Abhijit Banerjee

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Economists

Abhijit Banerjee brahmin“Poverty is not just a lack of money; it is not having the capability to realize one’s full potential as a human being.”

Abhijit Banerjee, an Indian-American, is an acknowledged professor at MIT, who has won the prestigious Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, in 2019 for helping develop an innovative experimental approach to reducing global poverty, along with Esther Duflo and Micheal Kremer. Banerjee was born in Mumbai, India in 1961, in a Bengali household in 2015. Today, he is a renowned economist with many laurels to his credit. He was schooled at the University of Calcutta, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and completed his Ph.D. at Harvard University in 1988.

Banerjee played a crucial role in identifying contributors to poverty and designing apt solutions through a series of field experiments, which were done in across low- and middle-income regions across the globe.

The three economists collaborated together for developing simple solutions that combat poverty. He was also a Research Associate for Research in the Economic Analysis of Development. Besides, he is also a Guggenheim Fellow and an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow. In 2003, he founded the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) in Massachusetts.

“The point is simple: talking about the problems of the world without talking about some accessible solutions is the way to paralysis rather than progress.”

His significant achievements include:

  • Infosys Prize in 2009
  • Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award in 2011
  • Foreign Policy magazine’s top 100 global thinkers
  • Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, in 2019 for Economic Sciences

Furthermore, he has written books including Poor Economics, Good Economics for Hard Times, Cooking to Save Your Life, Poor Economics, and Making Aid Work. Besides, he is also a contributor to Hindustan Times and directed various documentaries. Furthermore, he is known to be an excellent cook and patron of Hindustani classical music.

Today, Banerjee’s net worth is expected to be around USD 1.5 million, and is associated with various organizations that work for the downtrodden parts of society. Along with being a director of J-PAL, he is also the trustee of Save the Children USA.

“Economics is too important to be left to economists.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 4/5
An impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Scientists

subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar brahmin“The black holes of nature are the most perfect macroscopic objects there are in the universe: the only elements in their construction are our concepts of space and time.”

Born in Lahore, India (now in Pakistan), Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an internationally recognized astrophysicist who won the Nobel Prize in 1983 for key discoveries in Physics.  Incidentally, he is also the nephew of C.V. Raman, a Nobel Prize winner in 1930. He was schooled at the Presidency College at the University of Madras and Trinity College, Cambridge. His father was a government officer and his mother was involved in translating literary works to Tamil. Till the age of twelve, he was schooled at home.

His studies that received worldwide acclaim included “The Chandrasekhar Effect” he proved that it is not possible for a white dwarf star to remain stable in case its mass becomes more than 1.44 times the mass of the sun, as it is supported only by a degenerate gas of electrons. This study incorporated the study of relativity by Einstein. Some of his other studies include the black hole, convection, star, and radiation. Besides, he was also awarded the Copley Medical in 1984. In fact, he was awarded a scholarship at the University of Cambridge, recognizing his potential in physics. In 1933, he moved to Cambridge, wherein he completed his Ph. D. degree and decided to continue his fellowship for further four years.

However, little is known that Chandrasekar’s theories won a lot of opposition from top scientists at the university, although they are today believed to be correct. Hence, after completion of his tenure at Cambridge, he moved on to the University of Chicago for further research related to white dwarf stars and associated studies. Over the period, he published a lot of ground-breaking research across various astrophysics subjects. He continued his association with the University of Chicago, working as a professor till 1980. His accomplishments are innumerous, some of which are listed below:

  • 1948, Cambridge University Adams Prize
  • 1953, The Royal Astronomical Society Gold Medal
  • 1957, Rumford Prize of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 1966, National Medal of Science
  • 1968, Padma Vibhushan
  • 1983, Nobel Prize in Physics
  • 1984, Royal Society Copley Medal

He wrote the book Newton’s Principia for the Common Reader just before his death in 1995, caused by a heart attack. There is an observatory named under him “Chandra X-ray observatory”. Even today, he is remembered as one of the greatest astrophysicists of all time. We still celebrate his contribution to the field of science.

