List of people from Gujarat

This is a list of notable people whose ancestry has been traced to Gujarat, India. The list includes actors and actresses, contributors to the Indian independence movement, trade/business tycoons, politicians, and others.

Notable persons of Gujarati origin

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Name Field Notes
Sardar Vallabhbhai PatelPoliticsIndian Freedom Fighter, First Home Minister Of India, Loh purush (Iron man of India)
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhipolitician, writer, philosopher, lawyerIndependence activist and Father of the Nation of India
Indulal Kanaiyalal Yagnikpolitician, writer, editorIndependence activist and founder of Gujarat state
Muhammad Ali Jinnah lawyer, politician Father of the Nation of Pakistan, first Governor-General of Pakistan
Vikram SarabhaiSciencefather of India's space program
Azim PremjiIndustrialistChairman of Wipro
Praful BhavsarScienceDirector, Space Applications Center, ISRO
Bhargav GajjarAerospace Robotics NASA, Kennedy Space Center, MIT Media Lab, MIT
C. Kumar N. PatelElectrical engineeringIEEE Medal of Honor
Narendra ModiPoliticsPrime Minister of India & Former Chief Minister of Gujarat
Dhirubhai AmbaniBusinessReliance Industries
Mukesh AmbaniBusinessReliance Industries Ltd.
Anil AmbaniBusinessReliance Industries (ADAG Group)
Uday KotakBusinessKotak Mahindra Bank
Pranav MistryScienceinventor and computer scientist
P. N. Bhagwatijusticechief justice of India
Sam ManekshawMilitaryChief of Army Staff, and India's first Indian Field Marshal
Gulzarilal NandaPoliticsBharat Ratna for his contribution in the field of Public Affairs
Morarji Ranchhodji DesaiPoliticsBharat Ratna for his contribution in Public Affairs
Hanif Mohammad Cricketer Born in Junagadh, First Triple Century by a Pakistani, First Pakistani First Class Cricketer to make a quadruple century
Homai VyarawallaPhotojournalistPadma Vibhushan
Dashrath PatelDesignerestablished National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, Padma Bhushan
Mallika SarabhaiDancer, activistPadma Bhushan
Umashankar JoshiLiterature or philosophy
Gulabdas BrokerLiterature or philosophyPadma Shri
Zaverchand MeghaniLiterature or philosophy
Thakkar BapaMisc -Social Worker
Abbas TyabjiPolitics
Ahmed PatelPolitics
Chimanbhai PatelPolitics
H. M. PatelPolitics
K. M. MunshiPolitics
Karan BilimoriaPolitics
Kasturba GandhiPolitics
Mahadev DesaiPolitics
Meghnad DesaiPolitics
Morarji DesaiPoliticsIndian Prime Minister who got highest civilization award (Bharat Ratna, Nishan-e-Pakistan from India and Pakistan respectively).
Savjibhai KoratPolitics
Shyamji Krishna VarmaPolitics
Suresh MehtaPolitics
Vithalbhai PatelPolitics
Swami Dayananda SaraswatiReligionFounder of the Arya Samaj
Zain BhikhaReligion
Ahmed DeedatReligion
SwaminarayanReligion
Morari BapuReligion
Pramukh Swami MaharajReligion PRAMUKH OF BAPS SWAMINARAYAN SANSTHA
Ajay JadejaSportsCricketer, All-rounder
Irfan PathanSportsCricketer, All-rounder
Munaf PatelSportsCricket, Bowler
Nari ContractorSportsCricket, Bowler
Nayan MongiaSportsCricket, Wicket Keeper
Parthiv PatelSportsCricket, Wicket Keeper
Ravindra JadejaSportsCricket, Bowler, All-rounder
Vinoo MankadSportsCricket, Allrounder
Yusuf PathanSportsCricket, Allrounder
Cheteshwar PujaraSportsCricket, Batsman
Jaydev UnadkatSportsCricket, Bowler
Rajesh ChauhanSportsCricket, Bowler
Cowasji Shavaksha Dinshaw (Adenwalla) entrepreneur founder of the modern port of Aden
Byram Dinshawji Avari hotelier founder and chairman of the Avari Group of companies.
Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy philanthropist builder of Mahim Causeway, connects two islands of Bombay and Salsette (north Bombay.)
Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Sir philanthropist founder of B.J. Medical College, Pune.
Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy, Sir philanthropist opened sea trade with China; J J Hospital,
Cowasjee Jehangir, Sir civil engineer master constructor of Bombay
Fardunjee Marzban business founded the first vernacular newspaper on the Indian subcontinent Bombay Samachar
Hormusjee Naorojee Mody, Sir business financier and industrialist in Hong Kong
Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, Sir business founded the first textile factories in India
Cyrus Poonawalla industrialist, pharmacologist co-founder of the Serum Institute of India
Cowasji Jehangir Readymoney Sir 1st Baronet, philanthropist including various academic buildings of the Bombay University.
Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee industrialist founded Hong Kong's first brewery; established the first anti-tuberculosis sanatorium in the far-east
Nowroji Saklatwala Industrialist Chairman of Tata group
Ratan Tata Industrialist Chairman of Tata group (1991–2012)
Homi Nusserwanji Sethna Padma Vibhushan awardee chemical engineer guided the development of India's first nuclear explosive device.
