Famous Indian literature figures

Famous Indian literature figures

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) The Seer-Poet of modern India. Tagore was the first Indian to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. A consummate poet, composer and artist. Returned his knighthood in protest at the mistreatment of Indians by the British.

Dr S. Radhakrishnan (1888 – 1975) Radhakrishnan was the foremost philosopher of modern Indian thought. He defended Hinduism and sought to make it relevant for the modern age. 2nd President of India.

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838 – 1894) Bengali poet, author and journalist. Bankim composed Vande Mataram – which became the national song of India and played a pivotal role in the Indian nationalist movement.

Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949) Influential Indian author and poet. Known as ‘The Nightingale of India’. Also Indian independence activist, and the second woman to become president of the Indian National Congress.

Kalidasa (4th – 5th Century AD) Classical poet. Kalidasa is considered the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language.

Dwijendra Lal Roy (1863 – 1913) – Bengali poet and playwright. Wrote over 500 Bengali songs. Influential Indian nationalist, who opposed the partition of Bengal. Also criticised treatment of women by Hindu orthodoxy.

Amartya Sen (1933- ) an Indian economist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for economics in 1988. He has worked on social choice theory and contributed to the field of development economics.

Muhammad Yunus (1940 – ) Nobel Peace Prize 2006 for his work on Micro-lending and helping people, especially women to escape poverty through creating small business.

Ali Akbar Khan (1922-2009) – Sarod Player. Khan popularised Indian classical music in the West and often played with Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar (1920 – 2012) – Sitar player. Shankar was a sitar virtuoso and composer. He played all around the world and helped to popularise Indian classical music in the west.