Famous Indian Philosophers

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Rabindranath Tagore
27
Birthdate: May 7, 1861
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: August 7, 1941

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian polymath who contributed greatly to the fields of literature, art, and philosophy. Referred to as the Bard of Bengal, Tagore is credited with reshaping Bengali literature and music. The first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, Tagore is also credited with composing the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.

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Chanakya
(Philosopher, Theologian)
Chanakya
23
Birthdate: 0371 BC
Birthplace: India
Died: 0283 BC

Chanakya was an ancient Indian philosopher, teacher, jurist, economist, and royal advisor. Widely regarded as the pioneer of economics and political science in India, Chanakya is believed to have played a key role in the formation of the great Maurya Empire. He authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra, which is considered as one of the seminal texts on statecraft.

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Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
(2nd President of India (1962 – 1967), 1st Vice President of India (1952 - 1962))
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
13
Birthdate: September 5, 1888
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Thiruttani, Tamil Nadu, India
Died: April 17, 1975

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the second President of India and served from 1962 to 1967. He is regarded as one of India’s most eminent scholars and wrote extensively on Indian philosophy and religion. Lifelong he defended Hindu traditions and culture against criticism from the West. September 5, his birthday, is observed as Teachers Day in India, in his honour.

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 4 
Amartya Sen
(Indian Philosopher, Economist and Winner of 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences)
Amartya Sen
16
Birthdate: November 3, 1933
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India
Indian economist Amartya Sen was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his contributions to welfare economics and social choice theory. Sen is known for his development of more sophisticated measures of poverty, and also for his work on the causes and prevention of famines. He is considered an important contemporary liberal thinker for his views about the nature and primacy of liberty. 
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Raja Ram Mohan Roy
(Socio-religious Reformer)
Raja Ram Mohan Roy
12
Birthdate: May 22, 1772
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Radhanagore, West Bengal, India
Died: September 27, 1833

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian social and religious reformer. He is credited with co-founding the Brahmo Sabha, a social-religious reform movement. Often referred to as the Father of the Bengal Renaissance, Roy has had an influential role in fields like politics, education, and religion. In 2004, he was ranked 10th in BBC's Greatest Bengali of all time poll.

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Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(Educator & Social Reformer He is Considered the "Father of Bengali prose")
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
10
Birthdate: September 26, 1820
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Birsingha, West Bengal, India
Died: July 29, 1891

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was an Indian social reformer and educator. He is best remembered for his efforts to modernize and simplify Bengali prose for which he is widely regarded as the father of Bengali prose. As a social reformer, Vidyasagar played a crucial role in enacting the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, which legalized the remarriage of Hindu widows in India. 

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Ramana Maharshi
(Indian Hindu Sage and Jivanmukta)
Ramana Maharshi
10
Birthdate: December 30, 1879
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tiruchuzhi, Virudhunagar, India
Died: April 14, 1950

Indian Hindu sage Ramana Maharshi had run away to Arunachala, a sacred mountain in Tamil Nadu, at 16, and had stayed there throughout his life. He propagated vichara, or self-enquiry, as the primary means of self-realization, instead of the study of scriptures as proposed by the Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

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Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
(Indian Islamic Reformer and Educationist Who Founded the ‘Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College’, the First Muslim University in Southern Asia)
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
11
Birthdate: October 17, 1817
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Delhi, India
Died: March 27, 1898
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University. He is accredited as the father of Two-Nation Theory and is regarded as the originator of Muslim nationalism in India. A proponent of freedom of speech and democratic ideals, he propelled social and educational reforms.
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Swami Vivekananda
(Indian Monk & Philosopher Who Introduced the Vedanta and Yoga to the Western World)
Swami Vivekananda
18
Birthdate: January 12, 1863
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: July 4, 1902

The founder of the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math, Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, and spiritual leader. He is credited with introducing the Indian philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the Western world. He is also credited with elevating the status of Hinduism as a major religion in the modern world by raising interfaith awareness.

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Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
(Independence Activist, Reformer)
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
19
Birthdate: May 28, 1883
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bhagur
Died: February 26, 1966

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was an Indian politician and independence activist. He formulated the Hindu nationalist philosophy of Hindutva and was a leading figure in the Hindu Mahasabha. He was known for his strong oratory skills and was an eloquent writer. He was initially charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi but was later acquitted.

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Tiruvalluvar
(Poet)
Tiruvalluvar
6
Birthplace: Uncertain: Madurai,Chennai, India

Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar, also known as Valluvar, had written some of the finest masterpieces of Tamil literature, such as his collection of couplets, Tirukkural. His towering statue adorns the coast of Kanyakumari, the southern-most tip of India. He is also known as the patron saint of bus drivers in Chennai.

