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RK
Person

Ram Nath Kovind

14th President of India

Ram Nath Kovind is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022. He was the second Dalit leader to hold the nation's highest constitutional office. Born in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, Kovind overcame humble beginnings to graduate with a degree in law. He practiced as an advocate in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India for over 15 years before entering public service. Kovind officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1991 and served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha representing Uttar Pradesh from 1994 to 2006. Known for his focus on social justice and education, he served as the head of the BJP Dalit Morcha and consistently advocated for the rights of marginalized communities. In 2015, he was appointed as the Governor of Bihar, where he earned praise for his non-partisan and constitutional approach to state governance. In 2017, he was nominated as the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Alliance and won the election with a significant majority. During his tenure as President, Kovind emphasized digital literacy, national security, and inclusive development. He successfully completed his five-year term in July 2022 and was succeeded by Droupadi Murmu. Since leaving office, he has continued to participate in national discourse and has headed high-level government committees on electoral reform.

Political Person
SC
Person

Shiing-Shen Chern

Renowned Mathematician and Father of Modern Differential Geometry

Shiing-Shen Chern was one of the most influential mathematicians of the twentieth century, widely regarded as a father of modern differential geometry. Born in Jiaxing, China, Chern made groundbreaking contributions to geometry and topology, which deeply influenced modern physics, including gauge theory and string theory. He is most famous for his work on characteristic classes, particularly the Chern classes, and the Chern-Weil homomorphism. He also co-developed the Chern-Simons theory with James Harris Simons, which has found widespread applications in mathematical physics and quantum field theory. Chern began his academic journey at Nankai University and Tsinghua University before moving to Germany, where he received his doctorate from the University of Hamburg under Wilhelm Blaschke. He spent significant periods of his career at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, the University of Chicago, and the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, Chern co-founded the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in 1981 and served as its founding director. He was also instrumental in establishing the Nankai Institute of Mathematics in Tianjin, China. Throughout his distinguished career, Chern received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Wolf Prize in Mathematics in 1984, the National Medal of Science in 1975, and the inaugural Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences in 2004. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1961 but returned to China later in life, where he spent his final years teaching and mentoring young mathematicians. Chern's profound mathematical insights and institutional leadership left an enduring legacy on global mathematics.

Academic Person
RM
Person

Robert Mercer

American Computer Scientist and Former Co-CEO of Renaissance Technologies

Robert Mercer is an American computer scientist and hedge fund manager who played a pivotal role in both the development of quantitative trading and the modern conservative political movement. Born in 1946, Mercer earned his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He began his career at IBM Research in 1972, where he made groundbreaking contributions to computational linguistics and statistical machine translation, laying the groundwork for modern language translation technologies. In 1993, Mercer was recruited by Renaissance Technologies, a quantitative hedge fund founded by Jim Simons. At Renaissance, Mercer used his mathematical expertise to develop algorithms for the highly profitable Medallion Fund. He was appointed co-CEO of the firm in 2009 alongside Peter Brown, overseeing immense financial growth. Beyond finance, Mercer became a prominent and influential donor to conservative political causes in the United States. He and his family, particularly his daughter Rebekah, funded numerous entities, including the data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica, the right-wing media outlet Breitbart News, and various political action committees supporting Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Following intense public scrutiny regarding his political activism, Mercer stepped down from his position as co-CEO of Renaissance Technologies in 2017.

Finance Person
MG
Person

Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer,anti-colonial nationalist and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule,and to later inspire movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. first applied to him in 1914 in South Africa, is now used throughout the world.

Political Person
PB
Person

Peter Brown

CEO of Renaissance Technologies

Peter Brown is an American computer scientist and financial executive who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Technologies, one of the most successful quantitative hedge funds in history. Brown earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University and a PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University. He began his career at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center, where he worked from 1984 to 1993. At IBM, Brown was a pioneer in computational linguistics, contributing to groundbreaking developments in statistical machine translation and automatic speech recognition. In 1993, Brown was recruited to Renaissance Technologies by its founder, James Simons. Working alongside fellow computer scientist Robert Mercer, Brown applied mathematical models to financial markets, driving the extraordinary success of the firm's flagship Medallion Fund. The duo was appointed co-CEOs of Renaissance in 2010. Following Mercer's resignation in 2017, Brown became the sole Chief Executive Officer, a position he continues to hold. Under his leadership, Renaissance has remained a dominant force in quantitative investing. Brown is widely recognized as a pivotal figure in transitioning algorithmic techniques from computer science labs to Wall Street, fundamentally shaping modern quantitative finance.

