Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Guru Dutt

Personal Profile:
Guru Dutt was born on July 9, 1925, in Bangalore. He had died on 10/10/1964. He was an actor, film director and producer. He was famous for making artistic and lyrical films. His original name was Shivsankar Rao Padukone His parents were Saraswat Brahmins. His father was a headmaster. He had studied at Uday Shankar's dancing school at Almora. He was married and knew Hindi and English.

Family Background:
Mother's Name: Vasanthi
Brother: Atmaram
Sister: Lalita
Ex-Spouse: Geeta Dutt
Son: Arun and Tarun
Daughter: Nina

Filmography:
Debut Film: Baazi
Hit Movies: Sanjh Aur Savera, Picnic, Suhagan, East Is East, Bahurani, Bharosa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Shahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Pyaasa, Mr. & Mrs., Suhagan, 12 O'Clock, Aar Paar.

Likes & Dislikes:
Likes: Hunting

Dilip Kumar

Personal Profile:
Original Name of Dilip Kumar was Yusuf Khan. His nickname is Sri Dilip Kumar. People commonly call him tragedy king. He was born on December 11, 1922 in Peshawar (Pakistan). His father had relocated to Mumbai. A filmmaker had spotted him and helped him to enter the Hindi film industry. He owned India's greatest award for his excellence in cinema. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius. He has also been a Member of Parliament.

Family Background:
Brother(s): Nasir Hussain
Spouse: Saira Banu

Film Background:
Debut Film: Jwar Bhata
Hit Movies: Gunga Jumna, Leader, Izzatdaar, Mughal-E-Azam, Saudagar, Madhumati, Kanoon Apna Apna, Ram Aur Shyam, Sunghursh, Aag Ka Dariya, Dharam Adhikari, Karma, Mashaal, Kranti, Vidhaata, Dastaan, Kohinoor, Bairaag, Koshish, Gopi, Aadmi, Musafir, Aan, Hulchul, Arzoo, Naya Daur, Azaad, Devdas, Insaniyat, Foot Path, Babul, Nadiya Ke Paar, Shaheed, Jugnu, Jogan, Andaz, Shabnam, Ghar Ki Izzat, Mela.
Upcoming Movies: Khazan
Film Awards: Best actor filmfare award (1982) for Shakti. The lifetime achievement in 1997.

Amitabh Bachchan

Personal Profile
Amitabh Bachchan is one of the biggest super stars that Hindi cinema/Bollywood has ever produced. Amitabh is fondly called as Amit and is also known as the Big B. He was born on 11 October 1942 in Allahabad. His zodiac sign is Libra. His height is 6'3". His eyes and hair are black. He pursued his education from Sherwood College, Nainital and Kirori Mal College, Delhi University. He knows Hindi, English and Punjabi. His residence is at Pratiksha, 10th Road, JVPD Scheme, Mumbai 49.

Family Background:
Father's Name: Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Mother's Name: Teji Bachchan
Spouse: Jaya Bhaduri
Son: Abhishek Bachchan
Daughter: Shweta

Filmography:
Debut Film: Saat Hindustani
Hit Movies: Zanjeer, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Sholay, Anand, Yaarana, Mr. Natwarlal, Sharaabi, Coolie, Aaj Ka Arjun, Agneepath, Shahenshah, Aakhree Raasta, Hum, Mohabbatein, Kaante, Major Saab, Black, Sarkar, Lakshya, Bunty Aur Babli, Baghban, Veer-Zaara.
Latest Movies: KANK
Upcoming Movies: Happy New Year, Baiju Aur Tansen, and Ada.
Film Awards: Best Actor For Baghban, Actor of the Millennium,

Likes & Dislikes:
Favourite Dish: Indian vegetarian food
Favourite Actresses: Jaya Bahaduri and Aishwarya Rai
Favourite Movies: Ganga Jamuna, Pyaasa
Favourite Destination: Peaceful Places
Favourite Perfumes: All Table Perfumes

Hema Malini

Personal Profile
Hema Malini is a Bollywood actress and Bharatanatyam dancer born on October 16, 1948 in Ammankudi, Tamil Nadu. Her original name is Hema Malini R. Chakravarty. She is popularly called as Dream Girl. She speaks Hindi, Tamil and English. Her daughters have been trained in Odissi School of Dance. She married Dharmendra. They have two children: Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. Hema Malini has stepped in politics. She was also elected for Rajya Sabha with the support of the BJP.

Family Background:
Mother's Name: Jaya Chakravarthy
Spouse: Dharmendra
Daughter: Esha Deol and Ahana Deol

Film Background:
Debut Film: Sapnon Ka Saudagar
Some of her famous movies are: Satte Pe Satta, Farz Aur Kanoon, Justice Chaudhury, Teesri Aankh Veer Zaara, Samraat, Aatank, Vivekananda, Hai Meri Jaan, Jamai Raja, Lekin, Paap Ka Ant, Sharara, Ek Naya Itihas, Qaidi, Raaj Tilak, Nastik, Andha Kanoon, Desh Ke Dushman, Santosh, Deshwasi, Galiyon Ka Badshah, Sachche Ka Bol Bala, Rihaee, Mohabbat Ke Dushman, Mulzim, Vijay, Kudrat Ka Kanoon, Apne Apne, Sitapur Ki Geeta, Jaan Hatheli Pe, Anjaam, Ek Chadar Maili Si, Babu, Ramkali, Aandhi Toofan, Hum Dono, Yudh, Baghawat, Desh Premee, Durga, Phaansi Ke Baad, Ek Nai Paheli, Ram Tera Desh, Razia Sultan, Himalay Putra, Maahir, Do Dishayen, Taqdeer, Meharbaani, Rajput, Suraag, Baghban, Censor, Hey Ram.
Upcoming Movies: Bhagmati, Baabul.

Bipasha Basu

Personal Profile
Bipasha Basu is a fashion model and an Indian actress born on May 5, 1979 in Delhi. Her nickname is Bonny. She is commonly known as Bips. Her zodiac sign is Taurus. She is approx. 5' 8". She is unmarried. She pursued business degree in Kolkata. She was named Tulips Miss Super Vivacious in a world contest. Her debut movie was Ajnabee. She has also performed in some music videos and in Jay Sean's Stolen. Languages known by her are Hindi, English and Bengali. She resides at 105/B, Ashiyana Estate, John Bapist Road, Bandra (w), Mumbai-50.

Filmography:
Debut Film: Ajnabee
Famous Movies: Jism, Ajnabee, Takkari Donga, Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, Chor Machaye Shor, Rakht: What If You Can See the Future, Raaz, Gunaah, Apaharan, Phir Hera Pheri, Aankhen, No Entry, Barsaat, Sachin, Footpath, Chehraa, Rudraksh, Madhoshi, Rakht: What If You Can See the Future, Zameen, Ishq Hai Tumse, Dhoom 2.
Latest Movies: Phir Hera Pheri, Apaharan.
Upcoming Movies: Dhoom 2

Likes & Dislikes:
Hobbies: Reading, Dancing, Interior Designing

Aishwarya Rai

Personal Profile:
Aishwarya Rai was born on November 1, 1973 in Mangalore (Karnataka). She is a model, Bollywood and Hollywood actress. She is called by her nickname as Ash, Ashu and Gullu. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She is unmarried. She is currently the highest-paid actress in India. She is the Miss World of 1994. She has also been voted as Most Beautiful Miss World of All Time in 2000. Her father, Krishnaraj Rai, is a marine engineer. Her mother Vrinda Rai is a writer. Aishwarya has a three-year-older brother. Aishwarya did her schooling from Arya Vidya Mandir, Santacruz, Mumbai. Aishwarya's native language is Tulu. Other languages known by her are: Hindi, English, Kannada, Tamil, Urdu, and Marathi. While studying architecture, she also started modeling. She worked as a professional model in Indian advertising and fashion magazines. She resides at Ramlaxmi Niwas, 19th Road, Khar, Mumbai 400 052.

Family Background:
Father's Name: Krishnaraj Rai
Mother's Name: Vrinda Rai
Brother: Aditya Rai

Film Background:
Debut Film: Iruvar
Famous Movies: Iruvar, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Chokher Bali, 23rd March 1931: Shaheed, Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, Bunty Aur Babli, Kuch Naa Kaho, Ravoyi Chandamama, Bride & Prejudice, Kyun Ho Gaya Na, Devdas, Albela, Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Raincoat, Khakee, Dil Ka Rishta, Shakti: The Power, Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin, Mohabbatein, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, Josh, Mela, Sanam Tere Hain Hum, Taal, Aa Ab Laut Chalen, Jeans, The Heart of India, Shabd.
Latest Movies: Shabd, Bunty Aur Babli, Bride & Prejudice.
Upcoming Movies: Singularity, Racing the Monsoon, Chaos, The Last Legion, Windfall, Provoked, and Mistress of Spices, Saamna.

Likes & Dislikes:
Favourite Recipes: Not a fussy eater.
Favourite Actor: Raj Kapoor, A.B., and Dilip Kumar.
Favourite Actress: Madhubala and Nargis
Favourite Color: White and Blue
Likes: Family, Friends, Honesty, Dignity, Strength of character, Chocolates
Hobbies: She loves to collect watches

Smita Patil

Smita Patil

Smita Patil (1955 - 13 December 1986) is one among the few versatile Indian actresses, who have made a special position in the hearts of people. She was indeed the pride of Bollywood. She has given superb performances in her movies, for which she is admired even today. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Indian actress Smita Patil.