Ardeshir Darabshaw Shroff economist delegate at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference; co-author of the Bombay Plan; founder-director of the Investment Corporation of India; first Indian chairman of the Bank of India
Dorabji Tata, Sir industrialist and philanthropist Sir Dorab Tata Trust.
Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata industrialist founder of the Tata group of companies, titled a "One-Man Planning Commission" by Jawaharlal Nehru
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (J. R. D.) Tata industrialist founder of India's first commercial airline: Air India
Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia shipwright and naval architect builder of the first dry-dock in Asia
Ness Wadia business joint-Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing
Mahzarin Banaji Professor of Psychology Harvard University
Jamshed Bharucha President, Cooper Union Formerly, Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences at Dartmouth College (first Indian American to serve as the dean of a school at an Ivy League institution).
Homi K. Bhabha cultural-studies theorist; Professor Harvard University.
Rusi Taleyarkhan Professor of Nuclear Engineering Purdue University.
Ardeshir TaraporeLieutenant Colonel Military Indian Army, winner of the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest award for gallantry
Aspy Engineer Military Former Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force.
Fali Homi Major Military Former Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.
Sam Manekshaw Military Former Indian Army chief and the Second Indian Field Marshal
Jal Cursetji Military Former Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy
Adi M. Sethna Military Former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Indian Army
FN Billimoria Military Lieutenant General, father of Karan Bilimoria, Lord Bilimoria
Behram "Busybee" Contractor journalist and columnist
Nariman "Nari" Contractor cricketer coach at the CCI Academy.
Ardeshir Cowasjee investigative journalist and newspaper columnist
Nauheed Cyrusi Arts and entertainment model, film actress, television presenter
Bejan Daruwalla astrology
Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla high priest and religious scholar Zoroastrisms
Diana Eduljee cricketer first captain of the Indian women’s Cricket team – from 1978 till 1993
H M Desai Educationist Vice Chancellor of Dharamsinh Desai University
Farokh Engineer cricketer
Zerbanoo Gifford human rights campaigner
Aban Marker Kabraji Pakistani ecologist Asian regional director of IUCN
Rustom Khurshedji Karanjia Journalist & editor founder of India's first tabloid, Blitz.
Eruch Jessawala Interpreter Meher Baba's interpreter
Jivanji Jamshedji Modi Sir religion Zoroastrian scholar, Ph.D from Heidelberg, Germany, recognition and awards, for scholarship, from Sweden, France, and Hungary.
Cyrus Poncha sports Asian Squash Federation Junior Coach of the Year 2003-4.
Pahlan Ratanji "Polly" Umrigar sports cricketer.
Minocher Bhandara politician Pakistani parliamentarian and owner of Muree Brewery.
Mancherjee Bhownagree politician second Asian to be elected to the House of Commons (Conservative).
Jamsheed Marker politician Pakistani diplomat, ambassador to more countries than any other person; recipient of Hilal-i Imtiaz.
Minoo Masani politician author, parliamentarian and a member of the Constituent Assembly.
Frene Ginwala politician Is a member of the ANC and aided Nelson Mandela in abolishing apartheid in South Africa. Later served for 7 years as Speaker Of the House of Parliament in South Africa
Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta politician former Mayor of Karachi for 12 consecutive years.
Justice Dorab Patel justice Former Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, former Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan and human rights campaigner.
Cowasji Jehangir (Readymoney) justice J.P.; introduced income tax in India; first baronet of Bombay.
Rustam S. Sidhwa justice judge on the Supreme Court of Pakistan as well as one of the original eleven judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Shapurji Saklatvala socialist workers welfare activist, third Asian to be elected to the House of Commons (Communist, Labour).
B. P. Wadia Indian theosophist and labour activist Pioneered the creation of workers unions in India.
Bhikaiji Cama politician political activist, co-creator of the Indian nationalist flag.
Feroze Gandhi politician journalist and politician; Indian MP under Jawaharlal Nehru; father of Rajiv Gandhi and grandfather of Rahul Gandhi.
Pherozeshah Mehta, Sir politician political activist, co-founder and first President of the Indian National Congress, founder of the Bombay Municipal Corporation.
Dadabhai Naoroji economist, political activist first Asian to be elected to the House of Commons (Liberal), first to publicly demand independence from Great Britain.
Khurshed Framji Nariman politician social activist, Mayor of Bombay. Member of the Indian National Congress.
