Introduction to World Personalities

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD PERSONALITIES

Introduction to World Personalities

By

Menonim Menonimus

 

 

 

Internet Edition by

www.menonimus.org

 

 

Introduction to World Personalities is a collection of biographical essays on world Persons from varied disciplines by Menonim Menonimus.

Introduction to World Personalities 

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Introduction to World Personalities 

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Introduction to World Personalities

 

Preface

This present book of mine entitled ‘Introduction to World Personalities’ contains biographical sketches of some famous persons around the world. These biographical sketches are in no way exhaustive or full-fledged. It only gives an answer to the question of what a person is.

  CONTENTS 

Amitabh Bachchan 

Kamal Haasan

Ranu Mandal

Antonio Tavaris Brown–

Atal Bihari Vajpayee 

Amrita Pritam

Oliver Thomas Cottar

Aruna Asaf Ali

Oscar Wild

Oliver Goldsmith

Chulikapha

Rudra  Singh  

Sir Isaac Newton

Tomas Alva Addison

Kalidas 

Bhawabhuti

Bisbanaraayana Sastri 

Max Muller

Purushottam Bidyabagish

Hazarat Mohammed

Jesus Christ

Swami Vivekananda

Stephen Hawking 

Kangsha

Vishnu Prasad Rabha

Phani  Sarma

Balubhadra

Yashoda 

Nanda

Maghai Uja 

Alauddin

Dante 

Endymion

Kamadev 

Hiero

Tiluttama

Hercules

Napoleon 

Dak

Bidyapati

Julius Caesar

Bachendrai Paul

Tenjin Norge

Arjun

Aristotle

Draupadi

Balabarma

Valmiki

Shakespeare 

Miranda

Lord Budha

John Keats

Copernicus

Galileo Galilee

Keplar

Rahul Sanskritayan

Radhakrishnan

Baman

Debahuti

Kapil

Daibaki

Shirin Ibadi

Ratnamala

Chilaray

Sunder Gohain

Ramanujan

Karla Max

Rama Sinha

Lachit Barphukan

Jayadhabaj Singh

Bagh Hajaraika

Meghraj Karmakar

Indraching Deori

Balairam Senapati

Christenson Munda 

Justin Lacra

Gagan Chandra Sonowal 

Parshuram Sonowal

Yogesh Das

Yogendra Nath Hazarika

Vishnu Prasada Rabha

Rajen Rabha

Prashanna Pam

Birobala Rava

Naoraiya Phulo

Yatindra Sinha

Saraswati Sinha

Nunthumbam Bidyapati Sinha

Vrigumuni Kagyung

Kamala Miri

Oiram Bori

Yadaba Payeng

Kamini Kumara Narjarai

Shobha Brahma 

Binesbara Brahman 

Kirata Saurya Badauca

Radha-Rukuni

Jhaparaa Jagadha 

Mohan Saikiya

Raghava Maran

Pawan Neog

Lankeswar Gohain

Sarbananda Singh

Sabilala Upadhaya

Dalabir Singh Lohar

Hariprasad Gorkha Rai

Bhimabar Deori

Radhakanta Deori

Bargarama Deori

Chandra Sinha Deuri 

Isaac Asimov

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar 

Wilhelm Rontgen 

William Kelvin

Yehudi Menuhin

Esop

Adi Amin

Ibn Battuta

Eve

Amerigo Vespucci 

Indira Gandhi 

Yuri Gagarin 

Euripides

Aryabhatta

Ashapurna Devi 

Asha Bhosle

Alexander

Alexander Graham Bell

Al-Khwarizmi

Erle Stanley Gardner 

Arnold Joseph Toynbee

Earnest Rutherford

Archimedes

R K Narayan

Ivan Turgenev

Andre-Mary Empire

Abul Fazal

Abdus Salam

Abraham Lincoln

Amjad Ali Khan

Akbar

Hitler

Adam 

Adam Smith

Franz Kafka.

 

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD PERSONALITIES

(TEXT)

 

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan is a legendary  Indian film actor, filmmaker, television host, humanitarian, social activist and politician. He gained popularity as one of the most popular and unique film actors of India.

Amitabh Bachchan was born on 11 October 1942 in Allahabad. His father’s name was  Harivansh Rai Bachchan. He was an Awadhi Hindu of Kayastha caste. He was a poet. His mother, Teeji Bachchan was a social worker. Amitabh Bachchan took his early education in local schools and then went to Sherwood College, Nainital. Later he studied at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. He found an artistic environment at his home and with the passing of time, he developed his interest in acting and became a film actor. He has a younger brother named Ajitabh. Amitabh Bachchan married Jaya Bhaduri in 1973 and had two children, Shweta and Abhishek Bachchan by her.

He gained popularity in the early 1970s for films such as Zanjeer, Dewar and Sholay and was dubbed India’s “angry youth” for his on-screen roles in Bollywood. He has since acted in about 200 films in a career spanning nearly fifty years. Bachchan is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema. Apart from the Indian subcontinent, he has huge popularity in South Africa, Egypt, the United Kingdom, Russia and parts of the United States.

Bachchan has won several awards in his career, including four National Film Awards as Best Actor, Dadasaheb Phalke Award and several awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies. He has won fifteen Filmfare Awards and is the most nominated artist in any major acting category at Filmfare. Apart from acting, Bachchan has worked as a playback singer, filmmaker and television presenter. He has hosted several seasons of the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, a version of India’s game show franchise, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He also entered politics for a time in the 1980s.

For his contribution to the Indian cinema industry, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1984, the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015. The Government of France awarded him its highest civilian honour, Knight of the Legion of Honor, in 2007 for his exceptional career in the world of cinema.

He is remembered as a source of inspiration for the young generation. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Kamal Haasan 

Kamal Haasan is famous an Indian film actor, film director, screenwriter, playback singer, lyricist, social worker and politician. He works primarily in Tamil cinema, although he has worked in Bengali, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi films.

Kamal Haasan was born on 7 November 1954 in a Tamil Iyengar family. His father’s name was D. Srinivasan a lawyer and Rajalakshmi a housewife was his mother. He received his primary education at Paramkudi and continued his education at Santhome, Madras. Since his childhood, he was attracted to film and fine arts. In his home, he got encouragement and favourable environment to become an actor.

He started his career as a child artist in a Tamil film titled ‘Kalathur Kannamma’ for which he won the President’s Gold Medal. He met director Varanam Vijay, who is often credited with moulding Hassan’s acting skills. He has since appeared in several Tamil and other Indian-language films and become famous as a film actor.

Haasan has won many awards and honours as three National Film Awards for Best Actor, 19 Filmfare Awards and 9 International Awards. His production company, Raj Kamal Films International, has produced many of his films.

On February 2018, Kamal Hasan formally started his own political party, Makkal Neidi Mayim (People’s Justice Center). The party flag joins six hands in a circle in alternating red and white colours with a white star in its centre against a black background. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Ranu Mandal

Ranu Mandal (Ranu Ray)is a beggar singer who used to sing songs in the street, especially in the railway platform, West Bengal for a living. He was born on October 10, 1959, in a very poor family.

Ranu Mandal was married at an early age to Babul Mandal of Mumbai and shifted to Mumbai after marriage. Their married life was not a happy one.  She gave birth to a girl child but after the birth of the daughter, her husband died and soon after the death of her husband, she returned to her paternal village, Ranaghat, West Bengal. Her life in Ranaghat was full of hardships. During her days at Ranaghat, her only daughter stayed away from her as she did not like her mother to sing on the railway platform. 

At the age of 20, she used to sing in the club. There she was called  Ranu Bobby. He soon quit singing at the club because his family did not support her the profession. But as she got no other means of living, she started singing at the railway station of Ranaghat. Many people enjoyed her song who came to the station but everybody ignored her.

Ranu often sang old songs. One day Atindra Chakraborty, a software engineer, happen to listen to her melodious song. Atinder puts video recordings of her songs on social media. The video featured Ranu singing Lata Mangeshkar’s song, “Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai”. The video went viral overnight and his voice was appreciated by millions of people and even by big personalities.

After seeing her popularity, Sony Entertainment TV channel invited her to a  reality show. Impressed by his voice, Himesh Reshammiya offered her songs in his film. Soon Himesh recorded a song ‘Teri Meri Kahani’ with Ranu Mondal for his film. Atinder was also in the studio when Ranu was recording the song for Himesh. After that Ranu got offers of songs from several other music directors and got contracts for music festivals. 

Now she is working under the patronage of  Himesh Reshammiya. Her name is uttered as an example of how the fortune can change the course of life.  0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Antonio Tavaris Brown

Antonio Tavaris Brown is an American football player (wide receiver). He was born in 1988. Eddie Brown is his father who was also a player.

Brown attended Miami Norland High School in Miami, Florida. In football, Brown played back, quarterback, wide receiver and punt returner for the Vikings. He was twice elected to the Class 6A all-state selection and was also named North Athlete of the Year at the 2005 Miami-Dad Grimonian Classic. Brown applied to Florida State University as soon as he got out of high school. But his admission was denied over academic concerns.

After attempting to attend Alcorn State, he decided to enrol at North Carolina Tech Prep. Playing in just five games at quarterback, Brown passed for 1,247 yards and 11 touchdowns, while rushing for 451 yards and 13 touchdowns. After having finished his lone season at North Carolina Tech Prep, he received a scholarship to play at Florida International University but was expelled before the season for a change with safety. Antonio Brown then started reaching out to wide receiver coach Butch Jones in West Virginia, as he was recruited by him. Then Brown enrolled in school and began his college football career as a walk-on freshman. 

In 2007 Brown began attending Central Michigan after wide receiver coach Zac Azzanni asked him to go to Michigan and try as a walk-on wide receiver for the team. After a few weeks, the coaches at Central Michigan awarded him a scholarship. Brown had difficulty adjusting to the college lifestyle, and to time for meetings and practice. Azzanni and his wife helped him settle into an established routine, and he soon became part of their family. He made his collegiate debut on September 1 against Kansas.

Brown made every game debut during his playing season in 2008. In the third game of the season, against Ohio, he got 10 receptions for 78 yards with a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown in 31 receptions. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Atal Bihari Vajpayee 

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a freedom fighter, Member of Parliament, journalist, speaker, poet and the13th Prime Minister of India. He was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. His father was an ideal school teacher. Bajpayee studied in Gwalior and Kanpur. He took M.A. in Political Science and studied law but he did not complete his degree in Law. After this, he took an active part in the freedom movement of India and was imprisoned for several years. 

He started his career in 1951 as a founding member of the ‘Bharatiya Jana Sangha’ (Indian People’s Union). He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1956 as a candidate of the Indian People’s Union. Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha eight times and to the Rajya Sabha six times. He was imprisoned along with many other leaders during the ‘Emergency’ of 1975-77. From 1986 to 1989, he served as the Foreign Minister of the Janata Dal government. He was the founding president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1970 and held the post till 1986. He served as the Prime Minister of India from 16 May 1996 to 1 June. He again served as the Prime Minister of India from March 1998 to May 22, 2004.

During Vajpayee’s tenure, India detonated an experimental atomic bomb in Pokhara in 1998. During his tenure, the historic Lahore-Delhi bus service began. Vajpayee had taken special initiative to establish friendly relations with Pakistan. During his tenure, Vajpayee faced criticism for his involvement in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. During his tenure, he was regarded as one of the leading manufacturers of modern India for his meaningful implementation of India’s domestic and foreign policy.

He received Padma Bhushan, Lokmanya Tilak Award, GB Pant Award, Best MP Award for his contributions to the nation.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also known as a poet and writer. He had published several books. Some of them are ‘Meri Sanhadiya Yatra’, ‘New Dimensions of India’s Foreign Policy’, ‘Merry Ekawana Kabitaye’.

He died on 16 August 2016. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Amrita Pritam

Amrita Pritam was an Indian Punjabi and Hindi poet and novelist. He was born on 31 August 1919 in Gujranwala, Punjab (now in Pakistan). His father’s name was Kartar Singh. She was the first female writer to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Amrita Pritam was the author of 8 collections of poetry, 30 novels and 10 collections of short stories. Some of her books are translated into some languages of the world. She was much aware of the dignity and rights of women and unhesitatingly expressed her feelings and views in her writings. Her writings reflect the psychological and emotional perceptions of the female mind, moral introspection and her desire for beauty. He was the editor of the Punjabi monthly magazine ‘Nagmani’. She was also nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha. 

Some of the books published by her are: ‘Dr. Dev’, ‘Revenue Stamp’, ‘Kagaj Te Canvas, ‘Pinjar’, ‘Sunehare’ etc. He was awarded the Bharatiya Jnanpith Award in 1971 for his collection of poems ‘Kagaj Te Canvas’. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award (1958) for his collection of poems ‘Sunesare’, Padma Shri (1969) and the honorary D.Litt (1973) from Delhi University. She was the first woman to receive the Padma Shri Award. 

She died on October 31, 2005. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Oliver Thoma Cottar

Oliver Thomas Cottar was one of the members of the American missionary team to Assam. He was born in 1811 in Levington, USA. In 1831, he came to Assam from the United States of America via Burma (Myanmar). At first, he spent some time in Shadia (Upper Assam), but later he became the chairman of the Mission Press set up by the missionaries at Shivsagar and served as the printer-publisher of ‘Arunodai’ the first news outlet in Assam. He was one of the patrons of Assamese language instead of Bengali language in Assam. He returned to the United States in 1853. The time of his death is not unknown. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

 Aruna Ashaf Ali

Aruna Ashaf Ali was an Indian woman freedom fighter, social worker and magazine editor. He took an active role in public life in India for several decades. 

She was born on 16 July 1909 in Calcutta. Her original name was Aruna Ganguly. Later, she got married to a Muslim lawyer named Asaf Ali and became Aruna Asaf Ali. He received his schooling in Calcutta. He was later influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology and joined the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1930 and was imprisoned for some months. She hoisted the national flag in Mumbai during the Quit India Movement. She had to evade the police form being arrested for many days. He played a prominent role in the independence movement of India.

In 1956, he was elected the Mayor of Delhi. For a while, she edited two newspapers ‘Patriot’ and ‘Link’. He died on July 29, 1992. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Oscar Wilde 

Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright, novelist, short story writer and essayist. He was born on 15 October 1854 in Dublin, the capital of Ireland. 

He studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and later at Magdalen College, Oxford University. During his time at Oxford, he became popular in London’s aristocratic society for his witty speeches and a number of beautiful poems. 

In 1893, he was convicted of homosexuality and sent to prison for two years. After his release from prison, Oscar Wilde wrote ‘The Ballad of Reading Jail’ and ‘The Profundis’. After his release, he spent some time in Italy and France. He died of a brain haemorrhage on November 30, 1900. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Oliver Goldsmith

Oliver Goldsmith was a poet, novelist and dramatist. He was born on November 10, 1730, in a small village in Ireland. After graduating from Trinity College, Dublin, he spent some time studying medicine in Edinburgh. However, he did not complete his studies. Then he went on travelling in 1756 and travelled to various parts of Europe for almost two years with almost an empty pocket. 

After returning from travelling, at first, he tried to earn a living as a doctor. But as a doctor, he cut a sorry figure and then he turned his attention to literary pursuits. In 1759, he published some essays. In the same year, he became the editor of ‘The Bee’ and published his various writings such as essays, biographies, translations, etc. Among his published works ‘The Traveller’ and ‘The Deserted Village’ (two poems) are particularly noteworthy. These poems brought recognition to Goldsmiths as a poet. Notable books authored by him include: ‘The Vicar of Wakefield’ (novel), ‘The Good Natured Man’, and ‘She Stops to Conquer’ (drama). 

