Parkash Singh Badal (Punjabi: ਪਰਕਾਸ਼ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਦਲ) is an Indian politician who has been Chief Minister of the state of Punjab since 2007. He previously served as Chief Minister from 1970 to 1971, from 1977 to 1980, and from 1997 to 2002.

He was born December 8, 1927 in the village of Abul Khurana, near Malwa (Punjab), to Raghuraj Singh and Sundri Kaur in a Jatt Sikh family. In 1959 he married Surinder Kaur, they have two children, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parneet Kaur. His wife died in 2011.

He entered politics in 1947 and was first elected to Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1957. He was re-elected in 1969 serving as Minister for Community Development, Panchayati Raj, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries. He has served as Punjab Chief Minister for three terms the first time in 1969 when he became the youngest Chief Minister of an Indian state. He was Leader of the Opposition in 1972, 1980 and 2002. He was first detained in the Karnal jail in connection with Civil Liberties Agitation later under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Indian Emergency. He was President of the Akali Dal from 1996 to 2008.

Havildar Parkash Singh VC (31 March 1913 – 23 March 1991) was a Sikh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Parkash Singh was born on 31 March 1913 in Sharikar village, in the Lyallpur District of what was British India (now modern Pakistan). During the Second World War, Singh was a 29 year old Havildar serving in the Bren Gun Carrier Platoon of 5th Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment, British Indian Army (now 5th Battalion The Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army). In January 1943, his battalion was engaged in fighting on the Mayu Peninsula in the Arakan, Burma, against Japanese forces, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:

Singh later achieved the rank of Major in post-independence Indian Army. He died in 1991, while on a visit to England, at Ealing, London. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Imperial War Museum, London.

Sukhbir Singh Badal (Sukhbir Singh ) (Punjabi: ਸੁਖਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਾਦਲ) (born 9 July 1962) is an Indian politician who is the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal. He is the son of the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former president of SAD.

He was educated at Welham Boys' School and Lawrence School, Sanawar. He studied at California State University.

Sukhbir Singh Badal was a Member of Parliament of the 11th and 12th Lok Sabha of India in 1996 and 1998 respectively. He was union minister of state for industry in Second Vajpayee Ministry from 1998 to 1999. He was a member of Rajya Sabha from 2001 to 2004.

Prakash Singh Chib VC (1 April 1913 – 17 February 1945) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Chib was born in the now disputed Jammu and Kashmir region of the former British India, on 1 April 1913. He was 31 years old, and a Jemadar in the 4 /13th Frontier Force Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 16/17 February 1945 at Kanlan Ywathit, Burma (now Myanmar), Jemadar Prakash Singh Chib was commanding a platoon which took the main weight of fierce enemy attacks. He was wounded in both ankles and relieved of his command, but when his second-in-command was also wounded, he crawled back and took command of his unit again, directing operations and encouraging his men. He was wounded in both legs a second time but he continued to direct the defense, dragging himself from place to place by his hands. When wounded a third time and final time, he lay shouting the Dogra war-cry as he died, inspiring his company that finally drove off the enemy.

Hamid Karzai, GCMG (Pashto: حامد کرزی, Hāmid Karzay; born 24 December 1957) is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001. During the December 2001 International Conference on Afghanistan in Germany, Karzai was selected by prominent Afghan political figures to serve a six month term as Chairman of the Interim Administration.

He was then chosen for a two year term as Interim President during the 2002 loya jirga (grand assembly) that was held in Kabul, Afghanistan. After the 2004 presidential election, Karzai was declared winner and became President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He won a second five-year-term in the 2009 presidential election.

Karzai was born on 24 December 1957 in the Karz area of Kandahar City in southern Afghanistan. He is an ethnic Pashtun of the Popalzai tribe. His father, Abdul Ahad Karzai, served as the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament during the 1960s. His grandfather, Khair Mohammad Khan, had served in the 1919 Afghanistan's war of independence and as the Deputy Speaker of the Senate. Karzai's family were strong supporters of Zahir Shah, the last king of Afghanistan. His uncle, Habibullah Karzai, served as representative of Afghanistan at the UN and is said to have accompanied King Zahir Shah in the early 1960s to the United States for a special meeting with U.S. President John F. Kennedy.