Sam Piroj Bharucha justice Chief Justice of India.
S. H. Kapadia- Current justice Chief Justice of India.
Fali Sam Nariman justice jurist, recipient of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.
Nanabhoy ("Nani") Palkhivala justice prominent jurist and economist.
Soli Jehangir Sorabjee justice former Attorney-General of India.
Rattanbai Petit justice second wife of Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Dossabhoy Muncherji Raja justice first Indian to be appointed appraiser of precious stones to British Indian customs. Awarded the title of Khan Sahib.
Bukhtyar Rustomji justice Mumbai-born Lancaster doctor executed for murdering his wife and a maid
Jehangir Sabavala arts and entertainment painter
Keshubhai Patel politician Former Chief Minister of Gujarat
Vithalbhai Patel politician Member of Parliament
A. D. Patel politician Fiji politician
Kamlesh Patel, Baron Patel of Bradford politician British politician
S. B. Patel politician Indian politician
Vithalbhai Patel politician Indian politician
Praful Patel politician Indian politician
Priti Patel politician British politician - Member of Parliament since 2010
Lilian Patel politician Malawian politician
R. D. Patel politician Indo-Fijian lawyer
Eboo Patel politician American political consultant
Haribhai M. Patel politician Indian politician
Dinsha Patel politician Indian politician
Dahyabhai Patel politician Indian freedom fighter, politician
Vinod Patel politician Fiji-Indian politician
Sone Lal Patel politician Indian politician
Navin Patel politician Fiji-Indian politician
Somchandbhai Solanki politician Indian politician
Somabhai Gandalal Koli Patel politician Indian politician
Pasha Patel politician Indian politician
Babubhai J. Patel politician Indian politician
Kanjibhai Patel politician Indian politician
Vinubhai Patel politician Fiji-Indian politician
Dipak Patel (politician) politician Zambian politician
Harilal Madhavjibhai Patel politician Indian politician
Kishanbhai Vestabhai Patel politician Indian politician
Patel Dahyabhai Vallabhbhai politician Indian politician
Babubhai Jashbhai Patel politician Chief Minister, Gujarat
R. K. Singh Patel Agriculturist & Politician
Parthiv Patel sports Indian cricketer
Mitesh Patel sports Indian hockey player
Samit Patel sports English cricketer
Jayant Patel sports Indian Doctor
Min Patel sports Indian cricketer
Brijesh Patel sports Indian cricketer
Jasu Patel sports Indian cricketer
Jyotsna Patel sports Indian cricketer
Malhar Patel sports Kenyan cricketer
Nandikishore Patel sports Ugandan cricketer
Jitendra Patel sports Canadian cricketer
Mohan Patel sports New Zealand hockey player
Dinesh Patel sports American baseball player
Rakep Patel sports Kenyan cricketer
Brijal Patel sports Kenyan cricketer
Kalpesh Patel sports Kenyan cricketer
Ashish Patel sports Canadian cricketer
Ashok Patel sports Indian cricketer
Niraj Patel sports Indian cricketer
Rakesh Patel sports Indian cricketer
Dipak Patel (cricketer, born 1961) sports Indian cricketer
Kalpesh Patel (Indian cricketer) sports Indian cricketer
R. D. Patel (cricketer) sports Tanzanian cricketer
C. D. Patel sports Tanzanian cricketer
Ashok Sitaram Patel sports Kenyan cricketer
Ramesh Patel sports New Zealand hockey player
Narendra Patel, Baron Patel sports Tanzanian obstetrician
I. G. Patel economist Indian economist
Chimanbhai Patel politician Indian politician
Manibehn Patel politician Indian freedom fighter
Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel politician Indian freedom fighter, activist
Amit Patel doctor American surgeon
Kamal Patel politician Indian politician
Vimla L. Patel doctor Canadian psychologist
Ramanbhai Patel doctor Indian chemist
Nisha Patel police British police officer
Akhil Patel sports English cricketer
Chai Patel Doctor British doctor and businessman
Hemish Shah business British stock brocker
Nand Kumar Patel politician Indian politician
Rita Patel sports Indian cricketer
Sameer Patel sports English cricketer
Karsanbhai Patel business Indian industrialist
Chetan Patel sports English cricketer
A. K. Patel politician Indian politician
V. G. Patel economist Indian author, economist
Harilal Manilal Patel judiciary Fiji-Indian lawyer
Patel Sudhakar Reddy politician Indian revolutionary
Surendra Motilal Patel politician Indian politician
Jivabhai Ambalal Patel politician Indian politician
Apoorva D. Patel doctor Indian physicist
Prahlad Singh Patel politician Indian politician
Shiv Kumar Patel judiciary Indian outlaw
Rustomji Dorabji Patel politician Indian community leader
Framjee Nasarwanjee Patel business Indian merchant, philanthropist
Chandrakant T. Patel Science
Sheela Patel politician Indian activist
Sam PitrodaTelecommunications engineeringPadma Bhusan
Ratilal Chandaria Businessman and philanthropist GujaratiLexicon founder
Ranchhodlal Chhotalal business
Ramesh Oza Hindu preacher Bhagwad Kathakar
Morari Bapu Hindu preacher Ram Charit Manas Kathakar