He died on 4 April 1774 in London, England. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Sulikafa   

Sulikapha was a tyrannical and despotic Ahom king. He is called ‘Lara Raja’ (boy king) because he was only fourteen years old when he became a king. He was always in fear of losing his throne in the hand of some other worth princes. Hence he wounded many Ahom princes to avoid opposition. He killed Sati Jayamati in the filed of Jerenga. He later died in an ambush and Gadadhar Singh became the king of Assam. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities 

Rudra Singh 

Rudra Singh was a great Ahom king. He was the son of King Gadadhar Singh. He built many temples, roads and ponds. This king built ‘Jaydaul’ and ‘Jayasagar’ on the Jerenga Pathar to commemorate his mother Jayamati Kunwari who was killed by Chulikapha (Lara Raja). He is considered to be the best of the Ahom kings. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

 Sir Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton was a scientist, physicist and mathematician. He was born in 1642 in a peasant family. He discovered the force of gravity of the Earth. He also invented colon mathematics and some laws of the physical world. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

 Thomas Alva Addison

Thomas Alva Addison was a great American scientist. He invented about one thousand and two hundred things and tools. He also invented the electric bulb. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Kalidasa 

Kalidas was a famous Sanskrit poet and playwright. He was born in the ancient city of Ujjain in India. He was the royal poet of Raja Vikramaditya. He wrote a number of poems and plays. ‘Kumar Sambhav’, and ‘Raghubangsham’ are his two epics. Abhijnan Shakuntala, Malvikagni Mitra, Bikramorbash are some plays written by him. His writings are endowed with a highly poetic quality. His works have been translated into many languages of the world. He is known as the ‘Shakespeare’ of India. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Bhavabhuti

Bhavabhuti was an Indian Sanskrit playwright of the early eighth century. He wrote plays like ‘Uttar Ram Charit’, ‘Malati Madhav’ and ‘Mahabir Charit’. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Bishwanarayana Shastri 

Bishwanarayana Shastri was a famous Sanskrit scholar. He wrote several critiques of Sanskrit books. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Max Muller

Max Muller was a German scholar. He became fascinated with Indian Sanskrit literature and became world-famous as a Sanskrit scholar and became a Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University. He authored a number of critical works on Indian Sanskrit literature and culture. His most famous books are ‘India -What can it Teach Us’ and ‘The Science of Language’. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Purushottam Vidyabagish 

Purushottam Bidyabagish was a famous Sanskrit scholar. He wrote a Sanskrit grammar called ‘Prayog Ratnamala’. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Hazarat Mohammad  

Hazarat Mohammad was a social reformer, political leader, humanitarian and the founder of Islam. He was born in Mecca, Arabia, in the year 570 AD. His father’s name was Abdullah and his mother’s name was Amina. At the age of forty, he received the title of ‘Rasool’ (representative of Allah) from God and was a command to preach Islam. The original scripture of his religion is called ‘Koran’. This book was sent part by part to him by the angel Gabriel within a span of twenty-two years. He carried out various social reforms along with preaching the religion. He passed away in 632 AD in Medina. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Jesus Christ  

Jesus Christ was the founder of Christianity. He was born in Bethlehem. The main message of his religion is collected in the book ‘Bible’. Human love is the motto of his religion. This great prophet died at the age of 29. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Swami Vivekananda  

Swami Vivekananda was an Indian writer, poet, philosopher, reformer and propagandist of Hinduism. His real name was Narendranath Dutta. He was born in 1863 A D. He was one of the chief disciples of Ramakrishna Paramahansa (a social reformer). In 1893, he spoke at the Chicago World Conference of Religions in the United States emphasizing the importance of Hinduism in the modern world. He died in 1902. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Stephen Hawking   

Stephen Hawking was an English cosmologist and physicist. He was born in 1942 in Oxford, England. on his 21st birthday, a disease called motor neurone disease was diagnosed in him. He was not expected to live for more than two years since this diagnosis. But he survived and paved a new way of understanding the universe. 

Stephen Hawking was also a popular writer. His first book, ‘A Brief History of Time‘, was published in 1988. His other works include ‘A Briefer History of Time’, ‘The Universe in a Nutshell’, ‘The Grand Design’, and ‘On the Soldiers of Giants’. He and his daughter, Lucy Hawking, jointly wrote a fictional book about the creation of the universe for middle school children. Stephen Hawking died in Cambridge on March 14, 2018.

Stephen William Hawking remains a great inspiration for other disabled people. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Kangsha 

Kangsha was a king of Mathura. His father’s name was Ugrasen. Kangsha was very oppressive in nature. Hankering after the throne of his father, he imprisoned his parents. He once heard a prophecy that he would be killed by his own nephew. To avoid this prophecy come to true, he kept his sister and her husband (brother-in-law) in jail. There, in the jail, a son was born to his sister. The son was named Lord Krishna and later on Kangsha was killed by him (Lord Krishna). 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Vishnu Prasad Rabha

Vishnu Prasad Rabha was an Assamese poet, writer, dancer, singer, actor and playwright. He was born in 1909 in Dhaka. During his childhood, he along with his parents settled in Assam. He took part in the independence movement of India and was imprisoned several times. He wrote revolutionary songs and incited the people against British rule. He was awarded the title of ‘Kalaguru’ (a great Master of Arts) by the University of Guwahati in recognition of his talent in almost all branches of arts. He died in 1969 living a life of penury all his life. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Phani Sarma

Phani Sharma was an Assamese actor and playwright. He also acted in Bollywood movies. In the year 1010, he was awarded the President’s Award for his performance in the Bollywood film ‘Piyoli Phukan’. Among the plays written by him are ‘Bhogjara, Mayangar Bej, Chiraj, Rangbirang, Agpash’ etc. He was nicknamed as ‘Natsurya’ for his acting talent. This great artist died in 1970. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Balubhadra 

Balubhadra was the elder brother of Lord Krishna. He is also known as ‘Halayudha’. He was very skilled in club fighting. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Yashoda   

In Indian mythology, Yashuda was the wife of Nanda, the lord of the cowherds, and the foster mother of Lord Krishna. Yashoda loved Krishna very much and punished him for his misdeeds. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Nanda 

Nanda was the chief of the herdsmen of Brindavana. He was Krishna’s foster father. He loved Krishna very much. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Maghai Ujah  

Maghai Ojah was a famous drummer from Assam. He was born in 1916 in a poor family in the village of Nawshaliya of Hatigarh mouza in Jorhat. He lost his father at the age of five. During the rest of his life, he worked hard to earn a living. He learnt to play the drums at night as he had to work hard at day time. He was very good at playing the drums. He could play two drums at a time. He could produce the sound of clouds, the sound of the train and the sound of a thunderstorm in the drum. He fascinated the people by playing the drums in different parts of India. This famous drummer died on March 15, 1978. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Alauddin 

Alauddin is a character in Arabic novels. He had a strange kind of lamp. He got everything from the lamp after his will. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Dante

Dante (Alighieri Dante) was a famous Italian poet. He wrote the famous epic book ‘Divine Comedy’ on his beautiful beloved named Beatrice. The epic has a love story as well as a description of heaven and hell. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Endymion 

According to Greek Mythology, Endymion was a sheep-boy (keeper of sheep). The moon goddess fell in love with him and to get him beside her, she kept him asleep all his life on a foothill. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Kamdev 

According to Indian (Hindu) Mythology, Kamdev was the god of love. He was very handsome and had the power to arise the sense of amorous love in men and women. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Hiero

In Greek mythology, Hiero was a beautiful woman. A young boy named Leander fell in love with her and he swam across the sea to meet her. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Tilottama 

Tiluttama was a very beautiful woman described in Sanskrit mythology. Sunda and Upsunda, two demons (cousins), fought against each other and died in order to gain her.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Hercules 

According to Greek mythology, Hercules was a great hero. He ventured twelve extraordinary works. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Napoleon 

Napoleon (Napoleon Bonaparte) was a monarch of France. He was born in 1769 to the parent of a soldier on the island of Karchika. He became the emperor of France with his extraordinary talent and strategy. He conquered many countries in Europe. Later on, he was defeated by the English at the Battle of Waterloo and was exiled to the island of St. Helena. He died in 1821 on that island.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Dak

‘The wise saying of ‘Dak’ is popular in Assam, Bangladesh and other parts of the subcontinent, so people in every state claim to have a wise man by the name of ‘Dak’. But according to some scholars, there was no such a man by ‘Dak’. ‘Dak’ is the wise saying of the people. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Bidyapati

Bidyapati was a Vaishnavite poet of the thirteenth century India. He composed beautiful songs about Radha-Krishna in Maithili. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was a Roman emperor. He was born in 81 BC. He conquered many countries in Europe, including Spain and England. He was assassinated by his friend Brutus.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Bachendri Paul

Bachendri Paul was the first Indian woman to conquer Mount Everest. He was born in 1952 in Uttaranchal, India. In 1984, she completed her mission of mounting the summit of Everest. The Government of India honoured her with the ‘Padma Bhushan’ in the year 2019 in recognition of his achievement. She served as an instructor at the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation. Arunima Singha of Uttar Pradesh was trained under her and she also climbed Mount Everest in 2013.  0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Tenjin Norge

Tenjin Norge was the first Nepali-Indian to conquer the mount of Everest. He climbed Everest, the highest peak in the world, in 1953 with Edmund Hillary of Norway. He was born in 1914 in Khumbu, Nepal. He died in 1986 in Darjeeling, India. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Arjun 

Arjun is a character of the Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic by Byashdev. According to the epic, he was born in the womb Kunti by Indra (sun god). Arjuna’s earthly father was Pandu. Arjuna learnt archery from Dronacharya and became one of the skilled and accurate archers of the world. He married Droupadi a daughter of king Dropada, Ulupi the daughter of Naga, Chitrangada the princess of Manipur and Subhadra the sister of Lord Krishna. Arjuna received ‘Brahmashara’ from Dronacharya, visual knowledge from Gandharvaraja Angarparna, Gandhiva Dhanu from Agnidevata and Pasupata weapon from Mahadev. After the Battle of Kurukshetra, he travelled to Pragjyotishpur, Manipur and other places of Nort India on Yudhisthira’s Ashwamedha Yajna horse. He is known by many names such as: Dhananjay, Sabyasachi, Gurakesh, Jishnu etc. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Aristotle

Aristotle was a famous Greek philosopher. He was born in 384 BC in a place called Stageeba in northern Greece. At the age of 17, he lost his parents. Then he moved to Athens and enrolled in Plato’s school. At the end of his educational career, he spent twenty years at Plato’s school as a rhetorician. He came to Lesbos from Athens in 347 BC. In 343 BC he went to Macedonia after the invitation of King Philip of Macedonia and was appointed a tutor of Alexander who later on conquered the half of the world. He spent the last days of his life in Athens. He authored many valuable books. Among his books mention may be made of ‘The Politics’,’Argenan’, ‘Metaphysic’s, ‘Poetics’ and ‘Dei Enema’.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Draupadi 

Draupadi is a women character of the Mahabharata, a Sanskrit epic by Byashdev. She was a daughter of the Drupada king. Draupadi’s real name was Krishna. She was also known as Yajnaseni, Panchali, Parvati etc. She was married to Panchapandava (five sons of Pandu).  0 0 0

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Balbarma 

In ancient Pragjyotisha, there were three kings by the name of Balbarma. Among them, one was called Balbarma-III. He belonged to the Shalstambha dynasty. He ruled over Pragjyotish for twenty-five years with vigorous power. Several copper plates of his days donated to Brahmins during the holy Equinox have been discovered. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Valmiki

Valmiki was a sage and Sanskrit epic poet. He wrote the epic ‘Ramayana’. He was originally a robber by the name of Ratnakar. But one day Ratnakar happened to hear the pathetic cry of a bird wounded by a hunter with an arrow. He became so much moved at by the pathetic crying of the bird that since then he abandoned the life of a robber and became a sage and later on wrote ‘The Ramayana’, a great epic in Sanskrit. 0 0 0

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Shakespeare 

Shakespeare  (William Shakespeare:1564-1616) was a world-renowned English poet and playwright. He was born in Stafford at Avon, England. He had very little formal education, although he learned from real life and wrote 154 sonnets and 37 plays based on that experience. His plays reflect sentiments and feelings of all classes of people with utmost fidelity. Among his most talked-about plays mention may be made of ‘Hamlet, Julius Cheeser, Macbeth, King Lear’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’. 0 0 0

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Miranda

Miranda is a character of the play ‘The Tempest’ by William Shakespeare. She lived on an Island called Prospero with his father. In that deserted island, she met no man except her father. One day a ship-wrecked sailor named Ferdinand took refuge on the island. Miranda fell in love with her. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Lord Buddha

Lord Buddha was the founder of Buddhism. He was born in 563 BC in a place called Lumbini. His father’s name was Shuddhodhana, king of Kapilabastu. Mayadevi was his mother’s name. He was nicknamed as ‘Gautam’ because he was raised by his stepmother Gautami after the loss of his mother at an early age. He attained ‘Siddhi’ (divine wisdom) by performing austerities (meditation) for 18 years at a place called Sarnath. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

John Keats

John Keats (1795-1821) was an English Romantic poet. He survived only twenty-six years and during this short span of life he created some poems which are considered to be the wonder in the whole range of English Romantic poetry. His poems are full of novel imageries. The glorification of beauty is the main theme of his poems. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Copernicus

Copernicus 1473-1543) was a Polis astronomer. After a lifetime of study, observation and calculations, Copernicus found that if the Sun is assumed to be the centre of the world, then it would be easier to calculate the motions of the planets accurately. He discovered that the planets are revolving round the sun circular paths. He also observed that the moon orbits the earth. But his scientific conclusions were not accepted by the people of that time. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Galileo Galilee

Galileo Galilee was an Italian astronomer. He was born in 1568 in the city of Pisa in Italy. His father’s name was Vincenzo Galileo and his mother’s name was Giulia Ammannati. His father was a musician. Since his early age, Galileo bore some talent in him. Hence his father wanted him to be a doctor. Galileo, however, was more interested in Mathematics than in medicine.

In 1809, Galileo invented the telescope and used it to study the lunar surface and Jupiter’s satellites. He was a supporter of Copernicus’ decision regarding the motion of planets and satellites. But the Greek Catholic Church was reluctant to agree with the theories of Copernicus because it contradicted the geo-centric notion of the Greek philosopher Ptolemy, which had been going on for nearly a thousand years. Galileo noted down his scientific theories and opinions in his book ‘Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems: Ptolemiac and Copernicus’. The book soon became popular. However, he was punished for violating religious rules and his book was banned. 

