8 Famous Leaders Who Changed The World

 

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All great human beings are flawed, just like us. They make mistakes and commit errors that one may not expect from them. But true greatness lies in one’s ability to rise above these errors and persist in doing good for others.

Reading about the lives of these accomplished individuals can help us follow in their footsteps to create a better world. Here are eight famous leaders who changed the world, and the ways they did so.   

1. Barack Obama: Dubbed one of the coolest Presidents the United States of America has ever had, Obama has proved his pedigree during his two consecutive terms in the White House. His endearing personality and down to earth nature is what essentially marks him different from his contemporaries. Being the first African-American President, Obama built a cult of personality around his ability to unite Americans across socio-economic and racial hierarchies. 
2. Che Guevara: Born in Argentina, Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara was a Marxist revolutionary and guerrilla leader. Today, he has become a cultural symbol of rebellion. Guevara was also named one of the hundred most influential people of the 20th century by Time Magazine. Mandela thought of him as "an inspiration to every human being who loves freedom", which is a lot coming from the leader who abolished apartheid. He is known to have played a major role in the Cuban revolution, among others, through his leadership skills, and pure zeal for global communism. 
3. Mahatma Gandhi: He is the father of the Indian nation. This title, given to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, is the biggest indicator of his greatness. He is renowned for propagating the principles of non-violence and self-rule regardless of external factors, such as adversity from his own party members. Gandhi staunchly believed that India could truly be free only if Indians abided by these principles. By sticking to his morals, he led Indians on the path of independence without calling for violence or falling into corruption. His book, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, has proved to be a source of inspiration for many revolutionaries in different parts of the world. 
4. Mother Teresa: Mother Teresa has helped thousands upon thousands of abandoned and poor people in fighting various diseases like tuberculosis, leprosy, et cetera. She did this by setting up numerous charities and becoming a symbol of unconditional love for countless individuals across the globe. She believed that "there are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love." She also helped in running various family counseling programs, orphanages, and schools. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her contributions to humanity. 
5. Abraham Lincoln: Honest Abe, a child from a poor family in Kentucky, USA, went on to hold office as the 16th President of the United States of America. Although renowned for his unshakable ethics, not many people know that he self-educated himself to become a lawyer. A firm believer of equal rights and liberty, he signed the Emancipation Proclamation and outlawed slavery all across the United States of America in 1863. Although assassinated in April of 1865 by John Booth, Abraham Lincoln will forever live on in memory of people all around the world as the man who abolished slavery. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest Presidents the USA has ever had. 
6. Martin Luther King Jr: Best known for his 1963 speech titled "I Have a Dream", MLK is the second follower of non-violence on this list. In fact, he was a devout disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. Born in Georgia, he became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Although he was under constant scrutiny from government officials due to his radical ideas, he never succumbed to the pressure and continued to do good work throughout his life. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his contributions in fighting racial inequality through peaceful means. 
7. Malala Yousafzai: Malala is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in the world. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 in recognition of her advocacy for the right to education of hers, and other girls who lived in her locale. Taliban terrorists in Pakistan had banned these girls from going to school and getting a formal education. She protested against this and was even shot for it. However,  she only emerged stronger and continued fighting and eventually earned what was rightfully hers: the right to her education. She has also founded the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization that helps educate many girls like her. 
8. Queen Elizabeth II: She is the present queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms. Having celebrated her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Sapphire Jubilees, she is the longest-lived and the longest-reigning British monarch. Even at the age of 93, she is still involved in political matters that concern Britain. She has been a part of many key historical events throughout her lifetime and is a symbol of unity as the de jure monarch of the UK. 

"Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime, And departing leaves behind us, Footprints on the sands of time". These lines by H. W. Longfellow urge us to be inspired by the lives of these great men and women, and in turn, become a source of inspiration for others. Life is said to have just two goals - to be inspired and to inspire others. While the former is easier, the latter takes real, persistent hard work. But learning the ways of other great people in history is a big source of inspiration, and can help us pave our own path to greatness. 

Written by - Avani Jha

Edited by - Abhay Almal