India has an ancient and rich history. This country has produced many great people. In this article, we will learn about the 30 most famous Personalities of India ever, ranked according to a historical popularity index of 2024.
Famous Personalities of India
India has a rich and ancient history. The country has produced many great personalities. In this article, we will learn about the 30 most famous people in Indian history till date, ranked according to Pantheon’s historical popularity index (HPI) of 2024.
Pantheon aggregates information about individuals’ online popularity. HPI is currently made of five components: the “age” of a biography’s character (e.g. Mahavira is more than 2,600 years old), number of Wikipedia language editions in which the biography has a presence (L), the concentration of the pageviews received by a biography across languages (L*), the stability of pageviews over time (CV), and the number of non-English pageviews received by that biography.
This article covers popular Indian figures from many fields such as philosophy, politics, religion, social service, science, art, and literature. Individuals who were not of Indian origin but played an important role in Indian history are also included in this list.
Earlier, an article on the 30 Most Famous People in India (2022) by Historical Popularity Index 2022 was released.
Top 30 Famous People from India
According to Pantheon’s Historical Popularity Index (HPI) of 2024, the following 30 personalities are the most famous people in Indian history of all time.
HPI score of 100 is very good and 0 is very bad.
Famous Personalities of India with names and Pictures
30. Aryabhata (HPI – 71.20)
Short introduction :
Aryabhata or Aryabhata I (476–550 CE) was the first of the major mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy. He is most famous for developing the concept of zero and the number system that is used today. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Aryabhata :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Aryabhata is ranked 30th among the most famous Indian people of all time (up from 33rd in 2022).
His Historical Popularity Index score is 71.20 (up from 70.74 in 2022), and his biography is available in 89 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 85 in 2022).
Aryabhata’s Wikipedia articles got 1,204,452 page views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 805,968 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 398,484 views
29. Kalidasa (HPI – 71.21)
Short introduction :
Kalidasa (4th–5th century AD) was a classical Sanskrit writer who is often considered the greatest poet and playwright of ancient India. His plays and poetry are mainly based on the Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Kalidasa :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Kalidasa is ranked 29th among the most famous people of India (down from 18th in 2022).
His HPI score is 71.21 (down from 74.42 in 2022), and his biography is available in 134 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 128 in 2022).
Kalidasa’s Wikipedia articles got 885,875 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 353,846 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 532,029 views
28. Subhas Chandra Bose (HPI – 71.75)
Short introduction :
Subhas Chandra Bose (23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945) was an Indian nationalist whose defiance of British authority in India made him a hero among Indians, but his wartime alliances with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan left a legacy vexed by authoritarianism, anti-Semitism, and military failure.
In 2021, the Government of India declared 23 January as Parakram Divas (lit. ’Day of Valour’) to commemorate the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Subhas Chandra Bose :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Subhas Chandra Bose is the 28th most famous person in India (28th in 2022 also).
His HPI score is 71.75 (up from 71.66 in 2022), and his biography is available in 66 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 62 in 2022).
Subhas Chandra Bose’s Wikipedia articles got 3,648,222 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 2,202,967 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,445,255 views
27. Swami Vivekananda (HPI – 71.86)
Short introduction :
Swami Vivekananda (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902) was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna (#16).
Vivekananda was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world; and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.
He is regarded as a patriotic saint, and his birthday in India is celebrated as National Youth Day. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Swami Vivekananda :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Swami Vivekananda is ranked 27th among the most famous people of India (down from 26th in 2022).
His HPI score is 71.86 (down from 71.89 in 2022), and his biography is available in 91 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 89 in 2022).
Swami Vivekananda’s Wikipedia articles got 3,477,562 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,869,327 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,608,235 views
26. Chandragupta (HPI – 72.52)
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Short introduction :
Chandragupta Maurya (350-295 BCE) was a ruler of Iron Age ancient India who expanded a geographically-extensive kingdom based in Magadha and founded the Maurya dynasty.
He reigned from 320 BCE to 298 BCE. The Maurya kingdom expanded to become an empire that reached its peak under the reign of his grandson, Ashoka, from 268 BCE to 231 BCE.