Galileo Galilee died in 1642 in prison. 0 0 0

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Kepler 

Kepler (Johannes Kepler:1571-1630) was a German astronomer. He published a book under the title ‘Astronomical Nova’ (New Astronomy), in 1609. In this book, he recalculated the orbit of Mars. His observations were based on the observations made by the Danish astronomer Tyke Brah. Kelper showed that the orbits of the planets are not circular and that the orbits of the planets change according to their position from the sun. His ideas were contrary to the prevailing ideas. 0 0 0

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Rahul Sanskritayana

Rahul Sanskritayana (1893-1963) was a Sanskrit scholar, researcher, linguist and historian. His real name was Kedarnath Pandey. He was born in Ajangarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. He went to Sinhala (Sri Lanka) and converted to Buddhism and took the name ‘Rahul Sanskritayana’. He became a professor of Sanskrit literature at the University of Leningrad in Russia. He authored a number of books. Among them ‘The History of Central Asia’ and ‘From Volga to Ganges’ are noteworthy. 0 0 0

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Radhakrishnan 

Radhakrishnan (Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan:1888-1975) was a philosopher, writer and the 2nd President of India. He taught philosophy and history at various universities in India and abroad. He later became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benares, the Indian Ambassador to Russia and finally the President of India. His most notable works are ‘The Hindu View of Life’, ‘The Indian Philosophy’, and ‘Recovery of Faith’. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Baman

According to Indian Sanskrit mythology, Baman was the fifth incarnation of Vishnu. Vishnu assumed this incarnation in the form of a dwarf. He came to the great ritual feast of Bali the demon king and asked for a piece of land to keep his three footsteps. Bali agreed and then Baman put his right foot on the earth and the left foot on the underworld but found no place to put his third foot. Then Bali put forward his head and Baman put his third step on the head of Bali. Thus he destroyed the arrogance of Bali the Demon king. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Devahuti

Devahuti was the daughter of Swayambhu the sage. He married Kadam Muni. Their son was Kapil Muni who is also known as another incarnation of Vishnu. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Kapil

Kapil was a famous sage of Ancient India. He was also the originator of number philosophy. He was the son of Devahuti and Kadam Muni. Sixty thousand sons of the King of Heaven were burnt to ashes after his curse. The Hindus believe him to be an incarnation of Vishnu. 0 0 0

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Doibaki

Doibaki was the daughter of Ugrasen and sister of Kangsa. She was married to Basudev. Lord Krishna was her eighth child. One day Kangsa happened to hear a divine message that he would die at the hand of Doibaki’s eighth child. Hence Kangsa imprisoned Dioibaki and Basudev. There, in jail Lord Krishna was born and later on, he killed Kangsa and rescued his parents from prison. 0 0 0

IIntroduction to World Personalities

Shirin Ibadi 

Shirin Ibadi was an Irani feminist leader and social reformer. He fought a lifelong struggle against the rigidity of Islamic Sariya law relating to women. Hence she was barred from government work and was forced to wear a hijab. In such a social ban, she took a bold step to protect woman rights. He fought for the oppressed – where women were raped, anti-government youths were punished and husbands abused their wives. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in recognition of his struggle for human rights. 0 0 0

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Ratnamala

Ratnamala was am princess of Maharaja Naranarayana, king of Koch kingdom. She was sent to Ahom king Pratap Singh. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Chilaray

Chilaray was the younger brother of Maharaja Naranarayana, king of Koch kingdom. His original name was Shukladhaj. Naranarayana made him the chief general of his kingdom. He could attack the enemy as swiftly as a kite. So Shukladhaj was called ‘Chilaray’ (kite prince). 0 0 0

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Sundar Gohain

Sundar Gohain (Naoboicha Phukan) was a courtly official of the Ahom king Pratap Sing. He along with twenty thousand soldiers was sent to fight the Kachari soldiers. Bhimabal, the leader of the Kacharis stabbed him and was sent to death by treading with an elephant. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Ramanujan  

Ramanujan (1887-1920) was an Indian mathematician. He was born into a very poor family. After passing the entrance examination from the University of Madras, he dropped out of school due to poverty and joined the job of a clerk. He showed extraordinary talent in Mathematics and hence he was provided with a scholarship and was sent to specialize in Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. There he showed unique talent and invented many basic mathematical formulas. This great mathematician died in 1920. 0 0 0

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Karl Max

Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German philosopher and the father of Socialism and Communism. He was born into a very poor family. But he was a devout devotee of knowledge. In his youth, he got involved in the German Revolutionary Party and he was deported from his motherland. He took refuge in France for a while, but later on, he became an English citizen. During his time in England, he spent all day reading books in the British Museum Library. Since he did not have any job, he took care of the family with a little help from his benevolent friends. He had to sell his wife’s ornaments to feed his children. He wrote the books ‘Das Capital’ and ‘Communist Manifesto’ where he propagated his theories of Socialism and Communism.  He lived his entire life in poverty and died in 1883 AD. 0 0 0

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Ram Singh 

Ram Sinha was a subordinate king of Amber under the Mughal Empire. Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb sent him to invade Assam in December 1667. He was in Assam for about four years. Eventually, a fierce battle broke out between the Ahoms and the Mughals at Sharaighat near Guwahati. In that battle, the Mughals were defeated miserably and retreated.  0 0 0

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Lachit Barphukan

Lachit Barphukan was a heroic general and Barphukan under Ahom king Chakradhaj Singha and Joydhaj Singha. Lachit Barphukan was also an ideal patriot. When Ram Singh, the Mughal general, invaded Assam in 1667 A D, he built a mound of earth near Sharaighat to defend Guwahati. 

A maternal uncle of Lachit Barphukan was in charge of managing the workers of the construction. Lachit Barphukan went there at midnight to supervise the work and found his uncle and the labourers in sleep. So with the charge of neglecting the duty, he cut off the neck of his maternal uncle at one stroke saying, “Unlce is not greater than the motherland.” Later, a fierce battle took place between the Ahoms and the Mughals at Sharaighat. The Mughal army suffered a crushing defeat in the war and retreated with defame. 

The story of the heroism of Lachit Barphukan shown in the battle of Sharaighat is recorded in golden letters in the history of Assam. ‘Lachit Day’ is celebrated on 24th November every year in Assam to pay homage to the heroism and patriotism of Lachit Barphukan.  0 0 0

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Joyadhaj Singh 

Joyadhaj Singha was an Ahom King. He was the son of Ahom king Chutinpha (Nariya king). During his time, Naga and Miris revolted and he suppressed them. 

In 1663 the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb sent Mirjumala to invade Assam. The Ahom army was defeated by Mirjumala. The Mughals conquered Assam. Joyadhaj Singh escaped to Kamarupa. In 1663, a treaty was signed between Joyadhaj Singh and Mirjumala at Ghiladhari Ghat. According to the terms of the treaty, the Mughals were compensated for the war and the territories of Darang, Dimriya, Ragi, Kamrupa etc. were ceded and the Ahom kingdom became subordinate to the Mughals. 0 0 0

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Bagh Hazarika

Bagh Hazarika was a heroic Ahom soldier. He fought Ram Singh, a Mughal general who invaded Assam in 1671. His real name was Ismail Siddiqi. He was called ‘Bagh Hazarika’ (Tiger Hazarika) for once he fought a tiger and defeated her. In recognition of his valour, the Ahom king gave him the title of ‘Hazarika’ (Leader an army of a thousand soldiers). 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

 Meghraj Karmakar 

Meghraj Karmakar was a teacher and the first literary pensioner belonging to the Tea Tribe of Assam. Assam Prakashan Parishad has published ‘Megharaj Karmakar Rachnavali’ (Complete Works of Maghraj Karmakar). ‘Chaluk Bachan’ is a noted book by him. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Indraching Deori

Indraching Deori was a lifelong social worker, writer, organizer, social reformer, lyricist, composer and prudent politician who fought for the awakening of national consciousness among the Tiwa people. He was born in 1932 in the village of Rangkhaipar in Karbi Anglong district. His father’s name was Mulching Poma and his mother’s name was Mama Amvachi. He started his education at Baulagog Primary School in Karbi Anglong District in 1939 and read up to Class VIII and made an end to his formal education because of financial difficulties. In 1949, he joined the Indian Revolutionary Communist Party. Then he joined the Animal Husbandry Department in 1951 as a precaution against the economic condition of the family. However, he resigned from the job in 1953 from Tura in Garo Pahar district due to his sense of responsibility towards the nation.

To drive away the prejudice and blind faiths from the Tiwa community along with spreading modern education he gave birth to a social institute called ‘Tiwacha Mission’ in 1960. He composed the popular Tiwa song ‘O’ Tiwa, O’ Tiwa Cheran Chaba’. He also established an organization called ‘Lalung Darbar’ in 1967.

Indraching Deuri was elected to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council for the first time as an ordinary member in 1976 and was later appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the Council. In the 1981 general election of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, he was elected as a non-partisan candidate from the Amvari constituency and later on he was elected as its president.

Indraching Deori also wrote many songs and poems and enriched the godown of Tiwa literature. 

Indraching Deuri was a stalwart patron of Tiwa national life. He was an organizer, social activist, social reformer, writer, lyricist, composer and prudent politician. This is why the hill tribes called Indraching Deuri ‘Fa Parai’ (Father of the Nation). He passed away on August 20, 1994. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Balairam Senapati

Balairam Senapati was a devotee of Tiwa culture and a well-established writer. He was born on March 3, 1931, in the village of Barpujiya in Nagaon district. His father’s name was Bagaram Senapati and his mother’s name was Padmeshwari Bardoloi. After completing his primary education in Barpujiya L. P. and M. V. schools, he took his secondary education at Nagaon Government High School. Due to financial constraints, he did not complete his high school education. Then to overcome the financial difficulties of the family he took the job of a teacher at Barthal Middle English School and served there form 1953 to 1963. At that time, he wrote an article entitled ‘What Has Happened in the Mikir Hills’ and published it in the ‘Ramdhenu’. For writing this article, the government discharged him from his job and later he concentrated on agriculture

Balairam Senapati was interested in the study of literature and culture since his student days. In order to practice and disseminate the culture and musical instruments of the Tiwas, he undertook a systematic practice of them. The notation of his Tiwa folk song is an excellent example of this. He took the special initiative in the formation of ‘Tiwa Krishti Santha’ for the preservation of the unique culture of the Tiwa people. He was instrumental in establishing the Tiwa language. Senapati wrote most of his books in Assamese. In 1954, Senapati wrote and published a book of songs called ‘Mukul’. His essay on the ‘Rati Sewa’ of the Tiwas published in ‘Ramdhenu’ drew the attention of the contemporary Assamese scholarly community at that time. In the year 2000, he decorated the seat of the president of ‘Tiwa Mathanlai Takhra’ i.e. ‘Tiwa Sahitya Sabha’. His most notable literary works are )‘In Search of the Past’ (1997, ‘A Little Focus on Lalung Folklore in the Panchorjiya Region’ (1998), ‘A Focus on the Culture of the Tiwa People, Tiwa Society and Culture’ (2000). 

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of literature, the Government of Assam offered him a literary pension in 1991. In addition, he was awarded ‘Dr. Surya Kumar Bhuyan Banta’ and ‘Bakul Ban Banta’ in the same year as a devotee of folk culture in Assam. 

Balairam Senapati, who had a huge personality but lived a simple life, passed away on May 11, 2014. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Christson Munda

Christson Munda was a revolutionary labour-leader of the tribal people of Assam. 

He was born in Phulbari Tea Garden near Tezpur. During the Indian War of Independence against the British, Christson Munda formed a peasant and labour revolt in the Phulbari Tea Garden in 1910-1916. For this, he was imprisoned and convicted by the British and in 1916 Christson Munda was hanged in a public place in Phulbari Tea Garden so that no worker would dare to revolt against the British government again. However, after this incident, the independence movement spread in the tea gardens and militant movements took place in the tea gardens like Chanajuli, Kachari village, etc. In addition to Christson Munda, many tribals including Malati Orang, Dayal Panika, Bankudu Chawra were martyred in the independence movement. 0 0 0

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Justin Lacra

Justin Lacra was a social worker and founder of the ‘Sadau Adivasi Chatra Sangstha’, an indigenous community in Assam.

Justin Lacra was born on October 2, 1970, in the village of Kachu in Charai Beel. He completed his primary education at a local school and enrolled at Shillong College for higher studies. While he was studying at Shillong College, there was a sectarian conflict in Assam in 1996 and about two lakh people took shelter in the refugee camps. He left college and devoted himself to the service of the people. On July 2, Justin Lacra joined the ranks of Joseph Minz, Stephen Ekka, Bosque Chermaco, Mangra Orang and Wilfred Topp at the Junubasti Adivasi High School in Lakhimpur and gave birth to ‘Sadau Adivasi Charta Sangstha’ in 1996. 

The safety and security of the people was the main goal of the ‘Sadau Adivasi Charta Sangstha’. Since its inception, the Indigenous Students’ Association has been campaigning for tribal nationalization and increasing the daily wages of tea workers for a long time. This movement has had a special impact on tribal society. Andreas Mandi, Hemlal Chana, Bosk Chermako, Jiten Tanti and 18 other Indigenous people sacrificed their lives. 

On July 13, 2015, the great tribal leader Justin Lacra died. He is honoured with the title of  ‘National Father’ of tribal People of Assam. 0 0 0 

Introduction to World Personalities

Gagan Chandra Sonowal

Gagan Chandra Sonowal was a social work and writer of Sonowal Kachari Tibe.

Gagan Chandra Sonowal was born on 24 December 1926 in the Shukanguri Tea Garden near Barhapjan in Trinchokiya District. His father’s name was Tilak Sonowal and mother’s name was Aditi Sonowal.

He started his education at Makum Primary School and passed the matriculation examination from Dangri Middle English School. After graduating from Dibrugarh Hanuman Box Kanai College, he completed his post-graduation examination in Arts and made an end to his higher education.

After completing his education, he started his career as a teacher in 1947. Apart from teaching, Sonowal also engaged in agriculture to become self-sufficient.

Gagan Chandra Sonowal started his literary career from the time he was a student of middle school. In 1942, his article entitled “Human Civilization and Evolution” appeared on the school magazine. Later on, he wrote several books, among which mention may be made of- ‘Sonowal Kacharisakalar Aitijya’, Asomar Sanskritit Sonowalsakalar Avodan’, ‘Loka Sahitya Sangrah’ and some others.

He formed the first branch of the Sahitya Sabha in Kakpathar. He was the President of the undivided Dibrugarh District and the Founder President of Trinichukiya District. 

Sonawal, indifferent to public praise, devoted himself to silent deeds all his life. He died on October 27, 2009.   0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Parshuram Sonowal

Parshuram Sonowal was an athlete, musician, educator, lawyer and writer from the Sonowal Kashari community in Assam.

Parashuram Sonowal was born on 25 May 1904 in Nagaghuli Tea Garden. His father’s name was Panchanan Sonowal and his mother was Gutimala Sonowal. 

Parashuram Sonowal started his primary education at Graham Bazar Lower Basic School and in 1924 he passed Matriculation in the first division and I A from Cotton College. For higher education, he went to Calcutta and enrolled in the Presidency College. He graduated from the University in 1932 with a master degree in history. At the same time, he passed L.L. B. from the same university

At a time when tennis, football and hockey were not well-known in Assam, Parshuram Sonawal was able to earn a place in the football, hockey and tennis sports of the Presidency College. 

He started his career in 1934 by joining the Dibrugarh Bar Association. Parashuram Sonwal was the first Assamese to enrol as a bar at law in the Dibrugarh Bar Association. 

Parashuram Sonwal was involved in many social activities. Sonawal served twice as an active member of the Dibrugarh Local Board, a member of the Assam Medical School Board, the President of the District Tribal League and twice as the Secretary of Dibrugarh Bar Association. In the post-independence period, he made many contributions to the ‘Sadau Assam Tribal League’, which was formed to promote the social, educational, economic and cultural development of the underdeveloped ethnic groups of Assam.

He died on the first of October, 1960.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Yogesh Das

Yogesh Das was an Assamese educator, storyteller and novelist.

Yogesh Das was born in 1927 in Hanschara Tea Garden, Dumduma. His father’s name was Suryakanta Das and his mother’s name was Chintamani Das. He received his high school education at Nilmoni Phukan High School. He passed the entrance examination with distinction in 1944 and graduated from Cotton College in 1949. He took post-graduation from Guwahati University in 1953. 

Since his student life, he began to write short stories and introduced himself as a young story-teller. His first novel, ‘Sanhari Pai’, was published in 1953.

Yogesh Das started his career as a teacher at Dumduma High School. From 1953 to 1988 he taught Assamese at B Baruah College, Guwahati and retired as the Head of the Department of Assamese. The pursuit of knowledge was the main goal of his life.

Teaching was his heartfelt appeal¸ although in parallel he wrote many stories, novels and essays and established himself as a writer of the first order.

Yogesh Das’s short stories include ‘Popiya Tara’ (1956), ‘Dawarar Aanre Aanre’ (1958), ‘Tribeni’ (1981), ‘Madarar Bedna’ (1983) and ‘Hazar Lokar Veer’ (1985). Novels: ‘Sahari Pai’ (1953), ‘Dawar Aur Nai’ (1955), ‘Jonakir Jui’ (1956), ‘Utkantha Utkantha’ (1960), ‘Chan Jui Khedi’ (1971), ‘Nirupaya Nirupaya’ (1963). ‘Emuthi Dhuli’ (1975), ‘Hejar Phul’ (1986), ‘Aboidha’ (1982), ‘Juir Dhooba’ (1982), ‘Naresh, Malti’ (1986), ‘Rajni Bidur’ (1981) etc. He had also written a book in English under the title ‘Folk-Lore of Assam’. He also translated two books: ‘Bane Bane’ and ‘Hem Baruah’ etc.

Prominent prose writer Yogesh Das had received many awards in his life. In 1980, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book ‘Prithivir Asukh’. In 1986, he received the Mokshadananda Pathak Children’s Literature Award for his book ‘Akau Bane Bane’. In 1989, he received the Sitanath Brahmachowdhury Award for his book ‘Enajari’. In 1994, he was awarded the ‘Assam Upatyaka Sahitya Banta’.

He passed away on September 9, 1999. 0 0 0

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Yogendra Nath Hazarika 

Yogendra Nath Hazarika was an accomplished student, ideal socialist, well- organizer, well-known writer, intellectualist, magazine editor, lawyer, skilled MP, efficient administrator, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and former Chief Minister of Assam. Yogendra Nath Hazarika was more popular among the people of Assam as ‘Yogen Hazarika’.

