Rani Laxmi Bai

By Notable Brahmins Posted in India's Freedom Struggle, Royalty

rani laxmi bai brahmin“Meri Jhansi nahi doongi!”

While these words have been written on the pages of history, Rani Laxmi Bai is one of few names of women who have made a huge impact in the 1857 freedom struggle of India. Still inspiring millions of daughters across the country, this fearless warrior represents patriotism in a true sense.

Born in a Brahmin family in 1835, she had a unconventional upbringing, as opposed to children of her age. Trained from childhood in martial arts, shooting and sword fighting, under the guidance of Tatya Tope, Rani Laxmi Bai was known fondly as “Manu”. She was married to Maharaj Gangadhar Rao Baba Sahib of Jhansi, where she assumed the status of a queen. She quickly gained the affection and loyalty of her subjects. However, with no surviving legal heir, the Maharaja adopted a son, just before his death, as per their tradition. The British refused to acknowledge the adopted son as the heir and started interfering in the small kingdom, while annexing it under their rule as per their Doctrine of Lapse.

The Queen was already asked to leave her rights and the throne and offered an annual pension. Yet, the brave Queen of Jhansi refused to budge and let her throne fall into British hands. By that time, an uprising had already started across India to foil plans of British to usurp India. Under the command of Sir Hugh Rose, the British managed to reach the fort of Jhansi to capture it. The battle went for two weeks and the Queen fought with valor and courage, however lost the battle. It is reported that she used to carry her son on her back on the battlefield. With her son and a few trusted followers, she escaped to the fort of Gwalior, to continue her battle against the British. It has also been reported that many villagers refused to give them refuge fearing the British.

The British had now recognized her as a rebel, who had tremendous potential, hence had made immediate plans to capture her. Dressed as a soldier, the 29-year old gallant Queen fought fearlessly in 1858 at Gwalior, despite lack of resources. English writers who have written an account of her war skills and strategies, describe that the courageous Ranee was at the forefront, battling till her very last breath even when her army was thinning. She fell down after she was struck by bullets and was immediately cremated as per her last wishes, untouched by the enemies.

Despite her loss, she has set an unmatched example, which was quite rare during those times, especially when role of women were confined and limited to household activities. She certainly planted seeds of patriotism among future leaders of the country and still remains one of the most celebrated war hero.

“We fight for independence. In the words of Lord Krishna, we will if we are victorious, enjoy the fruits of victory, if defeated and killed on the field of battle, we shall surely earn eternal glory and salvation.”

Birth Score – 5/5

Pride Score – 5/5

Undoubtedly, an impressive 10/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

 

Sir C.V. Raman

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Scientists

cv raman brahmin

“I would like to tell the young men and women before me not to lose hope and courage. Success can only come to you by courageous devotion to the task lying in front of you.”

Born in 1888, in Southern India, in a Tamil Brahmin family, Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman is one of the handful Indians to win the prestigious Nobel Prize (in Physics). A notable scientist in the pre-Independence era, his research has won many laurels and recognition from other peers from his community. His interest in Mathematics and Physics was honed since childhood since his father was a lecturer in these subjects.

Although he held a Masters degree in Physics, his career started as an accountant in the finance department of the Indian government. However, in his quest to become a scientist, he bagged the role of a physics lecturer in University of Calcutta in 1917. While researching on scattering of light on different substances in 1928, he discovered that when a transparent object is illuminated by a beam of light of one frequency, a small portion of the scattered light emerges at various wavelengths different than the original light. This phenomenon of scattering of light at different frequencies was noted as the Raman Effect. This landmark discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in 1930.

Backed with his fascination with optics and acoustics, he published many research papers related to these fields. He was also selected as the Fellow of the Royal Society, an honour that was conferred on very few Indians. Knighted by the British government, he founded the Indian Academy of Sciences in Bangalore, wherein he continued his work on the Raman Effect. He published his work through the science journal Proceedings.

“We must teach science in the mother tongue. Otherwise, science will become a highbrow activity. It will not be an activity in which all people can participate.”

