The people of Hindu history

Rulers, warriors, queens, rishis, acharyas, saints, poets, scientists, reformers and freedom fighters.

222People

Bhagwan Mahavira

Vikramaditya VI

222 shown

599–527 BCE (Jain tradition; some historians place him c. 540–468 BCE)

Bhagwan Mahavira

Twenty-fourth Tirthankara of the Jains

Acharya

c. 563–483 BCE (conventional; many scholars now prefer c. 480–400 BCE)

Gautama Buddha

Founder of the Buddha Dhamma

Ruler

Treta Yuga (traditional reckoning)

Shri Rama

Maryada Purushottam, king of Ayodhya

Ruler

End of the Dvapara Yuga; Kali Yuga began at his departure, 3102 BCE (traditional reckoning)

Shri Krishna

Lord of Dvaraka, teacher of the Gita

Acharya

4th century BCE (Jain tradition)

Acharya Bhadrabahu

Last Shrutakevali; Jain guide of Chandragupta Maurya

Ruler

c. 1st–2nd century CE (Sangam age)

Karikala Chola

Greatest king of the early Cholas

Ruler

Fought Alexander 326 BCE; killed c. 317 BCE

Raja Puru (Porus)

King between the Jhelum and Chenab

Poet

12th century CE (most scholars; some place him in the 9th)

Kambar

Tamil poet of the Ramavataram

Poet

11th century CE (fl. under Rajaraja Narendra, r. c. 1022–1061)

Nannaya Bhattaraka

Adikavi of Telugu, began the Andhra Mahabharatamu

Poet

12th century CE (minister of Kulottunga II, r. 1133–1150)

Sekkizhar

Author of the Periya Puranam

Poet

11th century CE (fl. c. 1065–1100)

Bilhana

Kashmiri poet at the Chalukya court of Kalyani

Scholar

Late 11th–early 12th century CE

Vijnaneshvara

Author of the Mitakshara on Hindu law

Poet

Date debated: between the 4th and 9th century CE; many place him in the late Gupta age

Vishakhadatta

Playwright of the Mudrarakshasa

Queen

Regent of the Vakatakas from c. 390 CE

Prabhavatigupta

Gupta princess, Vakataka queen and regent

Ruler

r. c. 130–150 CE

Rudradaman I

Western Kshatrapa king of Ujjayini

Ruler

Reigned c. 544–492 BCE (Lankan chronicle reckoning)

Bimbisara

King of Magadha, Haryanka dynasty

Ruler

Reigned c. 492–460 BCE

Ajatashatru

Haryanka king who broke the Vajji league

Ruler

Founded Nanda rule, 4th century BCE (c. 345 BCE)

Mahapadma Nanda

Founder of the Nanda empire of Magadha

Ruler

Reigned c. 321–297 BCE

Chandragupta Maurya

Founder of the Maurya empire

Ruler

Reigned c. 297–273 BCE

Bindusara

Second Maurya emperor, father of Ashoka

Ruler

Reigned c. 268–232 BCE

Ashoka

Maurya emperor of the Dhamma edicts

Ruler

Reigned c. 185–149 BCE

Pushyamitra Shunga

Founder of the Shunga dynasty

Ruler

1st century BCE (dating debated, 2nd–1st century BCE)

Kharavela

Jain emperor of Kalinga

Ruler

Reigned c. 106–130 CE (one common reckoning)