Yogendra Nath Hazarika was adorned with all humane virtues. Yogendra Nath Hazarika, who had a beautiful physique and loved to wear white khaddar clothes, was a calm, serious, well-mannered, restrained, polite and intelligent man.  

Yogen Hazarika was born on February 24, 1924 in the village of Purnikhangia in the Tengakhat region of Dibrugarh district of Assam to a poor family. His parents were Golap Chandra Hazarika and Ratna Hazarika respectively. 

His family moved from Tengakhat, his birthplace, to Hatibandha village on the banks of the Buridihing River for financial reasons. He was a resident of Hatibandha village where there was not any primary school at that time. He attended Vekowajan Primary School in Tengakhat Ghanhi village. For being poor, Yogen Hazarika had to sell tea and nuts to manage the expense of education. He matriculated in 1941 from Dibrugarh Boys’ High School and graduated from Cotton College in 1946. In 1949 he did his Master degree in Economics from Calcutta University. He took B L degree in 1952.

He was a skilled politician and a Member of the Lok Sabha. He was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of External Affairs from 1952 to 1967.

From parliamentary politics, Hazarika entered the legislature of Assam politics in the eighties. In the Assembly election, he was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Janata Dal from the Duliajan Constituency of Dibrugarh district and held the post of Honorary Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly. In 1979, he became the Chief Minister of Assam for 91 days.

Yogen Hazarika held a law degree from the University of Calcutta in 1952. After obtaining a law degree, Hazarika started practising law in the Calcutta High Court in 1952 and joined the Bar Library in Dibrugarh in the same year.

Yogen Hazarika also studied literature. In addition to editing a magazine entitled ‘Nayak’, he wrote essays in Assamese and English. Hazarika’s most notable book is ‘Consideration on Twenty Five Million Soul of Tribal India’, written in English.

He died in 1997, 30 September.  0 0 0

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Vishnu Prasad Rava

Vishnu Prasad Rava was an Assamese poet, novelist, dramatist, musician, dancer, actor and freedom fighter. He is popularly known as ‘Kalaguru’.

Vishnu Prasad Rava was born in the barrack of Dhaka on January 31, 1909. His father’s name was Sardar Bahadur Gopal Chandra Rava and his mother’s name was Gethibala Rava. His primary education began at an English medium school in Dhaka but his father got him admitted to a Bengali medium school. Later on, while Rava was still a child, his parents came to Assam and settled in Tejpur. There Vishnu Prasad was admitted to an Assamese medium school. 1926 he passed the Entrance examination in the first division and won the ‘Queen Empress’ medal. He had an interest in playing football, cricket and hockey since his high school days. He also sang and danced. In 1926 he enrolled in the science stream of St. Paul College, Calcutta and was elected the captain of the cricket team of the college in the same year.  From that college, he passed I Sc and then enrolled in the Ripon College, Calcutta and took to study B Sc with honours in Physics. He was also elected football captain at Ripon College. At that time, the tide of the Indian independence movement was in full swing in the city of Calcutta. Patriot Vishnu Prasad Rava joined the freedom movement and began to compose patriotic revolutionary songs to inspire the people towards the freedom revolution.

Vishnu Rava was married to Priyalata Dutt in 1937, but his wife died just 28 days after the marriage. Rava was elected MLA from Tezpur constituency in 1967.

Vishnu Prasad Rava died on 20 June, 1969. 0 0 0

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Rajen Rava 

Rajen Rava was an ideal teacher, renowned writer and researcher of the Rava tribe of Assam. He was born on September 18, 1920, in Dudhnoi.

Rajen Rava’s education began at a local school. However, due to poor financial condition of the family, he completed his primary education and went to work in a Marwari shop. But he had a great desire for higher education and hence he continued his study in private and passed I A, B A and M A in Assamese. After passing M A, he started studying and researching in Rava culture. 

For some time he concentrated on agriculture as well as trading in jewellery and then he joined the Indian independence movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and enlisted in the ‘Karim or Marim’ (Do or Die) force. 

Rajen Ravai had been interested in writing activities since his student days. Later on, he wrote the books like ‘Rava Sadu’, ‘Rava Janajati’ in addition to writing more than forty essays. 

He was the Vice-President of the Bangaigaon Session of the Assam Sahitya Sabha and the President of the Adrani Samiti of the Dudhnai Session. He was awarded a Literary Pension by the Government of Assam and a National Merit Award in 1946. 0 0 0

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Prasanna Pam

Prasanna Pam was an educator, lyricist and playwright from the Rava community of Assam. He is known as the ‘Sculptor of Rava Culture’.

Prasanna Palm, the sculptor of Ravana Culture, was born in 1932 in Latapara village under Balijan Chakra in Goalpara district. His father was Kamal Kumar Rava and his mother was Dakhel Bala Rava. He started his education at Manikganj Primary School in East Garo Pahar district.

Prasanna Pam became a devotee of Rava Culture from an early age. He later became known as a radio artist. Pam composed many songs. The lyrics and melody of these songs have become very popular in recent times. Prasanna Pam wrote ‘Marukshetri’, ‘Srishtibidhan’, ‘Moyra Shakti’, ‘Langa Mukti’, ‘Kamgiri Shakti’, ‘Pidan Sansar’, ‘Maya Hasang’, ‘Lekha Teva Jama Tancha’ etc books some of which still remain unpublished.

Prasanna Pam, who worked tirelessly for Rava culture all his life, got married to Amni Bala Rava in 1952 and became the father of seven children.

On February 2, 1978, while returning from an election campaign, Prasanna Pam lost his life in a car accident. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Birubala Rava 

Birubala Rava is a social worker and humanitarian leader of the Rava community in Assam. 

Birubala Rava was born in 1949 in the inner village of Thakurbila in Goalpara district. Her father’s name was Kaliyaram Rava and her mother’s name was Sagarbala Rava.

Birubala Ravar, who got married at the age of 15 after completing 3rd class of primary school, started her career by working as a weaver. Form her childhood he became conscious of social evils like witch killings. Birubala Rava, who is active in social works, has received many awards in recognition of his services to society. Some of the honours and awards she is bestowed with are-

Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

‘Real Hero Recognition’ in 2005 by IBN 18 Network and Reliance Group.

‘Samajpran Sarveshwar Dutta Memorial Award’ in the year 2011.

‘Urmila Das Memorial Award’ in 2011

‘Jayamati Award’ by Dibrugarh Women’s Club in 2012.

In 2013, ‘Men of the Year’ award by Inkhong Welfare Society, Kokrajhar.

‘Birangana Mulagavaru Banta’ by the Ahom Youth Council, Sivsagar.

Honorary Doctorate Degree conferred by Guwahati University in the year 2015.

He is currently working on a campaign against superstitions such as witch killing through Mission Birubala. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Naoriya Phulo 

Naoriya Phulo was a modern Manipuri writer.

He was born on 28 August 1888 in a village called ‘Laishram Khun’ in Rajeshwarpur mouza of Hailakandi district of Assam. He was the fifth child of Naorem Chaoba and Thambau Devi. 

Their ancestors were the people of Manipur. Some of them were cousins of a royal family. Later on, during the Burmese invasion, his grandfather Herand left Manipur with his family and came to Hilakandi, Assam and settled there. Naoriya Phulo was educated in a local school and entered the teaching profession.

The third decade of the twentieth century (1920-30) was the dawn of modern Manipuri literature. During this period of time, some educated Manipuri people devoted themselves to creative literary works.

Naoria Phulo had been focusing on literature since her teaching days. His literary career began with translation. From 1918 to 1919, he wrote a total of five plays based on Hindu anecdotes. They are (1) ‘Ininthau Harichandra’ – (King Harichandra) (2) ‘Sita Banavas’ (3) ‘Ramna Banavasatagi Halvalkalavada’ – (On the return of Rama from the forest) (4) ‘Dushmanta Shakuntala’. He wrote more than 19 books in life in addition to writing some essays. 

Notable books written in prose include: (1) ‘Mitai Haubham Vari’ (History of Mitai), (2) ‘Gaur Dharma Chankapa Matang’ (Confluence of Gaur or Gaudiya Dharma Pravartan), (3) ‘Mitai Yelai’), (4) ‘Ahan Yathang’ – (Guru’s advice), (5) ‘Haurkapa Amsung Haubham’ (Puravritta), (6) ‘Bamongi Matik’ – (Influence of Bamun), (6) ‘Ugi Wareng’ – (My Prose essays) etc.

His poems are full of spiritual sentiments and legends of the ancient tradition as well as hymns, mantras and songs of the extinct Mitai gods and goddesses. 

This multi-talented short-lived Naoria Phulo passed away on June 30, 1941, at the age of just 53 years. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Yatindra Singh

Yatindra Singh (Jatindra Singh) was a dancer and professor from Assam.

Jatindra Singh was born on April 22, 1943, in Lakhimpur, in the district of Kachar, Assam. Jatindra Singh was the son of Kamini Singh and Mrs Pashotlaima Devi. He was a very humble person and a lover of music and dance. Yatindra Singh learnt the basics of singing and dancing from his father Kamini Singh. Later, he received dance training from the famous dance gurus of the then state of Manipur- Guru Lokeshwar, Guru Amubi and Guru Atombar.

In 1965, he went to Santi Niketan to study dance. After completing his dance education, he got a job in Santi Niketan as a professor in the Department of Dance and Music and settled in Shanti Niketan. In addition to teaching, he concentrated on practising and propagating dance. He taught the students by inventing new dance styles with the combination of different dance styles. He attended many performances and lectures at many national and international dance workshops, seminars and cultural events and was able to win the hearts of the audience. He had performed Manipuri and Rabindra Dances in various countries of the world including South America, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, France, Russia, Myanmar and Bangladesh. 

He retired from Santi Niketan in 2010 serving first as a teacher and later as the Principal of the institute. After retirement, he continued his service of dance till the last moment of his life. He also acted in the telefilms ‘Tridhar’ and ‘Mirjingansa’. Jatindra Singh was awarded the ‘Nritvaguru Award’ by Manipuri Sahitya Parishad in 2006, the ‘Rajkumar Memorial Award’ in 2010 by the ‘Rajkumar Buddhimanta Memorial Dance Academy, Tripura in 2010 and the title ‘Nritvaratna’ in 2012 by Manipuri Sahitya Parishad.

Jatinder Singh died on April 2, 2018 at his home in Abal Palli, Santi Niketan. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Saraswati Singha 

Saraswati Sinha was a woman leader of the Assam Movement, social activist and devotee of Manipuri language and literature.

Saraswati Singha was born on September 8, 1958, in a farming family in Ampukhuri village in the Lanka region of Hojai district. Her father’s name was Wahembam Jayachandra Singh and mother’s name was Wahembam Fazbi Devi.

He started his education at Ampukhuri Lower Primary School and passed the entrance examination in 1976 from Lanka Rashtrabhasha High School. She graduated from Nagaon Girls’ College in 1971. After a break of a few years, she graduated in Law from Nagaon Law College in 1973.

In the year 1982, he started her career as an Anganwadi worker in the Social Welfare Department of the Government of Assam. A few days later, she joined Ampukhuri L P School as a teacher. She resigned from the post of teacher on September 14, 1985.

Under her initiatives, the ‘Pan Manipuri Literary Forum’ (Nikhil Manipuri Sahitya Manch) was established in 2005 to promote Manipuri language and literature.

Saraswati Singhai, a law graduate, joined the Sankardev Municipal Court in Hojai in 1996 as an advocate. Due to her eloquence, resourcefulness and perseverance, she established herself as a professional lawyer within a very short period of time. She was the first Manipuri woman advocate in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam.

She realized in her heart that there was a need to awaken the consciousness of women. That is why she gave birth to a women’s organization called ‘Maira Paibi Loop’ or ‘Jorlowa Mahila Bahini’. In 1970, she gave birth to another women organization called ‘All Manipur Women’s Social Reform and Development Society’ in Manipur. The members of the organization were involved in the struggle against the evils of society. The first was the campaign against drug abuse and gambling in society. She was able to create a new consciousness in the society of Hojai-Lanka. In 2012 Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Assam awarded her the title of ‘Samajsevika’ for her life-long contributions to society.

He passed away on December 5, 2012. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Nunthombam Vidyapati Singh

Nunthombam Vidyapati Singh was a multi-talented Manipuri educator and social worker. 

He was born on 24 November 1912 in Lala, now in Hailakandi district. His father Lalit Singh was a ‘quack’ (unqualified doctor) and astrologer. His mother Maichan Devi was a sister of Hijam Raman Singh, the first Deputy Inspector of Manipuris in Assam. He matriculated in the first class under Calcutta University in 1931 and later passed Intermediate from Murarichand College, Sylhet. He graduated from the same college in 1935.

In 1936 Nunthombam Vidyapati Singh joined the Sonai M. E School of Kachar district as a teacher. At that time, in Sonai region, there was no high school. Therefore, under his initiatives, a high school was established in Sonai.

Nunthombam Vidyapati Singh was an ideal man and he led a very simple life. He always dressed in dhoti-Punjabi. He was a pioneer not only in the field of education but also in drama and other cultural aspects of society.

In 1939, under his presidency, a program called ‘Kachar Manipuri Yuva Sangha’ was formed. It was through this association that the youth of Swajati were awakened.

He was elected MLA of South Hailakandi Constituency held in 1946 under the Government of India Act, 1935. During his tenure as an MLA, he had repeatedly demanded rendering education through his mother tongue Manipuri. As a result, the Manipuri language was later recognized by the Government of Assam as a medium of instruction.

After the independence of India in 1948, he heard about the harassment of Manipuris living in East Pakistan. He sent three Manipuri leaders and students from Kachar to the people living there at that time.

Nunthombam Vidyapati Singh died on 14 September 1954 in Sonai at the young age of 42 after rendering selfless services to the nation. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Bhrigumuni Kagyung

Bhrigumuni Kagyung was an Assamese poet, educator and researcher from the Miching community. Bhrigumuni was born in October 1932 in the village of Alimur in the womb of Khahuwar by Jabari.  

Bhrigumuni Kagyung received her primary education at Alimur Primary School No. 57 and passed the entrance examination in 1958. Due to the poor financial condition of the family, he worked in various institutions during the day and went to college at night. He graduated from B Baruah College, Guwahati in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree. In 1992, Kaguyung received training in Adult Textbook Preparation at the Institute of Indian Language, Mysore. 

He later joined Jorhat Vocational Collegiate High School as a teacher. Bhrigumuni Kagyung served as a teacher at Jorhat Government Higher Secondary School from 1964 to 1966 for three years. 

Bhrigumuni Kagyung’s contribution to Assamese poetry and literature is immense. His books of Assamese poetry are ‘Kabitakali’, ‘Anahut’, ‘Man Bananir Jui’ and ‘Kabita Kusum’. Bhrigumuni Kagyung’s most popular book of poetry is ‘Anahut’. He was awarded the President’s Award in 1971 by the Government of India for his book ‘Anahut’. Bhrigumuni Kagyung also won the President’s Award in 1994 for his book ‘Man Bananir Jui’. He was the first National Award-winning writer of the Miching community. 

Although Bhrigumuni Kagyung’s poetry is romantic, the impression of modernity is evident in his poetry. Patriotism, a sense of history, a sense of humanity and a commitment to society are the main features of Bhrigumuni Kagyung’s poetry. 

Bhrigumuni Kagyung wrote poems in Assamese as well as in Miching. The total number of books written and edited by him is 26. 

He passed away on March 27, 2011. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Kamala Miri

Kamala Miri was a freedom fighter, organizer and social worker.

Kamala Miri was born in 1894 in the village of Upper Temera in the Rangamati mouza of Shivsagar district (now Golaghat district). Kamala Miri’s father’s name was Chikou Loing and her mother’s name was Mangli Loing. As there was no school at his village, he had to go to Bholaguri to get a formal education. He was a patriot and a believer in revolutionary ideology. He was involved in the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and was imprisoned several times.

At that time, he had worked hard to create awareness among the people about the dangers of drugs in society.

During the Quit India Movement in 1942, he was arrested by the British and was sent to Jorhat Central Jail. In jail, he met such leaders as Gopinath Bard, Fakruddin Ali Ahmed, Mohammad Taibullah, Amiya Kumar Das, Hem Baruah and some others. Inside the jail, he learnt Hindi form Gopinath Bardoloi. Kamala’s health deteriorated during her imprisonment.

