List of Famous people born on January 1st

Ayatollah Sayyid Hadi al-Husayni al-Modarresi, is an Iraqi-Iranian Shia scholar, leader and orator. He is viewed as a charismatic speaker, enamoring many Muslims, radiating a certain magnetism in his oratory. He spent much of his career in opposition to the Bathist government, and he spent many years in exile, particularly in Bahrain. al-Modarresi returned to Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and administers humanitarian projects in there.

Ali Al Shargawi is a leading Bahraini poet, lyricist and playwright whose work has been translated into English, German, Bulgarian, Russian, Kurdish, and French. Born in Manama in 1948, he started publishing his poetry in 1968, and quickly gained prominence in Arab newspapers and magazines.

Elsa Dreisig is a French-Danish operatic soprano. Based at the Berlin State Opera, she made a European career in both opera and concert. Her opera roles include, besides the standard lyric soprano repertoire such as Mozart's Fiordiligi and Bizet's Micaëla, Baroque opera such as Rameau's Hippolyte et Aricie, and the world premiere of Beat Furrer's Violetter Schnee.