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| Mahatma Gandhi | |
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Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi called the Father of
the Nation was born in Porbunder in Gujarat. He passed the examination for barrister
in 1890 and started practicing Law. He went to South Africa to take-up
a case. There he was disturbed by the oppression of Indians by the whites.
He formulated the path of Satyagraha and protested against the injustice. He returned
to India in 1916, and took up the leadership of the National Freedom struggle. Gandhi launched many Movements to force the British to concede India its Independence. The most Well-known being: 'Non-Co-operation Movement' (1920), 'Civil Disobedience Movement' (1930) and 'Quit India Movement' (1942). In 1930, Gandhiji led the famous 'Dandi March' for breaking the Salt Laws. Gandhiji also worked hard for the upliftment of the Harijans, the name given by him to the untouchables. Gandhiji declared untouchability as a sin against God and man. 'My experiments with Truth' is the famous autobiography written by Gandhiji. On 30th January 1948 he was shot dead by a religious fanatic Nathu Ram Godse. Read More... |
| Rabindra Nath Tagore | |
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Rabindranath Tagore was a rare and great personality. He was
a scholar, freedom fighter, writer and painter and above all a humble man.
His contributions to Indian Literature was immense. He won the Noble
Prize in 1913 for his collection of well known poems 'Gitanjali'. Tagore was born on May 7, 1861 to Debendranath Tagore and Sharada Devi at Jorasanko in West Bengal. He did his schooling in the prestigious St. Xavier's School. He has written thousands of Poems and lyrics and about 35 plays about 12 novels, numerous short stories and a mass of prose literature. He was called as 'Vishwa Kavi'. Besides the famous 'Gitanjali' his other well known poetic works include ' Sonar Tari', 'Puravi', ' The cycle of the spring', ' The evening songs' etc. The names of his well known novels are: 'Gora', ' The wreck', ' Raja Rani', ' Ghare Baire', ' Raj Rishi' etc. ' Chitra' is his famous play in verse. ' Kabuli Wallah' and ' Kshudita Pashan' are his famous stories. In 1901, he founded the Vishwabharati University- earlier known as Shantiniketan at Bolepur in West Bengal. This was founded with the aim of evolving a world culture, a synthesis of eastern and western values. Our National Anthem 'Jana Gana Mana ......' was written by him. Read More... |
| Swami Vivekananda | |
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Swami Vivekananda was a spiritual leader, yogi and patriot
from West Bengal. He was one of the prominent leaders of the Indian religious
and cultural renaissance. The real name of Vivekananda was Narendranath Dutta.
He was born on 12th January, 1863 in Calcutta. He was Ramkrishna Paramahamsa's
disciple. In 1893, he went to Chicago as a representative of India at the Parliament of All Religions of the World. On 11th September, he delivered his historical speech which made his learned audience bow their heads in reverence. In fact, he was the first person who made India's greatness known to the world. IN 1897, he founded Ramakrishna Mission for the service of the Indian Society. Vivekananda showed a new path to the younger generation, through his books like 'Yoga', 'Rajyoga' and 'Gyanyoga'. Swami Vivekananda memorial built at Kanya Kumari tells us even today the story of the greatness of Vivekananda. Read More... |
| B. R. Ambedkar | |
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Dr. Ambedkar was the main architect of the Indian Constitution. He was born
in a very poor low caste family of Madhya Pradesh. In U.S.A., he did his M.A.
in 1915 and Ph.D. in 1916. From 1918 to 1920, he worked as a Professor of
Law. Dr. Ambedkar set up his legal practice at the Mumbai High Court. Ambedkar was the main inspiration behind the inclusion of special provision in the Constitution of India for the development of Schedule Caste people. Dr. Ambedkar was the Law Minister of India from 1947 to 1951. He took part in the Satyagraha of untouchables at Nasik in 1930 for opening the Hindu temples to them. Dr. Ambedkar was emancipator of the 'untouchables' and crusader for social justice. This liberator of the down trodden was affectionately called "Babasaheb". He was posthumously awarded 'Bharat Ratna' in the year 1990. |
| Satyajit Roy | |
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Satyajit Ray was a renowned film director from West Bengal. Ray was born
in Calcutta. He started his career as a commercial artist before making films.