Arts and entertainment

Name Notes
Abhijat Joshi Movie script writer
Aishwarya Majmudar Singer
Aditya Pancholi Actor
Alia Bhatt Bollywood actress
Alka Yagnik Singer
Ajay Sinh Rathod Bollywood actors (Angry Young Man)
Ajit Merchant Music composer
Alpesh Patel American film director
Ami Trivedi Theatre and TV actor
Amit Trivedi Music composer
Anandji Virji Shah Music composer
Anees Bazmee Movie director
Anuradha Patel Indian actress
Ardeshir Irani Filmmaker
Aruna Irani Bollywood actress.
Asha Parekh Bollywood Actress
Ashmit Patel Bollywood actor
Ayesha Takia Bollywood actress
Bapsi Sidhwa Author and screenwriter; vocal proponent of women's rights
Behramji Malabari Poet, publicist, author, and social reformer
Ben KingsleyMovie actor
Boman Irani Bollywood actor
Cyrus Broacha MTV India VJ and stand-up comedian.
Darshan Jariwala Movie actor
Deena M. Mistri Author and educationalist; recipient of Pakistan's "Pride of Performance" medal.
Dev Patel Movie actor
Devang Patel Indian singer
Dhvani Desai Animation film maker
Dina Pathak Bollywood actress
Disha Vakani Television actress, best known for her role in the TV show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.[1]
Erick Avari Hollywood actor
Fagun Thakrar Movie Director, actress
Falguni Pathak Singer ; also referred as Garba Queen
Vipul K Rawal Scriptwriter of the movie Iqbal (film)
Farah Khan Bollywood choreographer, actress and director
Farrukh Dhondy Novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, journalist
Firdaus Kanga Author, actor and screenwriter
Firdaus Kharas Animation, television and film producer and director
Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara) Rock icon and lead singer for Queen.
Gayatri Patel Actress
Gieve Patel Poet
Godrej Sidhwa Theologian, historian and high priest.
Harish Patel Actor
Hemant Chauhan Singer
Himesh Patel British actor
Himesh Reshammiya Music composer, singer, actor, producer
Homai Vyarawalla First woman photojournalist of India[2]
Homi Adajania Film director and writer
Indra Kumar Movie director
Ishu Patel Animated film director
Ismail Darbar Music composer
Ismail Merchant Movie producer
Jemish Patel British TV personality
John Abraham Bollywood Actor
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji Composer, music critic, pianist, and writer.
Kaizad Gustad Film director
Kalpen Modi American actor
Kalyanji Virji Shah Music composer
Karan Patel Actor
Kavi Kant Poet
Keki Daruwalla Poet and writer
Ketan Mehta Movie director
Ketan Mehta Movie director
Kiran Shah Actor and stunt player
Kunal Ganjawala Singer
Mahesh Bhatt Movie director
Mahesh Kanodia Singer
Mahesh Kanodia Music Director
Mallika Sarabhai Dancer
Manhar Udhas Singer
Manmohan Desai Movie director
Mauli Dave Indian singer, actor, dancer, and television host
Mehul kumar Purabiya Politics NSUI, Leader Students union
Mehli Mehta Musician, founder of the Bombay Philharmonic and Bombay String Orchestras.
Mehr Jesia Model
Mukesh Bhatt Movie producer
Naresh Kanodia Film actor
Natvar Bhavsar American painter[3]
Neil Patel American scenic designer
Neeraj Vora Film director, writer, actor and composer
Nikki Patel British actress
Nina Wadia British comedian and television actress, currently and most notably from EastEnders
Pannalal Patel Writer
Paresh Rawal Bollywood actor
Parveen Babi Bollywood actress and model
Persis Khambatta Actress and model, Miss India in 1965
Pooja Bhatt Bollywood actress
Pooja Shah British actress
Prachi Desai Television and Bollywood actress
Rajendra Keshavlal Shah Poet
Ranjit Barot Music composer
Ratna Pathak Bollywood actress
Ravi Patel American actor
Rihaan Patel Film director
Rohinton Mistry Novelist, short story author, screenplay writer.
Sajid Nadiadwala Movie producer
Salim-Sulaiman Music composer, singer
Sam Dastor Television actor and director.
Sanjay Gadhvi Movie director
Shapur Kharegat Journalist, editor and director of The Economist (Asia)
Shefali Shah Movie actress
Shekhar Ravjiani Music composer, singer
Shiamak Davar Bollywood choreographer
Shravan Rathod Music composer
Siddharth Randeria Theater and film actor
Sohrab Modi Stage and film actor, director and producer.
Sooni Taraporevala Screenwriter, author and photographer.
Supriya Pathak Bollywood and television actress
Salil Desai Novelist
Tanvi Vyas Model
Tulip Joshi Bollywood actress
Urvashi Dholakia Television and bollywood actress,
Vasant Rai Sitar player
Vatsal Sheth Bollywood actor
Vikram Bhatt Bollywood writer, producer
Vipul Shah Movie director
Viraf Patel Model
Vishvesh Parmar Bollywood playback singer, music composer, producer and sound engineer[4]
Yatin Patel Photographer
Zarin Mehta Musician, executive director of the New York Philharmonic since 2000
Zubin Mehta Musician, Musical Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Maggio Musicale
Zubin Varla Stage actor.
Sanjeev Kumar Bollywood actor, )real name Harihar Jariwala)
Namitha Model, Tollywood actor, Miss India 4th

