Eminent Personalities of Ancient India

 ONE-LINER HISTORY NOTE FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMS

 

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.