Notice THESE Hidden Details?
'Winter is Coming', the first episode of 'Game of Thrones', marked the beginning of an epic journey spanning a decade. It all began with that icon...
On This Day, 2002 - Priyanka Chopra Made Her Debut: It's Not Bollywood - Guess the Film
On This Day, 2002 - Priyanka Chopra Made Her Debut: It's Not Bollywood - Guess the Film
Before conquering Bollywood and Hollywood, Priyanka Chopra kicked off her career with a Tamil film, starring opposite one of India's most iconic super...
On This Day, 1962 - 'Dr. No' (The 1st James Bond Film) Premiered In London: Know How Sean Connery Became The OG 007
On This Day, 1962 - 'Dr. No' (The 1st James Bond Film) Premiered In London: Know How Sean Connery Became The OG 007
October 5 every year is celebrated as Global James Bond Day. An enigmatic man, seated in a casino, is shown from behind. He plays the cards brilli...
On This Day (July 29) - J. R. D. Tata's Birth Anniversary: How Did He Bring Industrial Revolution In India?
On This Day (July 29) - J. R. D. Tata's Birth Anniversary: How Did He Bring Industrial Revolution In India?
While Jamshedji Tata is hailed as the "Father of Indian Industry", J. R. D. Tata is widely remembered as the "Architect of India's Industrial Revoluti...
On This Day (July 29) - Sanjay Dutt's Birthday: Did You Know The Celebrated Actor Is Also A Gifted Singer?
On This Day (July 29) - Sanjay Dutt's Birthday: Did You Know The Celebrated Actor Is Also A Gifted Singer?
The 'Munna Bhai' actor has lent his vocals to over a dozen songs in his career.  There's no one quite like Sanjay Dutt, both on and off the sc...
On This Day (July 27) - Kriti Sanon's Birthday: Did You Know The 'Mimi' Actress Is A State-Level Boxer?
On This Day (July 27) - Kriti Sanon's Birthday: Did You Know The 'Mimi' Actress Is A State-Level Boxer?
The National Award-winning actress is a fitness enthusiast and often shares glimpses from her workout sessions.  Making it big in Bollywood wi...
On This Day (July 23) - Daniel Radcliffe's Birthday: Did You Know The 'Harry Potter' Actor Is A Huge Fan Of Sachin Tendulkar?
On This Day (July 23) - Daniel Radcliffe's Birthday: Did You Know The 'Harry Potter' Actor Is A Huge Fan Of Sachin Tendulkar?
The 35-year-old actor has been a cricket fan since his childhood. Does Daniel Radcliffe even require an introduction? Absolutely not! The English...
On This Day (July 22) - Armaan Malik's Birthday: The First Indian Singer To Feature On Times Square Billboard, New York
On This Day (July 22) - Armaan Malik's Birthday: The First Indian Singer To Feature On Times Square Billboard, New York
The celebrated singer is known for his work in multiple languages, including Hindi, English, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.  Music runs...
On This Day (July 18) - Rajesh Khanna's Death Anniversary: When The Late Superstar Gave 17 Successive Hits In Three Years
On This Day (July 18) - Rajesh Khanna's Death Anniversary: When The Late Superstar Gave 17 Successive Hits In Three Years
Rajesh Khanna was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor, in 2013. "For me, in the early 1970s, he was the on...
On This Day (July 16) - Katrina Kaif's Birthday: The First Indian Actress To Get A Barbie Doll Modeled On Her
On This Day (July 16) - Katrina Kaif's Birthday: The First Indian Actress To Get A Barbie Doll Modeled On Her
Back in 2009, Katrina Kaif walked the runway at Lakme Fashion Week for the Barbie All Doll'd Up show to celebrate Barbie's 50th birthday.  Kat...
On This Day (July 18) - Priyanka Chopra's Birthday: Did You Know The Actress Debuted With A Tamil Film, And Not Hindi?
On This Day (July 18) - Priyanka Chopra's Birthday: Did You Know The Actress Debuted With A Tamil Film, And Not Hindi?
The 42-year-old actress is a recipient of several accolades, including two National Film Awards and five Filmfare Awards. "Priyanka Chopra is the...
On This Day (July 6) - Dhirubhai Ambani's Death Anniversary: Tracing The Late Business Tycoon's Remarkable Journey
On This Day (July 6) - Dhirubhai Ambani's Death Anniversary: Tracing The Late Business Tycoon's Remarkable Journey
Dhirubhai Ambani founded Reliance Industries in 1958, which is now the 100th largest company worldwide. "Think big, think fast, think ahead. Ideas...
On This Day (July 6) - Sylvester Stallone's Birthday: When The Hollywood Legend Made Cameo In Bollywood Film, 'Kambakkht Ishq'
On This Day (July 6) - Sylvester Stallone's Birthday: When The Hollywood Legend Made Cameo In Bollywood Film, 'Kambakkht Ishq'
The "action star" played himself in 'Kambakkht Ishq'. "It was great working with Mr. Sylvester Stallone, as an actor I'd be greedy & want that...
On This Day (July 6) - Ranveer Singh's Birthday: Did You Know Singh Was The First Choice For 'Sanju'?
On This Day (July 6) - Ranveer Singh's Birthday: Did You Know Singh Was The First Choice For 'Sanju'?
Ranveer Singh turns 39 today! Dark phases are temporary, but talent is permanent! Ranveer Singh is supremely talented, and there can't be any argu...
On This Day (July 3) - Tom Cruise's Birthday: When The Hollywood Legend Collaborated With India's Content Creator, CarryMinati
On This Day (July 3) - Tom Cruise's Birthday: When The Hollywood Legend Collaborated With India's Content Creator, CarryMinati
CarryMinati is the only Indian creator to have collaborated with Tom Cruise.  "I found him (Tom Cruise) to be a very cool and humble person, s...
On This Day (June 27) - RD Burman's Birth Anniversary: The Timeless Hits That We Still Can't Get Over
On This Day (June 27) - RD Burman's Birth Anniversary: The Timeless Hits That We Still Can't Get Over
"The variety that Pancham da introduced in film music has remained unmatched till date." - Anu Malik Talk about Hindi film music, and you can't he...
On This Day (June 14) - Sushant Singh Rajput's Death Anniversary: Did You Know The Late Actor Was Trained In Martial Arts?
On This Day (June 14) - Sushant Singh Rajput's Death Anniversary: Did You Know The Late Actor Was Trained In Martial Arts?
The 'Raabta' actor had stayed in Thailand for a few weeks for his martial arts training.  "What I automatically recall about Sushant is how mu...
On This Day (May 27) - Jawaharlal Nehru's Death Anniversary: His Books That You Should Read At Least Once
On This Day (May 27) - Jawaharlal Nehru's Death Anniversary: His Books That You Should Read At Least Once
Jawaharlal Nehru is widely regarded as the greatest figure of modern India after Mahatma Gandhi. "Nehru gave Indians an image of themselves that I...