He was a great writer, good composer and one of the best dialogue writer. His first feature film was "Pather Panchali" (The song of the Road). This film was his most notable one for its realistic portrayal; of everyday life and artistic composition of his camera work that earned him worldwide recognition. He received many prestigious International/National awards for creation of this master piece. He made 28 full length feature films and a few documentaries. His most famous films 'Pather Panchali', 'Apajito', 'Apur Sansar', 'Charulata', 'Goppy Gyne Bagha Byne', 'Satranj Ke Khiladi' (Hindi),' Sadgati' (Telefilm), 'Nayak' and 'Aagantuk' occupy a special place in the hearts of cinema lovers. The French Government awarded him "The Legion of Honour"--the highest award in France. He also received many awards like the Magasaysay award (1967) and Dada Saheb Phalke award (1984). He was awarded "Bharat Ratna" in 1992. But the happiest moment in his life came when he was informed in his death bed of winning the special Oscar Award. |
| Lata Mangeshkar | |
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Lata Mangeshkar is the Melody Queen of India. Lata Mangeshkar has ruled over
the hearts of millions of music lovers throughout the world for the last
forty years by the magic of her melodious voice. She was born on 29th September
1928, in Indore (Madhya Pradesh) in a family of musicians. She took to
singing at the age of 13. She has sung songs based on classical Indian music and
ragas, bhajans or devotional songs, romantic and melancholic songs and so
on. Lata's name has come in the Guinness Book of Records as the singer of the highest number of songs. She has already sung over 30,000 songs in a variety of languages. She is recipient of many awards and honours both within the country and abroad. The Government of India has conferred on her the title of 'Padma Shri'. The Government of Madhya Pradesh has instituted an annual award of Rs. 1 Lakh in her name. She has also received the prestigious 'Filmfare Award' for best singer many times. 'Dadasaheb Phalke Award' was conferred upon her in the year 1989 and 'Rajiv Gandhi Sadhbhavana Award' in 1997. Her hit songs of the films Anarkali, Mughul-E-Azam, Bees Saal Baad, Amar Prem, Mehbooba, Sangam, Jurmana, Arpan, Ek Duje Ke Liya, Ram Teri Ganga Maili etc. are worth mentioning. The songs sung by Lata in the recent films - 1942- A Love Story, Dilwale Dulhanya Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai etc. have become enormously popular and shows that Lata's voice has improved further in spite of her age. |
| Amitabh Bachhan | |
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Amitabh Bachchan can be categorized as India's most popular and successful
hero of Hindi films. He was born at Allahabad in 1942. He has been hailed
as a 'Super Star' in India. Because of his immense popularity,
he has been labeled 'One Man Industry'. Before joining films, he was working as an executive in a shipping firm at Kolkata. His career graph took an upward swing with the release of 'Janjeer' in 1973. He monopolized the Hindi cinema after providing his worth as an accomplished actor when pitted against Rajesh Khanna in 'Anand' and Dilip Kumar in 'Shakti' (1982). His most successful film are: Anand(1970), Namak Haram(1973), Abhiman(1973), Milli(1975), Deewar, Sholay(1975), Mukaddar ka Sikandar(1978), Trishul(1978), Silsila(1981), Agni-Path (1990). He has won Filmfare Award, National Award and has been conferred Padma Shri for his histrionic achievements. After a pause for some time he is back to silver screen to perform some selective roles. He has established his own company. Amitabh Bachchan corporation Ltd (ABCL) concerning Various facets of entertainment including film distribution, culture and music. In the same year, Amitabh Bachchan once again re-entered Indian popular culture by anchoring the hugely popular quiz program Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? |
| Sachin Tendulkar | |
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The pride of Indian cricket Sachin Tendulkar, was the first ever batsman
to score 15,000 runs in one-day cricket. He has scored a world record,
41 hundreds and 79 half-centuries in his 15,000 runs. He has also scored
over 11,000 test runs with 37 centuries and 45 half-centuries. A perennial
crowd-favorite, he is the only Indian cricketer to receive the Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna Award,
India's highest sporting honour for his performance in 1997-1998. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was born on April 24, 1973, in Mumbai. Young Sachin wanted to be a fast bowler. He even undertook trials at the MRF pace foundation, Chennai, but his short stature proved to be a hindrance for bowling. Meeting Mr. R. Achrekar, his Cricket Coach and changing his school to Shardashram Vidya Mandir in Dadar marked a turning point in Sachin's cricket career. Sachin at the age of 16, made his International debut in ODI’s India v Pakistan at Gujranwala and Tests debut India v Pakistan at Karachi around 1989/90. He then went to England as a part of the national team, and has not looked back ever since. He knows every shot in the book and and makes his own improvisations. His shots have tremendous power and he times the ball perfectly, making him one of the best batsman in the world. He is also an effective bowler and also one of the best fielders. This all rounder has been the captain of the Indian cricket team twice. In 1998, he won the Coopers and Lybrand Award for 'Player of the Year' and has been in the number one position in the Wisden Cricket ratings. |
| Amartya Sen | |
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Amartya Kumar Sen, son of Amita Sen and Ashutosh Sen, was born on 3rd November
1933 at Shantiniketan, West Bengal. He received his initial education at Shantiniketan
and then Presidency College, Calcutta. He was exposed early on to the plight
of the poor. As a 10-year old child, during the Bengal famine, he was shocked
to see people dying of hunger on the streets of Calcutta yards away from shops
stocked with food. Three years later in Dhaka a Muslim labourer was killed
in communal riots outside his house. The traumatic incidents directed Sen
to a relentless study of the economic mechanism underlying famines and poverty.
Amartya Sen joined Trinity College, Cambridge in 1953. He became the youngest chairman of the Department of Economics, Jadavpur University, at the age of 23. Between 1956-1998 he was Professor of Economics at various Universities in India and abroad. Sen's contributions on welfare economics and definition of poverty in relation to development have offered a new philosophy and an alternative way to solid economic development. He was of the opinion that the World Bank system of ranking countries according to the GNP and saving rates was not enough and he helped to create the United Nations Human Development Index which has now become the most authoritative international source of welfare comparisons between countries. Some of his works include 'Choice of Techniques', ' Collective Choice and Social Welfare', ' Poverty and Famines', 'Development as Freedom' etc. Sen is the sixth Indian to get the Nobel and the first
Asian winner of the Economics Prize. Some of the honours to his
credit are 'Indira
Gandhi Gold Medal Award' of the Asiatic Society (1994), 'Nobel
prize for Economics'
(1998) for his work on 'The poorest people in Society', 'Eisenhower
Medal'
from USA (2000), 'Honorary Companion of Honour' from UK (2000). He also
received 'Bharat Ratna', the highest civilian award in
India. |
Courtsey: www.webindia123.com
