Sudha Murthy

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Business people

notable brahmin“Growing up, I dreamt of being economically independent because I always believed women should be so.”

An inspiration to the true sense, Sudha Murthy is an accomplished engineer, businesswoman, philanthropist, teacher, and author. Donning various hats, Murthy has proven her mettle and set a benchmark by venturing into nontraditional field of engineering, which was quite unusual for women during her times. She was born in a traditional Kannada Brahmin family to Dr. R.H. Kulkarni and Smt. Vimala Kulkarni.

Once when a job posted by TELCO mentioned that women candidates need not apply for the job, Murthy wrote a letter to JRD Tata challenging the policy. Surprisingly, JRD Tata took cognizance of this, and asked his staff to interview her and check her technical skills. This is how she ended up being the first technical officer at TELCO. Later, she went on to become a cofounder of the IT company Infosys, along with her husband Narayan Murthy. She had already followed unexplored paths by seeking admission in an engineering college, which was quite unusual, 50 years ago. She had no access to toilets or canteen facility.

“Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness.”

Furthermore, Murthy is also involved in many philanthropy activities through Infosys Foundation. She primarily started by working for sex workers. Through her organization, she built approximately 16,000 toilets for girls across different projects. Besides, she started her writing career by writing tales about the real-life incidents of people whom she met during her social work. She writes women-centric, mythological, as well as fictional stories from audiences of all age groups. Her collection for kids has become quite popular too. She has been conferred with various awards including:

·         Padma Shri Award (2006)
·         R.K Narayan’s Award of Literature
·         Rotary Club of Karnataka, Best Teacher Award
·         Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science by IIT Kanpur.

Despite her achievements, she believes in leading a life of simplicity and continues her passion for social work with equal fervor. She does not believe in possession or even clicking pictures while traveling.

“We can give our children only two things in life which are essential. Strong roots and powerful wings. Then they may fly anywhere and live independently. Of all the luxuries in life, the greatest luxury is getting freedom of the right kind.”

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

Lata Mangeshkar

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Artists, Musicians & Singers

Lata Mangeshkar Brahmin

“As a singer, you have to bring the soul to the song.”
When it comes to female playback singing, Lata Mangeshkar’s name is on the tip of the tongue of every Indian, irrespective of their age. Recently, India lost a true gem of music industry as Lata Didi breathed her last on 6th February 2022 in Mumbai. Let’s take a sneak-peak into her life and illustrious achievements.
Born in 1929 in Indore in a Brahmin family, Lata Mangeshkar’s father was a theater artist. At a very young age of 5, she used to act and sing in her father’s plays. Eldest among the siblings, she had to don the role of the breadwinner of the family after her father’s untimely demise in 1942. Today, all her siblings are distinguished singers and musicians.
Her career began when she moved to Mumbai (then Bombay) to receive training from Ustad Aman Ali Khan. A lesser known fact was that she started out as an actor, but wasn’t very comfortable with it. Furthermore, her soft and thin voice was not accepted as the trend at that time required heavy nasal voices. Even the first song she recorded for a Marathi movie was never publicized as it was edited. Her initial hit Aayega Aanewaala paved the pathway to her grand success. Despite these initial hiccups, she went on to deliver the greatest hits of all times. Her songs such as Lag Jaa Gale, Aap ki Najaro ne Samajha and Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh still remain evergreen in the hearts of all. She has sung for leading ladies of Bollywood across multiple generations, right from Madhubala to Priyanka Chopra.
“I missed out on my childhood. I had to work hard, but I was immediately given a place in playback.”
When it comes to accomplishments, there is no doubt that she is a legendary playback singer with unparalleled competition. She was awarded the prestigious Bharat Ratna and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989. She even has an entry in the 1974 and 2011 Guinness Book of Records as an artist with the highest number of music records. Another feather in her cap is that she has sung in more 36 local and foreign languages. For a long time, she enjoyed monopoly in the music industry, with many composers lining up to work with her. She was often compared with her sibling Asha Bhosale, who had an offbeat singing style, suitable for peppy and lively songs.
With a contribution of over seventy years to the music industry, Lata Didi continues to rule the throne of the best female playback singer. It is estimated that her net worth is a whopping USD 50 million. Despite her old age, she had continued contributing to the society through her philanthropy activities. Recently, she had donated one crore rupees to the Indian army in the honour of the soldiers martyred in the Pulwama attack. Besides, she had even contributed to relief funds for the corona virus pandemic.
Lata didi was cremated with full state honors and the Tricolor was lowered in respect. Maharashtra and many other states observed mourning period. Her death has certainly brought a big void in the Indian music industry, marking an end to a career spanning across seven decades. Yet, she leaves behind a legacy of innumerable melodious songs for us to cherish.
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“From my experience and understanding, I believe money follows name and fame, while recognition calls for a huge amount of sacrifice. To get something, you have to lose something. That’s the rule of life.”

