101 Inspiring Essays

Meerabai (1498—1557) was a princess Hindu mystical and a devotee of Lord Krishna from Rajasthan. She was one of the most significant figures of the Vaishnava bhakti movement. Some 1,300 pads (poems) commonly known as bhajans (sacred songs) are attributed to her. These are popular throughout India and have been published in several translations worldwide. […]

Nagarjuna (Ca. 150 CE—Ca. 250 CE) is widely considered one of the most important Buddhist philosophers after the historical Buddha. Along with his disciple Aryadeva, he is credited with founding the Madhyamaka school of Mahayana Buddhism. Nagarjuna is also credited with developing the philosophy of the Prajnaparamita Sutras and, in some sources, with having revealed

Kabir was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement. The name Kabir comes from Arabic al-Kabir which means ‘The Great’—the 37th name of God in Islam.Kabir was born to a Brahmin widow at Lahartara near Kashi (modern day Varanasi). The widow abandoned Kabir to escape dishonour associated

Bhikhaji Rustom Cama was born Bhikai Sorab Patel on 24 September 1861 in Bombay into a large, well-off Parsi family. Her parents, Sorabji Framji Patel and Jaijibai Sorabji Patel, were well-known in the city, where her father Sorabji-a lawyer by training and a merchant by profession-was an influential member of the Parsi community.Like many Parsi

Born on July 16, 1909, as Aruna Ganguli at Kalka in undivided Punjab, her family had a distinguished Brahmo lineage related to the family of Rabindranath Tagore. At the age of 19, breaking age old social conventions she married Asaf Ali, a leading Delhi Congressman in 1928 who was to become India’s first Ambassador to

Narayana Guru also seen as Sree Narayana Guru Swami, was a Hindu saint and social reformer of India. Narayana Guru was born on 22 August 1854, in the village of Chempazhanthy near Thiruvanantha-puram, the son of Madan Asan, a farmer, and Kutti Amma. The boy was dotingly called Nanu. Madan was also a teacher (“Asan”)

King Shahu Chhatrapati was born on 26th July 1874 considered as a true democrat and social reformer. He was an invaluable gem in the history of Kolhapur. Shahu was associated with many progressive activities in the society including education for women. He was greatly influenced by the contributions of social reformer Jyotiba Phule. Primary education

Muralidhar Devdas Amte, popularly known as Baba Amte, was born on 26 December, 1914 in Hinganghat, Wardha district in Maharashtra. He was the eldest son of his parents. His father was a wealthy Brahmin landowner of Wardha district, who owned over 450 acres of good cultivable land. The name ‘Baba’ was affectionately given by his

Prem Chand was born on 31 July 1880 in Lamahi, a village located near Varanasi (Banaras). His father Ajaib Lal was a post office clerk. His mother was Anandi Devi of Karauni village, who could have been the inspiration for the character Anandi in his Bade Ghar Ki Beti. Premchand was the fourth child of

Nelson Mandela was born in the year 1918 in rural Umata Transkei, South Africa. His father was the chief adviser of Tembu ruler. After the death of his father in 1930, Nelson Mandela was sent to live with the chief of Tembu Nation. However, in his late teens, Nelson Mandela renounced his hereditary rights to

Sarkar was born on 21 May 1921 to Lakshmi Narayan Sarkar, a homeopathic doctor of considerable renown. His family hailed from Bamunpara (Brahmanpara), in West Bengal. Sarkar was known as an exceptionally bright child in his youth, practicing meditation by himself at an early age and displaying great knowledge of various languages and various topics;

Rajneesh Chandra Mohan was the founder and leader of a controversial religious movement in India and the United States. Osho was born on December 11, 1931, at Kuchiwada, a small village in India. At the time, the astrologer predicted that he might die before he was seven years old according to the birth chart. His

Ravi Shankar, commonly known as Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was born on 13 May 1956 at Papanasam, Tamil Nadu to Smt. Visalakshi Ratnam and R. S. Venkat Ratnam, who was then active in the automobile business. He belongs to the Iyer Brahmin community. He was named “Ravi” (a common Indian name meaning “sun”) because his

Guru Nanak Dev was the first Guru of the Sikhs. He lived from 1469 to 1539. He was the founder of Sikhism. Guru Nanak Dev was born into a simple Hindu family on Kartik Purnima at Talwandi, village in Seikhupura district, 65 km. west from Lahore.He founded a religion that was meant to cut out

Gautam Buddha was one of the greatest religious teachers of the world. He gave the message of truth, peace, humanity and equality. His teachings and sayings became the basis of Buddhism, one of world’s leading religions which are followed in some countries like Japan, China, and Burma etc. He is believed to have been born