HANUMAN
Superpower: Strength
Hanuman was born in the Treta Yuga, to Anjana, a female vanara. Anjana was actually an apsaras or a celestial being, named Punjikasthala, who, due to a curse, was born on the earth as a female vanara. The curse was to be removed upon her giving birth to an incarnation of Lord Shiva.
Along with Kesari, Anjana performed intense prayers to Shiva to beget Him as her Child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the boon they sought.
Different stories are told as to his birth. One is that at the time that Anjana was worshipping Lord Shiva, elsewhere, Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya, was performing the Putrakama Yagna in order to have children. As a result, he received some sacred pudding, to be shared by his three wives, leading to the births of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. By divine ordinance, a kite snatched a fragment of that pudding, and dropped it while flying over the forest where Anjana was engaged in worship. Vayu, the Hindu deity of the wind, delivered the falling pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana, who consumed it. Hanuman was born to her as a result.
LATA MANGESHKAR
Superpower: Timelessness
Lata Mangeshkar is one of the most prolific playback singers in the Bollywood movie industry. With a career spanning over six decades, Lata has sang in over 980 movies, covering in excess of 20 Indian languages. Classified by Solo, duet, and chorus-backed, she was featured in the Guinness Book of world Records from 1974 to 1991 for most recordings. There is debate as to the exact number of recordings, with a speculative range anywhere from 5,000 to 30,000 performances. Lata is also the second vocalist to be bestowed the Bharat Ratnam, India's highest civilian honor.
Lata received her first music lessons from her father, and later performed in many of his musical plays (Sangeets). Her formal education was short lived with the story that on her first day of school, as she was teaching a song to some other children, she was abruptly stopped by her teacher. Instead of stopping the music lesson of her own, she stopped going to school altogether. Lata's father passed away when she was 13, and subsequently, she was left in the care of Master Vinayak, owner of the Navyug Chitrapat Movie Company. It was through this avenue that Lata first began her illustrious career as a singer and actress.
SACHIN TENDULKAR
Superpower: Sportsmanship
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is a record-breaking Indian cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. In 2002, Wisden rated him as the second greatest Test batsman after Sir Donald Bradman, and the second greatest One-day international batsman behind Sir Vivian Richards. In 2003, this list was revised where Tendulkar was ranked No. 1 and Richards at No. 2.
He holds several highly regarded batting records and is the leading scorer of centuries in both Test cricket and one-day internationals. He is one of the three batsmen to surpass 11,000 runs in Test cricket, and the first Indian to do so. He is the most prolific run scorer in ODIs by a margin of over 4000 runs and has scored the most runs in international cricket as a whole. He crossed 16,000 runs in ODIs on February 5, 2008 while playing against Sri Lanka in Brisbane, Australia. Affectionately called 'The Little Master' or 'The Master Blaster', Tendulkar made his first-class debut for the Mumbai cricket team aged 14 and scored a century on debut. He made his international test debut in 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi at age 16.
JHANSI CHI RANI (LAXMIBAI)
Superpower: Courage
Rani Laxmibai, the queen of Jhansi in North India was one of the leading figures of the India rebellion against the British Raj.
Laxmibai’s early years were spent in the court of Baji Rao II, the last of the Peshwas2. At the Peshwa court Laxmibai received extensive training in martial arts, riding, fencing and shooting from an early age.
Laxmibai married the Maharaja of Jhansi at the age of 14. Shortly after, the Maharaja’s terminal illness and consequent death forced her to adopt a child named Damodar Rao. News of the death of the Maharaja and the adoption of Damodar reached the British Indian authorities who ruled the states surrounding Jhansi. Viewing these events as an opportunity to seize Jhansi, the British rejected the adoption and claimed that there was no legal heir to the throne. In response, Laxmibai sought the advice of a British lawyer and appealed her case in London. Although her case was well-argued with substantial evidence of the adoption, she lost the battle in court. The British Indian authorities ordered Laxmibai to surrender her kingdom, but she was determined to defend Jhansi. She proclaimed her decision with the famous words: “Mi majhi Jhansi nahi denaar”, translated, “I will not give up my Jhansi”.
Jhansi became the center of the rebellion against British Raj in 1857. Lakshmibai started strengthening the defenses of Jhansi and recruited men and women to join her army. She led the successful defense of Jhansi from the invading armies of the neighboring Datia and Orchha. In 1858, the British army captured the city of Jhansi, but Laxmibai escaped in the guise of a man, strapping Damodar Rao closely on her back. Laxmibai continued to fight against the British Raj until her death on the battlefield of Gwalior.
Laxmibai has left her mark as a legendary Hero in Indian history through her bravery, courage and contribution to the Indian Nationalist Movement.
