Robert Baden-Powell (1857 – 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, and the founder of the worldwide Scouting movement. His book Scouting for Boys (1908) became the foundation of the Boy Scouts, emphasizing outdoor skills, leadership, and moral values.
Educated at Charterhouse, Baden-Powell served in the British Army from 1876 to 1910, gaining fame for his defense of Mafeking during the Second Boer War. His military experiences shaped his ideas on youth training, leading to the first experimental Scout camp on Brownsea Island in 1907. In 1910, he retired from the army to focus on developing the Scouting movement, which rapidly spread worldwide. He also co-founded the Girl Guides with his sister Agnes.
Baden-Powell continued to guide the movement until his retirement in 1937. He spent his final years in Kenya, where he died in 1941. His legacy endures through Scouting organizations that continue to instill leadership and service in millions of young people globally.