UIL Social Studies 2024
Guru Nanak
- Born 1469 - Died 1539 - Founder of Sikhism and the first Sikh Guru - Teachings collected in the Guru Granth Sahib
Williams Jones
- Born 1746 - Died 1794 - Mathematician, linguistics scholar, and Judge on the Supreme Court of Judicature - Established the Asiatic Society of Bengal - Influenced the widespread study of South Asian culture -
Bahadur Shah Zafar
- Born 1775 - Died 1862 - Was the last Mughal emperor of India - Hesitantly lent his title to revolutionaries during the rebellion of 1857 and took responsibility for their actions - Arrested, put on trial and exiled to Rangoon
Sayyid Ahmad Khan
- Born 1817 - Died 1898 - Reformer and Philosopher - Began the Pakistani movement for a separate muslim nation - Wrote a book following the mutiny of 1857 criticizing British policies
Dadabhai Naoroji
- Born 1825 - Died 1917 - Known as "The Grand Old Man" of the INC - Served as the INC president three times - First MP in the UK of Indian descent when elected in 1892 - Writings showed negative impact of the economic exploitation of India happening due to colonization
Allan Octavian Hume
- Born 1829 - Died 1912 - British politician who founded the INC - Ornithologist who studied birds across India - Donated all his notes and collections to the Natural History Museum in London
Mahinda Rajapaksa
- Born 1845 - Served as president. prime minister, opposition leader, minister of finance, and a member of parliament in the Sri Lankan Government - Fought the LTTE using violent military tactics that were investigated by the United nations as war crimes - Developed infrastructure that was investigated by the International Monetary Fund - Attempted a coup that failed following his loss of the 2015 elections - Named prime minister in 2019 after his family's political party won the majority - Protests against his family led to his removal from office
Vallabhbhai Patel
- Born 1857 - Died 1950 - Activist in the Indian Independence movement - Advisor to Nehru and Gandhi - First deputy prime minister of India from 1947 to 1950 - Able to convince all princely states to eventually join India Known as the patron saint of India's civil servants
Lord Curzon
- Born 1859 - Died 1925 - Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905 - Proposed the partition of Bengal in 1905 - Expanded the Indian army to recruit Indian aristocrats as officers
A. K. Fazul Huq
- Born 1873 - Died 1962 - First prime minister of Bengal from 1937 to 1943 - Fundamental member of the Indian Independence movement and the Pakistan Movement - Participated in the Quit India Movement, the Bengali Language movement and was politically active till his death
Mohammad Iqbal
- Born 1877 - Died 1938 - Was a scholar, writer, and philosopher in South Asian Muslim works - Worked with Jinnah and the Muslim League - Works written in persian rather than Arabic or Urdu - Ideological founder of Pakistan - Has the honorific name of Allam meaning Learned
Sarojini Naidu
- Born 1879 - Died 1949 - Was a political activist and poet - First indian woman and overall governor of Uttar Pradesh from 1947 to 1949 - Advocated for civil rights, women's rights, and India's independence from Britain - Worked with Mahatma Gandhi during the non-cooperation movement, and Salt Satyagraha
Begum Rokeya
- Born 1880 - Died 1932 - A feminist and writer that supported women's liberation is South Asia - Advocated for gender equality and increased educational support for women - Founded the Muslim Women's Associated, Bengal Women's Education Conference, and Indian Women's Conference - December 9th is known as Rokeya Day in Bangladesh to celebrate her achievements.
