Cancer Leaders

Counted amongst the greatest military commanders of all times, Alexander the Great successfully created one of the largest empires—from Macedonia to Persia and India—of the ancient world. The son of King of Macedonia, Philip II, he ascended the throne at the age of 20 and achieved unprecedented success before he died at the age of 33.  

Julius Caesar is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history and played an important role in the events that led to the downfall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. He assumed control of the government after a civil war. He was assassinated by rebel senators on the Ides of March, 44 BC.

Italian general, patriot, and republican Giuseppe Garibaldi is remembered for the role he played in the Italian unification and the creation of the Kingdom of Italy. He is considered one of Italy's "fathers of the fatherland." A highly proficient military general, he also led the Expedition of the Thousand on behalf of Victor Emmanuel II. He died in 1882.

The last Viceroy of India and the first governor-general of independent India, Lord Mountbatten was a British Royal Navy officer and statesman. Born to a prominent aristocratic family in England, he had a successful military career and was made the NATO Commander Allied Forces Mediterranean in his later career. He was assassinated in 1979.

The first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn was an astronaut, aviator, politician, and businessman. Beginning his career as an army man, he was a fighter pilot in World War II. He later joined NASA and was one of the Mercury Seven. Following his retirement from NASA, he became a politician and served in the US Senate.

The 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge started his career as a lawyer before becoming an influential American politician. A man of few words with a dry sense of humor, Calvin Coolidge represented the middle class, which worked in his favor. Despite being a reclusive politician, Coolidge gave 520 press conferences, making himself available to reporters quite often.

Bob Dole is an American retired politician who remains active in public life. Before commencing his political career, Dole served in the United States Army during World War II. For his service in the army and later as a politician, Bob Dole has been honored with several prestigious awards, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Presidential Citizens Medal.

P. T. Barnum was an American politician, showman, and businessman. He is credited with founding the famous Barnum & Bailey Circus, which ran for 146 years. He is also credited with co-founding the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, which is one of the oldest American ferry companies. His life and work have inspired many films, including The Greatest Showman.

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the current prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates. He has also been serving as the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai since 2006. He is credited with turning Dubai into a global city; he has overseen the development of several projects, such as the Palm Islands and Burj Khalifa. 

Mahathir Mohamad is a Malaysian statesman, doctor, and author. He twice served as the prime minister of Malaysia and is widely regarded as one of the most popular Malaysian prime ministers of all time. Under his premiership, Malaysia underwent a period of rapid economic growth and modernization. Mahathir Mohamad is also credited with establishing strong foreign relations with many countries.

Gerald Ford Jr served as the 38th president of US from August 1974 to January 1977. His 895 day-long stint as the American president is the shortest in US history for any president who did not die in office. In a controversial act, he granted a presidential pardon to his predecessor Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal.

Chilean poet-diplomat and politician, Pablo Neruda, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. He was a versatile writer and his works include surrealist poems, historical epics, political manifestos, and love poems. He is considered the national poet of Chile. As a politician, he served a term as a senator for the Chilean Communist Party and held several diplomatic positions.

British MP and Labour Party politician Jo Cox had also worked with Oxfam. The world was shocked by the news of her brutal assassination in 2016. She was shot and stabbed multiple times by far-right terrorist Thomas Mair, who believed the white race was under threat due to leftist beliefs.

Retired United States Marine, Dakota Meyer, is a veteran of the War in Afghanistan. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal, becoming the second-youngest living Medal of Honor recipient. Following his retirement, he sought help for post-traumatic stress disorder. He advocates for legalizing the medical use of cannabis.

A member of the British royal family, Prince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary. He is currently 48th in the line of succession to the British throne. He is a businessman and runs his own consultancy business with operations across the world. He has a keen interest in sports and is a Freemason.

Ross Perot was the founder and CEO of Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems. He received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and developed the Naval Academy’s honor system. He ran for president as an independent candidate and then established the Reform Party. He sold Perot to Dell for $3.9 billion.

Retired Ukrainian boxer Vitali Klitschko, who is now a politician and the current mayor of Kyiv, is also known for his 6’7” frame. He was once the World Boxing Council world heavyweight title winner and earned the nickname Dr. Ironfist. He also holds a PhD from the physical science department of Kyiv University.

WWE legend Jesse Ventura, known by his ring name “The Body,” also served as the mayor of Brooklyn from 1991 to 1995 and as the governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. He had previously served the U.S. Navy. He has also appeared in films and written several books.

Carl von Clausewitz was a Prussian military theorist and general. As a theorist, Clausewitz stressed the political aspects of war. His book Vom Kriege, which talks about military strategy, has been very influential despite the fact that it was unfinished at the time of his death. His ideas also influenced personalities like Karl Marx, Mao Zedong, and Leon Trotsky.

George W. Romney was a  Republican Party politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969. He was a front runner for the Republican nomination for president of US in the 1968 election, but he lost to Richard Nixon. Also a businessman, he was chairman and president of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962.

Historian George McGovern had been the U.S. senator from South Dakota. He held important positions related to food, agriculture, and nutrition, too, and was named a World Food Prize laureate for his efforts in reducing world hunger. He had also advocated for the end of the Vietnam War.

The current chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel is widely described as the world's most powerful woman. Also considered the de facto leader of the European Union (EU), Angela Merkel has played an important role in strengthening international trade agreements. In 2020, she was named in Time magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People.

B. J. Habibie was an Indonesian politician best remembered for his service as the President of Indonesia from 21 May 1998 to 20 October 1999. An important political figure, Habibie also served as the Vice President of Indonesia in 1998. From 1978 to 1998, he served as the Minister of Research and Technology.

The ninth Prime Minister of India, P. V. Narasimha Rao, is often called the Father of Indian Economic Reforms due to a major economic transformation in India during his prime ministership. He dismantled the Licence Raj and his economic policies rescued India from an impending economic collapse. 

Harrison Schmitt is an American geologist, university professor, and former NASA astronaut. He also served as the US Senator from New Mexico from 1977 to 1983. In 1972, Schmitt became a crew member of Apollo 17 and subsequenly the second-youngest person to walk on the Moon. In 1973, Harrison Schmitt was honored with the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

Giuseppe Mazzini was an Italian journalist, politician, and activist. He played a major role in the Italian revolutionary movement and in the unification of Italy. His efforts gave rise to an independent and unified Italy, which replaced many separate states that were dominated by foreign powers. Mazzini is widely regarded as the most influential European revolutionary.