Finance Person
Org
BJS
Organization

Bharatiya Jana Sangh

The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was a Hindutva political party active in India. It was established on 21 October 1951 in Delhi by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee

The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was a Hindutva political party active in India. It was established on 21 October 1951 in Delhi by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. Jan Sangh was the political arm of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindutva paramilitary organisation.In 1977, it merged with several other left, centre, and right parties opposed to the Indian National Congress and formed the Janata Party.In 1980, the members of the erstwhile Jan Sangh quit Janata Party after its defeat in the 1980 general election and formed the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the direct political successor to the Jan Sangh. In Bihar, Ramdeo Mahto considered as founding leader of Bharatiya Janata Party – Bihar, because he brought BJP Into the power in Bihar, he elected as a candidate of Bhartiya Jana Sangh to Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1969 Assembly elections from Patna East Assembly constituency.

Political Organization
HM
Person

Howard Morgan

Co-Founder of First Round Capital and Chairman of B Capital Group

Howard L. Morgan is an American venture capitalist, angel investor, and computer scientist. He is best known as the co-founder of First Round Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm, and currently serves as the Chairman of B Capital Group. Throughout his career, Morgan has played a pivotal role in the development of the modern tech startup ecosystem. He began his career in academia, serving as a professor of decision sciences at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and as a professor of computer science at Cornell University. His early research focused on user interface design, database technology, and computer networks, contributing to the development of early email systems and the ARPANET. Transitioning to the business world, Morgan served as President of Renaissance Technologies, the highly successful hedge fund founded by Jim Simons, from 1989 to 1999. In 2004, he partnered with Josh Kopelman to establish First Round Capital, which became one of the most prominent seed-stage venture firms in Silicon Valley, backing companies like Uber, Roblox, and Square. In 2017, Morgan joined B Capital Group as Chairman to guide the global multi-stage investment firm. He is also an active philanthropist and serves on the boards of numerous educational and non-profit institutions, including the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Finance Person
KK
Person

Kareena Kapoor

Indian Actress

Kareena Kapoor Khan is an acclaimed Indian actress who predominantly works in Hindi films. Born into the prominent Kapoor film family on September 21, 1980, in Bombay (now Mumbai), she is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. She made her acting debut in the 2000 war film Refugee, which established her as a promising newcomer. Kapoor subsequently earned recognition for her roles in the historical drama Asoka and the melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... in 2001. Throughout her career, she has portrayed a diverse range of characters across various film genres, from contemporary romantic comedies to independent dramas. Her portrayal of a talkative prostitute in the 2003 drama Chameli marked a significant turning point in her career, earning her critical acclaim. She later received praise for her performances in Dev, Omkara, Jab We Met, 3 Idiots, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Known for her versatility and strong screen presence, Kapoor has received several accolades, including six Filmfare Awards, and is recognized as one of the most popular and highest-paid actresses in Bollywood. Beyond acting, Kapoor is an active philanthropist, working closely with UNICEF India since 2014 to advocate for children's education and gender equality. She is married to actor Saif Ali Khan, with whom she has two sons. Kapoor continues to be an influential figure in the Indian entertainment industry, balancing her acting commitments with brand endorsements and social advocacy.

Media Person
KK
Person

Karisma Kapoor

Indian Actress

Karisma Kapoor is one of India's most prominent and celebrated film actors, primarily known for her extensive work in Hindi cinema. Born into the prestigious Kapoor film dynasty on June 25, 1974, to actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, she made her acting debut at the young age of seventeen with the romantic drama Prem Qaidi in 1991. Throughout the 1990s, Karisma established herself as a leading lady and commercial powerhouse, starring in numerous box-office hits alongside top actors like Govinda and Salman Khan, including Hero No. 1, Coolie No. 1, and Judwaa. Her career reached new heights with critically acclaimed performances in landmark films such as Raja Hindustani, which earned her her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She went on to deliver exceptionally powerful performances in films like Yash Chopra's Dil To Pagal Hai, for which she won both the National Film Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She further cemented her artistic legacy with critically lauded roles in art-house and dramatic projects like Fiza and Zubeidaa, winning a Filmfare Critics Award for the latter. Beyond her acting career, Karisma has established herself as a prominent fashion icon, television judge, and brand endorser. She continues to inspire generations of actors and remains an influential figure in Bollywood history, recognized for her versatile acting, exceptional dancing skills, and enduring style.

Media Person