Jim Corbett   India: A great hunter and wildlife enthusiast Born : 1875      Died : 1955 Jim Corbett is now part of the folklore in the hills of Uttar Pradesh, particularly Kumaon. region. Tales of his hunting prowess and bravery can still be heard in the hills of Kumaon and Garhwal. Jim was born in an English family on July 25, 1875 at Nainital. His full name was  Edward...

Ivan Lendl   Czechoslovakia: World renowned tennis player Born : 1960 Ivan Lendl was born in Czechoslovakia on March 7,1960. His mother Olga was also a good tennis player. Lendl started taking part in tennis tournaments from the young age of 8. He was the Junior champion of Czechoslovakia during 1975-78. He won the European Junior Championship title in 1976 and the Orange Bowl championship in 1977. He became Wimbledon Junior...

Chris Evert Lloyd   America: Woman tennis player Born : 1954 A part from being a top tennis player who ruled supreme in this game for nearly-two decades, Chris Evert was equally popular because of her glamorous personality. No other woman player enjoyed the popularity that she did for such a long period. After having won most of the titles, she retired from competitive tennis in the year 1989 and left...

Fanny Blankers   Holland: Heroine of London Olympics Born : 1918 There have been many women athletes whose amazing performances 1 in Olympics have brought glory to the fair sex. Amongst them, the name of Francisca Fanny Blankers shall always glitter, who in spite of her advancing age, made Olympic history by her fantastic performance. Fanny was born at Amsterdam (Holland) on January 26, 1918. She became interested in athletics at...

Mikhail S. Gorbachev   Russia: Protagonist of ‘glasnost’ Born : 1931 After the Russian revolution, the Russian people were living behind an `iron curtain’ as Stalin and his successors ruled that country in an autocratic manner. It was Khrushchev and Bulganin who initiated a policy of liberalisation. With the emergence of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, this policy of liberalisation found full play. Gorbachev would always find a distinctive position in history for...

Shakuntala Devi India: Human Computer   Hailed as a ‘Human Computer’ because of her extraordinary talents in solving complex mathematical problems, Shakuntala Devi also found her place in the Guinness Book of Records. She has astonished scientists across the world by her capacity to solve mathematical problems in a jiffy without any mechanical aid. Usually these complex mathematical calculations are carried at lightning speed on computers. It can be said that...

Christine Keeler   England: Heroine of Profumo scandal She he had what is generally described as ‘body beautiful’. Her dazzling beauty created such a political storm in England that the Defence Minister John Profumo had to resign from the cabinet ending his promising political career. Keeler was a ‘call girl’ lending her passion to the elite of Great Britain. Her father was a soldier who died when she was just a...

Jacqueline Kennedy   America: Priestess of fashion Jacqueline Kennedy in her prime was considered as one of the most beautiful, mod and liberated women. She had a very glamorous personality and had a penchant for expensive garments. Her wardrobe was discussed all over the world and copied by adoring fans. She was always in the news because of her charming personality and costly costumes. She also visited India in 1962 and...