Marie Curie (1867-1934)

Marie Curie was a physicist and chemist, best known for pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a ‘Nobel Prize’ and the first female professor to serve at the ‘University of Paris.’ She is also the only woman to win the ‘Nobel Prize’ twice, and the only person to win the prestigious prize in two different scientific fields. A celebrated physicist and chemist, Marie Curie dedicated her life to research and discovery. Her significant discoveries have served as an inspiration for scientists all over the world. Curie is responsible for not just coining the term ‘radioactivity’ but theorizing the concept of radioactivity as well.

Joni Mitchell (1943-)

Joni Mitchell is a famed Canadian singer and songwriter best known for hits such as ‘Both Sides Now’ and ‘Big Yellow Taxi.’ She has been named by ‘Rolling Stone’ as one of the best songwriters ever. She is also regarded as one of the most significant and influential female artists of the late 20th century. She began her career singing in nightclubs in her hometown and eventually started touring. Soon, she released her debut album ‘Song to a Seagull’. She started gaining more attention after the release of her album ‘Blue’. Peaking at the 15th position on the US Billboard 200, the album was a commercial success. It is often considered by critics as one of the best albums ever. National Public Radio chose it as the best album ever made by a woman.

Leon Trotsky (1879-1940)

Leon Trotsky was one of the key revolutionaries in the history of Russia. He foughtfor the liberation of the working class from the dominating regime of monarchy alongside the likes of Lenin. Appointed the Commissar of War, he helped defeat the forces that opposed‘Bolshevik’ principles. He was responsible for building the ‘Red Army’ and led the army to victory in the battle against the ‘White Army.’ His actions resulted in him being arrested and exiled to Siberia several times; his final exile was a complete banishment from the Soviet Union. All his life, he struggled to promote the theories of Marxist society and opposed mere capitalism as a means of progress.

Albert Camus (1913-1960)

Albert Camus was a French philosopher, author and journalist born in French Algeria who played a seminal role in the rise of philosophy known as ‘absurdism’. Born just before the onset of the First World War to semi-proletariat parents, he lost his father at infancy, and grew up in the house of his maternal grandmother in the working class suburbs of Algiers. At the local Ecole Communale, where he started his education, he was spotted by one of his teachers, who not only convinced his grandmother to allow him to study, but also made sure he got a scholarship. Thus he was able to get admission at the Lycée Bugeaud, where he was mentored by another teacher.

Lorde (1996-)

Lorde is a singer, songwriter, and record producer from New Zealand best known for her studio album ‘Melodrama.’ She showed interest in music from a tender age and began her career quite early on. In her early teens, she was signed to Universal Music Group and later went on to work with record producer and songwriter Joel Little. At the age of 16, Lorde released her first EP titled ‘The Love Club EP’. “Royals,” which was released as her debut single, became an international success, appearing in many charts across the globe. It made Lorde the youngest solo performer to achieve a #1 single on US Billboard Hot 100 since 1987. She is a highly talented and versatile singer who is open to experimenting with different genres of music.

Billy Graham (1918-2018)

Billy Graham is an American Southern Baptist evangelist, known for preaching the message of Christianity around the world. He was one of the leading preachers of Christianity in the 1900s. In his childhood, he was greatly influenced by an evangelist and decided to devote his entire life to the service of Christianity. He was baptized twice in his lifetime and after his graduation, he started spreading the message of his community to various sections of the society through revival meetings and crusades. His ideology and thinking have been appreciated as well as criticized by people around the world. With the demonstrated fragility of life, people turned to spirituality for comfort, and he illuminated their path.

C.V. Raman (1888-1970)

Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, the Indian physicist who made his motherland proud by becoming the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize for Physics, was a scientist par excellence. He displayed a brilliant mind even as a child and passed his matriculation examination at a much younger age as compared to other students. As the son of a lecturer in mathematics and physics, the young Raman was exposed to an academic environment from the very beginning. A topper throughout his academic days, he was deeply interested in research; in fact he began his research work on optics and acoustics even while he was a student.