Birth Score – 4/5

Pride Score – 5/5

An impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

 

Deepika Padukone

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Actors

deepika padukone brahmin“Even though I played national level badminton, I told my parents when I was in 10th that I was not interested in continuing. Being a model or actor fascinated me from a young age, and I even did a couple of ads when I was just eight years old.”

Deepika Padukone is a known celebrity and an accomplished actress, who has many commercial hits in the Bollywood industry to her credit. She was born in Denmark in 1986, and is the daughter of legendary badminton player Prakash Padukone. She spent most of her childhood in Bangalore and was a professional badminton player too, until the age of 16, when she decided to pursue acting as her true calling.

“The fruit of your own hard work is the sweetest.”

She is an alumni of Mount Caramel and Sophia College in Bangalore. She pursued modeling, while participating in a ramp competition in Bangalore. She further pursued her modeling career, by being the face of various brands including Liril, Limca, Close-Up, Maybelline, and Dabur. She was selected for Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar in 2006 as one of the swimsuit models. Later, she made her debut in the film industry through the Kannada film, Aishwarya. It was only after the huge success of Bollywood movie Om Shanti Om in 2007, that she became a star overnight and soon bagged roles for commercial movies in mainstream cinema. She even won the Filmfare award for Best Female Debut for this movie. Padukone was praised for her stellar performances in movies such as Piku, Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, and Goliyon ki Raasleela Ram-Leela.

Today, she is one of the topmost icons in the industry and has worked across more than 30 movies. She has won around 5 Filmfare awards and nominations, and is one of the 100 topmost influential people in the world. She has been outspoken about her mental health issues and is the founder of The Live Love Laugh Foundation, an organization that offers support for those suffering from clinical depression.

Padukone married actor Ranveer Singh in 2018, after a brief courtship in a traditional Konkani and Sindhi ceremony. This duo will be seen sharing the screen space together again in the recently released movie 83, based on India’s World Cup winning in 1983. Padukone’s net worth is expected to be around USD 40 million.

“Being sad and being depressed are two different things. Also, people going through depression don’t look so, while someone sad will look sad. The most common reaction is, ‘How can you be depressed? You have everything going for you. You are the supposed number one heroine and have a plush home, car, movies… What else do you want?”

Birth Score – 4/5

Pride Score – 4/5

An impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Dr. Prakash Baba Amte

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Social Work

dr prakash baba amte brahmin“Working with Madia Gond for over 47 years is an eye opening journey for us. We did help them to join the mainstream, but at the same time learned how life can be enjoyed with simplicity and without expecting anything in return.”

Dr. Prakash Amte is name known to all. Son of social worker Baba Amte, known for his selfless service to humankind, especially to leprosy patients, Dr. Prakash inherited the love for social service from his parents at a very young age. An esteemed doctor, social worker, and reformer, his story is as inspiring as his father’s. Let’s have a look at his journey so far.

Dr. Prakash Amte carried forward the Lok Biradari Prakalpa, which was started by father Late Shri Babsaheb Amte. This work involved working with the Madia-Gond Samaj, tribal people of Hemlakasa. After completion of his doctor’s degree, he decided to dedicate his life for the upliftment of tribal community in this area. With lack of access to basic amenities such as medical care or even clothing, and not to mention the Naxalite violence, their lifestyle was not even remotely near to what modern man lived like. The doctor couple worked endlessly to bring changes such as education, hospital settings, basic access to food and clothing while enabling them to seek employment.

“My father had a very simple definition of social work and life. He followed only one religion, the religion of humanity and serving needy people.”

The birth of Animal Ark is rather an unusual and soul-stirring story. Once Dr. Prakash Amte was out for a stroll with his wife when he saw the tribal people carrying a dead monkey with the baby still suckling at her mother’s breast. Dr. Amte asked the tribals to let him adopt the baby monkey, and in return, offered them of some rice and clothes.

Since then, Dr. & Mrs. Amte struck a deal with the tribals, and asked them to spare the babies of animals who they hunt, and instead, bring them to Animal Ark to be cared for. Interestingly, Animal Ark, also hosts rare and endangered species of animals as well as reptiles, which include snakes, leopards, hyenas, crocodiles, birds, jungle cats, and giant squirrels. Thus, in it’s own unique way, the institution has has shown that there is no need for conflict between animals and humankind, and both can stay in close contact. Of course, due to government rules, they had to cage wild animals, although they receive the same amount of care. The number of animals being brought has reduced as the villagers are now opting for agriculture as a medium for food.

