Who is John Galt?

I read Atlas Shrugged when I was very young. I was at the age of fiction and I wonder how or why I managed to pick up a novel like that. Well, to say the least, I was very disappointed with it. Apart from the basic plot and a bit of the philosophy I frankly didn't get the rest of it. And I found the book to be over hyped. (Same with Fountainhead- I couldn't bring myself to finish it also, coz i found it just too stupid.)

Well today I think I understand and relate to the book much more, esp. coming from a place like Calcutta, where the "looters and moochers" are abundant ;)

Umm, also on a completely different note I like the concept of the title- Atlas Shrugged. Sometimes you do get the feeling that Atlas should just shrug and let it all go- give the world a big shake. This could be true of anything- study groups on campus, teams at the workplace, a family, a relationship.

I am esp. enamoured by the whole secrecy about John Galt and the last part of the novel - where he creates his own world. Aisa hi ego hona chahiye and guts to say that, "I will stop the motor of the world"...