24 historically significant individuals born on March 17. March 17 is the birth date of several notable figures in politics, literature, space exploration, and sports. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, born in 1920, was the founding father of Bangladesh. Science fiction author William Gibson entered the world in 1948. In 1962, astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to travel to space, was born. The date also brings to mind the Honduran president Roberto Suazo Córdova, born in 1927, and North Korean footballer Pak Doo-ik, born in 1943, known for his role in a famous football upset.
Total Born
24
Countries
22
Top Century
20th· 15
Top Field
association football player
7 individuals
Headline Figures
scientist
Walter Hess
1881 – 1973Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1949)
politician
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
1920 – 1975President of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh and the 2nd Prime Minister and first President of Bangladesh
association football player
Shinji Kagawa
1989 – PresentJapanese midfielder who played for Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. He earned over 90 caps for the Japan national football team.
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (15)
19th (6)
17th C.20th C.
20th Century
15Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
politicianwriter
President of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh and the 2nd Prime Minister and first President of Bangladesh
Shinji Kagawa
association football player
Japanese midfielder who played for Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. He earned over 90 caps for the Japan national football team.
Edin Džeko
association football player
Prolific striker who became Bosnia and Herzegovina's all-time leading goalscorer with over 60 international goals and played for top European clubs including Manchester City, AS Roma, and Inter Milan.
Kalpana Chawla
amateur radio operatorastronaut
American astronaut
Judith Silberpfennig Kestenberg
psychoanalystpsychotherapist
Austrian psychoanalyst
Manuel Zapata Olivella
anthropologistjournalist
Colombian doctor, anthropologist and writer (1920–2004)
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Olga Orozco
journalistpoet
Argentine writer (1920-1999)
William Gibson
film actorfilm screenwriter
American-Canadian speculative fiction writer
Roberto Suazo Córdova
politiciansurgeon
Honduran surgeon and politician who served as the 29th President from 1982 to 1986, leading the country's transition back to civilian rule.
Yeltsin Tejeda
association football player
Costa Rican defensive midfielder who has played for clubs in Switzerland and MLS, representing the national team in World Cup qualifiers.
Álvaro Recoba
association football coachassociation football player
Uruguayan attacking midfielder known as 'El Chino' who was famous for his left foot and played most notably for Inter Milan in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
John Boyega
actorfilm actor
British-Nigerian actor who gained international fame playing Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy (2015-2019). He won a BAFTA Rising Star Award and has become a prominent advocate for diversity in film.
Raul Meireles
association football player
Portuguese midfielder who played for top European clubs including Chelsea, Liverpool, and Fenerbahçe, earning 78 caps for the national team.
Brendan Galloway
association football player
English footballer who plays as a defender and has represented both England and Zimbabwe at international level. He has played for clubs including Everton, West Bromwich Albion, and Luton Town in his professional career.
PD
Pak Doo-ik
association football coachassociation football player
Former North Korean forward famous for scoring the winning goal against Italy in the 1966 World Cup quarter-final upset. He later became a football coach and dental technician.
19th Century
6Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Walter Hess
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1949)
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Carl Daniel Ekman
chemical engineerchemical technologist
Swedish engineer (1845-1904)
Edward William O'Sullivan
journalistpolitician
Politician and journalist in New South Wales, Australia (1846–1910)
Karl Ernst Papf
painterphotographer
German painter and draftsman (1833-1910)
Konstantinos Volanakis
painterteacher
Greek painter (1837-1907)
Werner Jaegerhuber
artistcomposer
German-Haitian composer
18th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Thomas Chalmers
economistmathematician
Scottish mathematician and leader of the Free Church of Scotlandl (1780-1847)
17th Century
2Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Alessandro Marchetti
mathematicianphysicist
Italian mathematician and writer (1633-1714)
Carl Gyllenborg
diplomatpoet
Swedish politician (1679-1746)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on March 17?
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, born in 1920, is likely the most famous person born on March 17. He was the founding father and first President of Bangladesh. Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to go to space, is also well-known among those born on this date.
Are there any astronauts born on March 17?
Yes, Kalpana Chawla was born on March 17, 1962. She was the first woman of Indian origin to go to space, serving as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia. She tragically died in the Columbia disaster in 2003.
What famous science fiction author was born on March 17?
William Gibson was born on March 17, 1948. He is best known for writing the cyberpunk novel 'Neuromancer' and coined the term 'cyberspace.' He has had a significant impact on the science fiction genre.