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without proper food and hometown of Bengaluru but also across the
slept on railway stations. nation on business and social issues.
Today he’s come a long
way indeed and is a well- 38. Anna Hazare, 83, Social Activist
known and respected An Indian social activist
journalist nationwide. since decades, Hazare
After winning several awards and hosting has led movements
the famous and longest running show on to promote rural
Indian television “Aap Ki Adalat”. A real development, increase
and warming story of a man, who has made government transparency,
himself stand strong and proud. and investigate and punish corruption in
public life. He deploys tactics reminiscent
36. Uday Kotak, 63, Banker of Gandhiji, from non- violent protests to
Kotak declined his hunger strikes. At 83, he has undertaken
prosperous family a hunger fast to support the ongoing
trading business and farmer’s stir against the government. An
started a finance firm indomitable spirit and unflappable will-
in 1985. He then went power endow him to support the weakest
on to convert it into and marginalised sections of society.
Kotak Mahindra Bank - now among India’s
top banks in the private sector. Few know 39. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, 67, Spiritual
that he dreamt of becoming a professional Guru
cricketer till an unfortunate accident forced “Sri Sri”, Guru ji, or
him never to play at that level again. Today, Gurudev founded
he is the world’s richest banker and warns of the Art of Living
soaring inflation ahead, along with soaring Foundation in 1981, a
temperature levels due to climate change! volunteer-based NGO
providing social support
37. Nandan Nilekani, 65, Entrepreneur to people. He has proved that he is not a
He co-founded leading fly-by-night spiritual saviour, instead his
infotech major Infosys programmes have aided people from a wide
and is now Non- range of backgrounds – victims of natural
Executive Chairman disasters, survivors of terror attacks and
of the company. But war, children from marginalised populations
other than Infosys, he and communities in conflict, social and
was Chairman of the Unique Identification environmental causes, among others. He
Authority of India (UIDAI) which gave the has rekindled the traditions of yoga and
country the now near-must-have Aadhar meditation and offered them in a form that is
Card. He was the part of the government’s relevant to the 21st century.
technology government and even joined
the Congress, but is now inactive there. An 40. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, 63, Yogi,
author of two bestselling books, Nilekani’s Author
voice is much respected not just in his He hits a nerve amongst some and
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #19 | JANUARY 2021 15