The nature of the political formation that existed in Chandragupta’s time is not certain. The Mauryan empire was a loose-knit empire. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Chandragupta :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Chandragupta Maurya is the 26th most famous person in India (down from 24th in 2022). Chandragupta is the 6th most famous king of India.
His HPI score is 72.52 (up from 72.11 in 2022), and his biography is available in 81 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 80 in 2022).
Chandragupta’s Wikipedia articles got 1,346,008 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 793,322 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 552,686 views
- Read also : Top 30 Most Famous Kings of Indian history
25. Chanakya (HPI – 72.72)
Short introduction :
Chanakya was an ancient Indian polymath who was active as a teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and royal advisor.
He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra, a text dated to roughly between the fourth century BCE and the third century CE.
As such, he is considered the pioneer of the field of political science and economics in India, and his work is thought of as an important precursor to classical economics.
His works were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire in the sixth century CE and not rediscovered until the early 20th century. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Chanakya :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Chanakya is ranked 25th among the most famous people of India (25th in 2022 too).
His HPI score is 72.72 (up from 71.99 in 2022), and his biography is available in 116 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 112 in 2022).
Chanakya’s Wikipedia articles got 943,227 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 579,800 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 363,427 views
24. Bodhidharma (HPI – 73.06)
Short introduction :
Bodhidharma was an Indian philosopher and Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch.
According to a 17th century apocryphal story found in a manual called Yijin Jing, he began the physical training of the monks of Shaolin Monastery that led to the creation of Shaolin kungfu.
He is known as Dámó in China and as Daruma in Japan. His name means “dharma of awakening (bodhi)” in Sanskrit. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Bodhidharma :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), bhikkhu Bodhidharma is the 24th most famous person in India (down from 22nd in 2022).
His HPI score is 73.06 (up from 72.92 in 2022), and his biography is available in 59 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 56 in 2022).
Bodhidharma’s Wikipedia articles got 980,318 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 486,372 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 493,946 views
23. Shah Jahan (HPI – 73.88)
Short introduction :
Shah Jahan (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666) was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mughals reached the peak of their architectural achievements and cultural glory.
He commissioned many monuments, including the Red Fort, Shah Jahan Mosque and the Taj Mahal, where his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal is entombed. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Shah Jahan :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Shah Jahan is ranked 23rd among the most famous people of India (23rd in 2022 also). He is one of the most famous kings of India.
His HPI score is 73.88 (up from 72.34 in 2022), and his biography is available in 90 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 86 in 2022).
Shah Jahan’s Wikipedia articles got 1,860,418 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,189,292 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 671,126 views
22. Ananda (HPI – 74.61)
Short introduction :
Ananda (6th–5th century BCE) was an Indian Buddhist monk, and the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha’s many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory.
Most of the texts of the early Buddhist Sutta-Piṭaka are attributed to his recollection of the Buddha’s teachings during the First Buddhist Council.
For that reason, he is known as the Treasurer of the Dhamma, with Dhamma referring to the Buddha’s teaching. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Ānanda :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), bhikkhu Ananda is the 22nd most famous person in India (down from 20th in 2022).
His HPI score is 74.61 (up from 73.88 in 2022), and his biography is available in 50 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 48 in 2022).
Ananda’s Wikipedia articles got 282,205 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 47,145 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 235,060 views
21. Indira Gandhi (HPI – 75.04)
Short introduction :
Indira Gandhi (19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and a central figure of the Indian National Congress. She was elected as third prime minister of India in 1966 and was also the first and, to date, only female prime minister of India. Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first PM of India.
She served as prime minister from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984, making her the second longest-serving Indian prime minister after her father. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Indira Gandhi :
In 1999, Indira Gandhi was named “Woman of the Millennium” in an online poll organised by the BBC. In 2012, Gandhi was ranked number 7 in Outlook’s poll of the Greatest Indian.
In 2020, Gandhi was named by Time magazine among the world’s 100 powerful women who defined the last century.
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Indira Gandhi is ranked 21st among the most famous people in India (down from 17th in 2022), and the 2nd most famous “female” Indian of all time.
Her HPI score is 75.04 (up from 74.61 in 2022), and her biography is available in 127 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 126 in 2022).
