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Lord Buddha (c 560BC – c 460BC) – Founder of Buddhism. Gave up the comforts of being a Prince in a palace to seek enlightenment in the forests. After gaining the experience of Nirvana, Lord Buddha spent many years travelling India teaching his philosophy of enlightenment and peace.
Sri Krishna – The hero of India’s classic – the Bhagavad Gita. It was Sri Krishna who taught to Arjuna the sublime philosophy of yoga contained in the Gita. It was Sri Krishna who brought religion and spirituality to everyone. Sri Krishna also developed a new path of yoga – bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion.
Arjuna was one of the greatest warriors of his age and a key figure in the Mahabharata. Arjuna was directed by Sri Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
Sri Ramachandra considered the seventh Avatar of Vishnu. Rama’s life is held as an example of the perfect devotion to dharma. His life and teachings are incorporated in the Ramayana, which tells of his exploits and adventures against the demon Ravana.
Adi Shankara (9th Century AD) Shankaracharya was a noted spiritual teacher and philosopher. He spread a philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, which stresses the underlying unity of creation. He also founded the Dashanami monastic order
Guru Nanak (1469-1539) Spiritual Guru and founder of Sikhism. Nanak was born in a Hindu family but taught God was beyond religious distinction and sought to teach that God was in all.
Sri Chaitanya (1486–1534) a devotee of Lord Krishna. Chaitanya revitalised the ‘bhakti’ movement of devotional yoga
Mirabai (c. 1498 – c. 1557) A Hindu princess who forsook Royal privileges to become a saint and devote her life to Lord Krishna. She composed many devotional bhajans.
Sri Ramakrishna (1836 – 1886) was an influential Bengali mystic and spiritual Guru. Ramakrishna practised an intense spiritual sadhana – through his experience, he believed that all religions led to the same goal of God-realisation.
Swami Vivekananda (1863 – 1902 ) – The indomitable spirit of Swami Vivekananda awoke in his fellow Indians a renewed sense of pride and self-belief. Vivekananda embodied both the spirituality of ancient India and the dynamism of the West. He became renowned in the West after his inspirational message of religious tolerance was heard at the World Parliament of Religions 1893.
Sri Aurobindo (1872 – 1950) One of the key figures in the early Indian Independence movement, Aurobindo initiated early efforts at full independence. After his trial, he retreated to Pondicherry to concentrate on spiritual quest and writing epics such as Savitri and Life Divine.
 Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 – 1952) was a popular spiritual Teacher, who came to the West in the 1920s. Yogananda was a disciple of Sri Yukteswar and was responsible for the early spread of Hindu yoga in the US.
 Anandamayi Ma (1896 – 1982) a Hindu saint from Bengal. Many followers and observers found her to be often in a divinely intoxicated state. Healing and other miracles have been attributed to her.
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) is the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) born in India, Sri Chinmoy spent 20 years in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram before coming to the US in 1964. He established meditation centres around the world and created the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run.
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.