Gautamiputra Satakarni

Satavahana king who crushed the Shakas

Ruler

Reigned c. 335–375 CE

Samudragupta

Gupta conqueror, poet and vina player

Ruler

Reigned c. 380–415 CE

Chandragupta II Vikramaditya

Gupta emperor who took Ujjain from the Shakas

Ruler

Reigned c. 415–455 CE

Kumaragupta I

Gupta emperor, founder of Nalanda

Ruler

Reigned c. 455–467 CE

Skandagupta

Gupta emperor who threw back the Hunas

Ruler

Fl. c. 515–545 CE; Mandsaur inscription 532 CE

Yashodharman

King of Malwa who humbled Mihirakula

Ruler

Reigned c. 610–642 CE

Pulakeshin II

Chalukya emperor of Badami, lord of Dakshinapatha

Ruler

Reigned c. 600–630 CE

Mahendravarman I

Pallava king, cave-temple builder, playwright

Ruler

Reigned c. 630–668 CE

Narasimhavarman I Mamalla

Pallava king who took Vatapi

Ruler

Reigned c. 724–760 CE

Lalitaditya Muktapida

Karkota emperor of Kashmir, builder of Martand

Ruler

Reigned c. 775–810 CE

Dharmapala

Pala emperor of Bengal and Bihar

Ruler

Reigned c. 730–760 CE

Nagabhata I

Founder of Pratihara power, checked the Arabs

Ruler

Reigned c. 836–885 CE

Mihira Bhoja

Pratihara emperor at Kanyakubja

Ruler

Reigned until 712 CE

Raja Dahir

Last Hindu king of Sindh

Ruler

8th century CE (Mewar tradition: c. 728–753)

Bappa Rawal

Founder-hero of the Guhilas of Mewar

Ruler

Reigned c. 964–1001 CE

Jayapala

Hindu Shahi king who faced Ghazni

Ruler

Reigned c. 1002–1010 CE

Anandapala

Hindu Shahi king, led the Waihind coalition

Warrior

Remembered for 1033 CE (Mirat-i-Masudi)

Suheldev

Raja of Shravasti in Awadh tradition

Ruler

Reigned 985–1014 CE

Rajaraja Chola I

Chola emperor, builder of Thanjavur’s Rajarajeshvaram

Ruler

Reigned 1014–1044 CE (co-regent from 1012)