SHIVAJI
Superpower: Fortitude
Shivaji Bhosle, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle was the founder of Maratha Empire in western India in 1674. At the age of 17, Shivaji began ruling over Pune and surrounding areas. He was inspired and informed by his family's vision of independence and freedom. His struggle was against the predominant Mughal Empire that ill-treated indigenous communities in Maharashtra through their forceful rule. Shivaji’s parents Jizabai and Shahaji taught him military strategies, peacetime diplomacy and a love for his land and people.
Shivaji occupies a special place in the hearts of Marathi people, due in part to his well documented high moral code of conduct and his unrelenting drive toward the liberation of India from the Mughals and the Nizams. He laid the foundations of the modern Marathi identity and infused it with strong martial, moral and chivalric traditions. In his times he squarely and unflinchingly faced daunting challenges such as repeated invasions by huge Mughal and regional Sutanate armies, which would have defeated a lesser leader.
Shivaji’s intellect and war tactics have made him a subject of adoration and praise in folklore and history books alike, and he is known in Maharashtra as a legendary hero that carved out a distinctive Marathi identity in the face of on-going political turmoil.
MADHURI
Superpower: Charisma
Madhuri Dixit is a five-time Filmfare award winning Bollywood actress and one of the biggest stars in the Indian film industry. Throughout the late 1980’s and 1990’s, she dominated Hindi cinema as a leading actress appearing in many hit films.
Madhuri’s career in acting was launched through the film Abodh in 1984, however, she shot to fame through her appearance in the film Tezaab. Her fame grew through her scintillating performances in films like Beta, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Dil. A tremendous actress and dancer, Madhuri is known in the Indian film industry for her remarkable versatility. “I have never shied away from doing different roles” she said. In 2002, Madhuri starred in Devdas. Madhuri was applauded for her acting in that film, which attracted worldwide attention and was featured at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2007, Madhuri made a re-appearance through her film Aaja Nachle.
In 1999, Madhuri married Dr. Shriram Nene and moved to Denver, CO. She is now a proud mother of two children. Off the big screen, Madhuri is known for her down-to-earth attitude, her love for marathi food and a simple lifestyle. Madhuri’s professional demeanor with actors, directors and producers set her apart in an industry with a questionable reputation.
In the words of M.F. Hussain, a famous Indian painter – Madhuri is an “epitome of the Indian woman”.
PRATIBHA PATIL
Superpower: Leadership
Pratibha Patil is the first female President of India. Her appointment in 2007 was a milestone in the struggle against discrimination faced by Indian women. Pratibha Patil was born in a small village near Jalgaon, Maharashtra in 1934. Her small-town roots make her well aware of the challenges facing rural India. Pratibha’s efforts are focused on “bridging the widening gap between the rich and the poor”, which is a growing problem in cities and villages alike.
Pratibha Patil has held several political posts prior to her Presidency. She joined the Indian National Congress (INC) in the early 1960’s before spending two decades in Maharashtra’s legislature as the Minister of Social Welfare, Public Health, Cultural Affairs, Education and Urban Development. She was also the first female Governor of Rajasthan and a Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Her philanthropic disposition is evident through her success in starting an educational institute called the Vidya Bharati Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, which runs a chain of schools and colleges in Mumbai and Jalgoan. She also set up the Shram Sadhana Trust that runs hostels for women in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. Her other social ventures include a school for poor children of Vimukta Jati1and Nomadic Tribes in Maharashtra.
Pratibha Patil’s leadership, philanthropy and determination make her a modern-day hero of India.
GANAPATI
Superpower: Wisdom
Ganapati, who also goes by Ganesh and Vinayaka (among at least 150 other appellations), is one of the best known and most-worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon. His influence extends beyond Hinduism and his image can even be found among Jains and Buddhists.
Widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles, he is also the patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of intellect and wisdom. Historically, it is believed that this deity first came to be worshipped in his present form starting around the 4th and 5th centuries CE - the Gupta Period. While many of his traits were inherited from Vedic and pre-Vedic precursors, his popularity rose quickly and it wasn't long until he was included among the five primary Hindu deities. This led to a sect known as Ganapatya, which saw Ganapati as the supreme deity, arise during this period as well. The principal scriptures dedicated to Lord Ganesh are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa.
Ganapati is always represented with the head of an elephant. What is less known however, is that the depicted number of heads has varied through time, with one of his forms, Heramba-Ganapati, having five elephant heads. While there are many explanations for how he got his head, one popular story depicts how his mother, Parvati (herself an incarnation of Sati or Dakshayani, the great mother goddess), created a small boy from sandalwood soap and commanded him to guard the palace against all intruders while she took her bath. When her husband Lord Shiva (the fearsome god of destruction), arrived at the palace, he didn't take kindly to being barred from his own home. In a fit of rage, Shiva beheaded the boy, but having done so, quickly realized that the balance of the entire universe was at stake. He brought the boy back to life by grafting an elephant's head onto his body and subsequently made him the people's intercessor against the powers of destruction.