Indira Gandhi’s Wikipedia articles got 5,107,234 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 3,473,734 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,633,500 views
Top 20 Great Personalities of India
20. Shah Rukh Khan (HPI – 75.29)
Short introduction :
Shah Rukh Khan (born 2 November 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the “King of Bollywood” and “King Khan”, he has appeared in more than 80 films, and earned numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards.
The Government of India has awarded him the Padma Shri, and the Government of France has awarded him the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Legion of Honour.
SRK has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. In terms of audience size and income, he has been described as one of the most successful film stars in the world. Read more on Wikipedia
- Read also : Top 25 Most Famous Indian Actors
Popularity of Shah Rukh Khan :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Shah Rukh Khan is the 20th most famous person in India (up from 27th in 2022).
Shah Rukh Khan is the 2nd most famous Indian actor, and the 4th most famous living Indian.
His HPI score is 75.29 (up from 71.72 in 2022), and his biography is available in 111 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 107 in 2022).
Shah Rukh Khan’s Wikipedia articles got 8,803,876 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 6,625,086 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 2,178,790 views
19. Mahavira (HPI – 75.34)
Short introduction :
Popularity of Mahavira :
In his 1978 book, “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History“, Michael H. Hart ranked him 100th, below the Buddha (ranked 4) and Ashoka (ranked 53).
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Mahavira is ranked 19th among the most famous people of India (up from 38th in 2022).
His HPI score is 75.34 (up from 69.23 in 2022), and his biography is available in 78 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 75 in 2022).
Mahavira’s Wikipedia articles got 1,099,786 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 553,379 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 546,407 views
18. Shivaji Maharaj (HPI – 75.62)
Short introduction :
Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale (19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan.
Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur which formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire.
In 1674, he was formally crowned the Chhatrapati of his realm at Raigad Fort. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Shivaji :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Shivaji Maharaj is ranked 18th among the most famous people in India (up from 19th in 2022). He is also the 4th most famous Indian king (down from 3rd in 2022).
Shivaji’s HPI score is 75.62 (up from 74.13 in 2022), and his biography is available in 63 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 60 in 2022).
Shivaji’s Wikipedia articles got 3,800,054 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,570,634 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 2,229,420 views
- Read also : Top 20 Most Famous Personalities of Maharashtra
17. Nagarjuna (HPI – 75.72)
Short introduction :
Nāgārjuna (c. 150 – c. 250 CE) was an Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist thinker, scholar-saint and philosopher. He is widely considered one of the most important Buddhist philosophers. He is considered “one of the greatest thinkers in the history of Asian philosophy”.
Nāgārjuna is widely considered to be the founder of the Madhyamaka school of Buddhist philosophy and a defender of the Mahāyāna movement. With the exception of Adi Shankara, no other thinker has equaled him in matters of spirituality, logical acumen and spiritual insight.
His Mūlamadhyamakakārikā is the most important text on the madhyamaka philosophy of emptiness. It inspired a large number of commentaries in Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan, Korean and Japanese and continues to be studied today. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Nagarjuna :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Nagarjuna is ranked 17th among the most famous personalities of India of all time (down from 15th in 2022).
His HPI score is 75.72 (up from 75.31 in 2022), and his biography is available in 101 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 93 in 2022).
Nagarjuna’s Wikipedia articles got 404,780 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 176,217 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 228,563 views
16. Ramakrishna (HPI – 75.98)
Short introduction :
Ramakrishna Paramahansa (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886) was an Indian Hindu mystic and religious leader; who after adhering to various religious practices from the Hindu traditions of Bhakti yoga, Tantra, and Advaita Vedanta, as well as from Islam and Christianity, proclaimed that the world’s various religions are “so many paths to reach one and the same goal”, thus validating the essential unity of religions.
After his demise, his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda popularized his ideas, and founded the Ramakrishna Math, which provides spiritual training for monastics and householder devotees, and the Ramakrishna Mission, to provide charity, social work and education. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Ramakrishna :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Ramakrishna is ranked 16th among the most famous people from India (down from 13th in 2022).