Rajendra Chola I

Chola emperor who reached the Ganga and Srivijaya

Ruler

Reigned 1070–1122 CE

Kulottunga Chola I

Chalukya-Chola emperor who abolished tolls

Ruler

Reigned 1076–1126 CE

Vikramaditya VI

Western Chalukya emperor at Kalyani

Ruler

Reigned c. 1010–1055 CE

Raja Bhoja

Paramara king of Malwa, scholar and builder

Ruler

Reigned c. 1003–1035 CE

Vidyadhara

Chandela king who faced Mahmud of Ghazni

Queen

Regent of Gujarat, 1175–1178 CE

Naiki Devi

Chaulukya queen mother, victor of Kasahrada

Ruler

Reigned c. 941–996 CE

Mularaja I

Founder of the Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty

Queen

reigned c. 1262–1289 CE

Rudrama Devi

Kakatiya queen who ruled in her own name

Ruler

reigned 1289–1323 CE

Prataparudra

Last Kakatiya king of Warangal

Ruler

reigned 1283–1301 CE

Hammiradeva Chauhan

Chauhan king of Ranthambore

Ruler

reigned c. 1326–1364 CE

Rana Hammir Singh

Recovered Chittor; founder of the Sisodia line

Queen

Siege of Chittor, 1303 CE

Rani Padmini

Queen of Chittor, remembered for the jauhar

Ruler

reigned 1433–1468 CE

Rana Kumbha

Builder-king of Mewar, victor of Sarangpur

Ruler

reigned 1336–1356 CE

Harihara I

Founder of the Vijayanagara empire

Ruler

reigned 1356–1377 CE

Bukka Raya I

Vijayanagara king who freed Madurai

Ruler

regent c. 1542–1565 CE

Aliya Rama Raya

Regent of Vijayanagara, killed at Talikota

Queen

fl. 1550s–1570s CE

Rani Abbakka Chowta

Queen of Ullal who fought the Portuguese

Queen

ruled 1671–1696 CE

Keladi Chennamma

Queen of Keladi who sheltered Chhatrapati Rajaram

Warrior

ruled c. 1333–1368 CE

Musunuri Kapaya Nayaka

Freed Warangal from the Tughlaqs

Ruler

reigned 1228–1268 CE

Sukaphaa

Founder of the Ahom kingdom of Assam

Ruler

reigned 1540–1587 CE

Naranarayan

Koch king who rebuilt Kamakhya

Ruler

reigned 1434–1467 CE

Kapilendra Deva

Founder of the Gajapati dynasty of Odisha

Warrior

d. 4 February 1670

Tanaji Malusare

Subhedar who took Kondhana and fell

Warrior

d. 13 July 1660

Baji Prabhu Deshpande

Held the pass while Shivaji reached Vishalgad

Warrior

fought 1755–1767 CE

Puli Thevar

Palaiyakkarar of Nerkattumseval

Rishi

End of the Dvapara Yuga (traditional reckoning)

Maharshi Vyasa

Divider of the Veda, author of the Mahabharata

Rishi

Treta Yuga (traditional reckoning)

Maharshi Valmiki

Adi Kavi, author of the Ramayana

Rishi

Vedic age and Treta Yuga (traditional reckoning)

Maharshi Vasishtha

Seer of Rigveda Mandala 7, guru of the Raghus

Rishi

Vedic age and Treta Yuga (traditional reckoning)

Maharshi Vishvamitra

Seer of the Gayatri mantra

Rishi

Vedic age and Treta Yuga (traditional reckoning)

Maharshi Agastya

Rishi who carried the Veda south

Rishi

Vedic age, court of Janaka of Videha

Maharshi Yajnavalkya

Seer of the Shukla Yajurveda

Rishi

Vedic age, court of Janaka of Videha

Gargi Vachaknavi

Brahmavadini who questioned Yajnavalkya

Rishi

Vedic age, Videha

Maitreyi

Brahmavadini, wife of Yajnavalkya

Rishi

Vedic age and Treta Yuga (traditional reckoning)

Maharshi Bharadvaja

Seer of Rigveda Mandala 6

Rishi

Svayambhuva Manvantara (Puranic reckoning)

Kapila Muni

Teacher of Sankhya, avatar of Vishnu

Rishi

c. 2nd century BCE (time of Pushyamitra Shunga)

Maharshi Patanjali

Author of the Yoga Sutras and Mahabhashya

Scholar

c. 5th–4th century BCE

Panini

Grammarian, author of the Ashtadhyayi

Scholar

4th century BCE

Kautilya (Chanakya)

Author of the Arthashastra, maker of the Maurya empire

Scientist

Date debated; before the Gupta age

Acharya Charaka

Redactor of the Charaka Samhita of Ayurveda

Scientist

Kashi, before the common era (date debated)

Acharya Sushruta

Father of surgery, author of the Sushruta Samhita

Scientist

6th century CE; died 587 CE (per Amaraja)

Varahamihira

Astronomer of Ujjain, author of the Brihat Samhita

Scientist

Vedic age (Krishna Yajurveda tradition)

Baudhayana

Author of the Baudhayana Shulba Sutra

Scholar

Before the common era (date debated)

Acharya Pingala

Author of the Chandahshastra, science of metre

Poet

c. 4th–5th century CE

Mahakavi Kalidasa

Greatest poet and playwright of Sanskrit

Poet

c. 5th century CE (date debated)

Bhartrihari

Poet of the Shatakatraya, philosopher of language

Poet

7th century CE, court of Harsha

Banabhatta

Court poet of Harsha, author of Kadambari

Scholar

12th century CE; Rajatarangini 1148–1150 CE

Kalhana

Historian of Kashmir, author of the Rajatarangini

Poet

12th century CE

Jayadeva

Poet of the Gita Govinda

Scholar

c. 4th–6th century CE (date debated)

Amarasimha

Author of the Amarakosha, the Sanskrit thesaurus

Poet

Sangam age (date debated)

Thiruvalluvar

Author of the Thirukkural

Poet

Sangam age; a later Avvaiyar in the medieval period

Avvaiyar

Tamil poetess, author of the Aathichoodi

Acharya

Nimbarka Sampradaya: close of the Dvapara Yuga · historians: between the 7th and 13th century CE

