The thinkers who shaped modern Hindu civilizational and national thought: their lives, the ideas they introduced, the institutions they built and how they are remembered — with sources, and with well-documented criticism noted where it exists.
In this section
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy राजा राममोहन रायThe reformer who campaigned against sati and founded the Brahmo Sabha
- Swami Dayananda Saraswati स्वामी दयानन्द सरस्वतीThe reformer who called Hindus "back to the Vedas" and founded the Arya Samaj in 1875
- Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay बंकिमचन्द्र चट्टोपाध्यायThe Bengali novelist who wrote Vande Mataram and pioneered modern Indian nationalism in literature
- Swami Shraddhananda स्वामी श्रद्धानन्दThe Arya Samaj reformer who founded Gurukul Kangri, led the Delhi satyagraha of 1919 and was assassinated in 1926
- Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak लोकमान्य बाल गंगाधर तिलकThe scholar-editor who made swaraj a mass demand and wrote Gita Rahasya in prison
- Rabindranath Tagore on Civilization and Nation रवीन्द्रनाथ ठाकुरThe Nobel poet who wrote the national anthem and warned against the cult of the nation-state
- Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya महामना मदन मोहन मालवीयFour-time Congress president, founder of Banaras Hindu University, Bharat Ratna 2014
- Swami Vivekananda स्वामी विवेकानन्दThe monk who carried Vedanta to the world and called India to self-confidence — full biography in Great Lives
- Lala Lajpat Rai लाला लाजपत रायThe "Lion of Punjab" — Arya Samaj leader, writer and nationalist who died after the Simon Commission protest
- Mahatma Gandhi on Hindu Dharma महात्मा गांधीThe leader of the freedom struggle who called himself a sanatani Hindu and lived by the Gita
- Sri Aurobindo श्री अरविन्दThe nationalist leader who became a yogi and philosopher of India's spiritual destiny
- Dr B. S. Moonje डॉ. बालकृष्ण शिवराम मुंजेDoctor, Hindu Mahasabha leader, mentor of Dr Hedgewar and founder of the Bhonsala Military School
- Vinayak Damodar Savarkar विनायक दामोदर सावरकरRevolutionary, prisoner of the Andamans, poet and author of "Essentials of Hindutva"
- Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar डॉ. केशव बलिराम हेडगेवारThe Nagpur doctor who founded a volunteer movement on Vijayadashami 1925
- Dr B. R. Ambedkar on Religion and Dharma डॉ. भीमराव आम्बेडकरAmbedkar's critique of caste, his search for a just religion and his embrace of Buddhism
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोसThe ICS-resigning revolutionary who led the Azad Hind Fauj and inspired a nation
- Lakshmibai Kelkar "Mausiji" लक्ष्मीबाई केळकरThe widow from Wardha who founded a national women's organisation in 1936
- M. S. Golwalkar "Guruji" माधव सदाशिव गोलवलकरThe zoology lecturer and ascetic who led a national volunteer movement for 33 years
- Ramakant Keshav "Balasaheb" Deshpande रमाकान्त केशव देशपांडेThe lawyer who founded the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram at Jashpur in 1952
- Yadavrao Joshi यादवराव जोशीThe musician-organiser who first sang the Prarthana in public and spent fifty years in South India
- Eknath Ranade एकनाथ रानडेThe organiser who built the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and founded Vivekananda Kendra
- Balasaheb Deoras बालासाहेब देवरसThe leader of 1973–94 who turned the movement towards social service and against untouchability
- Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya पं. दीनदयाल उपाध्यायOrganiser, journalist and the thinker of Integral Humanism and antyodaya
- Nanaji Deshmukh नानाजी देशमुखThe organiser who left politics at 60 for rural development at Chitrakoot; Bharat Ratna 2019
- Dattopant Thengadi दत्तोपन्त ठेंगडीFounder of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Swadeshi Jagran Manch
- Prof. Rajendra Singh "Rajju Bhaiya" प्रो. राजेन्द्र सिंह (रज्जू भैया)The physics professor from Allahabad who became the first head from outside Maharashtra
- K. S. Sudarshan कुप्पहळ्ळि सीतारामय्या सुदर्शनThe telecom engineer who led the organisation from 2000 to 2009 and championed swadeshi
- Mohan Bhagwat मोहन भागवतVeterinarian turned organiser, head of the organisation since 2009 and through its centenary
Sources & copyright status
- Historical facts: not subject to copyright.
- Commentary and translations on this page: original to The Hindu Book. © The Hindu Book, all rights reserved.
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