His HPI score is 75.98 (down from 76.48 in 2022), and his biography is available in 82 different languages on Wikipedia (82 in 2022 also).
Ramakrishna’s Wikipedia articles got 856,958 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 537,011 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 319,947 views
15. Srinivasa Ramanujan (HPI – 76.01)
Short introduction :
Srinivasa Ramanujan (22 December 1887 – 26 April 1920) was an Indian mathematician who lived during British Rule in India.
Though he had almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions, including solutions to mathematical problems then considered unsolvable.
Ramanujan initially developed his own mathematical research in isolation: according to Hans Eysenck: “He tried to interest the leading professional mathematicians in his work, but failed for the most part.
What he had to show them was too novel, too unfamiliar, and additionally presented in unusual ways; they could not be bothered”.
His birthday in India is celebrated as National Mathematics Day. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Srinivasa Ramanujan :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Srinivasa Ramanujan is ranked 15th among the most famous personalities of India (up from 16th in 2022).
His HPI score is 76.01 (up from 74.93 in 2022), and his biography is available in 95 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 92 in 2022).
Srinivasa Ramanujan’s Wikipedia articles got 3,888,837 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 2,311,359 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,577,478 views
14. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (HPI – 76.27)
Short introduction :
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956), also referred to as Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, was one of the founding fathers of the republic India, socio-political leader and social reformer. He is widely regarded as the most intelligent Indian of all time.
Dr. Ambedkar is one of the foremost polymaths in history. He was a philosopher, economist, jurist, politician, social reformer, journalist, lawyer, author, anthropologist, theologian, social scientist, political scientist, environmentarian, educationist, constitutionalist, polyglot, linguist, orator, and historian.
Ambedkar is recognised as the “Father of the Constitution of India“, who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served as Law and Justice minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Babasaheb was the leader of Dalits, who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement after renouncing Hinduism. In 1956, he embraced Buddhism with millions of followers, and revived Buddhism in India.
After the emperor Ashoka, Babasaheb has done the most work for the spread of Buddhism in India. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of BR Ambedkar :
Dr Ambedkar was voted “the Greatest Indian” in 2012 by a poll organised by Outlook magzine, History TV18 and CNN IBN, ahead of Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel. Nearly 20 million votes were cast.
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is ranked 14th among the most famous personalities of India (14th in 2022 also).
His HPI score is 76.27 (up from 75.72 in 2022), and his biography is available in 132 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 123 in 2022).
B. R. Ambedkar’s Wikipedia articles got 6,334,121 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 3,478,698 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 2,855,423 views
- Read also : 20+ films about Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
13. Jawaharlal Nehru (HPI – 76.79)
Short introduction :
Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian politician, anti-colonial nationalist, secularist, social democrat, and author who served for 16 years as India’s first prime minister following India’s independence in 1947.
He is widely considered one of the most influential heads of state in India’s post-colonial history and among the world’s most consequential 20th century heads of state.
Nehru was a principal leader of the Indian nationalist movement in the 1930s and 1940s.
He promoted parliamentary democracy, secularism, and science and technology during the 1950s, powerfully influencing India’s arc as a modern nation. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Jawaharlal Nehru :
In 2012, Nehru was ranked number 4 in Outlook’s poll of the Greatest Indian.
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Jawaharlal Nehru is ranked 13th among the most famous personalities of India (down from 12th in 2022).
His HPI score is 76.79 (down from 78.07 in 2022), and his biography is available in 146 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 139 in 2022).
Jawaharlal Nehru’s Wikipedia articles got 4,401,908 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 2,882,129 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,519,779 views
12. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (HPI – 77.96)
Short introduction :
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.
He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India’s civilian space programme and military missile development efforts. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of APJ Abdul Kalam :
In 2012, Kalam was ranked number 2 in Outlook’s poll of the Greatest Indian.
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is ranked 12th among the most famous people in India (down from 10th in 2022). He is the most famous Indian scientist.
His HPI score is 77.96 (down from 78.36 in 2022), and his biography is available in 85 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 81 in 2022).
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s Wikipedia articles got 5,450,665 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 3,822,479 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,628,186 views
11. 14th Dalai Lama (HPI – 78.14)
Short introduction :
The 14th Dalai Lama (born 6 July 1935) is a Buddhist monk and the current Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. He is former head of state of Tibet.
