On this day:
1929 Vatican City becomes an independent state
1975 The first Cricket World Cup begins, hosted by England, won by West Indies
1979 Bhaskara 1, Indian Earth resources/meteorology satellite, launched
Born on this day:
1848 Paul Gauguin, French painter
1974 Mahesh Bhupathi, India, tennis pro
Gone on this day:
1954 Alan Turing, English mathematician
1970 E. M. Forster, English author of Passage to India, dies at 91