Nimbarkacharya

Acharya of Dvaitadvaita and Radha-Krishna worship

Saint

12th century CE (died c. 1167)

Basavanna

Shiva bhakta, vachana poet, minister at Kalyana

Saint

Nath tradition: an eternal yogi, a form of Shiva · historians: c. 11th–12th century CE

Guru Gorakhnath

Mahayogi of the Nath sampradaya

Saint

15th–16th century CE

Guru Ravidas

Saint-poet of Kashi, singer of Begampura

Saint

Sri Vaishnava tradition: early Kali Yuga · historians: 8th century CE

Andal

The one woman among the twelve Alvars

Saint

Sri Vaishnava tradition: the opening of the Kali Yuga · historians: 9th century CE

Nammalvar

Foremost of the Alvars, poet of the Tiruvaymoli

Saint

7th century CE

Appar (Tirunavukkarasar)

Nayanar, singer of the Tevaram

Saint

7th century CE

Tirugnana Sambandar

Child-saint of Sirkazhi, singer of the Tevaram

Saint

Shaiva tradition: early centuries · historians: c. 9th century CE

Manikkavacakar

Poet of the Tiruvasagam

Acharya

d. 1386 CE · Sringeri pontiff 1380–1386

Vidyaranya

Sringeri acharya, guide of Vijayanagara’s founders

Scientist

Born 476 CE; Aryabhatiya 499 CE

Aryabhata

Astronomer-mathematician, author of the Aryabhatiya

Ruler

590–647 CE; reigned 606–647

Harshavardhana

Emperor of Kannauj, playwright

Scientist

Born 598 CE; Brahmasphutasiddhanta 628 CE

Brahmagupta

Mathematician who gave the rules of zero

Acharya

Amnaya Mathas: c. 509–477 BCE · widely used reckoning: 788–820 CE

Adi Shankaracharya

Teacher of Advaita Vedanta, founder of the four mathas

Ruler

Reigned 814–878 CE

Amoghavarsha I Nripatunga

Rashtrakuta emperor and scholar-king

Poet

Born 902 CE; his two great poems c. 941 CE

Adikavi Pampa

First great poet of Kannada

Acharya

c. 950–1016 CE

Abhinavagupta

Master of Kashmir Shaiva philosophy and aesthetics

Acharya

1017–1137 CE (Sri Vaishnava tradition)

Ramanujacharya

Acharya of Vishishtadvaita and the Sri Vaishnavas

Scientist

Born 1114 CE; Siddhanta Shiromani 1150 CE

Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara II)

Author of the Lilavati and Siddhanta Shiromani

Ruler

c. 1166–1192 CE; reigned 1178–1192

Prithviraj Chauhan

Chahamana king of Ajmer and Delhi

Acharya

1238–1317 CE (Madhva tradition)

Madhvacharya

Founder of Dvaita Vedanta and the Udupi mathas

Saint

c. 1270–1350 CE

Sant Namdev

Varkari saint, bhagat of the Guru Granth Sahib

Saint

1275–1296 CE

Sant Jnaneshwar

Varkari saint, author of the Jnaneshwari

Saint

c. 1320–c. 1392 CE

Lal Ded (Lalleshwari)

Kashmiri Shaiva yogini and poet of the vakh

Scientist

c. 1340–1425 CE

Madhava of Sangamagrama

Founder of the Kerala school of mathematics

Saint

Kabir Panth: 1398–1518 CE · historians: c. 1440–1518 CE

Sant Kabir

Weaver-saint of Kashi, poet of the nirguna Rama

Poet

1408–1503 CE

Tallapaka Annamacharya

Telugu singer of Venkateswara at Tirumala

Saint

c. 1414–c. 1481 CE

Narsinh Mehta

Krishna-bhakta of Junagadh, first poet of Gujarati

Saint

1449–1568 CE (Assamese tradition)