A biopic “Dr Prakash Baba Amte– The Real Hero” was released in 2014, featuring the life story of Dr. Prakash Amte along with his spouse. He has been honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award (Phillipines) in 2008. Besides, he was also a recipient of the Padma Shri award in 2002. He continues to reside at Hemalkasa working relentlessly for the villagers. His three children, along with their spouses, continue his legacy contributing to the Lok Biradari Prakalpa.

Very few people work tirelessly with devotion for humankind as well as animals, and Dr. Prakash Amte’s story needs to be retold again and again to inspire the younger generation of our country.

“We need more dedicated workers to build a humane community where people can live in peace and harmony. We need to build bridges between the haves and have-nots, in every sphere.”

General Manoj Mukund Naravane

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Military

gen manoj mukund naravane brahmin “As the Army, we swear allegiance to the constitution of India… Justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the constitution should guide us….”

General Manoj Mukund Naravane, an Army General, is the current 27th Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Born on 22 April 1960, in Pune. Maharashtra, he did most of his schooling there. He is a distinguished and accomplished Indian army officer who has many achievements to his credit.

Schooled at Jnana Prabodhini Prashala in Pune, he is an alumni of the National Defence Academy, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the Army War College, Mhow. Armed with impressive educational qualifications, General Naravane’s personality is nothing less than impressive. He also holds a M.A. degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras, Chennai and an M.Phil. degree in Defence and Management Studies from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore.

He was commissioned in June 1980 in The Sikh Light Infantry Regiment after which he started his illustrious military career spanning across four decades. During this phase, he has had many commendable accomplishments. He was a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and has commanded the 2nd Battalion of Rashtriya Rifles in J&K.

He was involved in various staff assignments such as Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade, Defence Attache at Yangon, Myanmar and at Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army), New Delhi. In 201, he even commanded the Republic Day Parade in his capacity as GOC Delhi Area. Developing indigenous solutions is what he feels will be helpful in war-like situations.

This decorated officer was conferred with distinguished medals including the Sena Medal for commanding the battalion in J&K, ‘Vishisht Seva Medal’ for the post of Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) in Nagaland, and ‘Ati Vishisht Seva Medal’ for commanding the strike corps. Reports state that he may be considered as he is considered as the leading contender for the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post, after the untimely death of General Bipin Rawat, who was serving as the CDS.

General Naravat is a true gem to the nation and we will remain forever indebted for his service to the country.

“Men behind the machine matter the most. We will make sure that our men get the best and we will look into all their aspirations, needs,”

Birth Score – 4/5

Pride Score – 4/5

A super-impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Pankaj Tripathi

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Actors

Pankaj Tripathi Brahmin“When we give so much to a character, even a character leaves something inside us. We grow with every role and learn from their graph and problems. And when you learn from your character’s problems, you do get a better understanding of things.”

Pankaj Tripathi is a name known to all today. An accomplished actor with an unique style of being able to naturally fit into versatile roles, he is seen across various commercial as well as artistic movies and series. Not many know about his humble beginnings and his struggle into stardom. Born in a Brahmin family in Bihar, Tripathi worked in the farm along with his family and earned a modest income. However, he had a passion for acting, which was exhibited through plays during village festivals.

He was schooled in Patna for hotel management, yet, he kept his passion alive by acting in theaters. He shifted to Delhi to graduate from National School of Drama and used to participate in street shows, although that did not provide lucrative returns. That is when he decided to move to the golden city Mumbai, to strike his luck in Bollywood. He participated in multiple auditions had worked for small roles across television series, commercials, and movies.

His first debut in Bollywood was an unaccredited role in the movie Run in 2004. After almost 7 years of struggle, lady luck shined on him when he bagged the role in the web series Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012. He was noticed and applauded for his acting in this web series for his exemplary performance as Sultan Qureshi. Since then, there was no looking back and he was a part of many hit movies including ABCD: Any Body Can Dance, Fukrey, Masaan, Bareily Ki Barfi, Stree, Drive, Angrezi Medium, Mimi, and so on. Besides, his roles in web series Sacred Games and Mirzapur were most loved by audience.

Recently, he was awarded the Diversity in Cinema Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). True, he has the ability to transition into multiple roles smoothly and pay characters of different ages. Additionally, he believes, OTT has brought more work to actors by introducing quality content which the audience can enjoy. From having no work to being one of the topmost actors sought, Tripathi’s journey to stardom is nothing less than inspirational. Although, he says, at heart he is still that simpleton villager who loves to act. Married to Mridula Tripathi, he has mentioned that it is his wife who took care of the household expenses during his struggling days.