The Dalai Lama considers himself a spiritual son of India.
He is considered a living Bodhisattva, specifically, an emanation of Avalokiteśvara in Sanskrit and Chenrezig in Tibetan. He is also the leader and a monk of the Gelug school, the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism, formally headed by the Ganden Tripa.
The central government of Tibet, the Ganden Phodrang, invested the Dalai Lama with temporal duties until his exile in 1959. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Dalai Lama :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), the 14th Dalai Lama is ranked 11th among the most famous personalities of India (down from 6th in 2022).
His HPI score is 78.14 (down from 79.98 in 2022), and his biography is available in 117 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 116 in 2022).
Dalai Lama is the 3rd most famous living person in India. Among the Most famous people of China, Tibet (2022), Dalai Lama has ranked 9.
14th Dalai Lama’s Wikipedia articles got 2,930,587 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,296,442 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,634,145 views
Top 10 Indian Legends
10. Babur (HPI – 78.20)
Short introduction :
Babur (14 February 1483 – 26 December 1530) was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his father and mother respectively.
He was also given the posthumous name of Firdaws Makani (‘Dwelling in Paradise’). He ranks as a national hero in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Many of his poems have become popular folk songs.
He wrote the Baburnama in Chaghatai Turkic; it was translated into Persian during the reign (1556–1605) of his grandson, the Emperor Akbar. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Babur :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Babur is ranked 10th among the most Famous people of Indian history (up from 21st in 2022). Babur is also the 3rd most famous king of India.
His HPI score is 78.20 (up from 73.87 in 2022), and his biography is available in 91 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 88 in 2022).
Babur’s Wikipedia articles got 2,385,031 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,151,346 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,233,685 views
- Read also : Top 30 Most Famous Indian Kings of All Time
8. Akbar the Great (HPI – 79.10)
Short introduction :
Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605.
Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expand and consolidate Mughal domains in India. A strong personality and a successful general, Akbar gradually enlarged the Mughal Empire to include much of the Indian subcontinent.
His power and influence, however, extended over the entire subcontinent because of Mughal military, political, cultural, and economic dominance. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Akbar :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Akbar is ranked 8th among the most Famous people from India (up from 11th in 2022).
His HPI score is 79.10 (up from 78.33 in 2022), and his biography is available in 149 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 144 in 2022).
According to HPI 2024, Akbar is the most famous Indian Muslim, as well as the second most famous king of India.
Akbar’s Wikipedia articles got 2,535,511 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,426,808 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,108,703 views
8. Rabindranath Tagore (HPI – 79.10)
Short introduction :
Rabindranath Tagore (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was an Indian Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter.
He reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Author of the “profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful” poetry of Gitanjali, he became in 1913 the first non-European and the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Tagore’s poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial; however, his “elegant prose and magical poetry” remain largely unknown outside Bengal. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Rabindranath Tagore :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Rabindranath Tagore is also ranked 8th among the most Famous personalities of India of all time (8th in 2022 too).
His HPI score is 79.10 (up from 79.04 in 2022), and his biography is available in 161 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 155 in 2022). Tagore is the most famous person from Bengal.
Rabindranath Tagore’s Wikipedia articles got 3,771,519 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,989,100 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,782,419 views
7. Amitabh Bachchan (HPI – 79.15)
Short introduction :
Amitabh Bachchan (born 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema.
He is regarded as one of the most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema. During the 1970s–1980s, he was the most dominant actor in the Indian movie scene; the French director François Truffaut called him a “one-man industry.” Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Amitabh Bachchan :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Amitabh Bachchan is the 7th most Famous person from India (up from 9th in 2022).
His HPI score is 79.15 (up from 78.77 in 2022), and his biography is available in 112 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 109 in 2022).
According to HPI 2024 , Amitabh Bachchan is the most famous Indian actor, as well as the second most famous living person in India.
