Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (1861-1962) First among planners in India—an outstanding engineer, able administrator, great economist, social reformer, educationist and statesman, Sir M. Visvesvaraya was born on 15 September 1861 in an orthodox middle-class Brahmin family in a village near Nandi Hills in Mysore State. Having lost his father at an early age, the burden of maintaining the family fell on his shoulders, and he rose to the occasion and managed to...

Dr. Bhagwan Dass (1869-1958) A scholar and a savant, Bhagwan Dass, traced the growth of civilisation. He felt that what the world needed was a synthesis of philosophy, science and religion. He looked upon philosophy as a bridge between religion and science. He provided a new path to humanity by advocating a—new humanism—a new World Social Order and a new World Religion. His work was permeated by the genuine scientific spirit,...

Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (1888-1970) Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, better known as C.V. Raman, one of the most brilliant scientists of the world, was born on 7 November 1888 at Ayyanpettai near Tiruchirapalli in the then Madras State. Known for his Raman Effect he was India’s most illustrious scientist who placed his country on the scientific map of the globe. He was the first Asian Scientist to bag and also the first...

Chakravarty Rajagopalachari (1878-1972) Chakravarty Rajagopalachari, better known as Rajaji and more briefly as C. R. belonged to a Vaishnavite Brahmin family. He was born on 10 December 1878 in Salem District in the then Madras Presidency. His father was a village Munsif (Judicial Officer) in Thorapotti, Salem District. Some of his family members were pandits in the royal court of Mysore. Rajaji was the youngest of three sons. Educated at Bangalore...

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975) Known the world over as a versatile genius, scholar, litterateur, philosopher, statesman, seer, orator, writer and administrator—all combined—Bharat Ratna Dr. (Sir) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, in a middle class family in the pilgrim town of Tirutani, with background of learning. His father, it is said, did not want his son to learn English, which was the pre-requisite to of orthodox success in India,...