Tripathi’s determination and hard work has fetched the success that he today has, and his story will continue to inspire generations in future.

“To be honest, I did not earn anything between 2004 and 2010. She (his wife, Mridula) bore the burden of all expenses involved in the upkeep of our household. I used to roam around in Andheri and urge people ‘koi acting karwa lo, koi acting karwa lo (someone, please give me an acting job)’. But no one listened to me at the time. Now, when I go home, I find movies being offered in my parking lot.”

Birth Score – 3/5

Pride Score – 4/5

An impressive 7/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Dadasaheb Phalke

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Film Makers

Dadasaheb Phalke father of indian cinema brahmin“While the film Life of Christ was rolling past before my eyes, I was mentally visualizing the gods, Shri Krishna, Shri Ramachandra their Gokul and Ayodhya. I was gripped by a strange spell. I bought another ticket and saw the film again. This time I felt my imagination taking shape in the screen. Could this really happen? Could we the sons of India, ever be able to see Indian images on the screen. The whole night passed in this mental agony.”

Popularly known as ‘Father of Indian Cinema’, Dadasaheb Phalke if the man behind the introduction of motion pictures in India. He was born in April 30, 1870 in a Maharashtrian Brahmin family as Dhundiraj Govind Phalke. He was the first to direct India’s first feature film, giving birth to the huge cinema industry today.

Schooled at J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, he had myriad of interests including painting,  photography, dramatics, and architecture. He even started a printing business, but it could not sustain for a longer time. Although initially, he pursued a passion for photography, it was a silent French movie “Life of Christ” that motivated him to consider filmmaking. He was mesmerized by the art of developing a film and developed keen interest in it and even went to London to learn the art from filmmaker Cecil Hepworth. After returning, he released his first movie Raja Harishchandra in 1913. Initially, he underwent many hurdles and his family helped in the entire production process. Interestingly, he even learnt magic tricks from a German magician and used trick photography while filming his movies. He watched movies everyday to understand more about the art, which strained his eyes to that extent that he developed cataract and was on the verge of losing his eyesight. However, with timely treatment he could restore his eyesight with the help of spectacles.

The entire movie was produced, directed, written, and distributed by him, marking a beginning of the Indian film industry. He went on release successful movies such as Shri Krishna janma, Lanka Dahan, Satyavan Savitri, and Shakuntala. Later with the advent of sound cinema, Phalke’s popularity received a setback and he announced his retirement after creative differences with partners at the Hindustan Cinema Films Company. His first and last sound film was Gangavataran, after which he spent his last few days at Nashik until his death in 1944.

Honoring his contribution, the Government of India constituted the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for outstanding work in the film industry. A film based on his life, Harishchandranchi Factory was released in 2009, which became a hit and was also submitted as Indian entrant for the Oscars.

Phalke’s struggle to bring motion picture to India set a milestone and the Indian movie industry will remain forever indebted to him for his contribution.

Birth Score – 4/5

Pride Score – 5/5

An super-impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Milind Soman

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Actors, Models

Milind Soman Brahmin“Once your mind and body is healthy, it creates a freedom that helps you enjoy life.”

“Made in India, Mera Pyaara Soniya” this hit song had made Milind Soman a household name, with many going gaga over his Greek God looks. Although unconventional and ahead of his times, Soman has managed to be in attention in the modeling, fashion, and Bollywood industry. A celebrated supermodel, actor, and now a fitness enthusiast, Soman has earned fame in an industry wherein there are a handful of Marathi Brahmins.

Born in Scotland, UK, to a Maharashtrian Brahmin family, he came back to India at the age of seven and did his schooling in Mumbai. Unknown to most, he had initially planned on pursuing swimming as a career and had won his first championship award at the age of nine. His first break at a modeling gig was when he bagged the role of a model for Thackersey Fabrics; although it is Alisha Chinai’s music video “Made in India” that made him most successful.

“In India, we don’t have a culture of sports. We don’t have a culture of an active lifestyle or exercise. If we want to change this mindset, women are the key. That’s why we started the Pinkathon.”

His first acting debut was through “A Mouthful of Sky”, an English soap that was aired in India. He went on to pursue acting assignments and has acted across various Bollywood films including Tarkieb, Bheja Fry, Bhram, Mukti, and Asoka. He is known for offbeat roles rather than conventional ones in commercial cinemas. Besides, he has acted in international cinema, and has portrayed roles in an English movie, Valley of Flowers and a Swedish movie, Agent Hamilton: But Not If It Concerns Your Daughter. He also played the role of “Captain Vyom” in a kids’ TV show.

