Alexander P. Borodin (1833-1887)--great composer, army physician and distinguished scientist-chemist.

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (Figure 1) was born on November 12, 1833, in the capital of the Imperial Russia St. Petersburg, as a rejected and illegitimate son of 62-year-old Georgian prince Luka Gedevanishvili (according to one historical source) or prince Luka Stepanovich Gedeonov (second historical source) and a 37 years younger Russian peasant Evdokia Konstantinovna Antonovna. The father forgot Borodin’s name and enrolled him in the birth registry as the son of a room made, Jevdokia, and an indoor servant, Borodin Porfiryevich. On his deathbed in 1843 Luka Gedeonov admitted Alexander Borodin as his son and released him of obligations as servant .