Career
She has worked with wonderful directors like Govind Nihalani, Shyam Benegal, and Mrinal Sen. She has performed in a number of Hindi and Marathi films. She is the queen of Indian cinema. For some time, she also took the job of a TV news reader. She was a great photographer. She was a multifaceted personality. She had dominated the Indian film industry during the 1970s and 1980s.

Smita PatilSmita was an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. In the year 1977, she received the National Award for best actress for her remarkable performance in the film Bhumika. In most of her films, she was portrayed as a very strong woman, who is able to endure the pressures created by the male dominated society.

Apart from being an actress, she was also an activist who raised several women issues. She tied her wedding knots with the well known Bollywood actor Raj Babbar. She did not survive for long. Due to complications arising from the birth of son, she died on the December 13, 1986.

Notable Works of Smita Patil
Nishant
Mandi
Haadsa
Umbartha
Bazaar
Manthan
Bhumika
Namak Halaal
Dard Ka Rishta
Arth Bhavni Bhavai
Chakra
Shakti
Sadgati
Mirch Masala

Sharmila Tagore

Sharmila Tagore

Sharmila Tagore is a well known name of the Indian film industry. From April 2005 onwards, she is the head of the Indian Film Censor Board. The same year in the month of December, she served as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Indian actress Sharmila Tagore. Read further to know the complete history of Sharmila Tagore.

Life
She was born on the December 8, 1946 in Hyderabad. She is a relative of the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. She wanted to marry a Muslim man Mansoor Ali Khan, the Nawab of Pataudi. For marrying him, she got her religion converted to Islam. She even changed her name to Ayesha Sultana. In the year 1968, she got married. They have three children, namely Saif Ali Khan, Soha Ali Khan and Saba Ali Khan.

Sharmila TagoreFilm Career
Her film career started in the year 1959. She got her first break by playing the lead role in Satyajit Ray film Apur Sansar (The World of Apu). She was just fourteen years old, when she worked in her maiden film. Thereafter, she was starred in many films.

Awards Won
Filmfare Best Actress Award in 1969
National Film Award for Best Actress in 1976
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997
Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003

Important Works of Sharmila Tagore
Apur Sansar (The World of Apu)
Waqt
Nayak
An Evening in Paris
Yakeen
Amar Prem
Aradhana
Mausam
Desh Premee
Chupke Chupke
Aashiq Awara

Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi

Born on the 18th of September in the year 1950 in New Delhi, Shabana Azmi is one of the most leading actresses to have graced the screens of Bollywood. She has worked in a number of films, which has brought her lot of praise and appreciation. She has played roles of different genre and been able to adapt very nicely according to the need of the role. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Indian actress Shabana Azmi.

Early life
She is a fabulous Muslim actress, who was born to the Azmi family. Her father Kaifi Azmi was a famous Indian Urdu poet as well as writer and her mother Shaukat was a renowned stage actress. Her brother Baba Azmi is a cinematographer. Thus, the entire family has been actively involved in the field of fine arts. They have always had vast social circles and thus, Shabana has always seen lot of people congregating in their house. She did her graduation in Psychology from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Thereafter, she took up a course in Acting at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. Read on to know the complete life history of Shabana Azmi.

Shabana AzmiCareer
The maiden movie of Shabana was an art movie 'Faalsa'. Though, it was her first movie but got released after Shyam Benegal's movie Ankur. She was given a very different kind of role to play in this film and she did it a fabulous job. The film turned out to be a superhit and even won the National award. Her performance in both the films was widely appreciated.

She won the national awards for three consecutive years from 1983 to 1985 for her notable work in the films Arth, Khandhar and Paar. She has always given an outstanding performance, because she has the caliber to very well get into the character, thus making it appear like a real life portrayal. She has worked in more than hundred films demanding different kind of attitude and skills. Shabana is an amazing actress who has truly proved her talent and versatility.

Notable Works of Shabana Azmi
Godmother
Earth
Khandhar
Paar
Masoom
Arth
Sparsh
Ankur
Mandi
15 Park Avenue
Madame Sousatzka
The Bengali Night

Social Activist
Well, Shabana Azmi is not just a wonderful actress, but a great social activist. She has made an incredible contribution in raising voice against unjust and inequality. She has also been actively involved in fighting AIDS. She has brought in notice a number of social issues. Initially, her efforts for the social welfare were considered to be a publicity gimmick. But, her strong determination and hard work proved people that she is genuinely concerned and not trying to draw people's attention to come into limelight. She has taken a keen interest in fighting for issues like communalism. She even participated in the demonstrations and marches for advocating communal harmony.

Awards Won
National Film Awards (6 times)
Filmfare Awards (4 times)
Padma Shri
Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award for her commendable work for the slum dwellers living in Mumbai.

Nargis

Nargis

Nargis (June 1, 1929 - May 3, 1981) was a fabulous actress, whose performance in the film 'Mother India' was widely appreciated. The film was nominated for Oscars. She was born as Fatima Rashid to the Mohyal Brahmin. She was the daughter Allahabad-based singer, Jaddanbai and Uttamchand Mohanchand. Well, in this article, we will provide you with the biography of Indian actress Nargis.

The father of Nargis was actively involved in Indian cinema. He was an all rounder as in singer, dancer, director, composer and actor. His dear daughter Nargis entered into the Indian films at a very young age. Her debut film was Talashe Haq that was released in the year 1935. She was popularly known as "Baby Nargis". An interesting thing about Nargis was her stage name "Narcissus", which means a flower. To know the complete life history of Nargis, read on…

NargisShe earned lot of name and fame for her later movies, in which she played the adult roles. She worked in many Hindi-Urdu movies of the 1950s, out of which "Andaaz" and "Awaara" were the biggest hits. She was often starred opposite to the renowned Bollywood star Raj Kapoor. It is also said that, Raj Kapoor had a love interest in her. But, there was nothing serious between them, as Raj Kapoor did not make any attempt to divorce his wife.

While shooting for the film Mother India, Sunil Dutt sent a proposal for marriage and Nargis accepted it. Eventually, she got married to Sunil Dutt, a famous Indian Bollywood actor on March 11, 1958. She gave birth to three children, namely Sanjay, Anju, and Priya. Nargis passes away in the year 1981, as she was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Achievements & Recognitions
Filmfare Best Actress Award for Mother India in 1957
National Film Award for best actress in 1968
Best Artists of the Millennium award by Hero Honda in 2001

Notable works of Nargis Dutt
Raat Aur Din
Adalat
Ghar Sansar
Lajwanti
Mother India
Pardesi
Chori Chori
Jagte Raho
Shree 420
Angarey
Aah
Dhoon
Paapi
Shikast
Amber
Anhonee
Ashiana
Bewafa
Sheesha
Awaara
Deedar
Hulchul
Pyar Ki Baaten
Saagar
Aadhi Raat
Babul

Madhubala

Madhubala

Madhubala (February 14, 1933 - February 23, 1969) is one of the most gorgeous actresses to have graced the screens of Bollywood. She has made an incredible contribution to the Indian film industry. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Indian actress Madhubala. We will also provide you with information on the works of Madhubala.

Early life
Born as Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi on the February 14, 1933, Madhubala was the fifth child of the Pashtun Muslim family. A Muslim holy man had once predicted that this girl would make a name for herself and become a prominent personality. She would earn loads of wealth and fortune, but unfortunately won't be able to enjoy a happy life and die at a very young age. To know the complete life history of Madhubala, read on…

MadhubalaMadhubala is an epitome of beauty, who had an unbeatable charm. She is admired for her looks and work even by the present day generations. Madhubala's father named Ataullah Khan, on hearing the words of the Muslim holy man, planned to migrate to Bombay (now Mumbai) for leading a better life. Things were not smooth and the family had to struggle a lot for a year. Madhubala entered into the Indian film industry as a child artist. At that time, she was known as Baby Mumtaz.

Early work
Mumtaz gave a fabulous performance in her maiden film Basant (1942). Devika Rani was amazed by her performance and talent and changed her name to Madhubala. In the movie Jwar Bhata (1944), she was to play the lead role with Dilip Kumar. But, things did not materialize and she could not work in the film. But, this gave her an opportunity to know Dilip Kumar.

Major Break
Madhubala got a major break, when she was signed opposite to Raj Kapoor in Kidar Sharma's film 'Neel Kamal' (1947). She was more often referred to as the "Venus of the Screen". Within a span of two years, she established her career and came into limelight. She constantly kept climbing the ladders of success and her films were super hit. Mughal-e-Azam turned out to be the biggest hit. In her short lifetime, she worked in seventy films.

Relationship with Dilip Kumar
Madhubala and Dilip Kumar got an opportunity to get along with each other on the set of Jwar Bhatta (1944). When they worked together in Mughal-e-Azam for a long period of nine years, Madhubala started having hots for him. It is even said that, Madhubala had once sent him a note accompanied by a flower. Dilip Kumar reacted in a favorable manner and they got engaged with each other. Madhubala was very serious about marrying him, but he did not pay much of attention on her and chose someone else for marriage. Later, Madhubala got married to Kishore Kumar, a well known name of the Indian film industry.

Death
In a routine check up, it was discovered that Madhubala had a hole in her heart. Her ailment was kept secretive from the film industry. The doctors refused to operate on her, as there was virtually no hope of survival. The doctors said that even if the operation is successful, she won't live for more than a year. It was at that point of time that, she realized that she shouldn't have married Kishore Kumar. She passed away on the February 23, 1969.