B.R. Ambedkar
- Born 1891 - Died 1956 - Help draft the constitution of india - Fought for rights of untouchables - Worked with Nehru - Minister of Law and Justice in first Cabinet of India - Awarded the highest civilian award the Bharat Rhana after his death
Liaquat Ali Khan
- Born 1895 - Died 1951 - Member of the All Indian Muslim League with Jinnah during the Indian Independence movement - First prime minister of Pakistan from 1947 to 1951 - Established Pakistan as an Islamic democracy - Assassinated during speech for unknown reasons
Solomon (SWRD) Bandaranaike
- Born 1899 - Died 1959 - Known as the "Silver Bell of Asia" - Prime minister from 1956 - 1959 - Assassinated by a buddhist monk in 1959 - Founder of the pro-Sinhalese Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Kazi Nazrul Islam
- Born 1899 - Died 1976 - Bengali author and artist - National poet of Bangladesh - Works share a theme of equality, justice, and humanity against oppression - Active in the independence movement - Writings help inspire the Bangladesh Liberation War
Cyril Radcliffe
- Born 1899 - Died 1977 - Was the chairman of the committee to draw and negotiate the border between India and Pakistan in 1947 - The map split Punjab, Kashmir, nd Bengal between India and Pakistan - Forced 14 million people to migrate across borders
Lord Louis Mountbatten
- Born 1900 - Died 1979 - British naval officer and statesman - Served as the last viceroy of British India in 1947 during the Indian Independence movement - Oversaw partition - First governor general of India - Assassinated by nationalist in India
G. G. Ponnambalam
- Born 1901 - Died 1977 - Leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress that rivaled the United National Party - Advocated for minority rights an equality in government during his 50/50 speech in 1939 - Fought for Tamil population's equality
Muhammad Fareed Didi
- Born 1902 - DIed 1969 - Last Sultan/King of the Maldives from 1954 to 1968 - Dethroned in 1968 when Maldives voted in favor of becoming a republic
J. R. D. Tata
- Born 1904 - Died 1993 - Aviator and industrial entrepreneur - Expanded the Tata group - Helped launch the first Indian flight in 1923 - Awarded India's highest civilian award
Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami
- Born 1906 - Died 2001 - Writer and novelist that focused on everyday life in Magudi in southern India - Many stories adapted for films - Received the second and third highest Indian civilian awards
Ayub Khan
- Born 1907 - Died 1974 - Second president of Pakistan from 1958 to 1969 - Improved Pakistan's infrastructure with dams and reservoirs and privatizing industries - Allowed U.S. to construct bases during the Cold War - Led the Second Kashmir War of 1965 that lead to a loss of power
Muhammad Amin Didi
- Born 1910 - Died 1954 - First president of the Maldives for 8 months in 1953 - Left for medical treatment as beaten by a crowd upon his return
Mother Teresa
- Born 1910 - Died 1997 - A catholic nun Founded the Missionaries of Charity - Worked to help the poor, the dying, and those with leprosy in India - Receive the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize - Canonized as a saint in 2016
B. P. Koirala
- Born 1914 - Died 1982 - Leader of the revolution movement of Nepal in 1951 - First democratically elected prime minister until King Mahendra dissolved the constitution - Imprisoned until 1968 - Died of cancer in 1982
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- Born 1916 - Died 2000 - World's first female prime minister - Inaugurated as prime minister of Sri Lanka in 1960 - Helped draft the constitution of Sri Lanka
King Mahendra
- Born 1920 - Died 1972 - Heir to the throne until his death in 1933 - Allowed the creation of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal - Used his powers to dissolve the constitution in 1960 to take control of the government - Created the Panchayat, a partyless political system existence until the 1990
Ravi Shankar
- Born 1920 - Died 2012 - Was a composer and Indian sitarist - Helped popularize Indian instruments - Pushed for social reform and relief for victims in Bangladesh - Awarded the Bharat Ratna and received five Grammy awards
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
- Born 1924 - Died 1988 - Was a military officer - President of Pakistan in 1978 until death in 1988 - Organized operation fair Play to remove current prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto - Industrialized Pakistan, increased its atomic projects, and helped Afghanistan fight against the Soviet union - Died in a plane crash in 1988
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi
- Born 1924 - Died 2004 - Was a singer of Carnatic Indian music - Traveled around the world giving concerts - Actress in many Tamil films - First musician to be awarded India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- Born 1924 - Died 2018 - A politician who served as prime minister of India three times - Was a member of parliament for over 50 years - Led many infrastructural reforms, encouraged research, and attempted to reduce waste - Considered one of the most successful prime ministers of India
Abdus Salam
- Born 1926 - Died 1996 - Was a theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 1979 for work on electroweak unification theory - Began the space program and nuclear programs within Pakistan - Advocated for an increase in science education in developing countries - Declared non Muslim by Pakistani law in 1974
Ibrahim Nasir
- Born 1926 - Died 2008 - Served as prime minister, minister of finance, and president of the Maldives - Led the depopulation and destruction of the island Thinadhoo - Brought Radio and television broadcasting, a new education system, and tex system for the islands - Helped Maldives gain independence - Modernized the islands
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck
- Born 1928 - Died 1972 - Was the dragon king of Bhutan from 1952 until death in 1972 - Lead political and social reforms to open Bhutan to the world and spread democracy - Helped Bhutan join the UN in 1971 - Died in 1972 due to heat problems
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
- Born 1928 - Died 1979 - Served as Pakistani president and prime minister in the 1970s - Drafted the constitution for Pakistan - Founded the Pakistan People's Party - Executed after being found guilty of murder to which he plead innocent - Father of Benazir Bhutto
Mlikha Singh
- Born 1929 - Died 2021 - Known as a track and field sprinter - Competed in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Summer Olympics - Known as the "Flying Sikh" - Set the Indian national record for the 400 meter sprint at 45.73 secs that lasted for 40 years.
Hussain Muhammad Ershad
- Born 1930 - Died 2019 - President of Bangladesh from 1983 to 1990 - Gained presidency by leading coup against Adus Sattar and suspending the constitution - Resigned in 1990 due to pro democracy protests
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
- Born 1931 - Died 2015 - Scientist and engineer who became a politician - Served as President of India from 2002 to 2007 - Known as the "Missile Man of India" - Developed ballistic missile and launched nuclear tests - Known as the People's President - Awarded the Bharat Rhatna
Pratibha Patil
- Born 1934 - Served as 12th president of India from 2007 to 2012 - First woman president of India - First woman governor of Rajasthan - Built educational institutions and established colleges and hostels for women - Expanded foreign connections
Ziaur Rahman
- Born 1936 - Died 1981 - A military officer and politician who was the 7th president of Bangladesh from 1977 until his assassination in 1981 - Assisted the Bangladesh army fight for independence from Pakistan - Established free press, free speech, a free market economy, and many government programs to improve standard of living - Survived over 20 coups to remove him from power until his eventual assassination
Abdul Qadeer Khan
- Born 1936 - Died 2021 - Instrumental to Pakistan's nuclear program - Used info from Netherlands to start Pakistan's nuclear program - Sold nuclear secrets to North Korea and Iran
Muamoon Abdul Gayoom
- Born 1937 - Served as president of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008 - Used autocratic policies to maintain control with a one party system - After the loss of the 2008 election he stepped away from politics - Returned when his half brother began to run in 2013 - Leader of the Progressive Party until his arrest in 2018 for conspiracy to overthrow the government - Later released in 2018
Pervez Musharraf
- Born 1943 - Died 2023 - Tenth president of Pakistan from 2001 to 2008 - Took presidency after military coup - Supported Liberalism - Allied with U.S. on the war on terror - Negotiations to end conflict with india in the Kashmir region - Used emergency powers to dissolve constitution in 2007 to remain in power - Reelected 2008 but faced impeachment - Self exiled but attempt to return to politics in 2018 but was barred
Rajiv Gandhi
- Born 1944 - Died 1991 - Prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989 - Succeed his mother after her assassination - Gained parliamentary seat after his brother, Sanjays, plane crash in 1980 - Dealt with anti-Sikh riots, Kashmir riots, Sri Lankan relations, the Liberation Tigers of Elam, and the Bhopal CHemical disaster
