History and culture

Independence Day

August 15, 1947 was India’s Independence Day. The day marked the end of British rule in the country and Jawaharlal Nehru became India’s first Prime Minister. The day continues to be celebrated by Indians every year.

Birthday to remember

A girl’s 15th birthday is a big celebration in Mexico and other Latin American cultures. Called quinceanera, the birthday marks the transition from childhood to womanhood. An important ritual at the ceremony is when the birthday girl hands over 15 candles to 15 people who have been influential in her life and dedicates speeches to them.

Ides of March Sourced by the Telegraph

Ides of March

March 15, 44BC is a notorious date as the Roman general Julius Caesar was assassinated by his senators, led by Marcus Brutus. The Ides of March, as the date is known, was a turning point for the region and led to the formation and rise of the Roman empire.

Language

Measure of time

The number of minutes in a quarter of an hour is 15. Fifteen minutes past or before an hour is known as quarter past and quarter to, respectively.

15 minutes of fame is a phrase used to describe short-lived celebrity status, inspired by American artist Andy Warhol’s words at a 1968 exhibition: “In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.” The phenomenon is particularly used in reference of people in the entertainment industry.

The first point scored by a player in the game of tennis is not one but 15 Sourced by the Telegraph

Sports

First point in tennis

The first point scored by a player in the game of tennis is not one but 15. This is, apparently, because back in Medieval France, the hands of clocks would be used to denote tennis scores. To indicate the first point, the minutes hand would be moved to the 15-minute mark.

15-puzzle

This is a game of 16 squares. The 15 numbered squares are muddled up and the player has to slide them to bring in numerical order, with the last slot left empty.

15 Park Avenue Film poster

Entertainment

15 Park Avenue is a 2005 film directed by Aparna Sen. A multi-starrer with the likes of Waheeda Rehman and Shabana Azmi, it deals with schizophrenia that Konkona Sen Sharma’s character suffers from.

General

Length of rulers

15 centimetres is the standard length of rulers used in schools. The compact size is suitable for drawing borders, art work and fits into most pencil boxes.

Canadian skywalk

The Plus 15 Skyway network in Calgary, Canada, is one of the world’s most extensive overhead pedestrian walkways. Built in 1970, it has 62 bridges stretching over 18 kilometres. The system is so named as the skywalks are about 15ft above street level.