This great patriot passed away on April 22, 1943. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Oiram Bori

Oiram Bori was a patron of Miching culture in Assam. 

Oiram Bori was born in the village of Ayan under the British administration ‘Nefa’ in 1877. His parents’ names were Takir Bori and Mangli Bori respectively.

At that time there was no school around the village. He was educated up to Class IV in Mechaki Primary School under Purana Murkunchalek, a distance of thirty-five kilometres from his village.

In 1950, OIram Bori began to work on the preservation of a colourful Miching culture that was on the brink of losing. Since 1952, he started working with some Miching youth to revive Miching indigenous dances and culture. This cultural group spread its colourful culture from Jonai, Pachighat to Guwahati, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Majuli. 

It is worth mentioning that Oiram Bori, a devotee of the Miching culture, gave a new dimension to Miching culture by performing Lumgang-Lavale, Gumvaraga dance in a systematic manner with the help of five young women. In addition, in the backward Miching villages of Tahani’s Murkanchelek region, he adopted some plans to uplift the cultural heritage and social status of the Miching community. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Yadav Payeng

Yadav Payeng is a Nature conservationist and environmentalist of Assam. 

He was born on 30 October 1959 in Barghop village of Kokilamukh in the present-day Jorhat district. His father’s name was Lakshiram Payeng and his mother’s name was Afuli Payeng. Yadav Payeng completed his education at Bali Gaon Primary School No. 90. From Yadunath Bezbaruah, one of his teachers, Payeng learned the lessons of conservation of the environment and love for animals.  From his childhood, he became accustomed to planting trees every year. Yadav Payeng, who started planting trees in 1979, had made a huge woods (forest) called ‘Molai Kathani’. This Molai Kathani is presently located in the teeth of Aruna Chapari of the newly formed Majuli district.

The Molai Kathani, at present, covers 1360 acres or 4050 bighas of land. In addition to the valuable range of red sandalwood, white sandalwood, sichu, halakh, gamari, titachapa, pama etc., the wood is covered with a wide range of medicinal plants. The main attraction of the forest is some leopard, 115 elephants and more than 500 deer. There are Asian rhinoceros in the woods.  

In 2012, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi conferred on him the title of ‘Forest Man of India’ in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the protection of the environment. In that year, the then President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, presented a ‘Diamond Award’ worth Rs. 250 lakhs. He was felicitated at the Global Conference in 2012 held in Paris. In 2015, the Government of India conferred the title of ‘Padma Shri’ on him. He has so far been invited and honoured in China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Doha, Switzerland, France and Bangladesh. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Kamini Kumar Narjari

Kamini Kumar Narjari was a Bodo dancer and a patron of Bodo culture. He was born in 1926 in the village of Bamunkura in the Binyakhata area under the present Gosaigaon subdivision. His father’s name was Bajaram Narjari and his mother’s name was Thangali Narjari.

He performed wedding songs on All India Radio’s open-air show in Delhi. Upon his return from this program, Ustad Kamini set out to work in various directions for the betterment of Bodo culture.

On the occasion of Republic Day held in Delhi on January 26, 1957, Kamini Kumar Narjari took part in a ‘Cultural Group’ and performed the dance ‘Bagurumba’.

In 1992, he participated in the 13th Asia Fair and performed Nasina dance which was highly acclaimed by the audience. He performed Bodo cultural dance in the Indo-Soviet Ministerial Conference held in Guwahati in 1976. In addition, the Narjari group took part in the ‘Janajati Lok-Nritya Pradarshani’ held on July 29, 1982 at Rabindra Bhavan in Guwahati.

Kamini Kumar Narjari was awarded the ‘Sangeet Natak Academy Award’ in 1982 in recognition of his work. It was through his efforts that the great Bodo culture had been able to gain national recognition. 

This great artist died on May 16, 1998. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Shova Brahma

Shova Brahma was a renowned Indian painter, writer, sculptor and pioneer in the field of art.

This great artist was born on 18th October 1929 in a backward village called Bhumka in present-day Gosaigaon of Kokrajhar district. His father’s name was Haricharan Brahma and his mother’s name was Devashri Brahma.

Shova Brahma was educated in the primary school of his village. After this, he matriculated from Chapatgram High School, Dhubri in 1950 with a letter mark in History and enrolled in Guwahati College. From an early age, Brahma had dreamed of becoming a painter and sculptor. Shova Brahma enrolled in the Shanti Niketan in Calcutta, founded by Rabindranath Tagore and returned to Assam in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in art.

Coming to Assam, he started teaching at Tarini Charan High School and engaged in creative work. He had two goals in his creative life. The first was the establishment of the College of Fine Arts in Assam, the second was the creation of a unique art form by studying the culture, art and public life of the various ethnic groups in North-East India. Despite his poverty and extreme lack of money, he continued his relentless efforts to creativity. On 31 January 1964, he was appointed the Principal of the present Government College of Fine Arts. Along with his busy working life, he used his sculptures to inspire all irrespective of race, language and colour. His every painting was like a book. In 1965, his paintings and sculptures were first exhibited at Guwahati District Library. After that, his works were exhibited in Shillong, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and other places in the country and abroad.

Apart from painting and sculpture, he was also instrumental in the creation of literature. After retiring from the post of Principal of the College of Fine Arts in 1989, he immersed himself in literary writing. His published books include ‘Silpakalar Nava Prajanma, Godan Uji, Leonardo-da-Vinci, Roses and Gold (English), Khanthayali’ (Bodo) etc.

Shova Brahma was able to get various awards for his work from the state level to the national level. This great artist passed away on March 5, 2012. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Bineshwar Brahma

Bineshwar Brahma was a brilliant, well-thought-out, social worker, writer and organizer. Bineshwar Brahma was born on 26 February 1949 in Bhatarmari village in the present-day Kokrajhar district. His parents’ names were Taramani Brahma and Sonati Brahma respectively.

Bineshwar Brahma’s primary education began in 1954 at the primary school No. 365 in his village. After completing his primary education, he enrolled in Kokrajhar Higher Secondary School in 1960. In 1970, he enrolled in the Assam Agricultural College, Jorhat and in 1972 he obtained a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the same college. In 1973 he joined the Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation. 

He could speak in eight languages fluently. The language he knew were: Bado, English, Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, Bhojpuri and Rajbangshi. His published books are ‘Aini Madai’ (Poetry -1975), ‘Bardaisikhvala’ (Poetry -1997) and ‘Angni Gami Bhatarmari’ (a collection of essay). He held the post of President of the Bodo Literary Society for two terms. 

On August 19, 2000, he was shot dead by an unidentified assassin at his residence in Vetapara, Guwahati. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Kirat Shourya Badoucha

Kirat Shourya Badoucha was the last king of the Marans. When Chaulung Chukafa entered Assam in 1226 A D, there was a prosperous Maran kingdom in the area between Buri Dihing in the north, Dichang in the south, Chafrai in the east and Brahmaputra River in the west. The present-day Shivsagar district and a part of Dibrugarh district were under the state of the Marans. The kingdom of Maran was bordered by the Barahi kingdom and in other regions besides the kingdoms of Chutia, Kashari and Bhuyan, all the primitive tribes of Pahar-Vayam had their own territories. There is no evidence of any kind of envy, strife, war, etc. among the peoples of those ancient kingdoms. 

With the desire of establishing a kingdom, Chaulung Chukapha first met the Marans. The hospitable Badaucha welcomed Chukafar and his people. With the permission of King Badaucha, Chukafa and his followers lived in harmony with the primitive Maran, Barahi, Chutiya and Kachari communities for a long time and became an integral part of the indigenous societies. Later on, Sukapha and his people married local women and became friendly with the local tribes.

Badaucha, who had no boy child, gave one of his daughters in marriage with Sukapha. In his old age, Badaucha handed over his kingdom to his son-in-law (Chukafa). After an understanding, the kingdom of Barahi was also annexed to the kingdom of Chukafa. On the advice of Badaucha and Barahi king Thakumatha, Chukafa made his capital at Charaideo and formed a kingdom called Assam.

 In this way, Chukafa sowed the seeds of a greater Assam and greater Assamese nation. But today’s Assamese people are not aware of the huge contribution of Chukafar to such great work. We can say for sure that if Chaulung Chukafa is called the ‘father’ of the Assamese nation, then Badaucha should be called the ‘grandfather’ of the nation. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Radha-Rukuni 

Among mass revolts in history, the revolt of the Mowamariyas of Assam in the eighteenth century was a noteworthy one. The strong participation of women in this mass uprising is a wonderful chapter in history.

This revolution was led by the common peasantry of all castes and tribes against the extreme injustice, iniquity and tyranny of the arbitrary Ahom monarchy towards the end of the six-hundred-years Ahom dynasty. The two wives of Nahar, Bhatuki and Bhabuli alias Radha-Rukuni played a strong role in organizing the common people against the Ahom monarchy.

Once the Ahom king Lakshmi Singh sent people to the forest to cut down trees to build a Bardak. Radha-Rukuni called upon the people of the village and said, “This is the abode of the primitive people, the king has no right to cut its trees.” The king’s men were compelled to go back without cutting off a single tree.

It is worth mentioning that these two heroines formed a strong fighting force of women. At first, when the revolutionary forces and the royal forces clashed head-on, the royal forces could not withstand the might of Radha and Rukuni and the royal force was tragically defeated. Radha and Rukuni were very clever and learnt the secret of war strategy. It is pertinent to note that during the reign of King Ramakanta after the capture of Rangpur by the Revolutionary Forces, these two women emerged as mentors.

The latter died as a result of a conspiracy by the monarchy, although their invincible reputation continued to be recorded in the biased royal history. 

These two great women who sought the liberation of the oppressed would remain immortal in the course of history and women of our day might be inspired by their valour, courage and ideals. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Jhapara Jagadha

Jhapara Jagadha was a heroic leader of the Maran tribe of the 10th century. His father’s name was Darby. Although in the thirteenth century Chaolung Chukafa established a greater kingdom called Assam conquering the Marans, Barahi, Kacharis and other ethnic groups yet many tribes like the Maranas took shelter in the far-off forests and continued to live in freedom. They lived in a society run by a leader or a mentor. Khaokhai was one such leader. He played a significant role in a wide area of ancient Saumarkhand. It is noteworthy that the Maranas played a major role in the establishment of the Ahom kingdom and the Assamese nation. Therefore, they would not pay taxes to the Ahom king. Khaokhai’s had six sons as Khadun, Kichim, Fefela, Huilao, Jagdha, Khaukhai and Chikchau. Jagadha was the fifth son. He was the strongest, and the bravest of all. In childhood, he could swim across the Dibru River in the season of summer and brought the elephants home that were found in the forest. Jagadha was more advanced in courage, strength, and thoughtful than any other boys of his age.

At that time there were frequent battles among the tribes. A large fighting force was formed under the leadership of Jagdha. Jagadha learnt the tactics of warfare from the veterans and trained his men. Many times his army defeated the opponent races and tribes. Jagadhar’s head was very large and his hair was tangled, so people called him ‘Jhapra’ (big head with tangled hair). Later on, everyone called him ‘Jhapra Jagdha’.

The Khamtis had been attacking the Maran villages from around. Jagadha, the commander, defeated them and sent them to the mountains.

Jagadha, who fought battles, defended his nation and became a national hero. Even today, his name is still commemorated with honour. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Mohan Saikiya

Mohan Saikia was one of the first modern educated people in the marginalized Maran community.

He was born on 22 November 1930 in Tamuli village in Tinichukiya district. His father’s name was Gyanendra Saikia and his mother’s name was Shukani Saikia. He received his primary education in his hometown and passed the entrance examination from Dangri High School in 1950. He graduated from Dibrugarh Kanai Commerce College in 1955 with a B.Sc degree. He first joined the Raja Chakra Affairs Office in Dibrugarh district as a clerk. Later on, he became the Manager of Mahakali Tea Garden as his talent and skills were widely known. But he gave up his job and joined as a teacher at Kakpathar High School to spread the light of education in the region. He later became the headmaster of Tongana High School.

He made a unique contribution to the social life of the Maran community. In 1965, he formed the Assam Maran Sabha with some educated people. Through the Maran Sabha, he launched a campaign to eradicate the social evils of the Maran community. Under his initiative, a memorandum was issued to the government with various demands including scheduling of the Moran community, lease of land to the Morans without premium, the formation of Moran belt and block etc. He was the founding secretary of the Assam Maran Sabha. The ‘Moran Development Plan’ was prepared by him. He had written extensively on national history and culture, and through his efforts, Tamuli Bangaon was established near Digboi for the displaced people.

He was the first to bring out the Maran Bihu into wider Assam. The Maran Bihu song cassette ‘Hotau-Patau’, which he created, is a unique chant of Maran culture.

He also played a leading role in the foreign expulsion movement in Assam. He later became one of the notable leaders of the Asom Gana Parishad. This uncompromising fighter lived a normal life by accepting many sacrifices in his life. He would always be remembered in Moran society. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Raghav Maran

Raghav Maran was the Chief Leader of Mowamoriya Public Revolt against the oppressive Ahom rule towards the downfall of the Ahom dynasty. It is noteworthy that this revolution took place twenty years before the famous French Revolution.

Raghav Maran, the son of an ordinary peasant, defeated the large royal force by some untrained civilians armed with sticks, bows and arrows. Such incidents are very rare in world history.

At Raghav’s call, all the people, irrespective of caste and creed woke up and came out in groups. This incident proved that he was a universally accepted leader. The siege of monarchies around the state, the formation of revolutionary forces, the use of guerrilla tactics in warfare etc. showed Raghav’s immense organizational skills and military prowess. His liberal democratic ideals were also reflected in the fact that he gave royal status to the Ahom king Lakshi Singh though he was captured by the revolutionary forces of Raghav Maran. He gave the death penalty to the big enemies only and forgave all the minor offenders. 

Therefore, this heroic leader would continue to be relevant as a pioneer in building a society without discrimination for all classes. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Pawan Neog

Pawan Neog was an educator, body-builder, athlete and social worker. He was born on 18 October 1933 in Barguri, Tinichukiya. His father’s name was Asambar Neog and his mother’s name was Golapi Neog. He lost his mother in his infancy and was brought up by his stepmother Muhila Neog. He passed the entrance examination from Chenairam High School in 1953.

He had a good reputation as a player, especially in football and volleyball. He loved music and practised as much as he could. He was one of the most beloved students of the school for his multifaceted talent.

After passing the entrance examination, he went to Jorhat for higher studies and enrolled in J. B College. In addition to reading and listening to music, he practised gym and gained a reputation in various competitions. In 1955, he was honoured with Mr J B for his achievements in the gym. He also joined the NCC and became a good leader. In 1856 he passed I A in the second division.

After that, he started his undergraduate studies at Cotton College, Guwahati. While he was in college, he was selected as a Physique and was conferred the title of ‘Mr Cottonian’. In 1957, he was awarded the title of ‘Mr Guwahati University’ in the gym Competition. After his formal education, he was appointed to the post of DSP.

His morale and courage were immense. He was very fond of children. He gave honest advice and showed sympathy to the people in distress. He retired on September 30, 1992. He passed away on August 11, 2002.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Lankeshwar Gohain

Lankeshwar Gohain was a worthy great-grandson of the Ahom king Swargadeo Sarbananda Singh, the founder of the Bengmara kingdom. King Sarbananda Singh had three sons Matibar, Kalibar and Kamaleshwar. Matibar had ten sons including Bhogbar, Bhagirath, Dukhirath, Suk etc. Bhagirathi’s third son was Bishbar and Lankeshwar Gohani was the sixth son of Bishbar. 

Lankeshwar Gohain was born in 1887 in Tinichukiya. After the death of Lord Sarbananda Singh, the royal family as well as other subjects of the Bengmara kingdom moved to different parts of the state. At the age of ten, Prince Lankeshwar Gohain moved to Chabua with his family. The area was later renamed ‘Rajabari’ for the royal family. At that time, some members of the royal family, including the prince’s family, moved to Dirak in the present Tinisukia district in search of farmland to rely on agriculture. 