Chandrika Kumaratunga
- Born 1945 - Fifth president of Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2005 - First female president - Engaged in the Sri Lankan Civil War - Got the LTTE to be banned internationally - Reestablished international ties with the U.S., U.K., and Israel
Khaleda Zia
- Born 1945 - Prime minister of Bangladesh in the 1990s and 2000s - Leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist party - Wife of former president Ziaur Rahman - Led educational reforms and improved relations with neighboring countries - Investigated for corruption, misusing funds, and graft - Sentenced to jail for over 10 years but released in 2020 under house arrest
Sheikh Hasina Wazed
- Born 1947 - A politician and current prime minister of Bangladesh since 2009 - Is the longest serving prime minister in Bangladesh's history - World's longest serving female head of government in history - Received criticism for human rights violations - Praised for reducing poverty and helping Rohingya refugees
Nawaz Sharif
- Born 1949 - Was a business man and politician who served as prime minister of Pakistan three separate times - Led conservative movements to reduce government corruption and privatization of industries - Expanded nuclear energy and atomic programs in Pakistan - Ousted by military forces and exiled to Saudi Arabia - Returned to Pakistan in 2007 - Reelected as prime minister in 2013 for the 3rd time - Removed from office by the supreme court of Pakistan after the release of the panama Papers in 2017
Shehbaz Sharif
- Born 1951 - Politician and current prime minister of Pakistan since 2002 after a nonconfidence vote against Imran Khan - Leader of the Pakistan Muslim League - Investigations into political associations including money laundering, acceptance of gifts and bribes, and stolen funds from earthquake victims - Brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif
Imran Khan
- Born 1952 - Cricket Player - Became prime minister from 2018 to 2022 - First prime minister to be removed due by a no confidence motion under anti terror laws - Arrested in 2023 on corruption charges
Velupillai Prabhakaran
- Born 1954 - Died 2009 - Founder of the LTTE - Sought an independent Tamil state through military means - Believed he was killed during an offensive attack by the Sri Lankan Army
Asif Ali Zardari
- Born 1955 -President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013 - Was a strong ally of the US during the War on Terror in Afghanistan - Him and the Pakistan People's Party lost the 2013 election - First president to complete his constitutional term - Arrested for money laundering and corruption charges
Kalpana Chawla
- Born 1962 - Died 2003 - First Indian woman to fly to space - Flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 - Flew again on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003 when it disintegrated upon re-entering the atmosphere
Mohamed Nasheed
- Born 1967 - Current 19th speaker of the People's Majlis - Founded the Maldivian Democratic Party - Served as president of the Maldives from 2008 to 2012 - First democratically elected president of the Maldives - Resigned in 2012 - Found guilty of the Anti-terrorism act of the Maldives in 2015 but was granted asylum - Named speaker of the People's Majlis in 2019
Aurobindo Ghose
- Born 1972 - Died 1950 - Indian philosopher and indian nationalist - Member of the Indian independence movement before becoming a spiritual reformist - Created a practice called Integral Yoga - Teachings formed into an organization known as the Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Malala Yousafzai
- Born 1997 - Pakistani female leader and activist - Won Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 as the youngest laureate - Advocates for human rights and education of women and children in Pakistan - Survived assassination attempt in 2012 by the Taliban where she was shot in the head at close range
Siddhartha Gautama
- Born 563 BCE - Died 483 BCE - Commonly Known as Buddha - Original enlightened one of Buddhist religion - Comes from Brahmin family - Renounced his life to study asceticism and meditation
Muhammad
- Born 570 CE - Died 632 Ce - Prophet of the Islamic religion, his teachings make up the Quran
Mangal Pandey
- Born early 1880s - Died 1857 - Soldier apart of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry - Rallied Sepoys to rebel against the British East India Company - Rebellion of 1857 inspired by his actions - Executed for his actions