Works of Madhubala
Baghdad Ka Chor
Shaheed-E-Mohabbat
Basant
Mumtaz Mahal
Dhanna Bhagat
Parai Aag
Lal Dupatta
Amar Prem
Neki Aur Badi
Imtihaan
Pardes
Beqasoor
Khazana
Sangdil
Armaan
Shirin Farhad
Ek Saal
Baghi Sipahi
Barsaat Ki Raat
Sharabi
Jwala
Mughal-E-Azam

Jaya Bachchan

Jaya Bachchan

Jaya Bachchan is one of the most brilliant actresses of Indian film industry. She has made an incredible contribution in the growth and prosperity of the Indian cinema. She was born as Jaya Bhaduri on the 10th of April in 1948 in Jabalpur district. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Indian actress Jaya Bachchan.

Life History
She was born as the daughter of Indira and Taroon Kumar Bhaduri. She did her schooling from St. Joseph's Convent school, Bhopal. She is an alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. On June 3, 1973, she tied her wedding knots with the famous Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. The couple has two children, namely Shweta Bachchan-Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan. Abhishek is also a great actor.

Jaya BachchanFilm Career
When Jaya was fifteen, she was offered a small role to play in the Bengali film Mahanagar produced by Satyajit Ray. Her next movie Guddi, which was in Hindi, was a big hit in the box office. In this film, she was portrayed as a school girl, who had a major crush on the superstar Dharmendra. She was simply obsessed about him. Thereafter, she signed plenty of films like Jawani Diwani, Uphaar, Anamika and many more.

Participation in politics
Jaya Bachchan at a later stage began taking interest in the politics of the country. She was a part of the Samajwadi Party and also has been a Member of Parliament. There has been a lot of controversy regarding her holding the position of profit side by side with the post of MP.

Awards & Recognitions
Filmfare Awards (1975, 1980, 2001, 2004, 2007)
Omega Award for Excellence: Lifetime Achievement (1998)
She is a recipient of the Yash Bharati Samman, the highest award in Uttar Pradesh

Notable Works of Jaya
Zanjeer
Abhimaan
Chupke Chupke
Sholay
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag
Silsila
Annadata
Sholay
Mili
Parichay
Kal Ho Naa Ho

Shubha Mudgal

Shubha Mudgal

Shubha Mudgal is among the few singers, who have made a special position for themselves in the Indian music industry. She has not only proved her talent in classical singing, but also come out successfully to adapt her voice and blend it well with the popular music of today. She is blessed with unique voice, which can be used in all kinds of singing. Well, in this article, we will provide you with the biography of Shubha Mudgal.

Her two albums namely "Ab ke Sawan" and "Pyaar Ke Geet" were widely acclaimed. She came out with an album "Mann Ki Manjeree" that was dedicated to the modern women. The album gave a platform to newcomers to come forward and exhibit their talent. Read on to know the complete life history of Shubha Mudgal.

Shubha Mudgal took training in Hindustani classical music. Though, professionally, she is a classical singer, but she has adapted her voice to sing all genres of music like Rock, Blues, Samba, Jazz, and Folk. She obtained training from renowned gurus like Pt Ram Ashreya, Pt Vinay Chandra, Pt Kumar Gandharva, Maudgalya and Naina Devi.

Shubha MudgalHer album 'Ali More Angana' was a big hit, especially amongst the youngsters. Infact, it became the favorite number to be played in the discotheques. Not only is she a famous concert artist, but also a great music composer. Her compositions are also widely appreciated. She has taken up different kinds of works. She has composed several songs for the Hollywood movies, documentaries, telefilms and many more.

Her musical repertoire consists of folk, pop and other forms of popular music. She has experimented a lot with her voice and come out with flying colors. She is one of the most popular vocalists of India. She has also sung a couple of Sufi songs. She is also actively involved in composing devotional songs and poetry. Her voice is bold enough to remind you of the sounds of the ancient music, but her presentation is absolutely modern. She has been honored with various awards including the Padma Shri.

Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Mangeshkar is the pride of Indian music industry. Blessed with beautiful voice, she is the most well known Indian vocalist. Highly versatile, she has sung in more than 20 languages. To honor and give recognition to her works, Lata Mangeshkar is also known as the Nightingale of India. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Lata Mangeshkar.

Early Life
Lata was born on September 28, 1929 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh as the daughter of Dinanath Mangeshkar, who was a classical singer as well as a theater artist. She was the first child of the Mangeshkar family. She was born in Indore, but brought up in Maharashtra. When she was five years old, she began working as a theater artist in sangeet nataks. She also started taking singing lessons from her father.

Lata MangeshkarLata sang her maiden cinematic song for the Marathi film Kiti Hasaal (1942). Her father did not like the idea of her daughter singing for the films. So, her song was deleted from the movie. In the year 1942, she lost her father. Due to sudden demise of her father and unsound financial condition of the house, she decided to play small roles in various Hindi and Marathi films. She had to take up the acting assignments, despite the fact that, she was not at all fond of acting. To know the complete life history of Lata Mangeshkar, read on.

Career
In the year 1945, she happened to meet the film producer S. Mukherji through Ghulam Haider. Haider personally wanted her to be given an opportunity to show her singing talent. However, S. Mukherji did not like her voice and said no for giving her a chance to sing for his film. At that point of time, Haider promised himself to establish her singing career in Bollywood. He even said to the producer that, one day will come when all the producers and directors will fall on her feet and beg her to sing in their films.

Lata got her biggest break, when she was given the chance to sing the song "Aayega Aanewaala" for the movie Mahal. The song was a super duper hit. The period of 1950s witnessed tremendous growth in her career. She rose to the top in the list of Bollywood singers. She worked with all the famous composers of that era like Shankar Jaikishan, S D Burman, Naushad, Hemant Kumar, and Salil Chowdhury. Shankar Jaikishan was absolutely stunned by her voice and used her voice for playback singing in almost all the movies that he got.

The period of 1960s made her the queen of Bollywood playback singing. She sang for almost all the prominent composers of the industry and set her foothold in Bollywood. Her songs got an overwhelming response from people all over the country. During the 1970s, Lata recorded songs for Bollywood actress Meena Kumari in the film Pakeezah, which brought her recognition and popularity. She performed tracks for S.D. Burman's films like Prem Pujari, Sharmilee, and Abhimaan.

In late 1970s and early 1980s, Lata Mangeshkar worked with the children of the music composers, with whom she had worked in the past. In the year 1990, Lata established her own production house. Their first and last film "Lekin" was a total flop. Mangeshkar has also sung some non film songs including ghazals with Jagjit Singh. Lata Mangeshkar has also sung for Yash Chopra`s films including Lamhe, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Darr, Yeh Dillagi, and Dil To Pagal Hai. She sang quite a number of Bengali songs with renowned music directors like Salil Chowdhury and Hemant Kumar.

Trivia
Lata Mangeshkar has composed music and also produced movies under the name of 'Anand Ghan'.
She is very fond of cooking nice dishes.
She always sings barefoot.

Awards Won
Filmfare Awards (1958, 1962, 1965, 1969, 1993 and 1994)
National Awards (1972, 1975 and 1990)
Maharashtra State Award (1966 and 1967)

Other awards
1969 - Padma Bhushan
1974 - Recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for having sung the maximum number of songs in the world
1989 - Dada Saheb Phalke Award
1993 - Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
1996 - Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award
1997 - Rajiv Gandhi Award
1999 - NTR Award
1999 - Padma Vibhushan
1999 - Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement
2000 - Lifetime Achievement Award by IIFA in London
2001 - Best Playback Singer of the Millennium (female) by Hero Honda and magazine "Stardust"
2001 - Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award
2001 - Noorjehan Award
2001 - Maharashtra Ratna

Asha Bhosle

Asha Bhosle

A very well known Bollywood playback singer, she is as popular as her elder sister, who is also a renowned singer. Well, we are talking about Asha Bhosle, who has mesmerized the entire country with her amazing voice. She has dominated the Indian music industry for a period more than six decades. Even now, she is constantly enhancing her music collection and entertaining the people.

Asha Bhosle is a very versatile singer, who has put her heart and soul in modulating her voice to come up with something original and creative. Her voice is very adaptative. She is very well able to sing the songs for romantic situation. When naughtiness is required, she can change her voice and sing according to the situation. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Asha Bhosle.

Life
Asha BhosleAsha was born on September 8, 1933 in a small village of Goar in Sangli, Maharashtra to the Marathi family. She is the daughter of Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar, who was a theater artist as well as a classical singer. She lost her father, when she only nine years old. The family kept moving from one place to another. They went from Pune to Kolhapur and then to Bombay (now Mumbai). To support the family, she and her elder sister Lata started singing in the films. To know the complete life history of Asha Bhonsle, read on.

She got her first break when she signed the agreement to sing the song "Chala Chala Nav Bala" for the Marathi movie Majha Bal (1943). Her first Hindi song was "Saawan aaya", which was recorded for Hansraj Behl's film Chunariya (1948). When she was sixteen, she fell in love with a 31-year old man Ganpatrao Bhosle and she was firm about marrying him. She eloped with him and tied her wedding knots with him against the wishes of her family. She did not derive happiness in this relationship and after a few years, she shifted to her mother's home along with her kids.

