Ten Greatest Leaders of the World

Winston Churchill

Churchill arrives at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to attend thanksgiving services for the May 1945 World War II victory in Europe.
The master statesman stood alone against fascism and renewed the world’s faith in the superiority of democracy

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a muslim politician and leader of the All India Muslim League who founded Pakistan and served as its first Governor-General. He is officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam (“Great Leader”) he envisioned a secular state for Pakistan.

Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi at home next to a spinning wheel, which looms in the foreground as a symbol of India’s struggle for independence. His philosophy of nonviolence and his passion for independence began a drive for freedom that doomed colonialism

Adolf Hitler

Hitler gestures during a speech in May 1937
The avatar of fascism posed the century’s greatest threat to democracy and redefined the meaning of evil forever

Martin Luther King

King announces on April 25, 1967, that he would not be a candidate for the president of the United States
He led a mass struggle for racial equality that doomed segregation and changed America forever

Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini

Khomeini in 1979 returning to Tehran, Iran
Brazenly defying the West, he revived Islam’s faithful and authored a new form of religious government. The prescriptions were often chilling

V.I. Lenin

Lenin in 1918, the year he split with the Left Social Revolutionaries and renamed the Bolsheviks the Russian Communist Party
Driven by ideological zeal, he reshaped Russia and made communism into a potent global force

Nelson Mandela

Mandela was a TIME Man of the Year in 1993
As the world’s most famous prisoner and, now, his country’s leader, he exemplifies a moral integrity that shines far beyond South Africa

Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II waves to pilgrims in September 1989
The most tireless moral voice of a secular age, he reminded humankind of the worth of individuals in the modern world

Ho Chi Minh

Founder and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Communist North.

He married nationalism to communism and perfected the deadly art of guerrilla warfare

Superstar Rajnikanth to join BJP?

Tamil Nadu superstar Rajnikanth

He is South India’s biggest super star and for almost two decades now his entry into politics has been speculated. And, with the general elections around the corner once again there is strong buzz of Rajnikanth taking the plunge.

BJP prime ministerial candidate LK Advani’s visit to Rajnikanth’s house in Chennai has sent tongues wagging. Sources said that Advani wants Rajni to hop onboard and campaign for the BJP in the upcoming elections.

However, when both were quizzed about the same, they were tight lipped. Advani said, ” I had an invitation from him to visit his house for a long time and I used the opportunity since I was here in Chennai.”

“Rajnikanth had been pressing me for a long time to visit his place. Today I accepted the invitation. We discussed many things, including his latest film. It was a happy meeting with him and his family,” the BJP leader said.

Advani said that it was long standing desire of Rajanikanth and himself for a meeting. “It was fulfilled today,” he said.

Advani was in Chennai yesteday in connection with the release of the Tamil version of his autobiography.

Advani welcomed Rajnikant’s statement that he would come to politics if god asked him to do so.
“I had appreciated his decision that he will come to politics when god wills,” Advani said.

Following the meet, Rajnikanth also kept mum and said, “It was just a casual visit.”

And, with superstar Chiranjeevi having launched a political party recently, several Rajni fans want to see their favourite star do the same. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of the demand by Rajnikant’s fans asking him to enter politics.

However, he had been resisting such demands but recently announced that he would undertake a tour of the state to meet his fans. He had also promised that he would be frequently meeting them.

Rajnikanth is not averse to the idea expect he says that he’s wating for a sign from the Gods to make the plunge. He had said, “No one can compel me. What has to happen will surely happen. God’s sign has to come. If God’s sign comes, I can even start a party tomorrow.”

During the run up to the 2004 elections Rajnikanth had declared that he will vote for the BJP, but stopped short of asking his fans also to support the party. The saffron party is hoping that this time too Rajni will indicate his support, even if he does not make a political plunge.