Gujarat's British royalty connection

In June 2013, Gujarat came to the media fore when it was discovered that the British monarchy have Indian mitochondrial DNA traced through Princess Diana which has been maternally inherited by both her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.[5] The connection traces back eight generations, to Eliza Kewark, who was housekeeper to Prince William's ancestor Theodore Forbes, born in 1788, a Scottish merchant from a landowning family who had travelled to India to work for the East India Company in Surat, a port north of Bombay. The DNA was passed down through Eliza's daughters and granddaughters to Princess Diana.[6] Eliza is variously described in contemporary documents as "a dark-skinned native woman", "an Armenian woman from Bombay", and "Mrs. Forbesian".[7] Genealogist William Addams Reitwiesner assumed she was Armenian.[8] In June 2013, BritainsDNA announced that genealogical DNA tests on two of William's distant cousins in the same direct maternal line confirm that Eliza Kewark was of Indian descent, via her direct maternal line.[9][10][11][12]

See also

References

  1. "I enjoy acting: Disha Vakani". Mumbai Mirror. Dec 30, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  2. "Homai gets Padma Vibhushan". The Times of India. Jan 25, 2011.
  3. "Monumental Love". The Times of India. Oct 8, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  4. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Gujarati-musicians-strike-the-right-notes-in-Bollywood/articleshow/30681856.cms
  5. Harris, Paul (14 June 2013). "DNA tests reveal Wills is actually part-Indian... but one distant cousin knew the family secret all along". DailyMail Online.
  6. Buncombe, Andrew (14 June 2013). "Hunt is on in Gujarat for a distant cousin who shares Prince William's Indian blood". The Independent.
  7. Williamson, D (1981) "The Ancestry of Lady Diana Spencer". Genealogist's Magazine 20(6):192–199; 20(8):281–282
  8. Reitwiesner, William Addams (2006). "The Ethnic ancestry of Prince William". wargs.com. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  9. Sinha, Kounteya (16 June 2013). "Hunt on for Prince William's distant cousins in Surat". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  10. "A Royal Revelation". BritainsDNA. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  11. Brown, David (14 June 2013). "Revealed: the Indian ancestry of William". The Times. p. 1. (subscription required (help)).
  12. Hern, Alex (14 June 2013). "Are there ethical lapses in the Times' story on William's 'Indian ancestry'?". New Statesman. Retrieved 11 August 2013. Although Eliza Kewark was indeed thought of as Armenian, it's not particularly surprising that she would have had Indian ancestors; the Armenian diaspora had been in India for centuries at the time of her birth, and even the most insular communities tend to experience genetic mixing over in that timescale.
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