She is one of the most skilled and talented singers. Her music repertoire consists of film music, ghazals, pop, traditional Indian Classical music, folk songs, qawwalis, bhajans, and Rabindra Sangeet. She has sung songs in fourteen languages including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, English, Russian and Malay. She has sung nearly 12,000 songs.

Though, she has made a vast collection of music, but she is most famous for the Bollywood songs. She headed her first step towards establishing her career in the year 1943. She has been the most prominent personality of the Indian music industry since the last six decades. She has done playback singing for more than 950 Bollywood movies.

Career
Initially, Asha had to struggle a lot to get assignments to sing for the lead roles. However, during the 1950s, she sang a large number of songs. Infact, period she sung more than any other playback singer. Her initial songs were mainly composed by Sajjad Hussain, A R Qureshi and Ghulam Mohammed. Thereafter, she got plenty of singing assignments.

Apart from Hindi songs, she also sang for many Marathi movies such as Khedyamadhle ghar kaularu, Majha hoshil Kaa? Bugadi mazi and Nach re mora. Her Marathi bhajans, natyageet and bhav-geet are liked by people even today. O.P. Nayyar gave a boost to her career by giving her a major break in C.I.D. (1956). Asha's performance in the film Teesri Manzil was well acclaimed. In the film, she worked along with R.D.Burman. Thereafter, they worked together in quite a number of films and also decided to tie wedding knots with each other. Their collaboration earned them name and fame.

During 1960s and 1970s, she became the voice of the most famous dancer of Bollywood Helen. Popular Asha Bhosle-Helen numbers include Piya tu ab to aaja (Caravan), O Haseena Zulfon Wali (Teesri Manzil) and Yeh Mera Dil (Don). She took up the challenge of showing her versatility by taking up the challenge of singing Ghazals in the films Umrao Jaan (1981) and Ijazat (1987). Her work was widely applauded.

During the 1990s Asha experimented with the remixed versions of R.D. Burman songs. Her efforts were criticized by many people, accusing her for tampering with the golden melodies of the past. Nevertheless, there were albums like "Rahul And I", which were appreciated by people. In the year 1997, Asha came out with her private Indipop album Janam Samjha Karo, which was a major hit. The album brought her great honor and recognition. She even received the 1997 MTV Award.

Awards Won
Filmfare Awards (1967, 1968, 1971, 1972,1973,1974,1977, 2000)
Indian National Awards (1981 and 1986)

Other Awards
1987 - Nightingale of Asia Award
1989 - Lata Mangeshkar Award (Government of Madhya Pradesh)
1997 - Screen Videocon Award
1997 - MTV Award
1997 - Channel V Award
1998 - Dayawati Modi Award
1999 - Lata Mangeshkar Award (Government of Maharashtra)
2000 - Singer of the Millennium
2000 - Zee Gold Bollywood Award
2001 - MTV Award
2002 - BBC Lifetime Achievement Award
2002 - Zee Cine Award
2002 - Screen Videocon Award
2002 - Sansui Movie Award
2002 - Swaralaya Yesudas Award
2004 - Living Legend Award by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce

Alka Yagnik

Alka Yagnik

Alka Yagnik is one of the most talented singers of Bollywood. She was born to a Gujarati family on the 20th of March in Calcutta (now Kolkata). She comes from a music background. Both her parents were actively involved in classical music. Since the late 1980s, she has been one of the most leading playback singers of the Indian music industry. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Alka Yagnik, so read on.

Life History
Alka has always been fond of singing. Since young age, music has been her first love. Initially, she thought it to be nothing more than a hobby, but later she realized that if pursued seriously, it can be taken as a profession. When she was six years old, she began singing Bhajans for the Calcutta Radio. From then onwards, she started singing at a professional level.

Alka YagnikFor establishing her foothold in the field of music, she went to Mumbai. She got her first break, when she was given the assignment for singing a song for the film Payal Ki Jhankaar in 1979. Then, she sang the song "Mere Angene Mein" for the film Laawaris (1981). Her biggest hit was the song Ek Do Teen from the film Tezaab that was released in 1988. The song broke all the records and made her star overnight.

Her voice has been mainly used for the young generation stars. She has done playback singing for many famous actresses like Rakhee, Hema Malini, Farida Jalal, Rekha, Kajol and Preity Zinta. Besides Hindi songs, she has also sung in other languages such as Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Punjabi.

Awards Won
Filmfare Awards (1988, 1993, 1997,1999,2000,2001 and 2004)
National Film Awards (1994 and 1999)
Zee Cine Awards (1999, 2001 and 2007)
Star Screen Awards (1995 and 2000)
International Indian Film Academy (2000 and 2001)
MC Music Awards
BBC: World Music 2003 Awards
MTV Asia Viewers Choice Award

Notable Works of Playback Singing

Umrao Jaan - Salaam, Pooch Rahe Hain
Babul - Gaa Re Mann
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna - Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Tumhi Dekho Na
Swades - Saanwariya Saanwariya
Hum Tum - Hum Tum
Mujhse Shaadi Karogi - Laal Dupatta
Kal Ho Naa Ho - Kuch to Hua Hai
Tere Naam - Oodhni
Chalte Chalte - Tauba
Raaz - Aapke Pyaar Mein
Mujhse Dosti Karoge! - Jaane Dil Se
Kasoor - Kitni Bechain Hoke
Dil Chahta Hai - Jaana Kyon
Lajja - Badi Mushkil
Dhadkan - Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Dil Se
Zubeidaa - Mehndi Hai Rachnewali, Hai Na
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai - Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam - Chand Chupa
Taal - Taal Se
Duplicate - Mere Mehboob Mera Sanam
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai- Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Alisha Chinai

Alisha Chinai

Alisha Chinai is a leading pop singer, who can be given the credit for bringing the trend of pop music in India. Born on the 18th of March in 1972, she has brought a revolution in the Indian music industry. It is said that her real name is Sujata. More often, she is known as the Indian Madonna. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Alisha Chinai.

Singing Career

The singing talent of Alisha Chinai was explored by the famous music composer cum director Bappi Lahiri. Bappi Lahiri and Alisha worked together in quite a number of disco songs that have been super hits and enjoyed by people all over. Some of the popular disco hits are Guru, Commando, Dance Dance, Love Love Love and more. Alisha has sung songs for almost all the popular actresses like Sridevi, Smita Patil, Madhuri Dixit, Mandakini, Juhi Chawla etc. To know the complete life history of Aleesha Chinai, read on.

Alisha ChinaiDuring 1990s, she went a step ahead and worked with other music directors like Anu Malik and Nadeem-Shravan. Apart from playback singing, she also came out with her own private albums like 'Made in India' and 'Lover girl', which gained a lot of popularity and became the talk of town. Her pop albums brought her stardom overnight. Her initial albums were very popular, but the latter ones could not gain a positive response from the audience. So, she decided to return back to the filmi music. One of her biggest filmi hits is the song Kajra Re, which made the entire country go crazy. She even received the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for this song.

Awards won
Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for the song Kajra Re
International Billboard Award
Freddie Mercury Award

Notable Works of Alisha Chinoy

Disco Songs
Aah!… Alisha
Alisha
Baby doll
Bombay girl
Jadoo
Lover Girl
Made in India
Madonna
Om Namah Shivay

Film Songs
Aaj Ki Raat (Don)
De diya Dil Piya (Keemat)
Dil Ko Hazar Bar (Murder)
Ishq Di Gali (No Entry)
Kajra Re (Bunty aur Babli)
My Adorable Darling (Main Khiladi Tu Anari)
Pyaar Aaya (Plan)
Raat Bhare Jaamse (Tridev)
Tere Ishq Main Nachenge (Raja Hindustani)
Tinka Tinka (Karam)
Touch me (Dhoom 2)
Zooby Zooby (Dance Dance)

Yamini Krishnamurthy

Yamini Krishnamurthy

Born in the year 1940 to a Telugu family at Chidambaram in Tamilnadu, Yamini Krishnamurthy is an eminent Bharatnatyam dancer, who has swayed the entire country with her fabulous dance performance. She is also well known for her Kuchipudi dance style. When she was five years old, she started learning Bharatnatyam dance from the Kalashetra School of Dance in Chennai. She took training under the guidance of Rukmini Devi Arundale. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Bharatnatyam dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy.

After completing her basic learning at Kalashetra, she took further training from renowned exponents such as Thanjavur Kittapa Pillai, Dhandayudhpani Pillai, Kanchipuram Ellapa Pillai, and Mylapore Gouri Amma. She went on stage for the first time in the year 1957 in Chennai. She won the hearts of people with her charisma and heart throbbing performance. Read on to know the complete life history of Yamini Krishnamurthy…

By the year 1960, she had set up her foothold in this industry and earned a name for herself. Her name appeared in the list of leading dancers of India and she has strived hard to maintain that position till date. She has been giving wonderful performances for the past four decades. She also has made an immense contribution in popularizing the Kuchipudi dance. Her dance performances brought international recognition to classical folk dances of India.

During her long career, she has won many accolades such as Padmashri (1968), Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1977) and Padma Bhushan (2001). She was also honored with the title of `Asthana Narthaki'. She has been pursuing an active career. She produced a TV serial for Doordarshan, which was based on the Indian dance styles. She also wrote an autobiography titled "A Passion for Dance". In the year 1990, she established the 'Yamini School of Dance' in New Delhi, where she teaches dance to the budding stars of tomorrow.

