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.