Philosophers from India

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Indians Philosophers of all time. This list of famous Indians Philosophers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Indians Philosophers.

1. #1

   

   Rajneesh

   1931 - 1990

   HPI 83.7568 langs

   Rajneesh is most famous for being the spiritual leader of the Rajneesh movement, which was a new religious movement in India in the 1970s.

2. #2

   

   Swami Vivekananda

   1863 - 1902

   HPI 82.7392 langs

   Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk and a major figure in the introduction of Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western...Read moreShow less

   Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk and a major figure in the introduction of Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.

3. #3

   

   Ramakrishna

   1836 - 1886

   HPI 81.8482 langs

   Ramakrishna is most famous for his teachings about the unity of all religions. He believed that all religions have the same goal, which is...Read moreShow less

   Ramakrishna is most famous for his teachings about the unity of all religions. He believed that all religions have the same goal, which is to help people find the truth.

4. #4

   

   Nagarjuna

   150 - 250

   HPI 80.71105 langs

   Nagarjuna is most famous for his Madhyamaka philosophy. He was a Buddhist monk who lived in the second century CE and is considered to be...Read moreShow less

   Nagarjuna is most famous for his Madhyamaka philosophy. He was a Buddhist monk who lived in the second century CE and is considered to be the founder of the Madhyamaka school of Buddhist philosophy.

5. #5

   

   Padmasambhava

   717 - 762

   HPI 78.0754 langs

   Padmasambhava is most famous for the creation of the Tibetan alphabet and the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet.

6. #6

   

   Buddhaghosa

   401 - 500

   HPI 76.0837 langs
7. #7

   

   Adi Shankara

   788 - 820

   HPI 75.3779 langs

   Adi Shankara was a Hindu philosopher and theologian who founded the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. He was born in Kaladi,...Read moreShow less

   Adi Shankara was a Hindu philosopher and theologian who founded the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. He was born in Kaladi, Kerala, India.

8. #8

   

   Jiddu Krishnamurti

   1895 - 1986

   HPI 75.3178 langs

   Jiddu Krishnamurti is most famous for his talks and writings on the subjects of psychology, spirituality, and the nature of human beings.

9. #9

   

   Ram Mohan Roy

   1772 - 1833

   HPI 75.0353 langs

   Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian reformer and scholar who was instrumental in the social and religious reform movements of the late 18th and...Read moreShow less

   Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian reformer and scholar who was instrumental in the social and religious reform movements of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a key figure in the Bengal Renaissance, and has been called "the father of the Hindu Renaissance".

10. #10

    

    Kabir

    1440 - 1518

    HPI 74.5165 langs

    Kabir is most famous for his poetry, which was written in the 14th century. His poems were written in the Braj Bhasa dialect of Hindi. He...Read moreShow less

    Kabir is most famous for his poetry, which was written in the 14th century. His poems were written in the Braj Bhasa dialect of Hindi. He was a Muslim by birth, but he was also influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism.