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Russian composer, chemist, and prominent member of 'The Mighty Handful' known for blending Russian folk themes with Romantic orchestration.Borodin was born an illegitimate son of a Georgian prince.Trained as a chemist, he became a respected professor.Composed music primarily as an avocation alongside his scientific career.A key figure in Russian nationalist music alongside Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui, and Balakirev.His most famous works include the opera 'Prince Igor' (featuring the 'Polovtsian Dances'), the symphonic poem 'In the Steppes of Central Asia', and his Second Symphony ('Bogatyr').

• Borodin was a highly accomplished chemist who made significant contributions to organic chemistry, particularly in the study of aldehydes.
• His musical output was limited because composing was strictly an avocation; his primary career and responsibilities were in chemistry and teaching.
• His masterpiece, the opera 'Prince Igor', was left unfinished at his death due to his scientific commitments. It was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov.
• Borodin died suddenly of a heart attack during a costume ball at his own home in St. Petersburg.
• He was a notable advocate for women's education in medicine and helped establish medical courses for women in Russia.