Apart from this, he has also been honoured with many memberships, medals, and recognition from scientific communities across the globe. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna award in 1954. In a time when science was considered rarely as a career option due to lack of infrastructure, C.V. Raman chose to shine in the field in physics, despite being completely educated in India. However, he refused money from the government for his institutes as he did not want it to work as per government pressure.

His work cannot be considered to be lesser than any other political leader during the national freedom struggle. Interestingly, he is uncle to Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who was also a Nobel Prize winner. Today, there are a lot of educational institutions, universities and NGOs named in his honour, to encourage young enthusiasts aspiring to become world-renowned physicists.

“I strongly believe that fundamental science cannot be driven by instructional, industrial, governmental or military pressures. This was the reason why I decided, as far as possible, not to accept money from the government.”

Birth Score – 3/5

Pride Score – 5/5

An impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

 

Vishwanathan Anand

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Sports people

vishwanathan anand brahmin

“If revenge motivates you, go for it! But the main thing is to set your game in order.”

 
In India, the game chess is synonymous with the name Viswanathan Anand. The best chess player in India and 15th chess champion of the world, he has many laurels to his credit.

Born in 1969 in Tamil Nadu in a South Indian Brahmin family, he learnt this game from his mother at a tender age of 6. In a country obsessed with a cricket, achievements by Viswanathan Anand have boosted the importance of chess, encouraging many young enthusiasts to take it up as a full-time career.

When he was just 15 years old, he had already achieved international fame by winning the Asian Junior Championship under 20. He gained the fame of as the “Lightning Kid” for his speed and tactics in making his moves. In 1988, he became the International Grandmaster. Since then, there has been no looking back as he set to become the first Asian to become a World Champion in 2000. He was honoured with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Sportstar Millenium Award.

“Preparedness for a game that usually lasts four-five hours requires good physical condition and also steady nerves.”

He recently launched his autobiography “Mind Master”, which is an account of his journey as a chess master and the hurdles he faced. The book mentions how his wife has been a constant travel companion and manager, helping him focus on the game and cope with emotional upheaval during a big game. Currently, a biopic on his professional and personal life is also in the pipeline. Interestingly, in 1988, he had published a book that described a collection of his games.

“I feel that schools and corporates should help the government in popularising sports in the country. Blaming the government for every sporting debacle will not be fair.”

He is currently training young aspirants who dream of becoming the world champion. Besides, he has also been actively participating in chess tournaments for raising funds for families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Celebrity New Worth, as of 2021, the net worth of this 51-yeard old champion is a whopping USD 3 million. Apart from this, he has been selected as the ambassador of World Wide Fund for its environmental education program.
Undoubtedly, he is the best chess player India has ever produced, as of today.

“We want more women players to take up chess. There are few participants at the national level and hope it will grow.”

Birth Score – 3/5

Pride Score – 5/5

An impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Lal Bahadur Shastri

By Notable Brahmins Posted in India's Freedom Struggle, Politics

lal bahadur shastri brahmin“We believe in the dignity of man as an individual, whatever his race, color or creed, and his right to better, fuller, and richer life.”

Born during the pre-independence era in a Brahmin family of Varanasi, Shri Lal Bahadur Shashtri was a notable leader of India. A firm believer and staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi’s principles, the seeds of India’s freedom struggle were imbibed in his mind at a tender age of eleven. He joined the Non-cooperation Movement called out by Gandhiji when he was just 16 years old. In 1930, he joined the Salt Satyagraha movement, which led to his imprisonment for almost two years.

He served as the Prime Minister of India from June 9, 1964 to January 11, 1966, with an illustrious career in politics. His slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” was an acknowledgement to the significant contribution made by the soldiers and farmers of India, the pillars on which the country’s security and economic growth stood. Soft spoken, humble, yet firm and responsible; his work in both pre- and post independent India speaks volumes of his character and integrity.

