Time's 60 years of Asian Heroes

Time magazine [1] has come out with a good list of heroes from Asia. Some of the iconic figures from different walk of life could be seen here. The list spans across various categories from national leaders through sport stars to spiritual leaders. Only Asian heroes who lived in the last 60 years considered. The title, Time Magazine quoted states " 60 years of Asian Heroes" is pretty apt. Why 60 years? I guess, Mohandas Gandhi is a must in the list and it is only logical to stretch back the time window to accomodate him. If not for him, Time would have content with 50 years! Anyway, how could we talk about Asian heroes without Gandhi. He is a hero for the world for all time. Asia is quite incomplete without a mention about Gandhi, just like as would Africa without Mandela! Gandhi was a remarkable personality and a true leader in every sense.

The list for sure include some of the guys I would want to be in; My heroes, which included Gandhi, Nehru, Sachin Tendulkar and Salman Rushdie, Mother Theresa, Kurosawa and Aung Saan Suu kyi. Many of the names in the list are known to me, by name, but I am in no position to judge their contributions (due to the limited know hows and largely ignorance, for which I feel ashamed of:), but certainly the neat and quite well written short description suggests that, they all truly deserve a place among the pantheons of greats.

However, one item, I have found missing is science and mathematics. Perhaps, not many acclaimed world champions there, but for sure, it wouldn't be an empty bottle, if we were to seriously find! I would have liked to see Professor Madhu Sudan (MIT LCS), who received the coveted Nevanlinna prize in 2001. The Pakistani Physicist Abdus Salam (1979 Nobel Laureate) perhaps would make the cut against the science entry.


[1]http://www.time.com/time/asia/2006/heroes/opener.html