Deep Dive: India's Republic Day, Icons of Screen and Ice, and the Highest Free Fall - January 26, 2026

I'm Hannah Whitmore, and today we're looking back at the events of January 26, a day that reshaped nations and introduced us to some of the most influential figures in modern history. And I'm Thatcher Collins. It's quite a lineup today, Hannah. We're going from the constitutional halls of New Delhi to the bright lights of Hollywood and even the vast heights of the atmosphere. Let's start with that major political milestone. In 1950, India officially became a republic. This was a massive transition, as the country's new constitution came into effect, effectively replacing the British monarch with an elected president as the head of state. It really was a defining moment for self-governance. Rajendra Prasad was sworn in as the first president of India on that day. It's incredible to think about the sheer scale of drafting a constitution for a nation as diverse and populous as India, Hannah. It turned a former colony into the world's largest democracy. Right. The legacy of that day is still celebrated every year as Republic Day. It represents the final step in India's journey toward total independence and the formal establishment of its own legal framework. While we're talking about legacies, January 26th is also a big day for some legendary birthdays. We should start with Paul Newman, born in 1925. He was so much more than just a movie star. Absolutely. Everyone knows him for films like Cool Hand Luke or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but his work with Newman's own really set a standard for celebrity philanthropy. Giving all those after-tax profits to charity was a pioneering move, Thatcher. Mm-hmm. He really did lead by example. And on the comedy side, we have Ellen DeGeneres, born in 1958. From her stand-up roots to her groundbreaking sitcom and then her long-running talk show, she's been a fixture in American living rooms for decades. She certainly changed the landscape of television. And we can't talk about January 26 birthdays without mentioning a hero of the ice. I mean, Wayne Gretzky, born in 1961. The Great One. It's almost hard to overstate his impact on hockey, Hannah. He holds so many NHL records that it sometimes feels like he was playing a completely different game than everyone else. Exactly. Four Stanley Cups and records for goals, assists, and points that might never be broken. It's a testament to how one person can truly elevate an entire sport to a new level of popularity and skill. It's a day for high achievers, for sure. But speaking of heights, Hannah, we have to talk about our fact of the day, which involves a height most of us can hardly fathom. No way. You're talking about Vesna Vulovich. On this day in 1972, she survived a fall from 33,330 feet. That's over six miles up in the air. It is the world's highest recorded free fall without a parachute. She was a flight attendant on JAT Flight 367 when it exploded over Czechoslovakia. she ended up trapped in the tail section of the plane, which somehow cushioned the impact enough for her to survive, though she had very serious injuries. It's one of those stories that defies all logic. She spent months in the hospital and actually went back to work for the airline later. It's a reminder of how resilient the human body and spirit can be in the face of the impossible. From the birth of a republic to the records on the ice and the miracles in the sky. January 26 is truly a day of extremes. I'm Thatcher Collins. And I'm Hannah Whitmore. Thanks for joining us on this journey through history. DeepDive is AI-Assisted, Human Reviewed. Explore History Every Day on Neural Newscast.