Top 10 Greatest Indians of All Time

Who do you think deserves to be called the greatest Indian of all time? With a history as rich and diverse as India's, this is no easy question to answer. From political leaders and freedom fighters to spiritual teachers, scientists, and artists, India has produced some of the most influential and inspiring figures the world has ever seen. Now, you get to weigh in.

This list has been shaped by thousands of votes from people just like you, ranking the individuals who've had the most impact on India and beyond. Whether you're passionate about the contributions of visionaries like Mahatma Gandhi or more intrigued by cultural icons and modern leaders, your vote helps decide who stands out as the greatest of them all.

So, dive into the choices, think about who you believe has left the biggest legacy, and add your voice to this ongoing celebration of India's most remarkable figures.

The Top Ten

K. S. Chithra

Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra, often credited as K. S. Chithra or simply Chithra, is an Indian playback singer from Kerala. She also sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. Chithra has recorded over 25,000 songs in various languages and is a recipient of six National Film Awards.
Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India.
He's widely known for his philosophy of nonviolent resistance, or satyagraha, which helped lead India to independence in 1947. Gandhi's methods and beliefs influenced civil rights movements... read more

Yes, he had some flaws, but who doesn't? He had vision. He was a true visionary who understood the power of morality, non-violence (leading to a moral position), the masses (and how they are energized by a vision), and sacrifice (he gave up official leadership of a free India). He understood the importance of inclusivity, ensuring all religions and castes were part of the freedom movement. He also understood the importance of forgiveness - that not punishing or demonizing future generations of a particular caste, religion, or country for the sins of past or present generations presented the best and quickest way of achieving transformation.
So many countries obtained freedom from colonial rule, including the USA, but none achieved it in the unique way India did. None of them were led in their freedom struggle by a man with such unique vision, principles, and personality as Mahatma Gandhi!
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen "A. P. J." Abdul Kalam served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and studied physics and aerospace engineering. Before his presidency, Kalam had a prominent career as a scientist and played a key role in India's... read more

An inspirer, a scientist, a president, and a role model for all youngsters. He cannot be compared with anyone on this list.

He deserves to be on the top, not that moronic baba and Gandhi. Please vote for the Missile Man of India, because of whom we can proudly say that we have a strong military.

He is the true hero of our country. He provided valuable thoughts and contributions to India. Did you know that his property list includes three pairs of pants, six t-shirts, two coats, and one flat? The flat is also the property of the scientists' committee.
B. R. Ambedkar

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 - 6 December 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb or B. R. Ambedkar, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician, and social reformer who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards Untouchables (Dalits), while also supporting... read more

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is the Karl Marx of India, a genius, and a true emancipator of the underprivileged and women. He is a man of great insight and vision, a great revolutionary. The entire country of India owes him a lot. If India is to evolve into the spiritual guru of the world, as Sri Aurobindo dreamed, it will only be possible when social justice is achieved.
May all the struggles of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar for social justice become fruitful! His success is the success of humanity! His success is the sure sign of human evolution!
G. Abiramasundari
Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Truly a great leader of all time. Of course, he is not a god or a reincarnation, but he accomplished everything without any magical powers, unlike Jesus Christ.
He paved the way to safeguard the interests and welfare of the downtrodden, fighting single-handedly against the rest. Moreover, he gave India the greatest democracy in the world and the finest Constitution. What else is needed for a leader to be voted the greatest of all time?
Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is a former Indian cricketer and captain, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.
He's the highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket and was the first player to score 100 international centuries. Tendulkar received the Bharat Ratna,... read more
Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh was an Indian revolutionary socialist who was influential in the Indian independence movement. He is often referred to as Shaheed Bhagat Singh, with "Shaheed" meaning "martyr" in several Indian languages.
In December 1928, Bhagat Singh and his associate, Shivaram Rajguru, fatally... read more

The real hero of all time! Worth the honor!
Indira Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India, serving from 1984 to 1989. He assumed office after the assassination of his mother, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, becoming the youngest Indian Prime Minister at the age of 40. His tenure emphasized modernization and technological advancement while... read more
Viswanathan Anand
Jawaharlal Nehru

The Newcomers

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E. Sreedharan
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Dhyan Chand

The Contenders

Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak (April 15, 1469 - September 22, 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is commemorated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab, celebrated on Kartik Puranmashi, the full-moon day in the month of Katak. His teachings emphasized the oneness of God, equality... read more

Guru Nanak Dev Ji started the notion of equality for women, sharing with all, and a practical religion. He deserves to be number 1. Waheguru Ji.

He is the first guru of Sikhism and should be in the first position.

Guru Nanak Ji was Jagat Guru, loved by all.
Ashoka
Narendra Modi

Narendra Damodardas Modi (born September 17, 1950) is the 15th and current Prime Minister of India. He has held the office since May 26, 2014. A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Modi previously served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from Varanasi.... read more

The best leader in the world and a true visionary.

He is the legendary prime minister of all time.
A. R. Rahman

Allah-Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, musician, and philanthropist. He is known for his work in Indian cinema as well as international projects, including the Oscar-winning score for Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman has received numerous awards, including two Academy... read more

He did the song Jai Ho with Nicole S. in Slumdog Millionaire.
Akshay Kumar

Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia, born on September 9, 1967, is better known by his stage name Akshay Kumar. He is an Indian actor and film producer who has appeared in over 150 Hindi films and is known for his work in action and comedy genres. Originally holding Canadian citizenship, he renounced it and regained... read more
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Aamir Khan

Amir Iqbal Khan (born December 8, 1986) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2005 to 2022 and won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics at age 17. He captured the WBA light-welterweight world title at age 22 and compiled a 34-6 record with 21 knockouts, becoming one of Britain's... read more

He is such a great man in the whole world. Very humble person.
Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore FRAS, also known as Ravīndranātha Thākura and honored with the title Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath. He reshaped Bengali literature and music and made significant contributions to Indian art through the movement known as Contextual Modernism. His work in the late 19th and early 20th... read more
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Srinivasa Ramanujan

Srinivasa Ramanujan Aiyangar FRS (22 December 1887 - 26 April 1920) was an Indian mathematician.
Often regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians of all time, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions. Despite having... read more
Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan, also known as SRK, is an Indian film actor, producer, and television personality. Referred to in the media as the "Badshah of Bollywood," "King of Bollywood," and "King Khan," he has appeared in more than 80 Bollywood films and earned numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards.... read more

He is the greatest actor of Indian cinema.
He has won 15 Filmfare Awards, eight of which are for Best Actor. In 2008, Newsweek listed SRK as one of the most influential personalities in the world. He is also the world's biggest superstar.

Pride of India. Eighty percent of the world's population knows India as SRK's country.

Shah Rukh Khan is a great actor and made Bollywood what it is today.
Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda (12 January 1863 - 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk and a chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna.
He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with... read more
Jadav Payeng