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Nagarjuna
(Philosopher)
Nagarjuna
4
Birthdate: 0150 AD
Birthplace: Andhra Pradesh, India
Died: 0250 AD
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
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Ramanuja
(Philosopher)
Ramanuja
8
Birthdate: 1017 AD
Birthplace: Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India
Died: 1137 AD
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Vyasa
(Author)
Vyasa
8
Birthplace: Kalpi

Indian sage Vyasa, also known as Vedavyasa, is regarded as the author of one of the most significant Indian epics, the Mahabharata. Considered one of the seven immortals of Hinduism, he is also credited with dividing the Vedas into four parts and penned the eighteen Puranas.

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Patanjali
(Author)
Patanjali
7
Birthplace: India
Died: 0150 AD
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Abul A'la Maududi
(Philosopher)
Abul A'la Maududi
9
Birthdate: September 25, 1903
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Aurangabad, India
Died: September 22, 1979

Islamic scholar and philosopher Abul A'la Maududi was born into an elite Aurangabad family. He grew up to be fundamentalist who believed Islam should be free of Western influences and launched the Jamaʿat-i Islami. Though an important figure in Pakistani politics, he was also imprisoned for a while for opposing the government.

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Vinoba Bhave
(Indian Social Reformer and Philosopher Best Known for the 'Bhoodan Movement')
Vinoba Bhave
4
Birthdate: September 11, 1895
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Died: November 15, 1982

Vinoba Bhave was an Indian social reformer and advocate of human rights and nonviolence. A close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhave played an important role in the Indian freedom movement. In 1958, he became the first person to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership. In 1983, Vinoba Bhave was posthumously honored with the prestigious Bharat Ratna award.

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Osho Rajneesh
(Indian Spiritual Leader and Founder of the ‘Rajneesh Movement’)
Osho Rajneesh
24
Birthdate: December 11, 1931
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Died: January 19, 1990

Osho Rajneesh was an Indian godman and mystic. Also known as Acharya Rajneesh and Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh, he was the founder of the Rajneesh movement. He preached the importance of meditation, mindfulness, celebration,  love, courage, and creativity and called for a more open attitude to human sexuality, because of which he was considered a controversial new religious movement leader. 

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Purandara Dasa
(Poet)
Purandara Dasa
4
Birthdate: 1484 AD
Birthplace: Shimoga, Karnataka, India
Died: January 2, 1564
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Kabir
(Saint and Mystic Poet)
Kabir
9
Birthdate: 1440 AD
Birthplace: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: 1518 AD

Kabir was an Indian saint and mystic poet whose works influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, which in turn played a key role in the formation of Sikhism, the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. Kabir is an important figure in both Hinduism and Islam and his legacy continues to live through a religious community known as the Kabir panth.

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M. N. Roy
(Indian Marxist Revolutionary, Political Theorist and a Noted Philosopher of the 20th Century)
M. N. Roy
7
Birthdate: March 21, 1887
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: West Bengal, India
Died: January 25, 1954

Apart from being one of the co-founders of the Communist Party of India, M. N. Roy also established the Mexican Communist Party. Jailed for his political activities, he penned the nine-volume Prison Manuscripts in prison. He later joined the Indian National Congress but quit it soon after.

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Debendranath Tagore
(Philosopher)
Debendranath Tagore
3
Birthdate: May 15, 1817
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kolkata
Died: January 19, 1905
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Akka Mahadevi
Akka Mahadevi
4
Birthplace: Karnataka
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Ramakrishna Paramhamsa
(Spiritual & Religious Leader)
Ramakrishna Paramhamsa
8
Birthdate: February 18, 1836
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kamarpukur, West Bengal, India
Died: August 16, 1886

The widely revered Hindu religious leader and saint who had a large following was known for promoting the ancient Indian philosophy of Advaita Vedanta and Bhakti. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a devotee of Goddess Kali who he worshipped as the universal mother. His marriage to Sharada Devi was never consummated. Swami Vivekanada was the most famous disciple of the Bengal-born mystic.

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Adi Shankara
(Indian Vedic Scholar and Advaita Philosopher)
Adi Shankara
3
Birthdate: 0700 AD
Birthplace: Kaladi, India
Died: 0750 AD
Indian philosopher and theologian Adi Shankaracharya, or Adi Shankara, promoted the Hindu philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. His Sanskrit works talk about concepts such as the Ātman and Nirguna Brahman. He criticized the Mīmāṃsā school and explained the differences between Hinduism and Buddhism. He also established four "mathas," or monasteries.
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Samarth Ramdas
(Indian Hindu Saint, Philosopher, Poet, Writer and Spiritual Master)
Samarth Ramdas
3
Birthdate: 1608 AD
Birthplace: Maharashtra, India
Died: 1681 AD

Samarth Ramdas was an Indian saint, poet, writer, philosopher, and spiritual master. He worked towards resurrecting the Hindu culture after it was impaired by several foreign invasions in India. He also worked towards promoting and preserving the Maratha culture. He also supported the participation of women in social and religious work, which was uncommon at that time.