“Science is a perception of the world around us. Science is a place where what you find in nature pleases you.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 5/5
A super-impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Kailash Satyarthi

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Social Work

kailash satyarthi brahmin “Every single minute matters, every single child matters, every single childhood matters.”

Kailash Satyarthi is a Noble Prize winner, social activist, and advocate of children’s human rights. In 2014, he won the Nobel Peace Prize (shared with Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani advocate for female education) for his efforts against child labor and suppression of their rights. His vision is to make every child safe and educated in India by 2047. Born in 1954 in a Brahmin family in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, he pursued electrical engineering in the same town.

In 1977, he moved to New Delhi to work as a publisher in literature. He gave up his high-caste surname, Sharma, and took up the surname Satyarthi, which reflects the meaning “seeker of the truth”. Besides, he is also the founder of Save the Childhood Movement (BBA) along with multiple organizations that work for children’s rights. He even started GoodWeave International, a nonprofit organization that was the first certification system that manufactured rugs without the use of child labor. He believes child labor is the source of oppression, poverty, illiteracy, and other socio-economic evils. In 2015, he achieved success in including child welfare issues as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.

“I dream for a world which is free of child labor, a world in which every child goes to school. A world in which every child gets his rights.”

We need such gems for the overall progress of our society and to come together for the future of our children. We hope his noble vision of seeing every child free with their rights protected, comes true. His passion and zeal for achieving an end to child slavery are unmatched. Currently, he is also working for an international law that addresses the evil of digital forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

“I refuse to accept that the shackles of slavery can ever be stronger than the quest for freedom.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 5/5
A super-impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Rabindranath Tagore

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Artists

rabindranath tagore brahmin“What is Art? It is the response of man’s creative soul to the call of the Real.”

Rabindranath Tagore, son of Debendranath Tagore, was an accomplished writer, poet, teacher, painter, song composer, and social reformer; and the only Indian to win a Nobel in Literature in 1913. Born in British India in 1861 in a Brahmin family, he was schooled at home and was sent to England to complete his further education. He is a creative artist who was largely responsible for popularizing Bengali literature in India as well as the West.

After completion of his studies, he dedicated his time to writing proses and poetry, along with looking after his ancestral property. Many of his verses, which were originally written in Bengali, have been translated into English and other Indian languages. Most of his essays spoke about social reforms and displayed modern and rational thinking in an era that was quite orthodox. His short stories reflected the plight of women & their feelings and social status that needed revolutionary change. Through his writings, he communicated the ideas of giving equal status to women, reducing caste differentiation, and other social evils such as untouchability and illiteracy. His popular collections include:

·       Gitanjali: Song Offerings
·       The Fugitive
·       Muktadhara
·       Raktakaravi

“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.” 

In 1901, he even founded a school, Shantiniketan, which instilled both Indian and Western values, while imparting education from both school systems. He stayed with his family on the school premises while continuing to teach students across India. He was even awarded a knighthood in 1915, however, as a sign of protest for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he returned it.Married to Mrinalini Devi, Tagore’s contribution towards encouraging youth to join the freedom struggle while fighting social evils is quite immense. A man of such stature, his writings spoke of the pain, happiness, social systems, and the good as well as bad of traditional Indian society. His poems and proses will be forever savored by patrons of world-class literature.

“We gain freedom when we have paid the full price.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 5/5
A super-impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

General Madhuri Kanitkar

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Military

brahmin indian army general“In the Army Medical Corps, women have been around for years. We train and serve together, shoulder to shoulder. So gender is of little concern.”