Amitabh Bachchan’s Wikipedia articles got 3,978,530 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 3,061,167 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 917,363 views
- Read also : Top 25 Most Famous Indian Actors of All Time
6. Osho (HPI – 80.10)
Short introduction :
Rajneesh (11 December 1931 – 19 January 1990), popularly known as Osho, was an Indian religious leader, mystic, and founder of the Rajneesh movement. He born into a Jain family of Madhya Pradesh.
He rejected institutional religions. Rajneesh emphasised the importance of freethought, meditation, mindfulness, love, celebration, courage, creativity, and humour—qualities that he viewed as being suppressed by adherence to static belief systems, religious dogmas and traditions, and socialization.
Osho is considered to be one of the most logical and best philosophers of modern times. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Osho :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Osho is ranked 6th among the most Famous Indian people of all time (down from 4th in 2022).
His HPI score is 80.10 (down from 81.09 in 2022), and his biography is available in 67 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 66 in 2022).
Rajneesh’s Wikipedia articles got 3,271,940 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,900,996 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,370,944 views
5. Mother Teresa (HPI – 80.11)
Short introduction :
Mother Teresa (26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997) was an Albanian born Indian Catholic nun who, in 1950, founded the Missionaries of Charity. She was born in Skopje—at the time, part of the Ottoman Empire. After eighteen years, she moved to Ireland and then to India, where she lived most of her life.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta was canonised on 4 September 2016. The anniversary of her death is her feast day. After Mother Teresa founded her religious congregation, it grew to have over 4,500 nuns and was active in 133 countries as of 2012. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Mother Teresa :
In 2012, Mother Teresa was ranked number 5 in Outlook’s poll of the Greatest Indian.
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Mother Teresa is ranked 5th among the most Famous people of India (5th in 2022 also).
Her HPI score is 80.11 (down from 80.90 in 2022), and her biography is available in 142 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 136 in 2022).
Mother Teresa’s Wikipedia articles got 6,044,747 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 2,449,984 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 3,594,763 views
4. Ashoka the Great (HPI – 81.57)
Short introduction :
Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during c. 268 to 232 BCE.
His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to present-day Bangladesh in the east, with its capital at Pataliputra.
A patron of Buddhism, he is credited with playing an important role in the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Ashoka :
In his 1978 book, “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History”, Michael H. Hart ranked him 53th, below the Buddha (ranked 4) and above Mahavira (ranked 100).
He is considered as one of the best rulers in the world. Also many scholars consider him to be the greatest Indian after the Buddha.
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Ashoka is ranked 4th among the most Famous people from India of all time (down from 3rd in 2022).
His HPI score is 81.57 (down from 82.44 in 2022), and his biography is available in 155 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 131 in 2022).
According to HPI 2024, Ashoka is the most famous King of India, as well as the second most famous Indian Buddhist in history.
Ashoka’s Wikipedia articles got 2,926,265 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 1,521,319 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 1,404,946 views
3. Narendra Modi (HPI – 82.49)
Short introduction :
Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current prime minister of India since 2014. He was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from Varanasi.
He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He is the longest serving prime minister from outside the Indian National Congress. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Narendra Modi :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), PM Narendra Modi is ranked 3rd among the most Famous people of India (up from 7th in 2022).
His HPI score is 82.49 (up from 79.83 in 2022), and his biography is available in 140 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 139 in 2022).
Narendra Modi’s Wikipedia articles got 9,564,066 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 6,796,849 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 2,767,217 views
Modi is the most famous living Indian, and the second most famous Indian Hindu ever.
- Read also : Top 20 Most Viewed Personalities on Hindi Wikipedia of 2023 (in Hindi)
2. Mahatma Gandhi (HPI – 87.82)
Short introduction :
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularity known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian politician, lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and social reformer.
He is widely acknowledged as one of the 20th century’s most influential people, who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule, and to later inspire movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
Gandhi’s birthday, October 2, is celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence. He is generally regarded informally as the Father of the Nation of India. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of Mahatma Gandhi :
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), Mahatma Gandhi is the 2nd most Famous person in India of all time (2nd in 2022 too).
His HPI score is 87.82 (down from 88.49 in 2022), and his biography is available in 200 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 190 in 2022).
