18 February in History: From a Cow on a Plane to Major Events in India and the World

18 February is remembered for some fascinating and historic events, both in India and around the world. From aviation experiments to railway milestones, here’s a look at the key happenings that make this date remarkable.

A Cow on a Plane – Elm Farm Ollie

One of the most unusual events in aviation history took place on 18 February 1930, when a Guernsey cow named Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to fly on an airplane. Weighing over 450 kg, Ollie was selected for her calm temperament and high-quality milk. Before the flight, she was known as Nellie Jay, but after this historic journey, she earned the nickname “Sky Queen.”

The flight was part of the International Air Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri. The plane flew approximately 116 km from Bismarck to St. Louis. Remarkably, while in the air, Ollie’s milk was extracted and dropped to the ground in containers via parachutes. This publicity stunt also provided scientists an opportunity to study the effects of high altitude on milk.

Samjhauta Express – India-Pakistan Rail History

The Samjhauta Express was a train that connected India and Pakistan, running from Delhi to Lahore via the Attari border near Amritsar. Introduced on 22 July 1976 following the Shimla Agreement, it symbolized friendship between the two nations. Tragically, in 2007, a bomb blast near Panipat, Haryana, killed around 70 people, including some Pakistanis. The train was eventually suspended on 8 August 2019 due to rising tensions.

18 February in Indian History

| Year | Event |
| – | — |
| 1911 | First official airmail flight in British India. Pilot Henry Peake delivered 6,500 letters over a 10 km flight from Allahabad to Naini, Uttar Pradesh. |
| 1946 | Royal Indian Navy mutiny in Bombay against British rule; 78 ships and 20,000 sailors participated. |
| 2007 | Bomb blast near Panipat on the Samjhauta Express killed around 70 people. |

18 February in World History

| Year | Event |
| – | – |
| 1787 | Roman Emperor Joseph II banned child labor under the age of 8. |
| 1804 | Ohio University, the first university in Ohio, USA, was established. |
| 1814 | Battle of Montereau: France under Napoleon Bonaparte defeated Austria and Württemberg. |
| 1865 | Fort Moultrie battle; Federal forces seized the U.S. Supreme Court. |
| 1876 | Direct telegraph link established between Britain and New Zealand. |
| 1879 | Designer Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi received a U.S. patent for the Statue of Liberty. |
| 1900 | Battle of Pardubice; 1,270 British soldiers affected, many killed or injured. |
| 1901 | Winston Churchill delivered his first formal speech in the British House of Commons. |
| 1908 | U.S.-Japan “Gentlemen’s Agreement” regarding Japanese immigration. |
| 1915 | Germany imposed a blockade on Britain. |
| 1921 | British forces occupied Dublin. |
| 1927 | Diplomatic relations established between the U.S. and Canada. |
| 1930 | American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered the dwarf planet Pluto. |
| 1930 | Elm Farm Ollie, the first cow, flew on an airplane and her milk was extracted mid-air. |
| 1951 | Nepal became a constitutional monarchy. |
| 1952 | First national Emmy Awards ceremony held. |
| 1955 | Baghdad Pact signed between Turkey and Iraq. |
| 1965 | Gambia gained independence from the UK. |
| 1968 | British Standard Time (BST) trial began, one hour ahead of GMT. |
| 1970 | U.S. President Richard Nixon launched the Nixon Doctrine. |
| 1972 | California Supreme Court abolished the death penalty. |
| 1979 | NASA launched space vehicle S-202. |
| 1979 | President Zia-ul-Haq’s National Party won Bangladesh’s general elections. |
| 1986 | First anti-smoking ad aired on TV featuring actor Yul Brynner. |
| 2014 | Ukrainian Revolution began. |
| 2018 | Aseman Airlines plane crashed in Iran’s Zagros Mountains, killing all 66 onboard. |
| 2020 | Ashraf Ghani won the Afghan presidential elections. |
| 2024 | Historian poll in the U.S.: Joe Biden ranked 14th best president; Donald Trump ranked last. |

Notable Birthdays on 18 February

• Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486, Nabadweep, India) – Bengali saint and founder of the Chaitanya movement.
• Mary I of England (Bloody Mary) (1516, Greenwich, UK) – Queen of England from 1553–1558.
• Alessandro Volta (1745, Como, Italy) – Italian physicist and inventor of the first battery.
• Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836, Hooghly, Bengal, India) – Renowned Hindu saint and philosopher.
• Harry Brearley (1871, Sheffield, England) – Inventor of stainless steel.
• Madan Lal Dhingra (1883, near Kolkata, India) – Revolutionary freedom fighter.

About Ramakrishna Paramahansa

Ramakrishna Paramahansa was a revered Indian philosopher and spiritual leader who emphasized “Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava” – the unity of all religions. He taught that all paths lead to the same God. His teachings on love, devotion, and service to humanity were popularized worldwide by his disciple Swami Vivekananda.

Born as Gadadhar in Bengal, Ramakrishna experienced his first spiritual ecstasy at age six while watching white cranes against dark clouds. After his father’s death when he was seven, he delved deeper into meditation. He later established the Ramakrishna Mission and dedicated his life to serving humanity. He passed away from throat cancer in 1885 at the age of 49. Statues of Ramakrishna, his wife Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda are installed at Belur Math, Kolkata.