Prince Lankeshwar Gohain was not formally educated but was a brave, ambitious and thoughtful man. He was endowed with the ability to lead society. As a representative of the king, even before the independence of the country, he made a strong demand to the British government for the restoration of the kingdom. He was demanding the recognition of the state of Bengmara in the interest of protecting the land rights, property rights and political rights of the aboriginal people of the land. He knew many languages including Burmese, Manipuri, Chingfau, Khamati, Miching, Deuri, Nakte etc. He wandered about in various parts of the land for business purposes, although he did not deviate from his original goal. He maintained cordial relations with various races, tribes, chiefs and princes of this large region. Apart from his home state, he was also involved in social welfare and development work with social workers in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Chikim, Nagaland, Meghalaya and other areas.

Finally, Prince Lankeshwar Gohai died on March 6, 1973, at his residence in Sarudirak.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Sarbananda Singh

Sarbananda Singh was a revolutionary leader, organizer and the founder king of Bengmara Kingdom (Matak Kingdom) on the Northeast side of Assam. His father’s name was Marutnandan and his mother’s name was Patay. Sarbananda, the only child of his parents, lost his mother in his infancy. Marutnandan, a very ordinary peasant, was a man of Matak Buruk Chutiya clan. Sarbananda’s original name was ‘Mejera’. Marutnandan carried the motherless Mejera with him all the time wherever he went. Once Maruthanandan was digging a pond taking Mejera on his back and in the meantime, the king saw him and relieved him from work.

Mejera was a very religious person. He took refuge with the Mayamara guru Ashtabhuja Gohain. It was a tradition in Mayamara Vaishnavism to give a name to a newly admitted disciple. That is why Mejera was given the name of ‘Sarbananda’ by Ashtabhuja Gohain. The revolting Marans were subjected to royal persecution. The leaders of the rebellion could not be traced and the innocent civilians were imprisoned by the Ahom monarch. It was during this time that Sarbananda led the Mowamariya rebellion. Sarbananda had praiseworthy organizational skills. He boosted the morale of all the people inside and outside the prison. During the Mowamariya Rebellion, Sarbananda proclaimed himself to be the king of Bengmara. Sarbananda Singh was the first king to establish his capital at Rangagarh in 1788, about 10 km northward from the present day Tinichukiya and in 1791 the capital was shifted to Bengmara, the present-day Tinichukiya. King Sarbananda Singh preserved the Thai tradition and took the title of ‘Swargadeo’. He introduced gold and silver coins in his name. 

Sarbananda Singh undertook various public welfare works for the betterment of the Matak kingdom. He improved the transportation system by building many roads. He built Rangagarh Ali, Godha Ali, Rajgarh Ali, Hatiali etc. A total of 24 ponds were dug inside and outside the capital for the welfare of the people. These include Benmara Pond, Triangular Pond, Devi Pond, Shelukia Pond, Bar Pond, Chauldhova Pond, Godha Pond etc. After the name of the triangular pond dug by Sarbananda, the name of Bengmara town was later changed to Tinisukia.

It is known that the people lived in peace and harmony during the reign of Sarbananda Singh. The state was replete with food grains. Necessary weapons were manufactured in his own state. Sarbananda Singh was a very far-sighted and prudent king. He became popular among his subjects by means of his welfare works. 

Sarbananda died in 1805. After his death, his eldest son Matibar became the king of the Matak kingdom.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Sabilal Upadhaya

Sabilal Upadhaya was a Nepali-speaking Gurkha Congress activist, social worker and freedom fighter from Assam. Sabilal Upadhyay was born on 12 May 1882 AD in the village of Budhigang in present-day Bishwanath district to Kashinath Upadhyay. Sabilal Upadhyay’s formal education was limited to the secondary level. But he was educated informally. He later joined the freedom struggle of India in the company of Chandranath Sharma, Ghanshyam Baruah, Lok Nayak Amiya Kumar Das and others. The then British government was preparing to remove the cattle herds of the Gorkhas and Miching people around Kaziranga. Sabilal Upadhyay raised a proposal against the eviction at the meeting of the Assam Association held at Tezpur in 1919 and the proposal was passed. The Assam Association was transformed into the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee at a meeting held on 18 April 1921 in Jorhat under the chairmanship of Sabilal Upadhyay. Sabilal was elected the first president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee. The British offered Sabilal Upadhyay such lucrative posts like Maujadar, Councilor, Barlat etc. to keep him away from the Congress. He rejected all those offerings and voluntarily joined the Non-cooperation Movement led by Gandhi and spent six months in jail. Coming out of jail, he assisted in the elimination of foreign goods and first burnt the foreign goods in his house. He also set up a local Swadeshi Vidyalaya. He also played an active role in the 1942 Quit India Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. 0 0 0 

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Dalabir Singh Lohar

Dalabir Singh Lohar was a Nepali-speaking Gurkha social worker, labour leader, independence revolutionary and politician from Assam. 

He was born on 26 January 1915 in Khalihamari, Dibrugarh. His father’s name was Antaram Lohar. At the age of 15, Lohar joined the volunteer force in the national movement and represented Assam at the All India Congress Committee meeting held in Karachi in 1930. He was imprisoned for three months in 1930 for protesting against the infamous Cunningham Circular. In 1931-32, he was again imprisoned for six months for his defiance of British anti-people policies. 

He played an active role in eradicating untouchability from society and took the lead in the formation of social service groups. He was a leader of the labour movement and concentrated on the formation of a trade union. He was expelled from his home for protesting against the involvement of India in World War II and was allowed to stay only in Goalpara district. But he returned home through the Brahmaputra in a raft, secretly from Goalpara. In 1946, Dalbir Singh Lohar was elected to the Legislative Assembly from Tinichukiya as a representative of the working class. Dalbir Singh Lohar was the first Nepali-speaking MLA from Assam. 

He died on 29 July 1969.  0 0 0

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Hariprasad Gorkha Rai 

Hariprasad Gorkha Rai was a Nepali-speaking Assamese, Gurkha writer and lexicographer. 

He was born on 15 March 1915 in the womb of Yashoda Rai by Dhanraj Rai, in the capital of Nagaland. Hariprasad Gorkha Rai, known as a prominent writer of the Avahan era, devoted himself to literary pursuits along with Dhan Bahadur Sonar and Govinda Chandra Paira. This trio was educated in the Assamese medium and became involved in the study of the Assamese language and literature. In the company of Padmanath Gohainbaruah, the first president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, ‘Gorkha’ Rai formed the Kohima branch of the Assam Sahitya Sabha in collaboration with Dhan Bahadur Sonar and Govinda Chandra Paira. Gorkha Rai was one of the persons who took literature as a medium for national consciousness and awakening in subjugated India. Gorkha Rai, who wrote in both Assamese and Nepali languages, was a true symbol of harmony and brotherhood. His stories depicted the harmony of tribal and non-ethnic life in the hills. Gorkha Rai, who started his career as a teacher, had since moved to Akashvani, serving Nepali and Assamese literature.

Rai wrote several dictionaries, such as –

(a) Mikir Shabdakosh 

 (b) Pumeitangkhul Shabdakosh 

(c) Maram Shabdakosh 

(d) Meering Shabdakosh 

(e) Assamese Shabdakosh

(f) Nepali Shabdakosh 

In addition to these dictionaries, he wrote the following books in Nepali: 

(1) Babri (Poetry Compilation, 1974)

(2) Manchariko Buli (Poetry 1976)

(3) Yaha Badnam Hunch (Collection of Stories, 1984) etc. 0 0 0

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Bhimbar Deori 

Bhimbar Deuri was a social activist, reformer, cultural coordinator, influential politician and thinker.

Bhimbar Deuri was born on May 16, 1903, in the Shivsagar district. His father’s name was Gadram (Gadara) Deuri. His mother’s name was Bajati Deuri (Bajang) Deuri.

He started his education at Bargaon Primary School. He was a brilliant student and earned a scholarship of four rupees per month. In 1925, he passed the entrance examination from Shivsagar Government High School with letter marks in five subjects. He was later admitted to Cotton College and passed I A in 1927 in the first division. He graduated from the same college in 1929 with a second class in Economics. In 1931, he passed the law examination from Calcutta. At the same time, he was studying in the postgraduate class at Presidency College but returned to Assam without completing his education. In 1932, he passed the Assam Civil Service Examination, although he went on to practice law independently. The advocacy business opened up the public life of Bhimbar.

In 1933, the Assam Backward Plains Tribal League was convened by Bhimbar Deuri to unite the underprivileged people of Assam. The Assam Backward Plains Tribal League was born in Raha, Nagaon. In 1935, on the demand of the Tribal League led by Bhimbar Deuri, 10 seats out of a total of 108 seats in the Assam Legislative Assembly were reserved for the Vyam-Janajatis of the backward class. In 1939, the Governor of Assam nominated Bhimbar Deuri as a member of the Upper Council, i.e. the Legislative Council of Assam.

He married Kamalvati Brahma, daughter of Minister Roop Nath Brahma, on February 16, 1940, in the village of Bansbari in Kokrajhar. 

From 1933 to 1947, Bhimbar Deuri was involved in the development of the tribal people. He took an active part in decentralization, protection of natural resources, protection of backward castes, greater decentralization of power from the centre to the states, autonomy, formation of legislative councils, and in the establishment of self-governing bodies. 

He passed away on November 30, 1947, at the age of 44. 0 0 0

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Radhakanta Deori 

Radhakanta Deori was a social worker, educator and researcher-writer from the Deori community of Assam. He was born on June 1, 1931, in the village of Bahgarh Deori in Laximpur district. His father’s name was Adichan Deori and his mother’s name was Taiba Deori. Radhakanta Deori, the only son of his parents, had three sisters. His parents were unable to enrol him in the school due to financial misery. But Radhakanta from his own initiative started his education at the primary school No. 11 in his village, Marooni, looking for books and slate from the people. In the midst of financial hardship, he passed the matriculation and went to J B College and graduated in 1958 from the college. In 1959, he joined Shivsagar Government Higher Secondary School as an Assistant Teacher. Then he went to Jorhat and passed B T. In 1975, he joined Shadia Government High School in Chapakhowa as an assistant teacher. 

Radhakanta Deori’s contribution to the community and Assamese language and literature is immense. He was a taciturn scholar of Deori language and culture. His writings were published in various papers and magazines. Radhakanta Deori’s books include ‘Deuri Chubimb’ (Deuri Dictionary), ‘Chibam Jimchanya Chuchubinb’ (Modern Deori Dictionary). The second book is in trilingual (Deuri, Assamese, English). This is a complete dictionary of Deori language. ‘Deori Shabd Sambhar’ is one of his compiled books. 0 0 0

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Bargaram Deori 

Bargaram Deori was a prominent social worker, educator and politician from the Deuri community of Assam. He was born on 1 August 1938 in the village of Bahgarh Deuri in the Bihpuria mouza of Laximpur district. After completing his primary education in his home-town, he passed the matriculation examination in 1959 from Laximpur High School. He later graduated from Jorhat Jagannath Baruah College. Then he enrolled at the University of Guwahati in Botany and at the same time he studied law. After this, he passed M Sc and L L B. He also studied Homoeopathy at the University of Punjab, where he earned a degree with a Gold Medal.

While studying at Guwahati University, Bargaram Deuri taught at Kamrup Academy School. He started his career as a lawyer by joining the Lakshimpur Bar in 1971. For some time he also worked as a professor at Manipur College.  

In 1978, he was elected as a councilor from Bangalmara village panchayat. In 1983, he was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly for the first time from the Bihpuriya constituency. 

Deori’s contribution to the recognition of the Deori language as a language and the provision of a Deuri Autonomous Council for the political and socio-economic development of the Deuri community is noteworthy. 

He died of a heart attack in Guwahati in 2004.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Chandra Singh Deori

Chandra Sinha Deori was an educator, folk artist and writer.

Chandra Singh Deuri was born on 27 April 1928 in Jorhat in the womb of Atba Deuri by Gopal Deuri. He completed his primary education in his village and passed the matriculation examination in 1949 from Jorhat Government High School. He passed I A from Shillong College in 1962.

In 1955 he took a job at the Department of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under the Government of India and retired on March 31, 1988, as a Superintendent. He performed Deuri folk songs and folk dances in Delhi on the occasion of Republic Day in 1959 and also performed Deuri folk songs at the Akashbani Guwahati Center from 1959 to 1975.

As a writer, he wrote books as ‘Arau’ (2003), ‘Archie Iban’ (2014), ‘Ameria Iban’ (2013), ‘Bichu’ (2015), ‘Hichari’ (2016) etc.  0 0 0

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Issac Asimov

Issac Asimov was an American biochemist, novelist, critic and science fiction writer. He was born on January 20 in 1920, in Petrovich, Russia. At the age of three, he moved to the United States of America with his parents. The family became American citizens and Asimov studied Chemistry at Columbia University. He established himself as a biochemist and, in parallel, began his career as a science fiction writer. Notable books published by him are: ‘Foundation’, ‘Foundation and Empire’, The Cave of Steel’ etc. He died on April 6, 1992. 0 0 0

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Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar 

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was an educator, social reformer and Bengali prose writer. He was born on 26 September 1820 in the village of Bir Singh in the district of Medinipur, West Bengal. His father’s name was Thakurdas Bandyopadhyay and his mother’s name was Bhagwati Devi.

He received his primary education in a village school and studied poetry, grammar and other subjects at a Sanskrit college in Calcutta. He learned Sanskrit and English. In 1839, he was honoured with the title of ‘Vidyasagar’ for his extraordinary talent in Hindu Law Society examination. After completing his formal education, he started his career as a teacher at Fort William College in 1841. Ten years later, in 1851, he became the dean of the Sanskrit College.

Vidyasagar, the father of Bengali prose literature, wrote many textbooks as: ‘Bodhoday’, ‘Barna Parichay’, ‘Kathamala’, ‘Charitavali’ etc. In addition to these, he edited a number of valuable books. The books edited by him include ‘Raghubangsha, Kumarasambhav, Kadambari, Meghdoot, Uttar Ramcharita, Abhijnanam Shakuntalam’ etc. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar passed away on July 29, 1891. 0 0 0

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Wilhelm Rontgen 

Wilhelm Rontgen (1845-1923) was a German physicist. His full name was Wilhelm Conrad von Rontgen. 

He was born on March 27, 1845, in Lenep, Prussia, (now Remshide, Germany). The only child of his parents, Rontgen, was not well educated at an early age. In 1848, his family moved to Holland and settled there. Rontgen, who did not have the privilege of studying there, went to Zurich in Switzerland and enrolled in an engineering institute. There Rontgen came in contact with a physics teacher named August Kundutt. His influence fell on Rontgen and was attracted to physics. After this, he gradually began to study the subject. Rontgen graduated in 1869. After graduation, Rontgen began his career as a professor at the University of Strasbourg in 1876 and went on to teach at the University of Munich. In 1895, while still at the University of Wurzburg, he discovered X-rays. Rontgen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 for this unprecedented discovery. Rontgen was the first scientist to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. 

He died of cancer in Munich on February 10, 1923.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

William Kelvin

William Kelvin (William Thomson Kelvin) was an English scientist. He was born on June 26, 1828. After completing his education, Kelvin became a professor of natural science at the University of Glasgow in England at the tender age of 22. He taught and researched for a long period of 53 years from 1846 to 1899. He became famous for inventing the ultimate standard of warmth. This scale is known as ‘Kelvin scale’. He was credited with the successful design and management of electric wiring under the Atlantic Ocean in the telegraph connection between the United States and England. 

William Thomson Kelvin died on December 17, 1907. He was a man of unparalleled skill in making accurate and precise scientific instruments. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Yehudi Menuhin

Yehudi Menuhin was a great violinist of the twentieth century. He was born on April 22, 1916, in New York, USA. At the age of seven, he surprised the audience by playing the violin on a solo show in San Francisco, USA  and was able to achieve worldwide fame. That program established Menuhin as a wonder boy. Scientist Albert Einstein, listening to his violin, commented ‘Now I have believed that truly there is God in Heaven.’