Mahatma Gandhi’s Wikipedia articles got 12,558,852 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 5,877,055 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 6,681,797 views
1. The Buddha (HPI – 91.48)
Short introduction :
The Buddha (623/563 BCE – 543/483 BCE), also known as Gautama Buddha and Siddhartha Gautama, was an Indian philosopher, śramaṇa (wandering ascetic), religious teacher and social reformer who lived in ancient India during the 7th or 6th century BCE.
He was the founder of Buddhism and is revered by Buddhists as a fully awakened being who taught a path to Nirvana, that is, freedom from ignorance, craving, rebirth and suffering.
The Buddha is considered to be the greatest Indian ever. He is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential and greatest people of all time. Read more on Wikipedia
Popularity of the Buddha :
In his 1978 book, “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History”, Michael H. Hart ranked him 4th, above Ashoka (ranked 53) and Mahavira (ranked 100).
According to Pantheon’s 2024 Historical Popularity Index (HPI), The Buddha is ranked 1st among the most Famous personalities of India ever (1st in 2022 also).
His Historical Popularity Index score is 91.48 (up from 90.82 in 2022), and his biography is available in 205 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 197 in 2022).
The Buddha’s Wikipedia articles got 7,967,786 views from July 2023 to June 2024:
– English Wikipedia : 2,892,637 views
– Non-English Wikipedias : 5,075,149 views
- Read also : 50 Famous Buddhist Celebrities in India
Note : Number of biographies on Wikipedia versions of the famous people as of July 2024; Whereas the old number is as per December 2022.
Sources
Classifications of the famous Indians
We have seen the ranking of top 30 famous Indians who have got the highest position in Historical Popularity Index 2024, now we will see their classification in different ways.
Era : More than 50% of these 30 most famous figures in Indian history are from the modern era. 10 individuals are from Ancient India (before 700 AD), 4 from Middle India (700 AD to 1857 AD) and 16 from Modern India (after 1857 AD).
The list includes six Indians who lived before Christ (BC) and four who are still alive.
Religion : Among India’s 30 world famous people, 24 are followers of Indian religions and 6 are followers of Abrahamic religions. Hindus are 14, Buddhists 7, Muslims 5, Jains 3 and Christians 1.
Almost half of the famous Indians are Hindus [8 Brahmins, 3 Kayasthas and 3 other Hindus (OBCs)]. Not a single person of Sikh religion could be included in this list.
Occupations : Among these famous Indians there are 10 religious and spiritual leaders, 7 political leaders and 6 rulers. Among the remaining seven Indians are 3 writers, 2 film actors and 2 mathematicians.
Women : Mother Teresa and Indira Gandhi are the only 2 women in the list. (See this : top 25 most famous Indian women ever)
See also
- Lists of famous Indians : Women, Kings, Queens, Actors, Singers & Musicians, Maharashtrians
FAQs
Que. 1 : Who is the most famous person in India?
Answer – The Buddha is the most famous person in India.
Que. 2 : Who is the most famous person in India 2024?
Answer – PM Narendra Modi is the most famous person in India in 2024.
Que. 3 : Who is the most famous person in India right now?
Answer – Narendra Modi is the most famous person in India right now.
Que. 4 : Who is the most famous Indian female in India?
Answer – Mother Teresa is the most famous woman in India.
Que. 5 : Who is the Greatest king of India?
Answer – Ashoka is the greatest king of India.
Que.6 : Who is the greatest person in India?
Answer – The Buddha is the greatest person in India.
Que. 7 : Who is the most admired people in India?
Answer – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is the most admired people in India.
Que. 8 : Who is the most inspirational person in India?
Answer – The Buddha is the most inspirational person in India.
Que. 9 : Who are national leaders of India?
Answer – Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru are the national leaders of India.
Que. 10 : Who is the Greatest Indian of all time?
Answer : Gautama Buddha is the Greatest Indian of all time.
Read also :
- Wikipedia : Top 30 World famous Personalities of India
- 30+ Buddhist celebrities of Bollywood
- Top 30 Famous Buddhist People of Indian History
- World’s 10 Female Buddhist Prime Ministers and Presidents
- List of Scheduled Castes in Maharashtra and Population of each Caste
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