Before serving as the prime minister, Shastri had made major changes as a Transport Minister too. He introduced and provided for female drivers and conductors. Besides, as a Home Minister, he was instrumental in setting up the first committee for prevention of corruption. He was actively involved in ending the dowry and caste system. He was also accredited to the success of White Revolution for boosting milk production in the country.
“The basic idea of governance, as I see it, is to hold the society together so that it can develop and march towards certain goals.”
His career as a Prime Minister was unfortunately cut short due to his death at Tashkent, Uzbekistan (then a part of Soviet Union) in 1966. Although official records say that he died due to an heart attack, his death remains shrouded in mystery, given the unusual circumstances, with many conspiracies claiming that it was a deliberate attempt.
Posthumously, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1966. Many charitable and educational institutes are named after him in recognition of his national services. The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award is a prestigious award given to individuals who have achieved excellence in their profession, business, or social work.
Yet, in his thirty years of tenure of service to our country, he remains undoubtedly the leader with highest morals with a contribution that will keep us indebted forever.
“I am not as simple as I look.”

 

Birth Score – 4/5

 

Pride Score – 5/5
An impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

 

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Musicians & Singers

pt bhimsen joshi brahmin Life is a question asked by God about the way He exists.
- Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi was a veteran in the classical music industry. Belonging to the Kirana gharana, he has many credits to his name for his contribution to Hindustani classical music, earning many laurels as a professional playback singer as well as devotional singer. His natyasangeet (music for Marathi plays) and bhajans are still celebrated in many Maharashtrian families.
Born in a middle-class Brahmin family of Karnataka, he was smitten by music and instruments at a very early age. In his quest and love for learning music, he left home at a tender age of 11 and took his search for the apt teacher across Bijapur, Delhi, Gwalior, and Jalandar; to become a disciple of music maestro Sawai Gandharva. In honour of his teacher, in 1953, he started the “Sawai Gandharva Festival”, which is still celebrated in Bal Gandharva Natyagruha in Pune.
Effortless singing combined with unparalleled expertise learnt under his guru; Joshi excelled across various genres of music. His contribution to the national song “Mile Sur Mera Humara” is still remembered with pride across the country. He is credited to the introduction of three new ragas: Lalit Bhatiyar, Kalashree and Marwa Shree; which proves his proficiency and musical intellect. His perfect alaaps and magical surs won him a lot of fame, even among music critics.
His illustrious career boasts of a host of awards, some of which are mentioned below:
·         Bharat Ratna
·         Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
·         Lifetime achievement award
·         Padma Shree
·         Padma Bhushan
·         Padma Vibhushan
·         Karnataka Ratna
·         Maharashtra Bhushan
·         Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram
He passed away in Pune, the city that gave him maximum patronage, in 2011, in a private hospital after a brief illness. However, his music has made him unforgettable with his voice etched in hearts of millions of music patrons across the globe. No amount of words can justify the adulation he deserves for his contribution to music and culture. Truly, his renditions that have remained timeless in the form of his recorded music are a treasure trove for all Indians.
Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 5/5
A super-impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Indira Nooyi

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Business people

indira nooyi brahmin

Indira Nooyi

“Understand the politics in the organization, but don’t play the politics of the organization.”

Indira Nooyi, a highly acclaimed Indian-born American businesswoman belongs to a Tamil Brahmin family. She is one among the few women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, belonging to an ethnic background, to represent an American brand. In 2017, she was second in the Forbes list of most powerful businesswomen.

She rose to fame after her work at PepsiCo, Inc., a snack and beverages giant, for the company’s diversification in healthier foods and drinks. Her strategy of making the portfolio of the company well balanced rather than relying merely on its soft drinks product line gained her many accolades. She served as the CEO of the company between 2006 and 2018 and as a chairman from 2007 to 2019. Her success in corporate life has become an inspiration for many young women to reach for top management positions, which are still male-dominated.

Backed with her education in Chemistry from Madras Christian College and a masters from IIM, Calcutta; she moved to the U.S. to pursue an additional masters degree from the Yale School of Management. She credits much of success to Yale, where she learnt leadership qualities and how business and society can work together for the greater benefit. In 2016, as a gesture of gratitude, she contributed an undisclosed amount to the business school.

