Eminent Personalities of Ancient India:
- Alexander : he was the ruler of Macedonia in Greece. He attacked India in 326 BC and captured upto river Bias.
- Ajatasatru : Son of Bimbisara. He established the city of Pataliputra.
- Arien : Greek historian who wrote about Alexander’s Indian invasion.
- Ashwaghosh : Buddhist monk who initiated Kaniskha to Buddhism wrote Buddha charita, Sutralankar and Sandaranand.
- AmarSimha : Sanskrit scholar in the court of Chandragupta who wrote Amarakosha.
- Aryabhatta : He analysed the reasons for Solar and Lunar eclipses and declared that the Earth is round. Wrote Aryabhattiyam.
- Bimbisar : Founded the Magadhan Empire or Haryanka dynasty. He was the first influential king of ancient India.
- Banabhatta : Court poet of Harshavardhana and author of Harsha Charita and Kadambari.
- Charak : He was an Ayurvedic expert wrote Charak-Samhita and established the Aitereya branch of Ayurvedic medicines.
- Amoghavarsha : He was a famous Rashtrakuta ruler.
- Dhanananda : He was a powerful king of Magadha. Alexander did not go forward to invade Magadha only after hearing his reputation
- Darius I : The ruler of Iran (Persia) who invaded India in 6th century BC.
- Gautami Putra Shatakarni : He was the most famous Satavahana king in 2nd Century
- Harisena : He was the writer of Pryaga Prashasti or Allahabad Pillar Inscription
- Kharavel : Ruler of Kalinga in I century AD. The Famous Hathigumbha inscription belonged to him.
- Kanishka : (I century AD) : Most powerful Kushan king. Started Shaka Era. Organised fourth Buddhist council at Kundalvan near Kashmir.
- Karikala : Chola ruler who founded the city of Puhar (Kaveri patanam) in I century BC.
- Kautilya : also known as Vishnugupta or Chanakya. He wrote Arthasasthra, which is compared to ‘The prince’ of Machiavelli.
- Kalidas : Famous Sanskrit poet who wrote, Raghuvamsa, Kumara Sambhavam, Abhigyana Shakuntalam, Vikramorvashiyam and Malavikagnimitram. He also wrote Meghadootam and Ritusamharam.
- Kamban : A Tamil poet of 11th century who wrote Ramayan in Tamil.
- Mihir Bhoja : Famous Prathihara ruler of 9th century.
- Kalhana – Famous Kashmiri poet and historian.He wrote Raja Tarangini.
- Marco Polo : Venitian Traveller to India in 13th century.
- Menander : He came to India as a foreign aggressor in II Century BC. MilindaPanho, a book written by Nagasena, is about him.
- Nagarjuna : Famous Buddhist monk. He popounded the philosophy known as Madhyamika.
- Makkali Gosala : Philosopher of 6th Century BC. H was the founder of Ajivika sect.
- Mihirkula : Huna conqueror defeated by Yashodharma.
- Skand Gupt : Last mighty Gupta ruler.
- Shushrut : He was a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine. He started the Dhanwantri branch and was an expert in Plastic Surgery.
- Pulikeshin II. Most powerful king of Chalukyas of Vatapi who defeated Harshavardhana in North and Mahendravarman of South.
- Pushya Mitra sunga : He killed the last Mauryan ruler and laid the foundation of Sunga dynasty in 185 BC.
- Pliny : He was a Roman historian who wrote the Natural History. He wrote about the Mauryas of India.
- Panini : Sanskrit scholar specially of Grammar. He wrote Ashtadyayi.
- Varahamihira : He was famous astronomer who wrote Brihat Samhita.
- Sankaracharya : He was born in Kaladi in Kerala. He propagated Advaita Philosophy
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