Shovana Narayan

Shovana Narayan

A maestro of Kathak dance, she is a well known name that appears on the top in the list of eminent classical dancers of India. Her wonderful performances have left the people awestruck. Her teacher is none other than the famous Birju Maharaj. Well, we are talking about the great Indian Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan.

At a very young age of four, Shovana started learning Kathak from the renowned dancer cum actress of the past Sadhana Bose in Calcutta (now Kolkata). She completed her Masters degree in Physics from Miranda House in Delhi. She tied her wedding knots with Dr. Herbert von Traxi, Austrian Ambassador to India. Also known as the Kathak queen, she is so much involved in dancing that she cannot imagine her life without it. It is not just a hobby for her, but the motive of her life.

Shovana Narayan Shovana Narayan has given an entirely new dimension to dancing. She is an accomplished dancer, whose facial expressions complements her dance and makes her performance simply outstanding. Her choreographic works have not only been well acclaimed in India, but are also highly praised overseas. Read on to know the complete life history of Shovana Narayan.

She has worked in collaboration with a number of prominent national and international musicians as well as dancers. Her notable works include "Moonlight Impressionism" and "The Dawn After". She has worked in close association with dancers from Western classical ballet and American tap dancer. She has given various dance performances with dancers of other Indian classical dance forms. Her repertoire encompasses movies like Akbar's Bridge (Hindi) "Das Geheimnis des Indisches Tanz" (German) and operas such as "Ghalib ki Dilli" and 'Wicchare Pani'.

Awards Won

Padma Shri
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award;
Delhi Government's Parishad Samman
Rajiv Gandhi Puraskar
Bihar Gaurav Puraskar
Indira Priyadarshini Samman
Oisca Award

Mallika Sarabhai

Mallika Sarabhai

She is a well known Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer of India. She is the daughter of renowned artists. Her mother is a great dancer and father is a famous scientist. Well, we are talking about the celebrated dancer Mallika Sarabhai. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Mallika Sarabhai.

The holder of MBA and doctorate degree from IIM Ahmedabad, she is a multitalented personality. She is truly an all rounder. She has proved her worth in all the streams, then be it editing, anchoring, film making, dancing, acting etc. Mallika started learning dance at a very young age. To know the complete life history of Mallika Sarabhai, read on…

Mallika SarabhaiShe began her career, when she was only fifteen years old. She took up the acting assignment to play the role of Draupadi in Peter Brook's film "The Mahabharata". Apart from being a professional dancer, she is also a social activist. During the 2002 riots of Gujarat, she raised her voice and spoke against the role played by the Narendra Modi government. She is an epitome of boldness and courage.

She, along with her mother, administers the functioning of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, which is located at Ahmedabad. Her works have been well acclaimed. She has received many accolades throughout her career. In the year 1977, she was honored with the "French Palme D'or", which is the highest civilian award of the Government of France. Later in Paris, she received the 'Best Soloist Artist' for best dance performance.

Mirabai

Mirabai

Mirabai was a well known Hindu mystical poetess, whose writings are praised all over. It is said that, she was a disciple of Shri Guru Ravidas. She is famous for her bhajan compositions. She wrote nearly 1300 prayer songs. Most of her compositions were written in the praise of Lord Krishna. She wrote most of the poems in the Rajasthani dialect of Hindi. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Mirabai.

Mirabai was born in the year 1498 at Merta in Nagaur District of Rajasthan. When she was just six years old, her mother gave her an image of Krishna, with whom she would talk every day and night. Krishna became an integral part of Meera's life. When Mira turned sixteen, her paternal uncle Viram Deo fixed her marriage with the eldest son of Rana Sanga of Chittor, Prince Bhoj Raj. To know the life history of Mira Bai, read on.

As the wife of the ruler of Chittor, she earned status and recognition. Now, she became a part of a royal family blessed with riches. Despite the fact that, she was a married woman, she could not stop thinking about Krishna. Her immense love for Krishna did not let her perform her duties towards her marital relationship. She even refused to offer prayers to the family deity, Durga.

MirabaiMirabai used to intermingle with people of all social classes and castes. Then, she would go around singing and dancing in the public temples. It is due to this reason that, she had to face serious consequences. Her husband died couple of years after their wedding knots were tied. Following her husband's death, she was asked to perform Sati, a custom of self-immolation that is practiced by all Hindu widows.

Mirabai lost her father in a battle. Even, her father-in-law was severely injured in the battle and expired the next year. In her writings, Meerabai made a mention that her in-laws attempted to kill her twice. However, by God's grace, she was saved. It was getting very tough for Mira to tolerate all these sufferings. At the age of thirty, she decided to leave the palace. She went on a pilgrimage trip to Mathura, Vrindavan and Dwarka.

Mira got so engrossed in worshipping Krishna that she virtually forgot herself. She left behind the treasure of her writings, which were a reflection of her heart. Her poems and other compositions reveal different aspects of her life. The prayer songs that she left are popular amongst the worshippers even today. Mirabai is considered to be a saint as per the tradition of the Bhakti Movement. The Bhakti Movement of the 16th century emphasized on devotion as the means to attain salvation.

There is an interesting legend associated with the story of Brahmacharini Meerabai. People are of the belief that, it was the unconditional immense love of Mira for Krishna that she vanished in the temple of Krishna in Dwarka. It is said that, the sanctum doors got closed on their own. Later on, when the doors were opened, Mira's sari was found wrapped around the image of Lord Krishna, thus speaking of the union of Mirabai and Krishna.

Satyajit Ray Biography

Satyajit Ray Biography

Born: May 2, 1921
Died: April 23, 1992
Achievements: As a filmmaker he made a mark all over the world. Honored with Lifetime Achievement Oscar Award and Bharat Ratna.

Satyajit Ray was a giant of Indian cinema. He was an excellent filmmaker and his films made a mark all over the world. He is one of the few Indian filmmakers whose work has been acknowledged abroad. For his invaluable contribution to the world of cinema Satyajit Ray was honored with Oscar Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Satyajit Ray was born on May 2, 1921, in an intellectual and affluent family in Calcutta. His father's name was Sukumar Ray and his mother's name was Suprabha Ray. His grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray was a distinguished writer, painter, a violin player and a composer. He was also a pioneer in half-tone block making and founded one of the finest presses in the country - U. Ray & Sons. In 1880s, Ray family had embraced 'Brahmo Samaj', sect within Hindu society. The progressive outlook of the Brahmo Samaj strongly influenced Satyajit Ray's work.

In 1923, when Satyajit was only 2-years-old his father Sukumar Ray died of kala-azar. In 1926, about three years after his father's death, the ancestral printing business changed hands and Satyajit and his mother had to move out of their spacious house. Satyajit Ray moved to his maternal uncle's house along with his mother.

At an age of eight, Satyajit joined Ballygunj Government School. He was an average student. While he was at school he developed interest in films. He regularly read Hollywood trivia in magazines and also developed interest in Western classical music. In 1936, Satyajit Ray passed his matriculation and joined Presidency College for further studies. He graduated in economics in 1939. He decided to give up further studies.

Satyajit Ray had a natural flair for drawing and he wanted to become a commercial artist. At the suggestion of his mother he joined Rabindranath Tagore's Vishva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan in 1940. Trips to nearby villages for sketching exercises, were his first encounters with rural India. During this period, he discovered the oriental art-Indian sculpture and miniature painting, Japanese woodcuts and Chinese landscapes et al.

At Shantiniketan Satyajit Ray also found means to pursue his interest in music and films. A German Jew, professor of English, had a collection of western classical records. Ray would often listen to music at his cottage in the evenings. He also found books on cinema in the university library. In 1942, Satyajit Ray left Shantiniketan.

In April 1943, Satyajit Ray joined a British-run advertising agency, D.J. Keymer, as a junior visualiser. Within a few years, he rose to be its art director. In 1948, he married Bijoya Das, a former actress/singer who also happened to be his cousin. In 1950, Satyajit Ray went on a business trip to London, along with his wife. With him, he was carrying a notebook in which he had made some notes on making a film of Pather Panchali. He wanted the film to be shot on actual locations, no make-up with new faces. Shooting on locations with unknown actors was thought be a totally unfeasible idea in those times and he received negative reaction from most of his friends in this regard.

In this six-months long stay abroad, Satyajit Ray saw about a hundred films including Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves. The film made a profound impression on Satyajit Ray. Bicycle Thieves reconfirmed his conviction that it was possible to make realistic cinema with an almost entirely amateur cast and shooting at actual locations.

After his return in late 1950, with absolutely no experience in movie-making, Satyajit Ray collected a group of young men to work as technicians. While looking for financial backers, he approached widow of Bibhuti Bhusan Banerjee, the writer of Pather Panchali for film rights. She gave her oral assurance and retained her faith in Satyajit Ray despite a better financial offer. Satyajit Ray spent two years in vain looking for a producer.

Unable to find a producer, Satyajit Ray decided that unless he could prove his bona fides by producing a few sequences of the film, he was not likely to find financial backing. He borrowed money and shot a few scenes. The cast was a mix of professional actors and a few with no prior experience in acting. Only Subir Banerjee who played Apu, Karuna Banerjee who played Apu's mother, and the villagers who played other smaller roles, had no prior experience of acting. The rest had either acted in films or theatre. Boral, a small village on the outskirts of Calcutta was the major location, where the film was shot.

Meanwhile, the State Government of West Bengal agreed to fund the film. The money from the Government came in installments and before each installment, the accounts had to be submitted and cleared by the government. This was a time consuming process. Finally, on August 26, 1955, Pather Panchali was released in Calcutta. It was a box-office success. The film was sent to the Cannes Films festival, 1956 and won Grand Prix at the Cannes Festival.