General Madhuri Kanitkar is the current vice-chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS). She was the former Deputy Chief Integrated Defense Staff and is one of the few women who have made it to the top of the defense industry. Armed with an MD and DNB in pediatrics, Kanitkar’s journey is nothing less than inspirational. A profession from which most women shy away from even considering, she has broken stereotypes and joined the names of stalwarts when in the Indian army. However, in a recent interview, she mentioned that gender is irrelevant, it is your professionalism and capability that makes a big difference. The recent ruling of the Supreme Court allowing permanent commission to women officers was a step pivotal to boost opportunities for women in armed forces.

“My parents and teachers never considered gender an obstacle to achieve dreams. My parents taught me and my two sisters that nothing is impossible.”

Kanitkar was born in a Brahmin family in Dharvad, Karnataka, in a family of doctors. She received the President’s Gold Medal for securing first rank throughout the three years. She even received a Best Teacher Award in 2008. Honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal; she is the third woman to hold the rank of a Lieutenant General. She has a rich experience of 22 years in research and teaching, and has proven her mettle through her illustrious career in the army. During the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, she was working round-the-clock for providing relief to patients and families affected by it.

Married to Lieutenant General Rajeev Kanitkar, the couple is among the first to hold a three-star rank. She advices young women to select their careers not on the basis of gender stereotype and choose their paths to follow it with courage and confidence.

“We need to spend time developing a team and giving credit to each member. Individual brilliance has to be supported by collective competence. Also, focus, balance and time management are crucial.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 4/5
An impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Pallavi Joshi

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Actors

marathi actress actor brahmin“After doing all the research, we decided that we would do it. Not because it is our project, but because we can tell people what happened 30 years ago. We decided to show the world the reality of Kashmir.”

Pallavi Joshi is an accomplished and versatile actor, model, anchor, film producer, and screenplay writer as well as a recipient of two National awards. Born in 1969 in a Marathi Brahmin family to stage actors, she has had an illustrious career across various regional films. However, she recently shot to fame with the success of the movie The Kashmir Files, which was written and directed by her spouse Vivek Agnihotri, in which she played the role of a professor as well as coproudced the movie. Although the movie is a topic of debate currently, it has received widespread response, becoming a blockbuster hit after the pandemic.

“I was always more attracted to the kind of subjects which Shyam Benegal, Amol Palekar, Govind Nihalani were making.”

Joshi started her career as a child artist in tele-series and films across various industries and has had received worldwide acclaim. She anchored the television series Sa re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs, which was featured on Zee Marathi. Her work was received positively by a lot of critics. Furthermore, she has also acted in short films and television series.

Her net worth is estimated to be around USD 1 million. She is involved in philanthropic activities by being involved in counseling sessions that help young children who have been affected due to loss of parents due to the pandemic. Along with her spouse Vivek, she runs the I am Buddha Foundation, which raises funds for various social issues such as Covid relief, environmental issues, child relief, etc. We wish she takes up such ambitious endeavors in the future, too.

“Art means giving something back to the society. You can even go and watch circus and be entertained. If there is no takeaway then what’s the point of being an actor and filmmaker.”

Birth Score – 3/5
Pride Score – 4/5
An impressive 7/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

 

Vivek Agnihotri

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Film Makers

brahmin filmmaker director screen writer“You will always have a tough fight when you are expressing yourself and not impressing people. The path of truth is a lonely journey.”

Vivek Agnihotri is a name doing household rounds today as an exceptional director for making a movie on the plight and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley during the 1990s, caused by terrorism. An accomplished director, screenwriter, and filmmaker, he has managed to set extraordinary standards when it comes to film making. Born in a Brahmin family, on 10 November, 1973 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Vivek’s career initiated with direction and production of tele-series and ads .

Vivek has a graduation and post-graduation certificate in Economics from the School of Social Science. He also has an advertising degree from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. Furthermore, he also undertook the Organization & Management course from the Harvard University.

“I have to be a risk-taker and just tell the truth the way it is. Everything that bothers me. Everything that must be told fearlessly. My loyalty is to the inner vision. There is no other way work of artistic worth can be done.”