Srimanta Sankardev

Founder of Ekasarana Dharma in Assam

Saint

1469–1539 CE

Guru Nanak Dev

First Guru of the Sikhs

Ruler

reigned 1509–1529 CE

Krishnadevaraya

Greatest emperor of Vijayanagara, poet-king

Poet

c. 1478 – c. 1580 CE

Surdas

Blind singer of Krishna, first of the Ashtachhap

Acharya

1479–1531 CE

Vallabhacharya

Founder of Shuddhadvaita and the Pushti Marg

Ruler

1482–1528 CE; reigned 1508–1528

Rana Sanga

Maharana of Mewar, Babur’s foe at Khanwa

Saint

1484–1564 CE

Purandara Dasa

Haridasa saint, Pitamaha of Carnatic music

Saint

1486–1534 CE

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Saint of Nabadwip, teacher of sankirtana

Saint

c. 1498 – c. 1547 CE

Meerabai

Rajput princess who sang for Giridhar Gopal

Ruler

1501–1556 CE

Hemu Vikramaditya

Sur general who took Delhi in 1556

Saint

1509–1609 CE

Kanakadasa

Haridasa poet for whom Udupi Krishna turned

Warrior

c. 1510–1571 CE

Chilarai

Koch general of the north-east

Queen

1524–1564 CE

Rani Durgavati

Queen of Garha-Mandla, fell fighting the Mughals

Poet

1532–1623 CE (a tradition gives birth in 1497)

Goswami Tulsidas

Author of the Ramcharitmanas

Saint

1533–1599 CE

Sant Eknath

Varkari saint of Paithan, editor of the Jnaneshwari

Ruler

1540–1597 CE; reigned 1572–1597

Maharana Pratap

Maharana of Mewar who never submitted to Akbar

Saint

1563–1606 CE

Guru Arjan Dev

Fifth Sikh Guru, compiler of the Adi Granth

Saint

1608–1650 CE

Sant Tukaram

Varkari saint-poet of Dehu

Saint

1608 – Magha 1682 CE (often given as 1681)

Samarth Ramdas

Rama bhakta, author of the Dasbodh

Saint

1621–1675 CE

Guru Tegh Bahadur

Ninth Sikh Guru, Hind di Chadar

Warrior

1622–1672 CE

Lachit Borphukan

Ahom commander, victor of Saraighat

Ruler

1630–1680 CE; crowned 1674

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Founder of Hindavi Swarajya, crowned Chhatrapati

Warrior

1638–1718 CE

Durgadas Rathore

Saved Marwar’s heir from Aurangzeb

Ruler

1649–1731 CE

Maharaja Chhatrasal

Bundela king who freed Bundelkhand

Ruler

1657–1689 CE; reigned 1681–1689

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj

Second Chhatrapati, executed by Aurangzeb

Saint

1666–1708 CE

Guru Gobind Singh

Tenth Sikh Guru, founder of the Khalsa

Ruler

1670–1700 CE; Chhatrapati 1689–1700

Chhatrapati Rajaram

Third Chhatrapati, who held Swarajya from Jinji

Warrior

1670–1716 CE

Banda Singh Bahadur

Khalsa commander who took Sirhind

Queen

c. 1675–1761 CE; regent 1700–1707

Maharani Tarabai

Maratha regent who wore Aurangzeb down

Warrior

16 Mar 1693 – 20 May 1766

Malhar Rao Holkar

Founder of the Holkar house of Indore

Warrior

18 Aug 1700 – 28 Apr 1740; Peshwa from 1720

Peshwa Bajirao I

Peshwa who carried Maratha power north

Ruler

1705–1758 CE; ruled 1729–1758

Marthanda Varma

Maker of Travancore, victor of Kolachel

Ruler

1707–1763 CE; ruled 1755–1763

Maharaja Suraj Mal

Jat king of Bharatpur

Queen

31 May 1725 – 13 Aug 1795; ruled 1767–1795

Ahilyabai Holkar

Queen of Malwa who rebuilt the tirthas

Warrior

c. 1730 – 12 Feb 1794

Mahadji Shinde (Scindia)