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Sri Aurobindo
(Philosopher, Spiritual Leader)
Sri Aurobindo
7
Birthdate: August 15, 1872
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: December 5, 1950

Sri Aurobindo was an Indian philosopher, poet, yogi, teacher, and nationalist. He was one of the most influential leaders of the Indian independence movement before becoming a spiritual reformer, focusing on spiritual evolution and human progress. He is credited with founding the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, which continues to serve spiritual aspirants from all over the world.

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Vātsyāyana
(Indian Philosopher Known for Authoring the 'Kama Sutra')
Vātsyāyana
0
Birthplace: Bihar, India
 29 
Ramchandra Gandhi
(Author, Philosopher, University teacher, Writer)
Ramchandra Gandhi
3
Birthdate: June 9, 1937
Sun Sign: Gemini
Died: June 13, 2007
 30 
Ahmad Sirhindi
(Indian Scholar, Jurist and Philosopher)
Ahmad Sirhindi
7
Birthdate: May 26, 1564
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sirhind, Punjab, India
Died: December 10, 1624

Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi was an Indian Islamic scholar. A member of the famous Naqshbandī Sufi order, Sirhindi was widely known as a reviver for his work in resurrecting Islam during Mughal Emperor Akbar's reign. He is also remembered for his contributions to Sufi practices and epistemology. There is a shrine named Rauza Sharif dedicated to Sirhindi in Sirhind, Punjab, India.

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Anandamayi Ma
(Philosopher)
Anandamayi Ma
6
Birthdate: April 30, 1896
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bengal
Died: August 27, 1982
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Jaggi Vasudev
(Yoga Guru)
Jaggi Vasudev
35
Birthdate: September 3, 1957
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Mysore, Karnataka, India

The recipient of Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award of India, Jaggi Vasudev is a mystic, yogi, and author.  His spiritual program called inner engineering is famous all over the world, particularly in the Western world. Popularly known as Sadhguru, Jaggi Vasudev's yoga programs, environmental initiatives, and educational and social initiatives have earned him celebrity status in India.

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Keshab Chunder Sen
(Indian Philosopher and Social Reformer Known for Incorporating Christian Theology in Hindu Framework)
Keshab Chunder Sen
3
Birthdate: November 19, 1838
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: January 8, 1884

Keshab Chunder Sen was an Indian social reformer and philosopher. Although he was born a Hindu, Sen thought highly of Christian theology and wanted to incorporate the theology of Christian practice into the framework of Hindu thought. By the use of Christian missionary methods, Keshab Chunder Sen effected several social reforms in India.

 34 
Eknath
(Indian Hindu Saint, Philosopher and Poet)
Eknath
2
Birthdate: 1533 AD
Birthplace: Paithan, India
Died: 1599 AD

Sant Eknath was an Indian Hindu saint, philosopher, and poet who lived in the 16th-century. A devotee of the Hindu deity Krishna, he is considered a major figure of the Warkari tradition. Hindu scholars often view him as a spiritual successor to the prominent Marathi saints Dnyaneshwar and Namdev. He wrote a variation of the Hindu religious text Bhagavata Purana.  

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Aśvaghoṣa
(First Sanskrit Dramatist, and the Greatest Indian Poet Prior to Kālidāsa)
Aśvaghoṣa
3
Birthdate: 0080 AD
Birthplace: Ayodhya, India
Died: 0150 AD

Aśvaghoṣa was an Indian Buddhist philosopher, poet, dramatist, and orator. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Indian poets of all time, Aśvaghoṣa was the most popular and important poet among a group of Buddhist court writers. He is credited with writing two of the most important Sanskrit-language poems held dear by the Buddhist community—Buddhacharita and Saundarananda.

Paramahansa Yogananda
8
Birthdate: January 5, 1893
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: March 7, 1952

Paramahansa Yogananda was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi, and guru. He is known for introducing the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) / Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India to millions across the world. He authored the book Autobiography of a Yogi and is considered the Father of Yoga in the West.

