Historical figures in Colombo
The atlas holds 17 people and 27 moments here, from 1411 to 2024. The most recorded lives are Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Pablo Neruda and Rajiv Gandhi. Among them Writers, Political Leaders and Philosophers, across the Space Age and the Cold War.
Notable people
Albert Einstein
in 1922
1 moment here
German-born theoretical physicist who transformed modern physics through special and general relativity, foundational work on quantum theory, and…
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
in 1998
1 moment here
Indian statesman, poet, journalist and Bharatiya Janata Party leader who served as India’s prime minister in 1996 and from 1998 to 2004.…
B. R. Ambedkar
in 1950
1 moment here
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer, politician, principal architect of India’s Constitution, and a leading…
Ebrahim Raisi
in 2024
1 moment here
Iranian cleric, judicial official, and politician who served as president of Iran from 2021 until his death in a helicopter crash in 2024.…
Jawaharlal Nehru
in 1954
1 moment here
Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and statesman who became independent India’s first prime minister, serving from 15 August 1947 until his…
Jiddu Krishnamurti
from 1957 to 1980
2 moments here
Indian philosopher, speaker, and writer. Raised within the Theosophical Society, he became head of the Order of the Star in the East, dissolved it at…
Manmohan Singh
in 2008
1 moment here
Indian economist, academic, civil servant, finance minister and prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014.…
Mark Twain
in 1896
1 moment here
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known as Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, journalist, lecturer, riverboat pilot, and traveler.…
Muammar Gaddafi
in 1976
1 moment here
Libyan military officer, revolutionary, politician, and political theorist who ruled Libya from the 1969 coup until his overthrow and killing during…
Pablo Neruda
from 1927 to 1929
2 moments here
Chilean poet, diplomat, senator, Communist political figure, and 1971 Nobel laureate. Born Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto, he lived and…
Rabindranath Tagore
in 1934
1 moment here
Bengali poet, novelist, dramatist, composer, painter, philosopher, social reformer, and educationist.…
Rajiv Gandhi
in 1987
2 moments here
Rajiv Gandhi was an Indian aircraft pilot and politician who served as prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989.…
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
from 1923 to 2000
8 moments here
Sri Lankan stateswoman and three-time prime minister of Ceylon/Sri Lanka. Born Sirima Ratwatte in Ratnapura, she became the world’s first woman…
Sushma Swaraj
in 2015
1 moment here
Indian lawyer, politician and diplomat. Swaraj served in the Haryana government, represented constituencies in Parliament, was Chief Minister of…
Swami Vivekananda
in 1897
1 moment here
Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, teacher, and chief disciple of Ramakrishna. Born Narendranath Datta in Calcutta, he travelled widely through India…
Zheng He
in 1411
1 moment here
Zheng He (born Ma He) was a Ming Chinese admiral and diplomat who commanded seven state-sponsored voyages across the South China Sea and Indian…
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
in 1975
1 moment here
Pakistani barrister and statesman who served as Pakistan’s fourth president (1971–1973) and ninth prime minister (1973–1977).…
Moments
- 1411 Campaign at Kotte Zheng He
- 1896 Travels through Sri Lanka Mark Twain
- 1897 Return to Colombo Swami Vivekananda
- 1922 Speaks in Colombo Albert Einstein
- 1923 Schooling at St. Bridget's Convent Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 1927 Transit through Colombo Pablo Neruda
- 1929 Assumes Colombo consulship Pablo Neruda
- 1934 Arrives in Colombo on final foreign tour Rabindranath Tagore
- 1940 Residence at Wendtworth Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 1942 Visit after Angoda hospital bombing Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 1946 Move to Tintagel Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 1950 Buddhist visit to Colombo B. R. Ambedkar
- 1954 Colombo Powers' Conference Jawaharlal Nehru
- 1957 Talks in Colombo Jiddu Krishnamurti
- 1959 At home during assassination of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 1962 Sino-Indian mediation conferences Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 1975 Official visit to Colombo Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
- 1976 Host of fifth Non-Aligned summit Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 1976 Non-Aligned summit in Colombo Muammar Gaddafi
- 1980 Talks in Colombo Jiddu Krishnamurti
- 1987 Inspects Sri Lankan guard of honour Rajiv Gandhi
- 1987 Signs Indo-Lanka Peace Accord Rajiv Gandhi
- 1998 SAARC summit visit Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- 2000 Death while returning from voting Sirimavo Bandaranaike
- 2008 SAARC summit in Colombo Manmohan Singh
- 2015 Preparatory visit to Colombo Sushma Swaraj
- 2024 Visit to Colombo Ebrahim Raisi