Famous People Born In Pune

Legendary Indian politician Bal Thackeray, or Balasaheb Thackeray, was the patriarch of one of the most influential political families of India and the founder of the Shiv Sena. He went from being a cartoonist to the godfather of Maharashtra, though his overtly regional and Hindu nationalist ideals were often criticized.

Born in Pune, Shibani Dandekar grew up in Australia and Africa, before returning to India, as a model and an anchor. She has hosted shows such as After Hours and also appeared in films such as Sultan. She is also the sister of VJ Anusha Dandekar and the girlfriend of actor Farhan Akhtar.

Cyrus Poonawalla is an Indian businessman who is the chairman of the Poonawalla Group. He is also known as the “vaccine king of India” as his group owns Serum Institute of India that manufactures pediatric vaccines. He is also a generous philanthropist. In 2005, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the president of India.

 Australian cricket commentator and former cricketer, Lisa Sthalekar, was once the captain of Australia's international women's cricket team. Born in India and adopted by parents who lived in USA, she was introduced to cricket by her father. She started playing professionally as a young woman and went on to have an exemplary career. She retired in 2013. 

Best remembered for leading the Indian Rebellion of 1857, tribal leader Tantia Tope used guerilla tactics in his fights against the British. In spite of no formal military training, he also managed to seize Gwalior temporarily with Rani Lakshmibai. He was later hanged to death by the British.

A major figure of The Parachute Regiment, which was operational during World War II, British Army airborne officer John Frost was also a two-time Distinguished Service Order awardee. He led campaigns and operations in places such as Malta, Libya, Sicily, and Italy, before retiring to focus on farming.

Legendary hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, who revolutionized Indian sports with his talent, appeared in four Olympics and four World Cups. He also led India to gold medals in the Asia Cup, the Asian Games, and the Champions Challenge. The Padma Shri awardee is now an Aam Aadmi Party member.

Gaur Gopal Das is an Indian lifestyle coach and motivational speaker. An alumnus of the College of Engineering, Pune, he worked as an engineer for several years before joining the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He is the author of Life's Amazing Secrets and has millions of followers on YouTube.  

Shital Mahajan is an Indian skydiver and extreme sportsperson. In 2006, Mahajan became the first woman to jump over the South Pole. She is also the youngest female jumper to jump over both the South and North Poles. She is also the first Indian female to perform a wingsuit jump. In 2011, she was honored with the Padma Shri Award.

Meher Baba, or the Awakener, is best remembered for his 44-year silence, during which he chiefly communicated through an alphabet board. Born into a Parsi family, he later came under the influence of spiritual leaders such as Hazrat Babajan, and started the Meher Baba Movement, in search of spiritual consciousness.

Ebrahim Alkazi was an Indian drama teacher and theatre director. Alkazi is credited with directing more than 50 plays, including popular productions like Tughlaq, Ashadh Ka Ek Din, and Andha Yug. A noted art collector, Alkazi is also credited with founding the Art Heritage Gallery. In 2010, Ebrahim Alkazi was honored with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award.

Indian chess Grandmaster Abhijit Kunte has six Indian Chess Championship medals, including two gold medals. He has also been part of the Chess Olympiads four times. Now an Indian Oil employee, Kunte runs a chess academy with his sister and owns a sports business named Kinder Sports, too.

Dhyan Chand Award-winning retired Indian badminton player Trupti Murgunde is known for her success in both singles and doubles. A 5-time South Asian Games gold winner, she is now a national selector. She has also been a national coach and a commentator and now works with Indian Oil Corporation.

An Olympian, Indian badminton player Nikhil Kanetkar was part of the gold-winning men’s team at the 2006 South Asian Games, where he also won an individual silver. A World Senior Champion and a Commonwealth Games team champion, he is also a sports columnist and a TV commentator.

Indian Woman Grandmaster and International Master Eesha Karavade hails from Pune. She has won several national and international medals, including a gold at the 2011 Commonwealth Chess Championship and a bronze at the 2011 Asian Individual Women Chess Championship. She is now a mother, too.