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Jiddu Krishnamurti
(Public Speaker & Philosopher)
Jiddu Krishnamurti
10
Birthdate: May 12, 1895
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Madanapalle
Died: February 17, 1986

Jiddu Krishnamurti was an Indian philosopher, speaker, and writer. Many years after his death, Krishnamurti's supporters oversee several schools based on his views and ideas. The Krishnamurti Foundation runs several schools in India and foreign countries. Among those who were influenced by his works were Toni Packer, Dada Dharmadhikari, and Achyut Patwardhan.

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Yajnavalkya
(Indian Philosopher)
Yajnavalkya
4
Birthplace: Vadnagar, India
 39 
Ashfaq Ahmed
(Philosopher, Literary critic)
Ashfaq Ahmed
4
Birthdate: August 22, 1925
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Firozpur
Died: September 7, 2004
 40 
Shibli Nomani
(Former writer known for the founding of the Shibli National College in 1883 and the Darul Mussanifin)
Shibli Nomani
3
Birthdate: June 3, 1857
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: November 18, 1914
 41 
Abhinavagupta
(Indian Philosopher and Theologian)
Abhinavagupta
2
Birthdate: 0950 AD
Birthplace: Kashmir
Died: 1016 AD

Abhinavagupta was a 1st-century philosopher, mystic, and aesthetician from Kashmir. He was also known as a musician, dramatist, theologian, and poet. Born into a family of scholars and mystics, he received his training from multiple teachers. His best-known work is Tantrāloka, an encyclopedic treatise covering a wide range of topics. Despite traveling widely, he was not a wandering monk. 

 42 
Shishunala Sharif
(Indian Poet and Philosopher)
Shishunala Sharif
3
Birthdate: July 3, 1819
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Shishuvinahala, Karnataka, India
Died: March 7, 1889
 43 
Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar
(Poet, Composer, Philosopher, Philanthropist, Musicologist, Politician)
Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar
3
Birthdate: July 18, 1919
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mysore Palace
Died: September 23, 1974

Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar was the maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1940 to 1971. He was the son of Yuvaraja Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wadiyar and Yuvarani Kempu Cheluvajamanni. Even though the monarchy was abolished in 1950, he continued to hold the title of maharaja until 1971. He was also known as a philosopher, musicologist, and political thinker.

 44 
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
(Philosopher)
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
2
Birthdate: May 21, 1921
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bihar
Died: October 21, 1990
 45 
Shridhara
(Mathematician)
Shridhara
2
Birthdate: 0870 AD
Birthplace: India
Died: 0930 AD

Tenth century Indian mathematician, philosopher and Sanskrit scholar Śrīdhara Ācāryya is chiefly known for his two mathematical treaties; Patiganita (the science of arithmetic) and Trisatika (also called Patiganitasara ). In Bījaganita, his treaties on algebra, he provided practical algebraic applications and also a formula for solving quadratic equations.  Other scholarly treaties attributed to him are Navasatī, Bṛhatpati, Ganitasara and Ganitapanchavimashi.

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Hemachandra
(Indian Scholar, Poet, Mathematician, Philosopher, and Grammarian)
Hemachandra
2
Birthdate: 1088 AD
Birthplace: Dhandhuka, India
Died: 1173 AD

Hemachandra was an Indian Jain mathematician, poet, scholar, and polymath. He played an important role as King Kumarapala's advisor during the latter's reign during which Gujarat became a center of culture. Hemachandra's influence over the king helped establish Jainism as the official religion of Gujarat. He also played a significant role in banning animal slaughter in Gujarat.

 47 
Bhartṛhari
(Indian Hindu Linguistic Philosopher and Poet)
Bhartṛhari
1
Birthdate: 0570 AD
Birthplace: Ujjain, India
Died: 0651 AD

Bhartrihari was a 5th-century Sanskrit writer. The influential Sanskrit text, the Vākyapadīya, a treatise on Sanskrit grammar and linguistic philosophy, is ascribed to him. He is also credited to have written the Śatakatraya, a work of Sanskrit poetry. Both these works are considered seminal in their respective fields. Not much is known about his personal life. 

 48 
Vidyaranya
(Jagadguru of the Śringeri Śarada Pītham (1374-1386))
Vidyaranya
2
Birthdate: 1296 AD
Birthplace: India
Died: 1391 AD
 49 
Matsyendra
(Indian Religious leader)
Matsyendra
1
Birthplace: Kamarupa, India
 50 
Subhash Kak
(Indian-American Computer Scientist and Historical Revisionist)
Subhash Kak
1
Birthdate: March 26, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Subhash Kak is an Indian-American historical revisionist and computer scientist whose published works on the philosophy of science, history of science, and ancient astronomy have influenced several Indian scientists. In 2019, he was honored with India's fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri.