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In 2010, Sunny Leone was named among 12 top porn stars by Maxim magazine. After a flourishing career in the porn industry, Sunny Leone settled in India where she is currently popular as a film actress. Her journey from a porn actress to a successful Bollywood personality is viewed as an inspirational story by many young women across the world.
Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian polymath who contributed greatly to the fields of literature, art, and philosophy. Referred to as the Bard of Bengal, Tagore is credited with reshaping Bengali literature and music. The first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, Tagore is also credited with composing the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.
Vijay Devarakonda is an Indian actor best known for his work in the Telugu film industry. He achieved national recognition for his performance in the 2017 film Arjun Reddy, which was remade in Tamil and Hindi languages. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Devarakonda founded a non-profit organization called The Deverakonda Foundation in 2019.
Indian actress and producer, Anushka Sharma is one of the most popular and highest-paid actresses in the country. She was featured by Forbes Asia in their 30 Under 30 list of 2018 and is the recipient of numerous awards. Beginning her career as a model, she soon ventured into acting and made a name for herself within a short while.
Manushi Chhillar is an Indian actress and model. Chhillar achieved popularity in 2017 when she won the Miss World pageant, becoming only the sixth Indian to win the pageant. After winning the pageant, Chhillar went on to sign a three-film contract with the popular production company Yash Raj Films. She has also modeled for popular brands like Fashion Big Bazaar.
Satyajit Ray was an Indian film director, music composer, and writer. Considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Ray became the first Indian to be honored with an Academy Honorary Award in 1992. Apart from Indian filmmakers, international directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Francis Ford Coppola, Wes Anderson, and Christopher Nolan have been influenced by Satyajit Ray.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian social and religious reformer. He is credited with co-founding the Brahmo Sabha, a social-religious reform movement. Often referred to as the Father of the Bengal Renaissance, Roy has had an influential role in fields like politics, education, and religion. In 2004, he was ranked 10th in BBC's Greatest Bengali of all time poll.
Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer, Tenzing Norgay, was one of the first two individuals known to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the other being Edmund Hillary. He was named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century by Time magazine. In his later years, he became the first Director of Field Training of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was an Indian politician and independence activist. He formulated the Hindu nationalist philosophy of Hindutva and was a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha. He was known for his strong oratory skills and was an eloquent writer. He was initially charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi but was later acquitted.
Nicknamed the Young Tiger and Jr. NTR, N. T. Rama Rao Jr. is the grandson of legendary Telugu actor-politian N.T. Rama Rao. A talented Kuchipudi dancer in his youth, he was a child actor, too. Now known for films such as Nannaku Prematho and Yamadonga, he also won two Filmfare Awards.
The Rebel Poet of Bengal Kazi Nazrul Islam is remembered for his vast body of literary work, including poems and songs written during the British Raj, mostly laced with socio-political overtones. His songs, known as Nazrul Geeti, are the staple for any Bengali household. He is also Bangladesh’s national poet.
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the country's fifth president from 1974 to 1977. He became only the second Indian president to die in office. He was also only the second Muslim to serve as the president of India. He signed the proclaimation by which the Emergency was imposed in India
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy had initially been part of the Indian independence movement. He was the first chief minister of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India and later served as the president of India. He had also headed the Indian National Congress and had been the speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Ahilyabai Holkar was the Queen of the Maratha Empire who reigned from 1767 to 1795. A great pioneer, Ahilyabai is credited with building hundreds of temples throughout India. She is best remembered for rebuilding the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple which had been plundered, desecrated, and converted into a mosque by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Zail Singh was the seventh President of India and was the first Sikh to occupy the office. Before becoming the President, he served as the Home Minister of India in Indira Ganhi's cabinet. The latter part of his presidency was marked by tension with the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The Maratha Empire’s second Chhatrapati, Sambhaji Bhosale, was the eldest son of Shivaji. After losing his mother at 2, he was raised by his grandmother. A treaty made him a Mughal mansabdar. Later, following repeated clashes with the Mughals, he was eventually captured and tortured to death.
Mallika Sarabhai is an Indian classical dancer, activist, and actress. She is best known as the daughter of prominent space scientist Vikram Sarabhai. An accomplished Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer, Mallika Sarabhai uses the dance forms to bring about a social change. She is the recipient of Gujarat's prestigious Gaurav Puraskar and India's third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan.
Born in Chennai, to a Carnatic music teacher mother, Sid Sriram later moved to the US with his family. The talented singer-songwriter is a Berklee College of Music alumnus and is known for his skills mixing pop/soul and Indian classical elements. His Indian playback credits include Adiye from the film Kadal.
Paresh Rawal is a renowned National Film Award- and Padma Shri-winning Indian actor who has entertained audiences in Hindi films such as Hera Pheri and Sir. He is also a well-known villain in Telugu films. Married to former Miss India Swaroop Sampat, Rawal has also previously been a BJP MP.
Padma Shri- and Padma Bhushan-winning classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai received a unique education, having been part of both the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Shantiniketan. She specialized in Bharatnatyam and Kathakali, and later launched her own dance academy, along with her physicist husband Vikram Sarabhai.
Gopi Sundar is an Indian singer, songwriter, and music director. He is predominantly active in the Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil film industries. He started his career composing music for TV commercials and gradually made his way to more substantial projects. After achieving success as a music director, he started his own recording label, Gopi Sundar Music Company.
Nana Saheb, also known as Dhondupant, was a major figure of the 1857 Sepoy Munity, or the first war of Indian independence. The adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II, he was initially on friendly terms with the British but was later forced by circumstances to join the rebels against the British.