He started his career as a creative director for brands such as Coca Cola and Gillette. He made his directional debut through the movie Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets, a suspense drama. Besides, he also started the production house Vivek Agnihotri Creates Pvt. Ltd. Other movies under his bucket include Dhana Dhan Goal, Hate Story, and Buddha in a Traffic Jam. The film The Tashkent Files received a lot of worldwide acclaim because of its refreshingly different topic and atypical storytelling. It also received the National Film Award for Best Screenplay – Dialogues for The Tashkent Files. However, till date, Kashmir Files has received the most response, with its turnover crossing over INR 200 crores, the highest grossing movie ever after the pandemic.

“I am extremely honored by Indian Council For Culture Relations, India’s apex body on the promotion of great Indian culture across the world for including cinema, and I am deeply honored for being the first person from the Indian film industry to represent the cause of this industry in the overall cultural promotion globally.”

He is married to Pallavi Joshi, a known actor, anchor in the Marathi and Hindi film industry. Recently, he teamed up with NGOs to help kids and their families affected by Covid-19. His net worth is estimated to be around USD 3 million. We hope that he continues making such exceptional films and adds more feathers to his cap.

“That day, I learnt that in the big fat world of Bollywood, the problem isn’t whether the pyramid should be inverted or not. The problem is there isn’t any pyramid.“

Birth Score – 3/5
Pride Score – 4/5
An impressive 7/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

 

Sridhar Vembu

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Business people

zoho founder brahmin “There has to be a semblance of justice and fairness in your distributions system or else we are going to see the social conflict.”

Sridhar Vembu is an accomplished businessman, billionaire, and founder of Zoho, a multinational technology company that develops software and cloud-based business tools. Born in Tamil Nadu, in a modest Brahmin family, young Sridhar was schooled through IIT-Madras. Further, he completed his Electrical Engineering through Princeton University.

Although he initially started working as a wireless engineer in Qualcomm, he founded the software development company named AdventNet along with his brothers Kumar and Sekar, and friend Tony Thomas, which was renamed to be Zoho Corporation. The company boasts of not seeking external funds and respecting the privacy of its clients the most.

It also has an in-house Zoho University, which trains students with hands-on software skills, communication, and mathematical concepts to students who have passed Class 12. They claim their education to be different than conventional college-style education. The idea was generated after a survey was conducted among their employees to understand the utility of college education for current job. The concept of Zoho school was to prepare them for a real-life working environment.

“I spent time in rural India and so I was able to observe these things first hand. Then I realized for a lot of businesses technology is a critical cost and we don’t want to be a costly input to our customers, because then our customers cannot survive in business very long term if they have very costly inputs from us.”

As per the latest reports of 2022, his net worth is estimated to be USD 3.75 billion. He is married to Pramila Srinivisan, who is also a CEO and founder of a software company, and stays in the U.S. along with their son. He even funds a school in Tamil Nadu.

Although he has multiple achievements to boast about, Sridhar chooses to remain levelheaded and work towards achieving next objectives. He believes in a work culture that is stress-free. Today, Zoho’s business is valued at almost USD 1 billion and has branches across the world. Recently, he shifted to Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu for better health and experience better quality of life for him and his staff.

“I don’t get too excited about things… I don’t go to extremes vis-à-vis emotions about anything. I try to be moderate.”

Birth Score – 3/5
Pride Score – 4/5
An impressive 7/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Musicians & Singers

brahmin actor“I’m just so grateful to God that he brought me music and enriched my life.”

“Aaj main upar, asmaan niche!”

Kavita Krishnamurti ‘s song echoes in the heart of every patron of Indian Bollywood music. Born on 25 January, 1958 in New Delhi, she was schooled in St. Xaviers College, Mumbai and has secured a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. She learnt Rabindra Sangeet under the training of her aunt, Mrs. Bhattacharya; to later receive formal training in Hindustani classical music as a disciple of Sri. Balram Puri.