Currently, he is also pursuing his passion for sports through various mediums. He won the world’s toughest triathlon competition conducted in Zurich, Switzerland. It was after achieving this feat, Soman became famous as “Iron Man”. He even has a record in the Limca Book of Records for running a distance in 30 days of around 1,500kms from Delhi to Mumbai.

Married to Ankita Konwar, Soman ‘s net worth is estimated to be around USD 20 million. He participates in Marathons that raise awareness and funds concerning socio-economic issues. Recently, he participated in 500k step Challenge for raising funds for those families affected by Covid.

We can say that this hunk model definitely is an inspiration proving that it is possible to remain fit with exercise and a balanced lifestyle.

“Running for me is self-exploration.”

Birth Score – 3/5

Pride Score – 3/5

An impressive 6/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

Prabhakar Jog

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Musicians & Singers

Prabhakar Jog BrahminDo you remember the popular musical series “Ganare Violin” by noted violinist Prabhakar Jog? He was a music maestro known for his significant contributions to both Marathi and Hindi film industries. He breathed his last on 31st October 2021 at his Pune residence due to age-related issues. This sad demise has certainly left a void in the music industry, although his music will always remain evergreen through his renditions and lessons imparted to disciples.

Born in a Marathi Brahmin family in 1932, he started playing the violin at a young age of 12. He adopted the love for violin as his elder brother, Vamanrao Jog, used to conduct musical classes for this instrument at his residence. The untimely demise of his father had put him in a situation wherein he had to take up violin lessons as well as work for a living. That is when he started playing at concerts and gatherings. It is said that he was an expert in writing musical notations, which fetched him the position of assistant director under musical stalwart Sudhir Phadke, which gave him the opportunity to play a key role in the creation of “Geet Ramayana“.

Following this, he had an illustrious career during which he composed music for almost 22 Marathi films. Iconic singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar, and Asha Bhosale have sung under his direction. Later, he joined the Bollywood industry and worked with veterans in this field, including S.D. Burman, Laxmikan Pyarelal, and Shankar Jaikishan. He even performed solo on stage for various programs including “Gata Rahe Mera Violin” and “Ganare Violin“. During his tenure, he was honored with awards such as Swami Haridas, Saraswati Awards, and the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Trophy.

He had recorded more than 12 albums and also played the role of a mentor to budding talent. Recently, he also played the role of a judge at the popular Marathi show SaReGaMaPa. He is survived by his two children and their families, who also have carried forward his legacy of music. Jog will always be fondly remembered for his special ability of making lyrics of a song come alive through his violin.

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 4/5
A super-impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score

 

Rahul Dravid

By Notable Brahmins Posted in Sports people

rahul dravid brahmin“You don’t play for revenge, you play for respect & pride.”

Rahul Dravid, often touted as the “The Wall”, is a top-class cricketer who shared the limelight with stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. Born in 1973 in Madhya Pradesh, Dravid did his schooling in St. Joseph’s Boys School in Bengaluru. At a young age, he exhibited his talent in cricket while representing his state Karnataka for the under 15 team.

Known for dedication and stability, Dravid’s USP was performing as a rescuer during a crisis to save the game, quite unlike other players who won accolades for playing aggressively.

His personality is described as having a “cool demeanor”, which has been aptly displayed by his ability to fetch runs for longer periods of time. He has more than 10,000 runs to his credit, being the only cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to hold this record. He helped India win the series against Pakistan at Rawalpindi by scoring a whopping 270 runs, which were collected over 12 hours. Cautious yet determined and focused, Dravid’s cricketing style has been praised by many of his peers. He also holds the record of holding the highest time spent on crease, which is 44,152 minutes. Here’s a list of some of the multiple awards that he has won:

  • 1998 Arjuna Award
  • 2004 Padma Shri
  • 2004 ICC Test Player of the Year
  • 2013 Padma Bhushan
  • 2018 ICC Hall of Fame

“My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride.”

In 2019, he was appointed the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Currently, there are huge speculations that he may be appointed as the head coach of the Indian men’s team. His net worth is estimated to be around INR 172 crores. Besides, Dravid is an ambassador to many organizations that drive social changes and innovation to support noteworthy causes.

Although he has plethora of achievements to his credit, it is Dravid’s ability to remain grounded that sets him apart from others. He truly makes cricket a gentleman’s game; or as the former Australian cricketer Brett Lee has rightly worded,

“If you don’t get along with Dravid, you are struggling with your life.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 4/5
A super-impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.