After completing his education, Menuhin devoted himself deeply to the development and transcendence of the violin style. For this, he had to travel to many countries in the world. After World War II, he moved to England and Switzerland. In 1962, he set up a music school near London to educate music-loving children, and in parallel, continued his efforts for the development of violin and various aspects of music. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the music industry, Menuhin received the honorary title of ‘Knight’ in 1965. In 1968, he was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru Award from India. Menuhin, who became a British citizen in 1985, became a member of the Order of Merit in 1978. Jewish Menuhin died in Berlin on March 12, 1999. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Esop

Esop was an ancient Greek storyteller. Nothing is known for certain about his life. Many speculate that he was born into a poor Greek family about 620 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. According to some scholars, Esop was a black man born in Ethiopia, Africa.

From a young age, Esop could make tales form his own. Wherever he went, he could win the hearts of people by telling his stories. His tales are humorous but full of moral lessons. He was ugly to look at but as a man, he was very wise. He was a keen observer of human behaviour and concocted fine tales on human faults. Of course, Esop did not want to offend the audience in the face, so he took animals and birds as the characters of his stories. His stories had been handed down orally from generation to generation, but after four hundred years of his death, his stories were compiled in writing form. His stories have now been translated into many languages of the world. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Adi Amin

Adi Amin was the President of Uganda. He was born in 1925. He joined the army after completing his primary education and was promoted to the rank of a Colonel of the Ugandan Army in 1964. He was a friend of Milton Abet the then Prime Minister of Uganda. Milton Abet promoted him to the head of army. Later on,  the relations between the two deteriorated and Adi Amin overthrew the Milton Abet Government through a military uprising in 1971 and Adi Amin became the President of Uganda and introduced military dictatorship in the country. As President, he confiscated all foreign businesses in the country and executed thousands and thousands of innocent people who opposed him. His announcement caused a stir around the world. In 1978, Amin tried to occupy the Kagara region of Tanzania, but was defeated and was ousted in 1979. He later fled to Libya and spent some years in hiding. Eventually, he settled in Saudi Arabia. During his eight years in power, he brutally murdered more than one lakh people. The world hates Adi Amin as the cruelest ruler in the modern world. In addition to having several married wives, he had about 40 concubines.

Adi Amin died on August 16, 2003.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta was a traveller of the middle age from Morocco. He was born on February 24, 1304, in Tangier, Morocco. He studied literature and law in Tangier, and at the age of 21 he became interested in travelling and he travelled around the world for a long period of about 30 years. In his long journey, Ibn Battuta travelled about 120,000 kilometres to Egypt, Makka, Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, India, Spain, China, Baghdad and other places. He came to India during the reign of Muhammad bin Tuglak in 1333 and stayed in India till 1353. During his stay in India, he also served as the Chief Justice of Delhi from 1334 to 1342. Ibn Batuta, popularly known as the ‘Traveller of Islam’, returned to his native Morocco in 1354.

The main purpose of Ibn Battuta’s world tour was to learn about new countries and people. He wrote a valuable book called ‘Rehwala’ based on his experience of travelling to different countries. His travel book has now been translated into many languages. Ibn Batuta died in 1368 AD in his birthplace Tangier. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Eve 

Eve was the first woman created by God as described in the ‘Koran’ and in the ‘Old Testament of the Bible’. Therefore, she is recognized as the mother of the human race. In Hebrew, the name means “Mother of all lives.” After the creation of the first man (Adam), God created Eve from Adam’s ribs to be his companion. At first sight, Adam was attracted to Eve’s beauty and accepted her as his maid. Eve is also mentioned in the Jewish scripture. In Arabic and Hebrew Eve is named as ‘Hawa’. According to the Biblical Genesis section, Eve ate the forbidden fruit in heaven at the instigation of Satan, and after Eve’s persuasion, Adam also ate the forbidden fruit and for this sin, God threw both of them into the earth. The emergence of various vices in human nature is said to be the result of eating that forbidden fruit.  0 0 0

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Amerigo Vespucci 

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian tradesman, sailor and explorer. He was born in 1454 in Florence, Italy. He later moved to Spain, where he settled in Mozambique and Chevalier. In addition to working as a bank agent for some time, he was a contractor of Christopher Columbus for the supply of boating materials. He sailed to the mouth of the Amazon River in 1499. He then travelled to the northern coastal islands of South America and returned to Spain in 1500. He also wrote a beautiful note on this long voyage. Vespucci first declared that the land discovered by Columbus was neither a part of India nor of Asia. In the book ‘Cosmography Introdactio’, the German geographer Martin Valdsimula named the newly discovered territory ‘America’ in honour of Vespucci.  Amerigo Vespucci died in 1512. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Indira Gandhi  

Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) was a politician and the first woman Prime Minister of independent India. He was born on 19 November 1917 in Allahabad. She was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India. His mother’s name was Kamala Nehru. After completing his primary education in Pune, Mumbai, he passed the entrance examination in 1934. He then went on to study in Switzerland and Oxford, respectively, although he completed his formal education without a degree. He also studied music and dance under the tutelage of Rabindranath Tagore. She was married to Feroze Gandhi in 1942 and had two sons, Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjoy Gandhi.

Growing up in a political environment from an early age, Indira formally joined the Congress party in 1938 at the age of 21 and entered political life. Earlier, at the age of 12, she joined Gandhiji’s ‘Charkha Sangha ‘and at the age of 14, she actively participated in the non-cooperation movement of India. For her involvement in the freedom movement of India, she was imprisoned for about 13 months.

During the tenure of Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister, the political arena of India became significant from many angles. During her rule, independent Bangladesh was formed in 1971. In addition, 14 Soviet peace-friendship and cooperation agreements, the introduction and adoption of the Monarchy Abolition Bill were carried out during his tenure.

Indira Gandhi, a skilled statesman who adhered to Nehru-Shastri principles in political life, received many awards and honours in recognition of her achievements. These include the ‘Mother’s Award’ and the ‘Bharat Ratna’. She was shot dead by his bodyguard on October 31, 1984.  0 0 0

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Yuri Gagarin

Yuri Gagarin was a Soviet Air Force pilot and the world’s first astronaut. He was born on March 9, 1934, in Kuchino, Soviet Russia. His full name was Yuri Alexevich Gagarin. After completing general education, he learnt metalworking and other related professions in a technical school. He later began his career as a pilot in the Soviet Air Force in 1957 with aviation training. In 1960, Gagarin was selected as a space travel instructor. On April 12, 1961, he embarked on a spacecraft called ‘Bhastak’. He spent 1 hour and 40 minutes in space earning the honour of being the first astronaut of the world. For this, he was honoured with the ‘Order of Lenin’ award.

After the space conquest, Gagarin was appointed as a consultant and instructor of Soviet space travel plans. He died in a plane crash on March 27, 1968.  0 0 0

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Euripides

Euripides was an ancient Greek playwright. He was born in Athens, Greece, in about 480 BC. He is said to have written about 80 plays, though only 19 have been found so far. Some of his notable plays are — ‘Alchemist, Orestes, Electric, Trojan Woman, The Buckeye, Media, Ifigeni’, etc. After his death, most of his plays were staged in Athens and gained immense popularity. During his lifetime, he received only rejection and neglect from human beings. Euripides died in solitude in a small Macedonian village in about 406 BC. 0 0 0

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Aryabhatta

Aryabhatta was a Mathematician and astronomer of ancient India. He is believed to have been born at Kusumpur near Patna in present-day Bihar in 476 AD, although there is disagreement on this point. At the age of 23, he wrote a book called ‘Aryavattiya’. In this book, he discussed mathematics and astronomy in detail. Aryabhatta first considered Mathematics as a branch of Astronomy. He knew that day and night are caused by the diurnal motion of the earth. 

He calculated the circumference and diameter ratio of the circle to be exactly 3.146. Aryabhatta died in 550 AD. India’s first artificial satellite ‘Aryabhatta’ has been named after him. 0 0 0

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Ashapurna Devi 

Ashapurna Devi was an Indian Bengali female poet and novelist. She was born on January 8, 1909, in a conservative Hindu family in the Hooghly district of West Bengal. Being from a conservative family, she was deprived of getting a formal education. Of course, under the guidance of her mother who loved literature, she developed the desire and habit of reading books at home. He started his literary career by publishing a poem in a children’s magazine at the age of 13. Through her lifelong literary endeavours, Ashapurna Devi had written 176 novels, 30 collections of short stories, 47 children’s books and 25 other books, making an unprecedented contribution to Bengali and Indian literature. She was awarded the ‘Jnanpith Award’ in 1976 for her novel ‘Pratham Protishruti’. Ashapurna Devi died on July 13, 1995.  0 0 0

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Asha Bhosle

Asha Bhosle was a playback singer in the Indian film industry. He was born on September 8, 1933, in Satara, Maharashtra. His father was Dinanath Mangeshkar, a musicologist. She learnt classical music from her father. At the age of 14, she made her debut as a lead singer in the film ‘Bari Maa’. Since then, she has sung more than 12,000 songs in 14 languages. At first, Ganapatha married Bhosle but the marriage ended in divorce. Later, she got married for the second time to musician Bahul Dev Barman. Asha Bhosle has won numerous awards and accolades for her contribution to the music industry. Some among them are- Filmfare Award, National Award for Best Singer, Nightingale of Asia Award, Lata Mangeshkar Award, M-TV Viewers Choice Award, Dada Saheb Phalke Award and Padma Bhushan. 0 0 0

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Alexander  

Alexander was the emperor of Macedon in ancient Greece and one of the great conquerors of the world. He was born in Pella, Greece, in 356 BC. His father’s name was Philip- II king of Macedon and his mother’s name was Olympias. In his childhood, Alexander was educated by a teacher named Leonidus. From the age of 13 to the age of 18, he studied under the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle.

Alexander the Great ascended the throne in 336 BC at the age of 20 after the death of his father Philip-II. As soon as he ascended the throne he prepared for world conquest and soon Alexander’s dominion spread over the whole of Greece. He conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan etc. in just three years from 330 BC, and conquered North-West India in 327 BC. At that time there was no political unity among the kings of Indian kingdoms. There were many small kingdoms. Some of these little kings were brave and mighty, although they could not stand together against Alexander due to a lack of mutual understanding. This is why the small kingdoms on the west bank of the Indus River almost yielded to Alexander’s supremacy. King Amvi of Takshila on the east bank of the Indus River also surrendered to Alexander without a fight. However, the king of the region between the Jhilam and Chenab rivers did not surrender and was attacked by Alexander’s large army. He marched against Alexander on the banks of the Jhilam River with 30,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalries, 30 chariots and 200 elephants. It was not possible for Alexander’s army to fight with the old army on the other side of the Jhilam River. Alexander secretly crossed the river Nair and encountered Puru at a place called Kari. In this war, Puru had shown extraordinary heroism. Twelve thousand of Puru’s soldiers were killed in the battle and Puru himself was taken as a war-prisoner while wounded. Historically, this battle was known as the ‘Battle of the Jhilam River’. Alexander was fascinated by Puru’s heroism and Alexander returned him half of his kingdom. After this, he crossed the Jhilam River and proceeded to the eastern Bipasha River and conquered many kingdoms. Alexander planned to cross the Bipasha River and conquer the east, although his troops reluctantly postponed the conquest and returned home.

Prior to his departure from India, Alexander authorised Puru to govern the regions between the Jhilam and Bipasha Rivers and the region of the west of the Jhilam River. Alexander died in Babylon on June 13, 323 BC, at the age of 33, on his way back to his homeland. After his death, Alexander’s vast empire was divided among his generals. Alexander’s invasion of India marked the beginning of a nexus between the East and the West. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Alexander Graham Bell 

Alexander Graham Bell was a physicist and educator. He was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father’s name was Alexander Melville Bell. Educated at the University of Edinburgh and the University College, London, he began his career as an assistant teacher in a deaf-mute educational institution. Graham Bell moved to the United States in 1871 and became a professor of vocal physiology at Boston University. There he launched various initiatives for the development of education for deaf people of the day and contributed to the development of special methods for the education of deaf people. It was during this time that he came up with the idea of transmitting sound with the help of electric waves, and after a long period of research, he discovered the telephone on June 5, 1875 AD. Alexander Graham Bell also had a reputation as a phonologist. He also tried to create an international language called ‘World English’. 

Alexander Graham Bell, the great scientist, died on August 2, 1922.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Al-Khwarizmi

Al-Khwarizmi was an Arab mathematician. He was born in Baghdad in about 800 AD. In addition to writing books on Mathematics, he authored valuable books on astronomy and geography. In medieval Europe, the Latin translation of al-Khwarizmi’s writings had a profound effect. The term ‘algebra’ in Mathematics is said to have originated from the book ‘Al-Jabar’ which he wrote. He died in about 850 AD. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Erle Stanley Gardner

Erle Stanley Gardner was an American mystery novelist. He was born on July 17, 1889, in Maldena, Massachusetts, USA. Gardner, the son of a mining engineer, moved to California after completing his formal education and began his career in a law firm. In 1922, he started practising law on his own. In 1940, Gardner set up a court of law called ‘The Court of Last Resort’ to help the poor and the innocent defendants. While in California, Gardner went on to write mystery novels. His mystery novels, based on the mystery of Perry Mason a lawyer, got popularity among the readers. In 1933, Gardner’s first mystery novel, The Case of the Velvet Claws’, was published. Gardner had written about 100 mystery novels, and almost every one of them was recognized as a best-selling book. 

Earl Stanley Gardner died on March 11, 1970. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Arnold Joseph Toynbee

Arnold Joseph Toynbee was an English historian. He was born on 14 April 1889 in London. He was educated at Oxford University and after completing his formal education, he joined the British Foreign Office and served there during the First and Second World Wars. From 1919 to 1924, he taught Greek History and International History at the University of London. From 1925 to 1955 he was the Director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, London. He also wrote and edited several volumes of the book entitled ‘A Survey of International Affairs’. Toynbee’s other notable books include: ‘A Historical Approach to Religion’, and ‘Mankind and Mother Earth’. 

Arnold Joseph Toynbee died on October 22, 1975. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Ernest Rutherford

Ernest Rutherford was an English physicist. He was born on August 30, 1871, in Nelson, New Zealand. He studied at Nelson College and the University of New Zealand and did research at Cambridge University. He later began his career as a professor of Physics at McGill University in Canada, and later became a professor at the University of Manchester, England, and then the dean of Cambridge University. He predicted the existence of neutron particles in the atomic organization and laid the foundation for research on the uniformity of matter and energy and the fusion of atoms.

He succeeded in discovering important information about the basic structure of matter. He discovered significant information about radioactivity. According to this information, the atoms of a substance are automatically converted to atoms of another substance as a result of radioactivity. For this, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908. In 1914 and 1931 he received the honorary titles of ‘Knight’ and ‘Baron’ respectively. Among the books published by Rutherford are ‘Radioactive Transformation’ and ‘The Electronic Structure of Matter’. Ernest Rutherford died on October 19, 1937. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Archimedes

Archimedes was an ancient Greek mathematician and scientist. In ancient Greece, he was the first to promote science as a medium of experimentation. This principle has been followed by all the scientists of the world.

The details of the life of Archimedes, who was born almost two thousand years ago, are not known. A partial account of his life has been searched out form the writings of ancient historians. Archimedes was born around 280-290 BC in a small kingdom of Syracuse, Greece. His father Furus was an astronomer. Archimedes, the son of an aristocratic family, was educated in Alexandria. From an early age, Archimedes had a keen interest in science. Once Hiero, the king of Syracuse sought refuge in Alexandria with Archimedes. Archimedes also tried his best to help the king.

King Hiero made a gold crown. But when he suddenly suspected that the crown was not made of pure gold, so he sent for Archimedes to justify it. Archimedes listened to the king, but could not decide whether the crown was not made of pure gold or not. Day and night Archimedes began to think about the crown. 

One evening, with the thought of the crown in his mind, Archimedes went to bathe in a bowl and when he got down the bowl, he saw that the water splashed around him and some water from the bowl had fallen out of the bowl. After thinking for a while, he realized that if an object is immersed in water or any other liquid, the object removes some of the liquid and loses some of its weight. The weight lost by the object is equal to the amount of liquid it removes. This formula (law) is called the ‘Law of Archimedes’. 

The significance and dignity of this formula remain intact even after thousands of years. Needless to say, using this formula, Archimedes easily determined the purity of the king’s crown.

