Famous Personalities Chapter Notes | Social Studies for Class 5 PDF Download

Marie Curie (1867 – 1934)

• Marie Curie was a famous scientist.
• She worked with her husband Pierre Curie.
• Together, they discovered two new elements: polonium and radium.
• Polonium was named after her home country, Poland.
• Radium was important for developing X-rays.
• Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
• She won two Nobel Prizes: one in physics (1903) and the other in chemistry (1911).
• She is the only woman to have won the Nobel Prize twice.

Sushruta (6th century BCE)

• Sushruta was a surgeon.
• He is known as the 'father of plastic surgery'.
• He specialized in:
  • Removing stones from the kidneys and bladder.
  • Treating fractures.
  • Performing eye operations to remove cataracts.
• Before surgery, he gave his patients wine to make them feel less pain.
• Sushruta wrote the Susruta Samhita, a special encyclopedia of surgery.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 – 1968)

• Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American priest and leader.
• He fought for equality and justice for African-American people.
• In 1963, he gave the famous "I have a dream" speech.
• His speech inspired many Americans to work for a fair society where everyone is equal.
• In 1964, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to make life better for African-Americans.

Savitribai Phule (1831 – 1897)

• Savitribai Phule was a poet.
• She fought against societal problems.
• She protested against the caste system.
• Savitribai worked hard to promote women's rights and education.
• Together with her husband, Jyotiba Phule, she established the first girls' school in Pune in 1848.
• The University of Pune was renamed as Savitribai Phule Pune University in her honor.

Jane Austen (1775 – 1817)

• Jane Austen was an English novelist.
• Her books are still loved by many people today.
• Her first novel was "Sense and Sensibility".
• She also wrote "Pride and Prejudice", "Mansfield Park", "Persuasion", "Northanger Abbey", and "Emma".
• "Pride and Prejudice" is her most famous book.
• It shows a clear picture of life among the upper class in England during her time.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861 – 1941)

• Rabindranath Tagore was a poet, writer, musician, and philosopher.
• He wrote the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.
• Some novels written by him include "Gora", "Ghare-Baire", "Noukadubi", and "Shesher Kobita".
• In 1913, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his book "Gitanjali".
• He started a school in Santiniketan, which later became the Visva-Bharati University.

Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865)

• Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth President of the United States of America.
• He was a civil rights activist and a lawyer.
• Lincoln played a crucial role in keeping America together during the Civil War.
• He is famous for ending slavery in America.
• Interestingly, Lincoln kept all his important documents in his hat.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888 – 1975)

• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a great philosopher and statesman.
• He served as the first Vice President of India from 1952 to 1962 and then as the second President from 1962 to 1967.
• Radhakrishnan wrote many books, with "Indian Philosophy" being the most popular.
• In 1954, he was honored with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest award.
• His birthday, 5 September, is celebrated as Teachers’ Day every year in India.

Dhyan Chand (1905 – 1979)

• Dhyan Chand, also known as 'The Wizard,' is regarded as the greatest field hockey player ever.
• He represented India in hockey from 1926 to 1948 and scored more than 400 international goals.
• Chand played in three Olympics (1928, 1932, and 1936) and helped India win gold medals in all three.
• In 1956, he received the Padma Bhushan, a prestigious award in India.
• His birthday, 29 August, is celebrated as National Sports Day.

Sir Donald George Bradman (1908 – 2001)

• Sir Donald George Bradman, known as 'The Don,' is considered the greatest batsman in cricket history.
• He played international cricket for two decades, from 1928 to 1948.
• Bradman set numerous records during his career, some of which remain unbroken.
• In 52 test matches, he scored 6996 runs and made 29 centuries, including 12 double centuries and two triple centuries.
• He played most of his cricket matches against England.
• Bradman also served as the captain of the Australian cricket team in several series.