Pather Panchali firmly established Satyajit Ray as a world-class director and gave him total control over his subsequent films. Two sequels based on the novel (Aparajito, The Unvanquished, 1956; Apur Sansar, The World of Apu, 1959) completed the famous 'The Apu Trilogy'.

Satyajit Ray's other famous films include Parash Pathar (The Philosopher's Stone, 1958), Jalsaghar (The Music Room, 1958), Devi (The Goddess, 1960), Teen Kanya (Two Daughters, 1961), Kanchenjungha, (1962), Charulata (The Lonely Wife, 1964), Pratidwandi (The Adversary 1970), Shantranj Ke Khilari (The Chess Players, 1977), Ghare-Baire (Home and the World, 1984), Ganashatru (Enemy of the People, 1989), Shakha Prashakha (Branches of the Tree, 1990) and Agantuk (The Stranger, 1991).

In 1992, he accepted a Lifetime Achievement Oscar from his sickbed in Calcutta through a special live satellite-television event and was honored with Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India. Satyajit Ray died on April 23, 1992.

Tenzing Norgay

Tenzing Norgay

Born: May 29, 1914
Died: May 9, 1986
Achievements: Tenzing Norgay became the first man along with Edmund Hillary to reach the summit of Mount Everest

Tenzing Norgay was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer. Tenzing Norgay created history on May 29, 1953, when he and Sir Edmund Hillary became the first men to conquer Mount Everest.

Tenzing Norgay was born in Tshechu, presently in Tibet Autonomous Region, China. He grew up in peasant family in Khumbu in Nepal. His exact date of birth is not known but it is believed that was born in late May and later on he decided to celebrate May 29 as his birthday, as this was the date he climbed Everest. Tenzing Norgay's original name was Namgyal Wangdi, but as a child his name was changed on the advice of a lama. Norgay means fortunate. Tenzing Norgay ran away to Kathmandu twice as a boy, and eventually settled in the Sherpa community in Too Song Bhusti in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.

Tenzing Norgay took part as a high-altitude porter in three official British attempts to climb Everest from the northern Tibetan side in the 1930s. He also took part in other climbs in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. He scaled Nanda Devi, which he described as the most difficult climb he ever took. In 1947, he took part in an unsuccessful Everest attempt. The attempt ended when a strong storm at 22,000 feet pounded them.

In 1952, Tenzing Norgay took part in two Swiss expeditions led by Raymond Lambert, the first serious attempt to climb Everest from the southern Nepalese side, during which he and Lambert reached the then record height of 8,599 m (28,215 ft).

In 1953, Tenzing Norgay took part in Sir John Hunt's expedition. This was his seventh expedition to Everest. During this expedition he and Sir Edmund Hillary became the first men to reach the summit.

Conquering of Everest brought great adulation to Tenzing Norgay in India and Nepal. He was even worshipped by some people who believed him to be an incarnation of Buddha or Lord Shiva. Tenzing Norgay later became director of field training for the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. In 1978, he founded a company, Tenzing Norgay Adventures that offers trekking in the Himalayas.

Tenzing Norgay married thrice. His first wife, Dawa Phuti, died young in 1944. He had two daughter from his first marriage. His second wife was Ang Lahmu, a cousin of his first wife. They had no children. Tenzing Norgay had his third marriage while his second wife was still alive, as allowed by Sherpa custom. He had a son named Jamling from this marriage. Jamling Norgay presently looks after the adventure company founded by his father.

Tenzing Norgay died on May 9, 1986 in Darjeeling, West Bengal.

Rani Lakshmi Bai

Rani Lakshmi Bai

Rani Lakshmi Bai was the queen of the princely state of Jhansi, which is located on the northern side of India. She was one of the most leading personalities of the first war of India's independence that started in 1857. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Rani Lakshmibai, who was an epitome of bravery and courage.

Early Life
She was born to a Maharashtrian family at Kashi (now Varanasi) in the year 1828. During her childhood, she was called by the name Manikarnika. Affectionately, her family members called her Manu. At a tender age of four, she lost her mother. As a result, the responsibility of raising her fell upon her father. While pursuing studies, she also took formal training in martial arts, which included horse riding, shooting and fencing. To know the complete life history of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, read on.

In the year 1842, she got married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Raja Gangadhar Rao Niwalkar. On getting married, she was given the name Lakshmi Bai. Her wedding ceremony was held at the Ganesh temple, located in the old city of Jhansi. In the year 1851, she gave birth to a son. Unfortunately, the child did not survive more than four months.

Rani Lakshmi BaiIn the year 1853, Gangadhar Rao fell sick and became very weak. So, the couple decided to adopt a child. To ensure that the British do not raise an issue over the adoption, Lakshmibai got this adoption witnessed by the local British representatives. On 21st November 1853, Maharaja Gangadhar Rao died.

Invasion
During that period, Lord Dalhousie was the Governor General of British India. The adopted child was named Damodar Rao. As per the Hindu tradition, he was their legal heir. However, the British rulers refused to accept him as the legal heir. As per the Doctrine of Lapse, Lord Dalhousie decided to seize the state of Jhansi. Rani Lakshmibai went to a British lawyer and consulted him. Thereafter, she filed an appeal for the hearing of her case in London. But, her plea was rejected. The British authorities confiscated the state jewels. Also, an order was passed asking the Rani to leave Jhansi fort and move to the Rani Mahal in Jhansi. Laxmibai was firm about protecting the state of Jhansi.

The war
Jhansi became the focal point of uprising. Rani of Jhansi began to strengthen her position. By seeking the support of others, she formed a volunteer army. The army not just consisted of the men folk, but the women were also actively involved. Women were also given military training to fight a battle. In the revolt, Rani Lakshmibai was accompanied by her generals.

From the period between Sep-Oct 1857, Rani defended Jhansi from being invaded by the armies of the neighboring rajas of Orchha and Datia. In January 1858, the British army headed it's away towards Jhansi. The conflict went on for two weeks. Finally, the Britishers succeeded in the annexation of the city. However, Rani Laksmi Bai managed to escape along with her son, in the guise of a man.

She took refuge in Kalpi, where she met Tatya Tope, a great warrior. She died on 17thJune, during the battle for Gwalior. It is believed that, when she was lying unconscious in the battle field, a Brahmin found her and brought her to an ashram, where she died. For her immense effort, she is referred to as the 'Icon of the Indian Nationalist Movement'. Throughout the uprising, the aim of Rani was to secure the throne for her adopted son Damodar. Her story became a beacon for the upcoming generations of freedom fighters.

Lot of literature has been written on the life history of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. Heroic poems have been composed in her honor.

Sister Nivedita

Sister Nivedita

Born as Margaret Elizabeth Noble, she was more popularly known as sister Nivedita. She was an Anglo-Irish social worker, who was one amongst the many disciples of Swami Vivekananda. She came across Swami Vivekananda in the year 1895 in London. It was the Swami, who called her by the name "Nivedita". The word Nivedita is used to refer to someone who is highly dedicated to the almighty God. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Sister Nivedita, who has made a niche for herself in the arena of spirituality.

Early Life
She came into this world on October 20, 1867. She was born in Ireland as the daughter of Mary Isabel and Samuel Richmond Noble. Her father always taught her that, service to mankind is the true service to God. His words made an impression on Nivedita's mind. She was very fond of music and art. After completing her education, she took up the job of a teacher and worked there for a long period of ten consecutive years from 1884 to 1894.

She had the caliber to impart education and inspire others. From the very beginning, she was a very zealous child, who was always full of energy and enthusiasm. At an early age of eight, she had the realization that, religion is not about having belief in the Doctrines, but it is about searching for the divine light that will bring enlightenment. To know the complete life history of Sister Nivedita, read on.

Meeting Swami Vivekananda
She began taking interest in the Buddhism principles. It is during this time that she met Swami Vivekananda, a great Hindu monk. Swami Vivekanand stressed on the fact that, it is the ignorance, selfishness and greed that pave way for our sufferings. His principles and teachings had an imprint on her mind and heart and this brought about a major change in the way she lived her life. He was the one who inspired her to do something for the welfare of the women of India.

Seeing the fire and passion in her to transform the society, Swami could foresee her futuristic role as Mother India. Nivedita began practicing meditation. There were basically two things in her mind that she sincerely followed; one being the search for enlightenment by realizing the eternal truth and the other was the welfare of the world. She left all the things that she could have boasted of and decided to lead a very simplistic life.

Works
In the year 1898, Sister Nivedita established a school for girls, who were deprived of even basic education. She was instrumental in various altruistic activities. Her aim was to bring about an improvement in the lives of Indian women belonging to various social classes and castes. She tried to bridge the gap and put an end to the caste distinctions.

She had good relations with many intellectuals of the Bengali community such as Rabindranath Tagore, the famous Nobel laureate writer. During the later years of her life, she engaged in activities that promoted and brought forth the cause of India's Independence. Her writings expressed her pan-Indian nationalist views.

