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Salman Rushdie is a British Indian novelist whose work Midnight's Children is widely considered the best novel of all Booker Prize winners. In 2007, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to literature. In 2008, he was ranked 13th in the 50 greatest British writers since 1945 list published by The Times.
Often referred to as the God of Cricket in India, Sachin Tendulkar is a retired cricketer. Also known for his humility on and off the field, Sachin is one of the most revered, celebrated, and decorated cricketers. Considered one of the greatest batsmen of all time, Sachin Tendulkar played a key role in turning India into a cricket-frenzy nation.
Considered one of India’s most influential and best actors of all time, Aamir Khan is known for his interesting choice of films, which are well-crafted, entertaining and commercially successful. They mostly have a social message and are appreciated both by critics and the people. Sarfarosh, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, 3 Idiots, PK and Dangal are some of his acclaimed films.
Hrithik Roshan is one of the most popular and highest-paid Indian actors. Also known for his dancing skills, Hrithik has established himself as a style icon and sex symbol over the years. One of the most bankable Indian stars, he started his career with romantic films, eventually finding success as an action hero.
One of the most popular and also amongst the highest paid Bollywood actresses, Kareena Kapoor is best known for her roles in movies like Chameli, Omkara, 3 Idiots and Jab We Met. Born into a film family, the beautiful, accomplished and award winning actress always aspired to enter the film industry and eventually made her debut at the age of 19 with the movie Refugee.
Sanjay Dutt is an Indian film actor who appears in Hindi movies. One of the most popular actors in India, Dutt is also known for his off-screen controversies; he was arrested in 1993 for possessing illegal weapons. His life and career inspired the 2018 biographical film Sanju where he was played by Ranbir Kapoor.
An impressive doubles tennis player, Sania Mirza has six Grand Slam titles under her belt. A former doubles world No. 1, Sania Mirza is one of the greatest Indian female tennis players ever. In 2005, Sania Mirza was named in Time magazine's 50 Heroes of Asia list. In 2016, she was named in the magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list.
Rani Mukerji is an Indian actress best known for her work in the Hindi film industry. One of the most successful actresses of her generation, Mukerji has featured in the highest-paid and most popular actresses of the 2000s lists. She has also received several awards like Filmfare Awards and Screen Awards. Rani Mukerji is also known for her humanitarian work.
Raveena Tandon is an Indian film actress, producer, and model. Although she is best known for her work in the Hindi film industry, Tandon has also played important roles in many popular South Indian films like Kamal Haasan's Aalavandhan and Upendra's eponymous film. Over the course of her career, Tandon has received several prestigious awards, including a National Film Award.
Karisma Kapoor is an Indian film actress best known for her association with the Hindi film industry. Born into the famous Kapoor family, Karisma achieved popularity during the 1990s when she played important roles in successful films like Jigar. She then established herself as the leading actress of Bollywood by winning prestigious awards like National Film Award and Filmfare Awards.
Padma Bhushan-winning physicist Homi Bhabha revolutionized the Indian nuclear program singlehandedly. Born into an affluent family, he was educated at Cambridge. Initially geared toward a career in mechanical engineering, he later drifted to physics, eventually contributing to the formation of TIFR. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is named after him.
Born to Goan Christians in Bombay, Dinesh D'Souza later moved to the U.S. for higher studies. The Indian-American right-wing filmmaker and writer is known for his anti-Obama documentary 2016: Obama's America. Convicted of illegal campaign contribution, he was later pardoned by Trump. He was also associated with an adultery scandal.
Born to legendary screenwriter and poet Javed Akhtar and actor and screenwriter Honey Irani, Farhan Akhtar was destined to be part of the film industry. His debut directorial venture Dil Chahta Hai won him a National Award, following which he delivered stunning performances in films such as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
Tamannaah Bhatia is an Indian film actress best known for her work in the Tamil and Telugu film industries. Apart from being a popular actress, Tamannaah is also an important celebrity endorser for famous products and brands. Over the years, Tamannaah has won many awards like the South Scope Awards. In 2010, she was honored with the prestigious Kalaimamani Award.
Sunil Gavaskar is an Indian former professional cricket player who represented the national team during the 1970s and 1980s. Considered one of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket history, Sunil Gavaskar was the first batsman to score over 10,000 runs in Test cricket. He also set many world records and held the record for most Test centuries for nearly 20 years.
Born to economics professor parents, Abhijit Banerjee grew up in India before he moved to the U.S. to study at Harvard. He later taught at Harvard and Princeton and is now associated with MIT. His studies on the ways of reducing world poverty won him a Nobel Prize.
Known for epic romantic and historic drama films such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, and Bajirao Mastani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian director recognized for his signature opulent sets and star-studded cast. The five-time National Film Award winner also has a Padma Shri in his kitty.
Indian businessman Anil Ambani is the chairman of Reliance Group. Once the sixth richest person in the world, he declared bankruptcy in early 2020 though the veracity of his claim is questionable. He has served in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India. He has been involved in many controversies.
Indian actress Alia Bhatt made her debut at the age of six in the movie Sangharsh. More than a decade later, she appeared in Student of the Year as its leading lady. The movie was a success and since then the actor’s career has seen tremendous rise. Her performances in movies like Highway, Raazi and Gully Boy have won her both, popularity and awards.
Juliet Prowse was an actress and dancer whose stage, film, and TV career spanned 40 years. She gained prominence during the 1960s by appearing in films like Can-Can and G.I. Blues, which accentuated her dancing skills and her attractive legs. Towards the end of her career, Juliet Prowse hosted PBS' Championship Ballroom Dance Competition.
Rishi Kapoor was an Indian actor, director, and producer best remembered for his work in Hindi cinema. One of the most popular Indian actors of his generation, Kapoor was the recipient of many prestigious awards, including a National Film Award and four Filmfare Awards. In 2008, he was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Hindi films.
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.
Shiva Ayyadurai is an Indian-American engineer, scientist, and entrepreneur. He gained recognition after claiming to be the inventor of email, which is widely disputed even today. His claim is based on a software called EMAIL, which he wrote while studying at Livingston High School in the late-1970s. He is also known for his unfounded medical claims, including treatments for COVID-19.
Dadabhai Naoroji was an Indian scholar and political leader. Dubbed the Grand Old Man of India, Naoroji is remembered for co-founding the Indian National Congress where he served as the president on three occasions. He also played an important role in India's fight for freedom, popularizing the Indian wealth drain theory through his book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
Fareed Zakaria is an Indian-American journalist, author, and political commentator. He has been serving as an editor-at-large for Time and editor for Newsweek International. He has also been serving as a columnist for Newsweek. His show, Fareed Zakaria GPS, which he hosts for CNN, has won a Peabody Award.
Armaan Malik is an Indian singer, record producer, songwriter, actor, and voice-over artist. In 2015, he won two Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GiMA), becoming the youngest singer to win a couple of debut awards at GiMA. He has also received other prestigious awards like Stardust Award, Filmfare R. D. Burman Award, and South Indian International Movie Award.
Asha Parekh is an Indian actress best known for her work in the Hindi film industry. Parekh was one of the most successful and highest-paid actresses of the 1960s and 1970s. She is also regarded as one of the most influential Bollywood actresses of all time. In 1992, she was honored with India's fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri.
