21 historically significant individuals born on September 17. September 17 is the birth date of several political leaders. Notable figures born on this day include William Gopallawa, Sri Lanka's first President, J.R. Jayewardene, Sri Lanka's first Executive President, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, Panama's former President Jorge Illueca and Slovenia's former Prime Minister Janez Janša were also born on this date.
Total Born
21
Countries
18
Top Century
20th· 10
Top Field
association football player
4 individuals
Headline Figures
scientist
Christian Lange
1869 – 1938Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Peace (1921)
bibliographer
Narendra Modi
1950 – PresentPrime Minister of India since 2014 and leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Previously served as Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, known for economic development initiatives and digital governance reforms.
association football coach
Sergej Barbarez
1971 – PresentFormer striker who scored prolifically in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV, later becoming a coach and poker player.
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (10)
19th (6)
13th C.21st C.
21st Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Zinaida Kupriyanovich
actorsinger
Singer and actress who has gained popularity in Belarus and represented the country in various international music competitions.
20th Century
10Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Narendra Modi
bibliographerpolitician
Prime Minister of India since 2014 and leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Previously served as Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, known for economic development initiatives and digital governance reforms.
Sergej Barbarez
association football coachassociation football player
Former striker who scored prolifically in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV, later becoming a coach and poker player.
Jorge Illueca
diplomatlawyer
Panamanian diplomat and academic who served as interim President of Panama in 1984 and held various high-level positions in international organizations.
Junius Richard Jayewardene
cricketerdiplomat
Sri Lanka's first Executive President (1978-1989) who introduced the current constitution and economic liberalization policies that transformed the country's political system.
Toghrul Asgarov
amateur wrestlerathlete
Azerbaijani freestyle wrestler who won Olympic bronze at the 2012 London Olympics in the 60kg weight category and is a world championship medalist.
Mirjalol Qosimov
association football coachassociation football player
Former striker who scored over 30 goals in 75 appearances for the Uzbekistan national team during the 1990s and 2000s.
Adriana Sklenaříková
actormodel
Slovak supermodel and actress who gained international fame in the 1990s and appeared on numerous magazine covers. She later became a television presenter and appeared in several films.
OB
Olivier Boumal
association football player
Cameroonian midfielder who has played for clubs in Belgium and other European leagues.
Tomáš Hubočan
association football player
Slovak left-back who captained the national team and played in the Premier League for Hull City.
Janez Janša
politician
Slovenian conservative politician who has served as Prime Minister three times (2004-2008, 2012-2013, 2020-2022). He is the leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party and was a dissident journalist during Yugoslavia's communist era.
19th Century
6Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Christian Lange
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Peace (1921)
Johannes Frischauf
astronomergeodesist
Austrian mathematician (1837-1924)
Carl Bock
civil servantcollector
Norwegian government official, author, naturalist and explorer (1849–1932)
Giorgi Shervashidze
military personnelopinion journalist
Prince of Abkhazia (1846–1918)
Oswald Durand
journalistpoet
Haitian politician and poet
William Gopallawa
diplomatpolitician
Served as Sri Lanka's first President (1972-1978) when the country transitioned from a dominion to a republic, previously serving as Governor-General.
18th Century
2Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
John Joseph Merlin
engineerinventor
Horologist, inventor
Jean-Antoine-Nicolas de Caritat de Condorcet
biographereconomist
French philosopher, mathematician, and political scientist (1743-1794)
15th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Ludovico Ariosto
playwrightpoet
Italian poet (1474–1533)
13th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Trần Anh Tông
poet
Emperor of Vietnam
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on September 17?
Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, is probably the most internationally recognized person born on September 17, 1950. He has held the position since 2014 and is a prominent global political figure.
What world leaders were born on September 17?
World leaders born on September 17 include Narendra Modi, Junius Richard Jayewardene (former President of Sri Lanka), and Jorge Illueca (former President of Panama). Janez Janša, a multi-term Prime Minister of Slovenia, shares this birthdate, born in 1958.
Are there any Sri Lankan presidents born on September 17?
Yes, William Gopallawa (born 1897) and Junius Richard Jayewardene (born 1906) were both Sri Lankan presidents born on September 17. Jayewardene was the first executive president from 1978 to 1989, and Gopallawa was the last Governor-General and first President of Sri Lanka.