Maratha general who held Delhi and Hindustan

Warrior

1730 – 14 Jan 1761

Sadashivrao Bhau

Commander of the Maratha army at Panipat

Queen

1730–1796 CE

Rani Velu Nachiyar

Queen who won back Sivaganga

Ruler

12 Feb 1742 – 13 Mar 1800

Nana Phadnavis

Minister who held the Peshwa state together

Ruler

14 Feb 1745 – 18 Nov 1772; Peshwa from 1761

Peshwa Madhavrao I

Peshwa who rebuilt Maratha power after Panipat

Warrior

Periya Marudhu 1748–1801; Chinna Marudhu 1753–1801

The Marudhu brothers

Rulers of Sivaganga, authors of the 1801 proclamation

Warrior

1756–1805 CE

Dheeran Chinnamalai

Kongu chieftain who fought the Company

Warrior

1760–1799 CE

Veerapandiya Kattabomman

Palaiyakkarar of Panchalankurichi, hanged at Kayathar

Warrior

1765–1809 CE

Velu Thampi Dalawa

Dalawa of Travancore who rose against the Company

Saint

1767–1847 CE

Tyagaraja

Composer-saint of Rama, of the Carnatic Trinity

Reformer

22 May 1772 – 27 September 1833

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Founder of the Brahmo Sabha, campaigner against sati

Saint

1775–1835 CE

Muthuswami Dikshitar

Composer of Sanskrit kritis, of the Carnatic Trinity

Ruler

3 Dec 1776 – 28 Oct 1811

Yashwantrao Holkar

Holkar ruler who fought the Company alone

Warrior

13 November 1777 – 26 April 1858

Veer Kunwar Singh

Raja of Jagdishpur, led 1857 in Bihar

Queen

1778–1829 CE

Rani Chennamma of Kittur

Queen of Kittur who fought the Company

Ruler

1780–1839 CE; Maharaja 1801–1839

Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Founder of the Sikh empire

Warrior

1784–1841 CE

Zorawar Singh Kahluria

Dogra general who won Ladakh and Baltistan

Warrior

1791–1837 CE

Hari Singh Nalwa

Sikh general who held the Khyber

Warrior

c. 1802 – 17 July 1835

U Tirot Sing

Khasi chief who fought the Company, 1829–33

Warrior

1814 – 18 April 1859

Tatya Tope

General of 1857, ten months a guerrilla

Reformer

26 September 1820 – 29 July 1891

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Sanskrit scholar who won widow remarriage

Reformer

12 February 1824 – 30 October 1883

Swami Dayananda Saraswati

Founder of the Arya Samaj

Freedom fighter

19 May 1824 – after 1859 (fate unknown)

Nana Saheb Peshwa

Adopted heir of the last Peshwa

Freedom fighter

19 July 1827 – 8 April 1857

Mangal Pandey

Sepoy who fired the first shot of 1857

Queen

19 November 1828 – 18 June 1858

Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi

Queen of Jhansi, killed fighting at Gwalior

Saint

18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Priest of Dakshineswar, guru of Vivekananda

Poet

27 June 1838 – 8 April 1894

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

Novelist, author of Vande Mataram

Freedom fighter

4 November 1845 – 17 February 1883

Vasudev Balwant Phadke

Led an armed rising in Maharashtra, 1879

Saint

22 December 1853 – 20 July 1920

Sri Sarada Devi

The Holy Mother of the Ramakrishna order

Reformer

1856 – 20 September 1928

Sree Narayana Guru

Advaita sage and reformer of Kerala

Freedom fighter

23 July 1856 – 1 August 1920

Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Lokmanya, voice of Swaraj, author of Gita Rahasya