She was a motivating force for people in all walks of life. Her lectures and various discourses gave people, direction on how to lead their lives. Throughout her life, she worked hard for serving the people and society at large. This started having adverse effects on her health. Finally, this great soul left for her heavenly abode on October 13, 1911.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy Biography

Raja Ram Mohan Roy Biography

Born: May 22, 1772
Died: September 27, 1833
Achievements: Founded Atmiya Sabha and Brahma Samaj. Played a key role in abolition and Sati. Fought for the rights of women.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy is known as the 'Maker of Modern India'. He was the founder of the Brahmo Samaj, one of the first Indian socio-religious reform movements. He played a major role in abolishing the role of Sati. Raja Rammohan Roy was a great scholar and an independent thinker. He advocated the study of English, Science, Western Medicine and Technology. He was given the title 'Raja' by the Mughal Emperor.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was born on May 22, 1772 in village Radhanagar in the District of Murshidabad in Bengal. His father Ramkanto Roy, was a Vaishnavite, while his mother, Tarini, was from a Shakta background. Raja Ram Mohun Roy was sent to Patna for higher studies. By the age of fifteen, Raja Rammohun Roy had learnt Bangla, Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was against idol worship and orthodox Hindu rituals. He stood firmly against all sort of social bigotry, conservatism and superstitions. But his father was an orthodox Hindu Brahmin. This led to differences between Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his father. Following differences he left the house . He wandered around Himalayas and went to Tibet. He traveled widely before returning home.

After his return Raja Ram Mohan Roy's family married him in the hope that he would change. But this did not have any effect on him. Raja Ram Mohan Roy went to Varanasi and studied the Vedas, the Upanishads and Hindu philosophy deeply. When his father died in 1803 he returned to Murshidabad. He then worked as a moneylender in Calcutta, and from 1809 to 1814, he served in the Revenue Department of the East India Company.

In 1814, Raja Ram Mohan Roy formed Atmiya Sabha. Atmiya Sabha tried to initiate social and religious reforms in the society. Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned for rights for women, including the right for widows to remarry, and the right for women to hold property. He actively opposed Sati system and the practice of polygamy.

He also supported education, particularly education of women. He believed that English-language education was superior to the traditional Indian education system, and he opposed the use

Medha Patkar

Medha Patkar

Medha Patkar is a well known social activist of India. She was born on 1st December in the year 1954. Prior to becoming a social reformer, she completed her M.A. in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).She left Ph. D. in the midst and got actively involved in the agitations conducted by tribals and peasants of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. This paved way for the formation of the organization named Narmada Bachao Andolan. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Medha Patkar, who has contributed a lot in improving the living conditions of people.

Hunger strike
On 28th March, 2006, Medha went on a hunger strike, in protest of the decision taken by the authorities, to increase the height of the Narmada dam. The strike continued for a long period of 20 days and finally came to an end on April 17, 2006. The Supreme Court rejected the plea of Narmada Bachao Andolan to stop the construction of the dam. To know the complete life history of Medha Patkar, read on.

Medha PatkarDetainment by Police
On December 2, 2006, Medha was arrested by the police at Singur in West Bengal, for her active involvement in the protest against getting the hold of farmland. She was detained, because the police officers thought that, she might provoke people, thus leading to law and order problem.

Foreign Fund and Anti-National Activities
The Madhya Pradesh Government alleged the Narmada Bachao Andolan of receiving foreign funds and using them for unclear purposes. They claimed that, the money that was obtained was being used by the organization to hamper the rehabilitation process.

Awards and Honors
  • She was a recipient of Right Livelihood Award (1991)
  • M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award (1999)
  • Deena Nath Mangeshkar Award
  • Mahatma Phule Award
  • Goldman Environment Prize
  • Green Ribbon Award
  • Human Rights Defender's Award

Kiran Bedi

Kiran Bedi

Kiran Bedi is truly an icon of heroism. She was the first Indian woman to join the Indian Police Services. She was born on June 9, 1949 at Amritsar in Punjab. She is one of the most renowned police officers, who have put in their whole hearted effort in serving the society. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Kiran Bedi, who is the pride of our Indian police force.

In the recent times, she has been appointed as the Director General of India's Bureau of Police Research and Development. Earlier, she served as the Police Advisor in the United Nations peacekeeping department. For her noteworthy performance, she was awarded with the UN medal. In the year 2005, she received the honorary degree of Doctor of Law. To know the complete life history of Kiran Bedi, read on…

Education
She did her schooling from the Sacred Heart Convent School in Amritsar. She completed her graduation in the English language from the Government College for Women in Amritsar. She received her Masters degree in Political Science from Punjab University, Chandigarh. She continued her studies, even when she joined the Indian Police force. In the year 1988, she obtained a degree in Law (LLB) from Delhi University.

Kiran BediIn the year 1993, the Department of Social Sciences, the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi awarded her with a Ph.D. degree. Her topic of research was Drug Abuse and Domestic Violence. Kiran Bedi has won the championship of all-India and all-Asian tennis competition. When she was 22 years old, she won the Asian Ladies Title.

Career
Her career started in the year 1970, when she took the job of a lecturer at Khalsa College for Women in Amritsar. Two years later, she joined the Indian Police Services. All the way through her career, she has taken up a number of challenging assignments. She has served as the Traffic Commissioner of New Delhi, Deputy Inspector General of Police in the insurgency prone area of Mizoram.

She has also been the Lieutenant Governor of Chandigarh and Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau. An interesting thing about Kiran Bedi is that, sometimes, she is referred to as Crane Bedi. The reason behind calling her by this name is that, she dragged the car of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi due to violation of parking rules.

Kiran Bedi made the Indian Police Service change its decision in matters related to traffic management, control over narcotics and VIP security. During her tenure as the Inspector General of Tihar Jail, she brought about several reforms in the way the prisons are managed. She brought forth a number of measures like yoga, meditation, redressal of complaints made by the prisoners etc.

Kiran Bedi laid the foundation for the establishment of two voluntary organizations, namely, Navajyoti (1988) & India Vision Foundation (1994). These organizations were primarily set up with the aim of improving the living conditions of the drug addicts and the underprivileged people. The effort of Kiran Bedi has paid and brought her worldwide recognition. Her works have always earned appreciation. For drug abuse prevention, her organization was presented with the Serge Soitiroff Memorial Award by the United Nations.

Awards
For her outstanding work, Kiran Bedi has received a number of accolades like:
  • President's Gallantry Award (1979)
  • Women of the Year Award (1980)
  • Asia Region Award for Drug Prevention and Control (1991)
  • Magsaysay Award for Government Service (1994)
  • Mahila Shiromani Award (1995)
  • Father Machismo Humanitarian Award (1995)
  • Lion of the Year (1995)
  • Joseph Beuys Award (1997)
  • Pride of India (1999)
  • Mother Teresa Memorial National Award for Social Justice (2005)

Vinoba Bhav

Vinoba Bhave

Born: September 11, 1895
Died: November 15, 1982
Achievements: Launched Bhoodan and Sarvodaya movements; awarded with Bharat Ratna

Vinoba Bhave was reverently called as Acharya Vinoba Bhave. He was considered as Mahatma Gandhi's spiritual successor. His Bhoodan (Gift of the Land) movement started on April 18, 1951 attracted the attention of the world.

Vinobha Bhave’s original name was Vinayak Narahari Bhave. He was born in a Brahmin family on September 11, 1895 at the village of Gagoda in Kolaba district of Maharashtra. He was greatly influenced by his mother Rukmini Devi. Vinoba Bhave was well-read in the writings of Maharashtra's saints and philosophers. He was also deeply interested in Mathematics. In 1916, while on his way to Mumbai to appear for the intermediate examination, he took a detour and reached Varanasi. He was motivated by his desire to attain the imperishable and all pervading Brahma. In Varanasi he studied ancient Sanskrit texts.

Inspired by Gandhiji’s speech at the Benaras Hindu University Vinoba Bhave wrote a letter to Gandhiji and after a few exchange of letters Gandhiji advised Vinoba Bhave to come for a personal meeting at Kochrab Ashram in Ahmedabad. Vinobha Bhave went and met Gandhiji on June 7, 1916 and this meeting changed the course of Vinoba Bhave’s life. He developed a deep bond with Gandhiji and participated with keen interest in the activities at Gandhi's ashram, like teaching, studying, spinning and improving the life of the community.

In 1921, Vinoba Bhave was asked by Gandhiji to take charge of the ashram at Wardha. In 1923, he brought out `Maharashtra Dharma', a monthly in Marathi, which had his essays on the Upanishads. He increased his involvement with Gandhiji's constructive programmes related to Khadi, village industries, new education, sanitation and hygiene.

In December 23, 1932, he shifted to Nalwadi from where he experimented his idea of supporting himself by spinning alone. Later, when he was sick in 1938, he shifted to what he called Paramdham Ashram in Paunar, which remained his headquarters. In 1940 he was chosen by Gandhi to be the first Individual Satyagrahi. Vinoba Bhave also participated in the Quit India Movement.

After independence he started social reform movements such as Bhoodan Movement and Sarvodaya Movement. He also made some notorious dacoits of Chambal surrender. In 1970, he announced his decision to stay at one place. He observed a year of silence from December 25, 1974 to December 25, 1975. In 1976, he undertook a fast to stop the slaughter of cows. His spiritual pursuits intensified as he withdrew from the activities. He died on November 15, 1982 after refusing food and medicine few days earlier. He was posthumously honored with the Bharat Ratna in 1984.

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda

Born: January 12, 1863
Died: July 4, 1902
Achievements: Played a major role in spiritual enlightenment of Indian masses; Spread Vedanta philosophy in the West; established Ramakrishna Mission for the service of the poor.