Interestingly, her career began at the age of 16, by dubbing songs of legendary singers Lata Didi and Asha Bhosale. Her first performance was with Lata Mangeshkar for a Bengali movie Shriman Prithviraj. The song Tumse milkar na jaane kyun from the film Pyar Jhukta Nahin fetched many accolades for her. Although the song was to be sung by Lata Didi for the final album, she advised against it suggesting that Kavita has already done a fabulous job. She has lent her voice to almost all leading actresses during the 90s. The songs Hawa Hawaii, Pyaar Hua Chupke se, Aaj Main Upar, Ye Dil Sun Raha Hai, Mera Piya Ghar Aaya, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and Dola Re were instant hits and still receive the same love. She delivered many hits under the patronage of well-established composers such as Laxmikant-Pyarelal, R.D. Burman, and Ismail Durbar.

An accomplished singer, Krishnamurti ‘s songs will remain evergreen. She was honored with many awards, some of which have been mentioned below:

·         Padma Shri in 2005
·         Filmfare Awards for Best Playback Singer – Female in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2003
·         Zee Cine Awards for Best Playback Singer – Female in 2000

She is married to violinist Pt. Dr. Lakshminarayan Subramaniam, who is also a Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan award recipient. Along with her spouse, she has founded a global music institute Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts in Bengaluru, which trains students in both Indian and Western music. The institute conducts classes for various instruments including violin, tabla, piano, guitar along with Carnatic vocal and Hindustani vocal. They have also set up Lakshminarayana Global Centre of Excellence, which is named after Kavita’s father-in-law. The institute offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in music in collaboration with other educational institutes.

“One of its objectives is to teach music in schools in a fun manner. My children Bindu and Ambi are totally involved with that, while my husband takes care of the advanced level.”

With more than 15,000 songs to her credit and a career spanning more than 30 years, she has enthralled the audience on a global level with her impeccable and passionate singing.

 

Anupam Kher

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Actors

brahmin actor“Practice makes an actor excel. It is like cycling and motor driving. It is an art, which can be learnt and practised.”

Anupam Kher is an accomplished and award-winning actor, motivational speaker, producer, director, and teacher, who has had quite an illustrious career in Indian cinema. Born in a Kashmiri Pandit family in Shimla, Kher has achieved a remarkable place in the movie industry.

An alumnus of Nation School of Drama, he performed in numerous plays at the Himachal Pradesh University. Although his acting debut was in 1982 in Aagman, it was his role in Saaransh that made him an overnight success. Despite being 28 years, he portrayed the role of an elderly retired man who has lost his only son. He even won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for this role. This was just the beginning of one of his stalwart performances. He has acted in various movies, plays, and theater plays. His megahit movies include Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Veer Zara, Khosla ka Ghosla, Special 26, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and The Accidental Prime Minister. Besides, he has also appeared in international movies such as Bend It Like Beckham, The Mistress of Spices, and Bride and Prejudice. He has a whopping 500 films to his credit.

“There is enough for the world’s needs, but not enough for the world’s greed.”

He is also a motivational speaker and penned down books that are inspired by his experiences in life. He has also founded the Anupam Kher Foundation in 2008, which looks for future opportunities of children from less privileged families. When he was at the lowest point of his life, he unveiled the autobiographical play Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, which tells an account of the actors life. Kher’s story from humble beginnings to a national and international star is truly inspiring. Married to Kirron Kher, who is also an accomplished actress, Anupam Kher’s contribution to Indian cinema is unparalleled. He continues his work with equal fervor as before. Currently, he is shooting for the movie Unnchai.

This veteran actor does not shy away from acknowledging his failures in public. His life coaching program AntarAkt focuses on imparting life skills to become a better version of yourself. While donning so many hats, Kher is indeed a gift to the entertainment industry.

“I still feel I belong to the theatre. There is nothing more challenging and exciting for an actor than performing before a live audience. The stage is the real testing ground for an actor.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 4/5
An impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.