Allama Iqbal was the great poet-philosopher and active political leader born at Sialkot, Punjab, in 1877. He descended from a family of Kashmiri Brahmans, who had embraced Islam about 300 years earlier.Allama Iqbal received his early education in the traditional Madarsa. Later he joined the Sialkot Mission School, from where he passed his matriculate examination. […]
Begum Hazrat Mahal (1820—1879) was the wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. She was a real graceful lady, whose beauty had an unbeatable charm. She was also known as the Begum of Awadh. When her husband was exiled to Calcutta (now Kolkata), she took the responsibility of managing the affairs of the state of Awadh
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the founder of the Maratha Empire in western India. Shivaji was born on 19th February 1630, to Sahaji and his wife, Jijabai, in the Shivneri fort, situated at the north of Pune. He was named Shiva, after the local Goddess Shivai, to whom his mother Jijabai had prayed for a son.After
Medha Patkar is a well known social activist of India. She was born on 1st December 1954, in Maharashtra in a freedom fighter’s family to Indu and Vasant Khanolkar. Her father actively fought in the Indian Independence Movement. Her mother was a member of Swadar, an organization set up to help and assist women suffering
Baba Ramdev was born on 11th January, 1971 to Gulab Devi and Ram Niwas, in Alipur village of Mahendragarh district in Haryana. He was named as Ramkrishna Yadav. He took formal school education up to 8th standard. After that he studied Indian scriptures and yoga and Sanskrit in various gurukuls. The prominent one was the
Anna Hazare was born on 15th January, 1940 in Bhingar village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state to Babu Rao Hazare and Laxmi Bai. His parents christened him as Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare.Anna Hazare was raised up by his childless aunt. He couldn’t pursue his studies beyond 7th standard due to family reasons. He started
Chanakya (370-283 BCE) was an Indian teacher, philosopher, and royal advisor.Originally a professor of economics and political science at the ancient Takshashila University, Chanakya managed the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta’s rise to power at a young age. He is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire, which
Meerabai (1498—1557) was a princess Hindu mystical and a devotee of Lord Krishna from Rajasthan. She was one of the most significant figures of the Vaishnava bhakti movement. Some 1,300 pads (poems) commonly known as bhajans (sacred songs) are attributed to her. These are popular throughout India and have been published in several translations worldwide.
Nagarjuna (Ca. 150 CE—Ca. 250 CE) is widely considered one of the most important Buddhist philosophers after the historical Buddha. Along with his disciple Aryadeva, he is credited with founding the Madhyamaka school of Mahayana Buddhism. Nagarjuna is also credited with developing the philosophy of the Prajnaparamita Sutras and, in some sources, with having revealed
Kabir was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement. The name Kabir comes from Arabic al-Kabir which means ‘The Great’—the 37th name of God in Islam.Kabir was born to a Brahmin widow at Lahartara near Kashi (modern day Varanasi). The widow abandoned Kabir to escape dishonour associated
Bhikhaji Rustom Cama was born Bhikai Sorab Patel on 24 September 1861 in Bombay into a large, well-off Parsi family. Her parents, Sorabji Framji Patel and Jaijibai Sorabji Patel, were well-known in the city, where her father Sorabji-a lawyer by training and a merchant by profession-was an influential member of the Parsi community.Like many Parsi
Born on July 16, 1909, as Aruna Ganguli at Kalka in undivided Punjab, her family had a distinguished Brahmo lineage related to the family of Rabindranath Tagore. At the age of 19, breaking age old social conventions she married Asaf Ali, a leading Delhi Congressman in 1928 who was to become India’s first Ambassador to
Narayana Guru also seen as Sree Narayana Guru Swami, was a Hindu saint and social reformer of India. Narayana Guru was born on 22 August 1854, in the village of Chempazhanthy near Thiruvanantha-puram, the son of Madan Asan, a farmer, and Kutti Amma. The boy was dotingly called Nanu. Madan was also a teacher (“Asan”)
King Shahu Chhatrapati was born on 26th July 1874 considered as a true democrat and social reformer. He was an invaluable gem in the history of Kolhapur. Shahu was associated with many progressive activities in the society including education for women. He was greatly influenced by the contributions of social reformer Jyotiba Phule. Primary education
Muralidhar Devdas Amte, popularly known as Baba Amte, was born on 26 December, 1914 in Hinganghat, Wardha district in Maharashtra. He was the eldest son of his parents. His father was a wealthy Brahmin landowner of Wardha district, who owned over 450 acres of good cultivable land. The name ‘Baba’ was affectionately given by his