Archimedes spent his entire life in royal favour. This scientist was a favourite of the king. Archimedes defended the kingdom of Syracuse from the Romans for about three years. One night the Romans occupied the sate of Syracuse. Although the Romans were hostile to the Syracuse, the Roman general Marcellus had a special fondness for Archimedes. So he sent troops to bring Archimedes. But the ignorant soldiers killed Archimedes without knowing his identity. Marcellus paid homage to the body of Archimedes by arranging a grand funeral for him. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

R K Narayan

R K Narayan was an Indian English short storyteller and novelist. His full name was Rashipuram Krishnaswami Narayanswami. He was the elder brother of renowned cartoonist RK Laxman. He was born on 10 October 1906 in Madras (now Chennai). He was educated in Mysore, Madras (now Karnataka), he started his career as a teacher in 1930. He also worked as a journalist for a newspaper called ‘Justice’. Finally, as a full-time professional writer, he devoted himself to writing stories and novels. ‘Swami and Friends’, the first novel written by RK Narayan, was published in 1935. Narayan wrote his stories and novels in a simple and humorous style. The life pattern of the Indian middle class of people was the main theme of his writings. Similarly, he wrote a television serial called ‘Malguri Days’ about a teenager named ‘Swami’. The serial brought him recognition as a narrative artist. After the recognition of his literary creations, he was honoured with many awards as, ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’, ‘Padma Bhushan’, ‘Padmabi Bhushan’ etc. In 1989, he became a member of the Rajya Sabha. R K Narayan died on May 13, 2001 at the age of 95. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Ivan Turgenev 

Ivan Turgenev was a Russian storyteller and novelist. He was born on November 9, 1818 in Ariel, Russia. Educated in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Berlin, he joined the Russian Civil Service in 1841. In 1843, he resigned from the service and devoted himself entirely to writing. From 1843 to 1852, he entered the literary world by writing a number of plays and romantic poems, although his short stories and sketches were published in 1846 in the journal Sovereign. This collection of short stories on the life of a Russian farmer was published in 1852. Turgenev is under house arrest for two years for criticizing the government for criticizing the then-slave system in Russia and for two years. During those two years, Turgenev was confined to his ancestral home and wrote several famous novels. In 182, his famous novel, Father and Son, was published.  He spent most of his later life in Germany and France. Turgenev’s other notable novels include ‘Rudin, A Nest of the Generator, On the Eve’, and ‘The Virgin Child‘. In addition to novels, Turgenev also wrote poems, plays, and short stories. Ivan Turgenev died on September 3, 183, in a buggyville near Paris. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Andre-Marie Ampere 

Andre-Marie Ampere was a French physicist and mathematician. He was born on 22 January 1775 in Lyon, France. He was educated in Lyon and Paris. He made significant contributions to the world of science by researching electricity and magnetism. The well-known ‘Ampere Law’ that he invented can determine the direction of the current and magnetic field. He was also skilled in the science of light, molecular theory and psychology. He also wrote a series of essays on the philosophy of science. He is recognized as the father of the branch of electrical motion science. In honour of Adre Marie Ampere, the practical unit of electricity is named ‘Ampere’ and the measuring device is named ‘Ampere Meter’.

This great scientist died on June 10, 1846.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Abul Fazal

Abul Fazal was a historian, diplomat, military commander and one of the Councilors of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He was born on 14 January 1551 in Agra. His father’s name was Sheikh Mubarak Nagauri. Abul Fazl had a keen interest in various scriptures from his childhood onwards. In 1574, his elder brother Faizi the poet entered the court of Emperor Akbar and became a favorite of Akbar for his extraordinary intelligence and prudence.

Abul Fazal played an important role in the affairs of Akbar’s rule. In particular, he had a profound influence on Akbar’s theology. In 1599, he was sent to South India as the Commander of the Mughal Army. On his return journey in 1602, Abul Fazal was killed after a conspiracy of Selim (later Jahangir) the son of Akbar. Abul Fazl’s wrote the book ‘Akbar Nama’. It is the most informative and reliable history of the reign of Akbar. ‘Ain-i-Akbari’ is another historical book by Abul Fazal. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Abdus Salam

Abdus Salam was a Pakistani physicist. He was born on 29 January 1926 in the city of Jang in the Punjab province of Pakistan. His father’s name was Choudhury Mohammad Hussain and his mother’s name was Hazera Begum. He was educated at the Punjab University of Pakistan and St. John’s College, Cambridge. He began his career as a Professor of Mathematics at the Government College, Lahore. He later taught at the University of the Punjab and Cambridge, and in 1957 he became a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London. In 1964, he became the founding director of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. In 1979, he got the Nobel Prize with Sheldon Lee Glasbo and Steven Weinberger, two American scientists in physics. He died on 21 November 1996. 0 0 0  

Introduction to World Personalities

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer, humanitarian and the 16th President of the United States of America. He was born on 12 February 1809 in a very poor family. His father’s name was Thomas Lincoln and his mother’s name was Nancy Hanfush Lincoln. His parents were illiterate and miserable, although they encouraged Abraham to go to school. He learned English in the village school by his own efforts. Due to financial difficulties, he had to work with his father at a young age. In 1831, Lincoln’s family moved to Illinois and settled there. There he was employed as a warehouse keeper in the port of New Salem. There he gained popularity for his friendliness, honesty and eloquence. In 1832, he desired to participate in active politics and contested the election of the provincial legislature, although the defeat was inevitable. Again he ran for the election in 1834 and won the next three major elections. He studied law from the beginning of his political career and he became one of the most senior lawyers in Illinois. He married Meritod in 1842 and eventually had four sons. In 1848, Abraham Lincoln was elected to the US Senate from Illinois. At that time, the United States strongly opposed the practice of slavery and introduced a bill in Parliament to abolish the abominable practice, although the bill was rejected. Lincoln was defeated by Senator Douglas in the 1858 election, although Lincoln won the election in 1860 from the Republican Party of America. On February 13, 1861, Lincoln became the sixteenth President of the United States of America. As President, he faced a civil war over slavery. He faced it with much patience, courage and strategy. In the midst of the bloody Civil War, a decree dated January 1, 1863, made this order permanent in the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. On April 9, 1865, the American Civil War ended. Just five days later, Abraham Lincoln was shot dead by an actor named Booth at the Ford Theater in Washington. He died on April 15, 1865.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Amzad Ali Khan

Amjad Ali Khan was an Indian Sarod player. He was born on 9 October 1954 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. His father was the famous sarod player Hafiz Ali Khan. From an early age, he was taught Sarod by his father and was able to perform Sarod in different places along with his father at the age of 12. In commemoration of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he created two popular ragas called ‘Rag Priyadarshini’ and ‘Rag Kamalashri’ respectively. Amjad Ali Khan’s other notable compositions include ‘Shivali, Haripriya Kanara, Kiran Ranjini, Suhag Bhairav, Shulakshmi, Lalit Dhwani, Shamshree and Jawahar Manjushri’. 

Amjad Ali Khan has received many honours and awards for his outstanding contributions to Indian classical music. These include ‘Padmashree’, ‘Sangeet-Natak Academy Award’, ‘UNESCO Award’, ‘Kalaratna’, ‘Sarod Samrat’ etc. In 1975, he married Shubhalakshmi Baruah, a well-known Bharatanatyam artist from Assam, and had two sons (Anam and Ayon). Like his father, his sons Aman and Ayon have also excelled in playing the sarod. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Akbar

Akbar was the third Mughal Emperor. His full name was Abul Fateh Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. He was born on 15 October 1542 in a place called Amarkot in Sindh province. His father was the second Mughal emperor Humayun and his mother was Hamida Banu Begum. After the death of his father Humayun in 1556, Akbar ascended the Mughal throne at the age of 14. For the first four years of his life, Bairam Khan, a loyal follower of Humayun, ruled the Mugal Empire as the guardian of Akbar. Within two years of Akbar’s reign, Himu, the general of Adil Shah, one of the successors of the Afghan king Shershah, invaded Akbar’s kingdom. Bairam Khan defeated Himu and killed him. This battle is known as the ‘Second Battle of the Panipath’. As a result of this war, the next chapter in the history of India was determined and the foundation of the Mughal Empire in India was strengthened. Akbar established his capital at Agra on the banks of the river Jamuna. By 1560, Akbar had conquered Ajmer, Gwalior and Jaunpur, respectively and expanded and strengthened the Mughal Empire. At that time, Bairam Khan seemed to be arbitrary, so Akbar deposed him and took over the power of the Mughal Empire in 1560 AD. After a long period of nearly 40 years of military might and diplomatic foresight, Akbar conquered many Indian kingdoms and became the ruler of a vast empire. Emperor Akbar’s empire extended to Kabul-Kashmir in the north, Indus-Baluchistan in the west, Bengal-Orissa in the east and Ahmednagar in the south.

To facilitate his rule, Akbar divided his empire into 15 provinces or sub-divisions and divided them into districts, Parganas and village panchayats. This system remained almost unchanged during British rule. The skill and foresight that Akbar showed in the formation of a united army, civil administration, religion and social reform almost 450 years ago today has been highly praised by historians. Apart from this, Akbar’s system of governance was also significant in terms of revenue reform such as land survey, division of agricultural land according to fertility, and determination of revenue rate. In this context, the intelligence and foresight of his minister Todaramal is also noteworthy.

Akbar was a contemporary of progressive statesmen such as Queen Elizabeth of England, the Persian Emperor Abbass the Great and the French Emperor Henry IV. He was illiterate though he had a strong interest in education. The royal court of this emperor, which was fond of art and literature, was attended by scholars and historians such as Abdul Fal, poet Faizi, singer Tansen, musicologist Raj Bahadur, and Birbal. In addition to many Sanskrit texts being translated into Persian in Akbar’s day, Abdul Fazle also wrote a number of reliable chronicles entitled ‘Ain-e-Akbari’ and ‘Akbarnama’.

Akbar’s religious view was liberal. As a witness to the great religious renaissance in India in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, a religious curiosity was aroused in Akbar’s mind. To this end, he established ‘Ibadatkhana’ in Fatehpur Sikri and regularly held religious discussions with scholars of various sects such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Jainism. He was much impacted by those religious discussions and in 1582 he gave birth to a new religion called ‘Din-e-Ilahi’. His aim was to unite Indians by means of his religion, although Akbar’s attempt was unsuccessful. He abolished the pilgrimage tax, jijiya tax, etc. which were imposed upon the Hindus by the previous Muslims rulers. 

Towards the end of his life, Akbar suffered a great deal of grief and emotional distress. His son Selim (later Emperor Jahangir) rebelled against him. Akbar suppressed the revolt. He was also saddened by the untimely death of his two sons, Murad and Daniel. In addition, the assassination of his Chief Secretary Abul Fazal and the death of the poet Faizi also caused special grief for Akar in his old age. Akbar died on 17 October 1605 in Agra.

Akbar’s secular and liberal principles, good relations between the rulers and the ruled, good governance etc. ushered in a new chapter in the history of India. His foresight and talent in various fields of state expansion and governance are still recognized as the best.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Hitler

Hitler was a Chancellor cum dictator of Germany. His full name was Adolf Hitler. He was born on April 20, 1889, in a small town of Braunau-am-Inn, Austria. His father’s name was Alice Hitler.  He was educated in Austria although he could not complete his high school education. During his school days, he drew pictures and practised art. He was attracted to politics from the age of sixteen. In the meantime, he decided to study at a college of painting in Vienna, the capital of Austria. However, he could not pass the entrance examination. For many years, he worked as a labourer in Vienna, selling his paintings on the street, designing buildings, etc. and made a living with great difficulty. In 1913 he went to Munich, Germany and joined the German army. He fought as a Corporal in the German Army in the First World War and received the ‘Iron Cross’ as a reward for his bravery. In 1919 he joined a small group called the ‘German Workers’ Union’. On April 1, 1920, the party was renamed the ‘National Socialist German Workers’ Party’. Historically, this group is known as ‘Nazi’. In 1921, Hitler became the president of this party. He was arrested in 1923 for rebelling against the government and was sentenced to life imprisonment. While in prison, Hitler wrote an autobiography, ‘Mine Kampf’ (My Struggle). In the book, Hitler embodied the ideals of Greater Germany and the Nazi party. In’ Mine Campf’, Hitler pointed out that the root of all German problems was the Jews and the Communists. He further added that Germany to turn into a prosperous one as ever, it needed a ‘furar’ or leader. Hitler’s remarks easily attracted the attention of the people in Germany at that time. In 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. In 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself to be a ‘dictator of Germany’, combining both the Chancellor and the President. All opposition groups were broken up and Hitler introduced dictatorship in Germany. He was also the Commander-in-Chief of the German Army. Thousands of people were taken as prisoners after Hitler’s dictatorship. Many people, especially Jews, were killed and progressive books were destroyed. Hitler first invaded Austria in 1938 and Czechoslovakia in 1939 with the aim of expanding German domination throughout the world. He then invaded Poland. As a result, the Second World War began. Initially, they won, but in the end, Germany was defeated. On April 30, 1945, Hitler, along with his girl-friend Eva Brown, committed suicide in the basement of his residence. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Adam

According to the ‘Old Testament of the Bible’, the ‘Holy Koran’ and the Jewish Scripture, Adam was the first man created by God. The word ‘Adam’ means ‘the father of the human race’. In Hebrew, the word means ‘life’. God created Adam from mud and dust. After creating Adam, God created the first woman ‘Eve’ to be the life partner of Adam. ‘Eve’ in Hebrew means ‘mother of all living things’. Adam and Eve lived happily in a garden of paradise called Eden. They were later expelled from heaven for eating the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge. It is believed that all the people in the world are the descendants of Adam and Eve. 0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Adam Smith

Adam Smith was an economist and philosopher. He is known as the ‘Father of Political Economy’. He was born on June 5, 1723. He was educated at the University of Glasgow and Oxford. After completing his education, he began his career as a professor of logic at the University of Glasgow in 1751. In 1752, he became a professor of ethics at the same university. Adam Smith’s ‘Theory of Moral Sentiments’ was published in 1759. This book brought him international fame. He moved to London on the 1776 and wrote a book entitled ‘An Inquiry into Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations’. This is one of the most important books in the field of political economy. For this book he is hailed as the ‘Father of Political Economy’ In 1778, he was appointed to the Scottish Commissioner of Customs and held that post until his death. 

Adam Smith died on July 17, 1790.  0 0 0

Introduction to World Personalities

Fraz Kafka 

Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was a German-speaking Jewish storyteller and novelist. He was born in Prague, Austro-Hungary. He studied law but worked for an insurance company. His literary works reflect a sweet combination of reality and imagination. Some of his books are: Metamorphosis and Other Stories, The Castle, The Judgment, A Hunger Artist, Letters to Felice etc. 0 0 0.

Lachit Borphukan

The names of Alexander, Napolean, Nelson, General Grant, Labid bin Alid are known all over the world, but how many people outside Assam know the name of Lachit Borphuvan? Lachil Borphukan is not a name only, he is an ideal symbol of patriotism, loyalty, dutifulness, courage, bravery, and war strategy.

Lachit Barphukan was born on 24th Novem, 1622 in a village near Gargaon in Sibsagar in the womb of Nageshwary by Momai Tamuli Barbaruah in the Lan-fima clan. He was the seventh son of his parents. Being born in the Ahom dynasty, he received proper education and learned war-strategy from his childhood. By means of his bravery, discipline, and dutifulness, he drew the attention of the Ahom King and was first appointed to the post of ‘Hatidhara Tamuli’i and later on he was upgraded to a General and subsequently he was upgraded to the Commander-in-chief and fought the Mughals commanded by Ramshing and defeated the huge army of the Mughals in the battle of Saraighat in 1671. Lachit Borphukan was so patriotic and loyal that he beheaded his maternal uncle for his negligence of duty.

By defeating the Mughals, he not only kept up the freedom of the Ahom Kingdom but also taught us the lesson of bravery, loyalty, and patriotism.

We should be inspired by his ideal. Our heart-felt homage goes to him on the 400th birth anniversary of our pride Lachit Borphukan. 0 0 0.

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Introduction to World Personalities

Books of Composition by M. Menonimus:

1. Advertisement Writing
2. Amplification Writing
3. Note Making
4. Paragraph Writing
5. Notice Writing
6. Passage Comprehension
7. The Art of Poster Writing
8. The Art of Letter Writing
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10. Story Writing
11. Substance Writing
12. School Essays Part-I
13. School Essays Part-II
14. School English Grammar Part-I
15. School English Grammar Part-II..

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