Swami Vivekananda was one of the most influential spiritual leaders of Vedanta philosophy. He was the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahansa and was the founder of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Vivekananda was the living embodiment of sacrifice and dedicated his life to the country and yearned for the progress of the poor, the helpless and the downtrodden. He showed a beacon of light to a nation that had lost faith in its ability under British rule and inspired self-confidence among Indians that they are second to none. His ringing words and masterful oratory galvanized the slumbering nation.

Swami Vivekananda real name was Narendranath Dutta. He was born on January12, 1863 in Calcutta. His father's name was Vishwanath Dutta and his mother's name Bhuvaneswari Devi. Narendranath acquired the name of Swami Vivekananda when he became a monk.

As a child Narendra was very lively and naughty. He was good in studies as well as in games. He studied instrumental and vocal music and also practiced meditation from a very early age. Even when Narendra was young he questioned the validity of superstitious customs and discrimination based on caste and religion. As a child Narendra had great respect for sanyasis (ascetics). He would give away anything to anybody if asked for. Whenever a beggar asked for alms, he would give him anything he had. Thus from childhood Narendra had the spirit of sacrifice and renunciation.

In 1879, Narendra passed matriculation and entered Presidency College, Calcutta. After one year, he joined the Scottish Church College, Calcutta and studied philosophy. He studied western logic, western philosophy and history of European nations. As he advanced in his studies, his thinking faculty developed. Doubts regarding existence of God started to arise in Narendra's mind. This made him associate with the Brahmo Samaj, an important religious movement of the time, led by Keshab Chandra Sen. But the Samaj's congregational prayers and devotional songs could not satisfy Narendra's zeal to realise God.

During this time Narendra came to know of Sri Ramakrishna Pramahans of Dakshineswar. Sri Ramakrishna was a priest in the temple of Goddess Kali. He was not a scholar. But he was a great devotee. It was being said of him that he had realized God. Once, Narendra went to Dakshineswar to with his friends see him. He asked Ramakrishna, whether he had seen God. The instantaneous answer from Ramakrishna was, "Yes, I have seen God, just as I see you here, only in a more clear sense." Narendra was astounded and puzzled. He could feel the man's words were honest and uttered from depths of experience. He started visiting Ramakrishna frequently.

It was in Narendra's nature to test something thoroughly before he could accept it. He would not accept Ramakrishna as his guru without a test. Ramakrishna used to say that, in order to realize God, one should give up the desire for money and women. One day Narendra hid a rupee under his pillow. Sri Ramakrishna, who had gone out, came into the room and stretched himself on the cot. At once he jumped up as if bitten by a scorpion. When he shook the mattress, the rupee coin fell down. Later he came to know that it was the doing of Narendra. Narendra accepted Sri Ramakrishna as his guru and took training under him for five years in the Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy of non-dualism. Sri Ramakrishna passed away in 1886 and nominated Narendra as his successor. After his death Narendra and a core group of Ramakrishna's disciples took vows to become monks and renounce everything, and started living in a supposedly haunted house in Baranagore.

In 1890, Narendra set out on a long journey. He covered the length and breadth of the country. He visited Varanasi, Ayodhya, Agra, Vrindavan, Alwar etc. Narendra acquired the name of Swami Vivekananda during the journey. It is said that he was given the name Vivekananda by Maharaja of Khetri for his discrimination of things, good and bad. During his journey, Vivekananda stayed at king's palaces, as well as at the huts of the poor. He came in close contact with the cultures of different regions of India and various classes of people in India. Vivekananda observed the imbalance in society and tyranny in the name of caste. He realised the need for a national rejuvenation if India was to survive at all.

Swami Vivekananda reached Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent on December24, 1892. He swam across the sea and started meditating on a lone rock. He meditated for three days and said later that he meditated about the past, present and future of India. The rock is presently popular as Vivekananda memorial and is a major tourist destination.

In 1893, Swami Vivekananda went to America to attend the Conference of World Religions in Chicago. He earned wild applause for beginning his address with the famous words, "Sisters and brothers of America." Swamiji mesmerized everyone in America with his masterful oratory. Wherever he went, he dwelt at length on the greatness of Indian Culture. He spoke with spontaneous ease on every topic, be it History, Sociology, Philosophy or Literature. He deplored the malicious propaganda that had been unleashed by the Christian missionaries in India. Swami Vivekananda also went to England. Many people became his disciples. Most famous among them was Margaret Nivedita'. She came to India and settled here.

Swami Vivekananda returned to India in 1897 after four years of touring in the West. He started disseminating the message of spiritual development among Indians. He realized that social service was possible only through the concerted efforts on an organized mission. To achieve this objective, Swami Vivekananda started Sri Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 and formulated its ideology and goal. During the next two years he bought a site at Belur on the banks of the Ganga, constructed the buildings and established the Ramakrishna Mutt. He once again toured the West from January 1899 to December 1900.

Swami Vivekananda died on July4, 1902 at Belur Mutt near Calcutta.

Srinivasa Ramanujan

Srinivasa Ramanujan

Born: December 22, 1887
Died: April 26, 1920
Achievements: Ramanujan independently discovered results of Gauss, Kummer and others on hypergeometric series. Ramanujan's own work on partial sums and products of hypergeometric series have led to major development in the topic. His most famous work was on the number p(n) of partitions of an integer n into summands.

Srinivasa Ramanujan was a mathematician par excellence. He is widely believed to be the greatest mathematician of the 20th Century. Srinivasa Ramanujan made significant contribution to the analytical theory of numbers and worked on elliptic functions, continued fractions, and infinite series.

Srinivasa Aiyangar Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887 in Erode, Tamil Nadu. His father worked in Kumbakonam as a clerk in a cloth merchant's shop. At the of five Ramanujan went to primary school in Kumbakonam. In 1898 at age 10, he entered the Town High School in Kumbakonam. At the age of eleven he was lent books on advanced trigonometry written by S. L. Loney by two lodgers at his home who studied at the Government college. He mastered them by the age of thirteen. Ramanujan was a bright student, winning academic prizes in high school.

At age of 16 his life took a decisive turn after he obtained a book titled" A Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure and Applied Mathematics". The book was simply a compilation of thousands of mathematical results, most set down with little or no indication of proof. The book generated Ramanujan's interest in mathematics and he worked through the book's results and beyond. By 1904 Ramanujan had begun to undertake deep research. He investigated the series (1/n) and calculated Euler's constant to 15 decimal places. He began to study the Bernoulli numbers, although this was entirely his own independent discovery. He was given a scholarship to the Government College in Kumbakonam which he entered in 1904. But he neglected his other subjects at the cost of mathematics and failed in college examination. He dropped out of the college.

Ramanujan lived off the charity of friends, filling notebooks with mathematical discoveries and seeking patrons to support his work. In 1906 Ramanujan went to Madras where he entered Pachaiyappa's College. His aim was to pass the First Arts examination which would allow him to be admitted to the University of Madras. Continuing his mathematical work Ramanujan studied continued fractions and divergent series in 1908. At this stage he became seriously ill again and underwent an operation in April 1909 after which he took him some considerable time to recover.

On 14 July 1909 Ramanujan marry a ten year old girl S Janaki Ammal. During this period Ramanujan had his first paper published, a 17-page work on Bernoulli numbers that appeared in 1911 in the Journal of the Indian Mathematical Society. In 191,1 Ramanujan approached the founder of the Indian Mathematical Society for advice on a job. He got the job of clerk at the Madras Port Trust with the help of Indian mathematician Ramachandra Rao.

The professor of civil engineering at the Madras Engineering College C L T Griffith was interested in Ramanujan's abilities and, having been educated at University College London, knew the professor of mathematics there, namely M J M Hill. He wrote to Hill on 12 November 1912 sending some of Ramanujan's work and a copy of his 1911 paper on Bernoulli numbers. Hill replied in a fairly encouraging way but showed that he had failed to understand Ramanujan's results on divergent series. In January 1913 Ramanujan wrote to G H Hardy having seen a copy of his 1910 book Orders of infinity. Hardy, together with Littlewood, studied the long list of unproved theorems which Ramanujan enclosed with his letter. Hardy wrote back to Ramanujan and evinced interest in his work.

University of Madras gave Ramanujan a scholarship in May 1913 for two years and, in 1914, Hardy brought Ramanujan to Trinity College, Cambridge, to begin an extraordinary collaboration. Right from the start Ramanujan's collaboration with Hardy led to important results. In a joint paper with Hardy, Ramanujan gave an asymptotic formula for p(n). It had the remarkable property that it appeared to give the correct value of p(n), and this was later proved by Rademacher.

Ramanujan had problems settling in London. He was an orthodox Brahmin and right from the beginning he had problems with his diet. The outbreak of World War I made obtaining special items of food harder and it was not long before Ramanujan had health problems.

On 16 March 1916 Ramanujan graduated from Cambridge with a Bachelor of Science by Research. He had been allowed to enrol in June 1914 despite not having the proper qualifications. Ramanujan's dissertation was on Highly composite numbers and consisted of seven of his papers published in England.

Ramanujan fell seriously ill in 1917 and his doctors feared that he would die. He did improve a little by September but spent most of his time in various nursing homes. On February 18, 1918 Ramanujan was elected a fellow of the Cambridge Philosophical Society and later he was also elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of London. By the end of November 1918 Ramanujan's health had greatly improved.

Ramanujan sailed to India on 27 February 1919 arriving on 13 March. However his health was very poor and, despite medical treatment, he died on April 6, 1920.