Scientist

30 November 1858 – 23 November 1937

Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose

Pioneer of radio waves and plant physiology

Freedom fighter

7 November 1858 – 20 May 1932

Bipin Chandra Pal

Orator of Swadeshi, the ‘Pal’ of Lal-Bal-Pal

Poet

7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941

Rabindranath Tagore

Poet of Gitanjali, author of two national anthems

Reformer

25 December 1861 – 12 November 1946

Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya

Founder of Banaras Hindu University

Acharya

12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902

Swami Vivekananda

Monk who carried Vedanta to the world

Freedom fighter

28 January 1865 – 17 November 1928

Lala Lajpat Rai

Punjab Kesari, the Lion of Punjab

Freedom fighter

Damodar 25 June 1869 – 18 April 1898; Balkrishna 1873 – 12 May 1899; Vasudeo 1879/80 – 8 May 1899

The Chapekar brothers

Brothers who shot Pune’s plague commissioner, 1897

Freedom fighter

2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948

Mahatma Gandhi

Leader of satyagraha and the national movement

Acharya

15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950

Sri Aurobindo

Revolutionary nationalist, then yogi of Pondicherry

Freedom fighter

5 September 1872 – 18 November 1936

V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

Kappalottiya Thamizhan, who ran Swadeshi ships

Freedom fighter

15 November 1875 – 9 June 1900

Birsa Munda

Dharti Aba, leader of the Ulgulan

Freedom fighter

31 October 1875 – 15 December 1950

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sardar, who joined the princely states into India

Freedom fighter

10 December 1878 – 25 December 1972

C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji)

Last Governor-General; reteller of the Itihasas

Saint

30 December 1879 – 14 April 1950

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Sage of Arunachala, teacher of self-enquiry

Poet

11 December 1882 – 11 September 1921

Mahakavi Subramania Bharati

Tamil poet of the freedom movement

Freedom fighter

28 May 1883 – 26 February 1966

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Revolutionary, author of Hindutva

Freedom fighter

18 September 1883 – 17 August 1909

Madan Lal Dhingra

Revolutionary hanged at Pentonville, London

Freedom fighter

3 December 1884 – 28 February 1963

Dr Rajendra Prasad

First President of the Republic of India

Scientist

22 December 1887 – 26 April 1920

Srinivasa Ramanujan

Mathematician, Fellow of the Royal Society

Scholar

30 December 1887 – 8 February 1971

Kulapati K. M. Munshi

Founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, rebuilder of Somnath

Scientist

7 November 1888 – 21 November 1970

Sir C. V. Raman

Physicist, Nobel laureate 1930

Scholar

5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Philosopher and second President of India

Freedom fighter

3 December 1889 – 11 August 1908

Khudiram Bose

Hanged at eighteen at Muzaffarpur

Reformer

1 April 1889 – 21 June 1940

Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar

Founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

Reformer

14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956

Dr B. R. Ambedkar

Chairman of the Constitution’s Drafting Committee

Saint

5 January 1893 – 7 March 1952

Paramahansa Yogananda

Teacher of Kriya Yoga in the West

Acharya

20 May 1894 – 8 January 1994

Kanchi Paramacharya (Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati)

68th Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham

Acharya

1 September 1896 – 14 November 1977

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Gaudiya Vaishnava acharya, founder of ISKCON

Freedom fighter

11 June 1897 – 19 December 1927

Ram Prasad Bismil

Poet-revolutionary, leader of the Kakori action

Freedom fighter

23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945 (as found by the 1956 and 1974 inquiries)

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Netaji, head of the Azad Hind government

Freedom fighter

4 July 1897 – 7 May 1924

Alluri Sitarama Raju

Leader of the Rampa rising, 1922–24

Freedom fighter

6 July 1901 – 23 June 1953

Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee

Educationist, minister, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh

Freedom fighter

23 July 1906 – 27 February 1931

Chandrashekhar Azad

Commander of the HSRA, never taken alive

Freedom fighter

28 September 1907 – 23 March 1931

Shaheed Bhagat Singh

Revolutionary of the HSRA, hanged at twenty-three

Scientist

30 October 1909 – 24 January 1966

Homi Jehangir Bhabha

Physicist, founder of India’s atomic programme

Freedom fighter

26 January 1915 – 17 February 1993

Rani Gaidinliu

Naga leader of the Heraka faith and resistance