“I grew up with a mother who said, ‘I’ll arrange a marriage for you at 18,’ but she also said that we could achieve anything we put our minds to and encourage us to dream of becoming prime minister or president.”

While talking about her personal life, she disclosed that she grew up in a household where education and grades were given utmost importance. However, success was not overnight for her, revealing that she did face a lot of challenges, and admitted that women do not have it easy. A mother of two, currently she is a member of Board of Directors of Amazon, which has pushed up the percentage of women being represented in this industry.

According to Wallmine, as of 15 May 2021, the net worth of Indira Nooyi is approximately 16.4 million dollars. At the age of 64, she still continues her zeal for business with the same fervour.

 “Just because you are CEO, don’t think you have landed. You must continually increase your learning, the way you think, & the way you approach the organization. I’ve never forgotten that.”

Birth Score – 3/5

Pride Score – 4/5

An impressive 7/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Pu La Deshpande

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Actors, Artists

PL DeshpandePL Deshpande

“Making Magic from the Mundane“

Born and brought up in Mumbai in a simple Goud Saraswat Brahmin (caste) household, P. L. Deshpande was a talented author, musician, singer, musicologist, stage performer, stage and film artist and director.
There are many who have mastered Marathi language, few who have made their mark in Marathi literature as true entertainers. Without mocking the mediocre, resorting to sleazy slapstick and conjuring up atrocious fantasies, P. L. consistently had his audience rolling in the aisles and readers smiling, including his critics. Like all sensitive artists, although his art was affected by the major politico-economic-social upheavals that India was going through during his lifetime, especially during the peak period of his career, it never stained his work. There are references to economic challenges, generation gaps and difficulty in coping with the changing times – all extremely poignant subjects – however all of his books, plays talk about happiness and have a very positive effect.
He himself describes the purpose of his life philosophically – a note to readers at the beginning of his book “Hasavnuk” loosely translated from Marathi -
Caught between birth and death, is the charade that we call life. So what better purpose can be there for this life then, other than to make people laugh?
Birth score – 4/5
Pride score – 5/5
Overall NB score – 9/10

 

Birth Score – 4/5

Pride Score – 5/5
A very impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

 

Srinivasa Ramanujan

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Scientists
Srinivasa Ramanujan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Srinivasa Ramanujan - The greatest mathematician of the 21st century.

Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar was a Tamilian Brahmin (caste). He was born on the 22nd December 1887 which is now celebrated as National Mathematics Day in his honour.

 

Ramanujan was mentored into leaving his clerical service by the then deputy collector V, Ramaswamy Aiyer – another Tamil Brahmin & pursuing his passion of mathematics. He also collaborated with GH Hardy – a renowned mathematician at Cambridge for 5 years, from 1914 – 1919.

 

His accomplishments include contributions to number theory, infinite series & continued fractions among others. Until his untimely death at the age of 32, Ramanujan had independently compiled over 3900 equations. His unconventional theorems also include Ramanujan Prime & Ramanujan Theta function. This is inspite of not having any formal education in Mathematics!

 

Inspite of his untimely death at the age of 32, Ramanujan produced a lifetime worth of work that continues to inspire mathematicians even after almost a century.

 

His life has recently inspired a bio-pic titled “Ramanujan”. Do watch it.

 

Birth score – 4/5

 

Pride score – 5/5

 

Overall NB score – 9/10

Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Military Tagged
Bajirao Peshwa

Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa

An undefeated warrior & visionary statesman of the Maratha Empire.

