On This Day: 24 July

24 July in Indian history

• 2001The Bandaranaike Airport attack is carried out by 14 Tamil Tiger commandos, resulting in military and civilian casualties and destroyed aircraft.India
• 1983The Black July anti-Tamil riots begin in Sri Lanka, killing between 400 and 3,000. Black July is generally regarded as the beginning of the Sri Lankan Civil War.India

24 July in world history

• 2024A Saurya Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 crashes during takeoff from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, killing 18.
• 2019Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after defeating Jeremy Hunt in a leadership contest, succeeding Theresa May.
• 2012Syrian civil war: The People's Protection Units (YPG) capture the city of Girkê Legê.
• 1998A gunman entered the United States Capitol and opened fire, killing two police officers.
• 1980The Australian swimming team, nicknamed the Quietly Confident Quartet, won the men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Moscow Olympics, the only time that the United States, which boycotted the games, has not won the event at the Olympics.
• 1974Watergate scandal: The United States Supreme Court unanimously rules that President Richard Nixon does not have the authority to withhold subpoenaed White House tapes and they order him to surrender the tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor.
• 1967During a speech in Montreal, French president Charles de Gaulle declared "Long live free Quebec!", a statement that was interpreted as support for Quebec independence from Canada.
• 1966Michael Pelkey makes the first BASE jump from El Capitan along with Brian Schubert. Both came out with broken bones. BASE jumping has now been banned from El Cap.
• 1959Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev and U.S. vice president Richard Nixon held an impromptu debate at the opening of the American National Exhibition at Sokolniki Park in Moscow.
• 1948Australia set a world record for the highest successful run-chase in Test cricket history during the Fourth Test of the Ashes series against England.
• 1943World War II: Operation Gomorrah begins: British and Canadian aeroplanes bomb Hamburg by night, and American planes bomb the city by day. By the end of the operation in November, 9,000 tons of explosives will have killed more than 30,000 people and destroyed 2
• 1935The Dust Bowl heat wave reaches its peak, sending temperatures to 109 °F (43 °C) in Chicago and 104 °F (40 °C) in Milwaukee.
• 1923The Treaty of Lausanne was signed to settle part of the partition of the Ottoman Empire, establishing the boundaries of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.
• 1920Franco-Syrian War: At the Battle of Maysalun, forces of the Arab Kingdom of Syria were defeated by a French army moving to occupy the territory allocated to them by the San Remo conference.
• 1866Reconstruction: Tennessee becomes the first U.S. state to be readmitted to Congress following the American Civil War.
• 1411Scottish clansmen led by Donald of Islay, Lord of the Isles, and Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, fought the Battle of Harlaw near Inverurie, Scotland.

Born on 24 July

• 1985Patrice Bergeron, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1945Azim Premji, Indian businessman and philanthropistIndia
• 1937Manoj Kumar, Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2025)India
• 1928Keshubhai Patel, Indian politician, tenth Chief Minister of Gujarat (died 2020)India
• 1909John William Finn, American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (died 2010)
• 1867Fred Tate, English cricketer and coach (died 1943)

Died on 24 July

• 2017Harshida Raval, Indian Gujarati playback singerIndia
• 2000Ahmad Shamloo, Iranian poet and journalist (born 1925)
• 1970Peter de Noronha, Indian businessman, philanthropist, and civil servant (born 1897)India
• 1891Hermann Raster, German-American journalist and politician (born 1827)

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 24 July in history?

2024: A Saurya Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 crashes during takeoff from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, killing 18. 2019: Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after defeating Jeremy Hunt in a leadership contest, succeeding Theresa May. 2012: Syrian civil war: The People's Protection Units (YPG) capture the city of Girkê Legê. 2001: The Bandaranaike Airport attack is carried out by 14 Tamil Tiger commandos, resulting in military and civilian casualties and destroyed aircraft.

What happened on 24 July in Indian history?

2001: The Bandaranaike Airport attack is carried out by 14 Tamil Tiger commandos, resulting in military and civilian casualties and destroyed aircraft. 1983: The Black July anti-Tamil riots begin in Sri Lanka, killing between 400 and 3,000. Black July is generally regarded as the beginning of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Which famous people were born on 24 July?

Patrice Bergeron, Canadian ice hockey player (1985); Azim Premji, Indian businessman and philanthropist (1945); Manoj Kumar, Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2025) (1937); Keshubhai Patel, Indian politician, tenth Chief Minister of Gujarat (died 2020) (1928).

Which day is observed on 24 July?

Carnival of Awussu (Tunisia); Children's Day (Vanuatu); Pioneer Day (Utah); Police Day (Poland); Simón Bolívar Day (Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, and Bolivia) Navy Day (Venezuela).