Well-known Personalities

Bahadur ShahII (1775-1862)

The last king of Mughal empire.Took part in the 1857 War of independence from exile.

Bacon, Roger (1214-1292)

English philosopher, scientist, called 'Doctor Mirabilis' described the process for making gun powder.

Bannerjee Surendranath (1848-1952)

One of the first Indian to pass the ICS examination; President of Indian National Congress, twice.

Bakr,Abu (573-634)

A leading general of the prophet, the first caliph, chosen successor to Mohammed.

Babbage, Charles (1792-1871)

English mathematician. His 'Calculating machines' were the precursors of today's computers.

Bacon, Francis (1561-1626)

English philosopher and essayist. 

Baden-Powell, Robert (1857-1941)

Founder of Boy Scouts (1908). His sister Agnes founded the Girl Guides (1910)

Balzac, Honore de (1799-1850)

French novelist.

Becket, Samuel (1906-1989)

Irish playwright and novelist. He won Nobel Prize,1969.

Barton, Clarissa Harlowe "Clara" (1821-1912)

A pioneer American teacher, patent clerk, nurse and humanitarian. At a time when relatively few women worked outside the home. Founded the American Red Cross to help victims of war and disasters.

Beevi Fathima M (1927)

The first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India (1989).

Behn, Mira (1892-1982)

British disciple of Gandhiji. Real name Madeline Slade. Dedicated to Gandhiji's teachings and to India. Received Padma Vibhusan.

Belafonte, Harry (1927)

American entertainer, civil right's leader.

Ben Gurion, David (1886-1973)

The first Prime Minister of Israel.

Beethoven, Ludwig Van (1770-1827)

German musician and composer. His symphonies-9 in number, rank as the greatest ever written.

Bell, Alexander Graham (1847-1922)

Scottish-born inventor of the telephone.

Baker, Laurie (1917-2007)

British-born Indian architect who pioneered innovative low-cost, environment-friendly housing.

Barnard, Christiaan Neethling (1922-2001)

South African surgeon who performed the first human heart transplant operation.

Bhutto, Benazir (1953-2007)

11th PM of Pakistan from 1988-1990, 1993-1996; 1988-Pakistan's first elected female PM;

her government dismissed in1996 by President Farooq Leghari; conceded defeat in 1997 elections; self-imposed exile in Dubai in 1998; returned to Pakistan in 2007 ;assassinated in a bombing in 2007 at Rawalpindi, during the 2008 general election campaign. Daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Bond, Ruskin (1934)

Author of many English books for Indian children.