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Notable Achievements at Age 79
National Medal of Science
Awarded the National Medal of Science by President Ronald Reagan for lifetime contributions to surgery and biomedical science.
Estimated net worth US$36.5 billion (Forbes)
Forbes estimated Shiv Nadar's net worth at US$36.5 billion as of 26 March 2025, ranking him among the richest people globally.
Legacy: Smalltalk principles influence modern languages and GUIs
Ongoing recognition of Smalltalk's influence on Java, Python, Objective-C, modern IDEs, MVC, JIT compilation and educational programming environments like Scratch.
Donated $140 million to Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College announced a $140 million donation from George Roberts and designated the Roberts Campus.
Daughter Nicola Peltz marries Brooklyn Beckham
Nicola Peltz married Brooklyn Beckham in a Jewish ceremony at the Peltz Palm Beach residence 'Montsorrel'.
Suspended 2020 presidential campaign
Suspended his campaign for the 2020 Democratic nomination in April 2020 amid Biden's delegate lead and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran named Chairman of Tata Sons
Selection committee named N. Chandrasekaran as the new chairman; he assumed the role in February 2017, and Ratan Tata returned to retirement.
Death of Edsel Ford
Edsel Ford died of stomach cancer at age 49; Henry Ford nominally resumed control of the company.
Retired from Navy (final retirement)
Retired from active duty on August 14, 1986 after more than 42 years of service; at retirement she was the oldest active‑duty commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy.
Forbes net worth estimate
As of October 2021 Forbes estimated Peltz's net worth at approximately $1.7 billion.
Forbes estimated net worth at $106 billion (2021)
Forbes estimated Bloomberg's net worth at about $106 billion in 2021, ranking him among the world's richest.
Announced retirement from Palo Alto High School
Campanile article (June 2, 2020) announced her retirement; she taught at Palo Alto High School from 1984 to 2020.
Inducted into Licensing International Hall of Fame
Honored for her extensive licensing and merchandising career in 2020.
Lost doctoral dissertation discovered by Computer History Museum
In 2020 the Computer History Museum located a copy of Ritchie's long-lost PhD dissertation draft and worked with families to document it.
House impeaches President Trump (first of second speakership)
House voted to impeach President Trump in December 2019; articles later sent to Senate (Senate acquitted).
Awarded Medal of Honor by Carlos III University of Madrid
Carlos III University of Madrid decorated Carlos Slim with a Medal of Honor (Oct 30, 2019).
Opened formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump
Launched a House impeachment inquiry after the Ukraine whistleblower allegations (September 2019).
Received Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy (with wife Hannelore)
Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham jointly received the Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy in recognition of climate philanthropy leadership.
Donated $70 million to UC San Diego for Tata Institute for Genetics & Society (TIGS)
Tata Trusts donated $70M to UC San Diego to establish TIGS; later Tata Hall (research facility) opened on campus.
💡 What this means for you
At age 79, you're at a pivotal point where many successful entrepreneurs made their breakthrough. Whether you're building your first company or scaling an existing one, these examples show what's possible with focus and execution.
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