Famous Left-Handed People

Left-handedness is a term used for people who prefer using the left hand over the right. While most of us tend to use our right hand in our daily activities, left-handed people tend to use their left hand, be it writing, throwing a ball, painting or any other. The population of these people in the world is very less. 90% of the world population comprises right-handed people. Earlier, left-handedness aroused a lot of curiosity and apprehension in the minds of people. It was also linked to evil or misfortune. But, this is not true. In fact, on observing the following list of people in the world, you will find that many of the successful people in various fields are left-handed.

It is observed that most of the great rulers of the world were left-handed.

• Alexander, the Great, the greatest general of all times, was known to be the conqueror of the world. His being left-handed did not affect his feats. The other famous left-handed rulers and generals in the world are Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, Charlemagne.
• President Barack Obama, sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America, is the 9th left-handed President to hold the office. Other left-handed U.S. presidents are Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Harry Truman and Gerald Ford.
• Other famous left-handed leaders in the world are Mahatma Gandhi, Otto von Bismarck, Lord Baden Powell, Bertie Ahern and Fidel Castro.
• Queen Victoria, the longest reigning monarch in England, and her descendants, King George VI, Prince Charles and Prince William of England are left-handed.

It is not that left-handed people were only leaders; there are also many left-handers in the fields of arts and sports.

• Leonardo Da Vinci, a left-handed painter was the name behind two of the world's famous paintings, Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. He is considered as the greatest artist and thinker in history. Pablo Picasso and Michelangelo painted Guernica and the ceiling of Sistine Chapel respectively with the brush in their left hands.
• Aristotle, thinker and philosopher and Friedrich Nietzsche were also left-handed.
• Some of the greatest composers Mozart and Ludwig von Beethoven were left-handed. The most successful musician, composer, poet, Beatle, Paul McCartney is a left-hander. His fellow Beatle, Ringo Starr is also among the famous left-handed people in the world.
• Sir Isaac Newton, a scientist, physicist, astronomer and mathematician, Newton, was left-handed. Along with him, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie and Benjamin Franklin were also left-handed.
• Lewis Carroll, the creator of the famous Alice in Wonderland; and Goethe, H.G Wells, Leo Tolstoy and Mark Twain were all left-handed.
• Charlie Chaplin, unanimously considered as the greatest comedian, was left-handed. There are a large number of artists/actors who are left-handers, viz. Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, Amitabh Bacchan, Whoopie Goldberg, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Keanu Reeves, Oprah Winfrey, etc.
• Diego Maradona, the legend of football, is left-handed. The other left-handed soccer players are Pele, Romario, Hugo Sanchez, etc. Lefty stalwarts in various sports include Alistair Campbell, Alan Border, Sourav Ganguly, Wasim Akram, Brian Lara (cricket); Mark Spitz (swimming); John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles (tennis); Mark Brunell, Frankie Albert, Paul McDonald (American footballers); Yogi Berra, Wade Boggs, George Brett, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb (Baseball); and Bobby Fischer (chess).
• Successful businessmen like Bill Gates, Henry Ford and David Rockefeller are left-handers. Besides, remarkable women in history like Joan of Arc, Helen Keller, Josephine (wife of Napoleon) were also left-handers.

It is quite difficult for left-handed people to live in a world where most tools and machines are designed for right hand use. However, we find that left-handed people all over the world have excelled beyond imagination in every field. Perhaps, it won't be an exaggeration to say that most of the noteworthy people in the world were left-handed. Ciao!