Some historical quotes about Bajirao Peshwa -

“Bajirao was a heaven born cavalry leader.  In the long and distinguished galaxy of Peshwas, Bajirao Ballal was unequalled for the daring and originality of his genius and the volume and value of his achievements.  He was truly a Cavalry Hero as king- or rather as a Man of action.’  If Sir Robert Walpole created the unchallengeable position of the Prime Minister in the unwritten constitution of England, Bajirao created the same institution in the Maratha Raj at exactly the same time.” (Jadunath Sarkar – ‘Peshwa Bajirao I and Maratha Expansion’)

“Bred a soldier as well as a statesman, Bajirao united the enterprise, vigour and hardihood of a Maratha chief with the polished manners, the sagacity and address which frequently distinguish the Brahmins of the Konkan.  Fully acquainted with the financial schemes of his father, he selected that part of the plan calculated to direct the predatory hordes of Maharashtra in a common effort.  In this respect, the genius of Bajirao enlarged the schemes which his father devised; and unlike most Brahmins, of him it may be truly said- he had both- the head to plan and the hand to execute.” (J. Grant Duff – ‘History of the Marathas’)

Bajirao I was born on the 18th of August 1700 in a Koknastha Chitpavan Brahmin (caste) family. He was the eldest son of Balaji Vishwanath Rao Peshwa. The Peshwas were Prime Ministers of the Maratha empire. This position was created by Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire.

Bajirao was trained by Maratha generals to be proficient in warfare, politics and military campaigns. At an early age Bajirao travelled all over the Mughal empire upto Delhi with his father. At the age of 19 after the death of Balaji Vishwanath, Bajirao was chosen to became the next Peshwa.

At that time, Shahu Maharaj was the King of the Maratha empire and occupied the seat in Satara. In his court, the young Peshwa Bajirao is said to have thundered, “Let us transcend the barren Deccan and conquer central India. The Mughals have become weak, insolent, womanizers and opium-addicts. The accumulated wealth of centuries in the vaults of the north, can be ours. It is time to drive from the holy land of Bharatvarsha the outcastes and the barbarians. Let us throw them back over the Himalayas, back to where they came from. The saffron flag must fly from the Krishna to the Indus. Hindustan is ours”.

For twenty long years, Bajirao’s army moved throughout the Mughal empire taking town after town, village after village and advancing on Delhi.

In his lifetime, Bajirao undertook 41 military conquests. He was undefeated throughout his lifetime. Some of his battles included -

  • Battle of Malwa against the Mughals.
  • Conquest of Gujarat
  • Conquest of Central India
  • Attack on the capital of the Mughal empire at Delhi
  • Hoisting the Maratha flag upto Attock in Afghanistan
  • Defeating General Bungash Khan, bravest commander of the Mughals.
  • Defeating the armies of the Pathans, Portuguese around the western courts.

On April 28, 1740 Bajirao Peshwa passed away from an illness on the banks of river Narmada. He had been resting with his troops before their next battle when he was taken sick and died.

Bajirao Peshwa was instrumental in breaking apart the Mughal empire and creating a strong military base for the Maratha empire.

Birth score – 4/5
Pride score – 5/5
Overall NB score – 9/10

Sundar Pichai

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Business people Tagged ,
Sundar Pichai

Sundar Pichai

CEO – Google
Pichai Sundararajan or Sundar Pichai as he is popularly known is a Tamil Brahmin (caste). Born on 12 July 1972 in a quiet, middle-class Chennai family, he worked hard in school at studies and sports and excelled at both.
After securing a degree in Metallurgical Engineering and a fiancee (he proposed and was accepted by his class mate Anjali) from IIT Kharagpur, Sundar left India for studying at Stanford University which had offered him a scholarship. He then worked in Applied Materials, completed an MBA from Wharton and was a McKinsey consultant for a while.
He joined Google in 2004 where he worked on the Google Toolbar and later Google Chrome and Android and distinguished himself as a brilliant tech executive. A year after Pichai was put in charge of Android, (the original founder of the technology had to make way for him), Google shipped 1 billion Android devices. He was also instrumental in the birth of Google Chrome, which displaced IE as the most popular browser.
His personal ambition is to work on big problems that solve big problems in users’ lives.
A rare combination of technical and business acumen and an easy-going and friendly personality has catapulted Sundar Pichai into the top spot at Google. We have no doubt that he will lead the tech giant as ably as his predecessors.
Sundar Pichai lives in San Francisco with his wife and 2 children, Kavya and Kiran.
Birth score – 4/5
Pride score – 4/5
Overall NB score – 8/10