Age: 66
Occupation: Burmese opposition leader
Just two years ago, the democracy icon was under house arrest, part of her nearly two decades spent locked up by the country's ruling junta. But since Burma's surprising transition to a quasi-civilian government, Suu Kyi is running for a seat in the April 1 legislative by-elections. A single seat in parliament might not seem like much, but for the Nobel laureate whose nonviolent commitment to freedom has inspired countless others, the symbolism of finally joining the government would be truly revolutionary.