List of Famous people born in Surat, India
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Himanshu Pandya is an Indian international cricketer who plays for Baroda in domestic cricket and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is an all-rounder who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm fast-medium. His elder brother Krunal Pandya is also an international cricketer.
Ratan Tata
Ratan Naval Tata is an Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and a former chairman of Tata Sons. He was also chairman of Tata Group, from 1990 to 2012, and again, as interim chairman, from October 2016 through February 2017, and continues to head its charitable trusts. He is the recipient of two of the highest civilian awards of India, the Padma Vibhushan (2008) and Padma Bhushan (2000). He is well known for his business ethics and philanthropy.
Namitha
Namitha Vankawala is an Indian film actress who has predominantly been active in the South Indian film Industry. She is currently a state executive member of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu.
Homi Wadia
Homi Wadia was an Indian film director and producer in Bollywood. He was the co-founder of Wadia Movietone productions, established in 1933 and later after the closure of Wadiatone, he founded Basant Pictures in 1942. In a career spanning five decades, he directed over 40 films, including Hunterwali (1935), Miss Frontier Mail (1936), Diamond Queen (1940) and fantasy film Hatim Tai (1956). He was also a founding member of the Film & Television Producers Guild of India, established in 1954. Homi Wadia was married to actress and stunt woman Fearless Nadia. Homi was the younger brother of JBH Wadia, who was himself a movie director.
Prachi Desai
Prachi Desai is an Indian film actress and former television actress. She started her television career as lead protagonist in the successful TV drama Kasam Se on Zee TV. She made her Bollywood debut in the 2008 film Rock On!!. Her other notable features include Life Partner (2009), Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010), Bol Bachchan (2012) and I, Me Aur Main (2013). She is also the endorser, spokesperson, brand ambassador and the face of Goa Tourism and Neutrogena products in India. Desai is also a brand ambassador of Lux Lyra.
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin
Mufaddal Saifuddin is the spiritual leader and 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of two million Dawoodi Bohras, a subgroup of the Tayyibi, Mustaali, Ismaili Shia branch of Islam. He is the second son of the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq, Mohammed Burhanuddin, whom he succeeded in 2014. Saifuddin led the restoration of medieval Fatimid architecture, notably Al-Anwar Mosque, Al-Aqmar Mosque, Al-Juyushi Mosque, and Lulua Mosque in Cairo. He also discovered the burial places of the 5th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 30th Da'i al-Mutlaq in Yemen in 2018 and 2019.
Sanjeev Kumar
Sanjeev Kumar was an Indian film actor. He won several major awards including two National Film Awards for Best Actor for his performances in the movies Dastak (1970) and Koshish (1972). He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrillers. Kumar did not mind playing roles that were non-glamorous, such as characters well beyond his age. Movies such as Arjun Pandit, Sholay and Trishul, along with the remakes of Tamil films into Hindi such as Khilona, Yehi Hai Zindagi, Naya Din Nai Raat, Devata, Itni Si Baat and Ram Tere Kitne Naam exemplify his talents. He also did suspense-thriller films such as Qatl, Shikar, Uljhan and Trishna. Kumar also proved his ability to do comedy in films such as Manchali, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Angoor, Biwi-O-Biwi and Hero. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his characters. His double role in the film Angoor was listed among the 25 best acting performances of Indian cinema by Forbes India on the occasion of celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema.
Zubeida
Zubeida Begum Dhanrajgir (1911–1988) was an Indian film actress. She starred in the first Indian talkie movie Alam Ara (1931). Her credits include early hits Devdas (1937), and Sagar Movietone's first talkie, Meri Jaan.
Ichharam Desai
Ichharam Suryaram Desai, also known by his pen name, Shankar, was a Gujarati author, anthologist and journalist. Though he did not complete his primary education, he worked with several newspapers and magazines and also wrote several novels, edited anthologies and translated classics.
Ismail Darbar
Ismail Darbar is an Indian Bollywood film score composer, instrumentalist, violinist and music director. He was a contestant on Bigg Boss 3 in 2009.