Thinkers
The Indian liberal canon
The thinkers at the heart of this archive, the reformers, economists, statesmen, and editors who built the case for individual liberty, free enterprise, and constitutional governance in modern India. Presented chronologically, from the early social reformers to the farmers’ movement of the 1980s.
24 canonical thinkers · 5 international influences
Results cover the entire directory, including people outside the curated canon.
The canon
Raja Ram Mohan Roy
1772–1833
Reformer · Writer · Religious figure
1 work on this site · Referenced in 12 pieces
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
1820–1891
Reformer · Writer · Professor
3 works on this site · Referenced in 6 pieces
Dadabhai Naoroji
1825–1917
Statesman · Economist · Writer
Referenced in 17 pieces
Jyotirao Phule
1827–1890
Reformer · Writer · Activist
Referenced in 16 pieces
Mahadev Govind Ranade
1842–1901
Reformer · Economist · Judge
Referenced in 15 pieces
Pherozeshah Mehta
1845–1915
Statesman · Legal scholar · Parliamentarian
Referenced in 6 pieces
Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
1856–1895
Reformer · Editor · Writer
1 work on this site · Referenced in 7 pieces
Pandita Ramabai
1858–1922
Reformer · Writer · Activist
1 work on this site · Referenced in 4 pieces
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
1866–1915
Statesman · Writer · Parliamentarian
1 work on this site · Referenced in 44 pieces
V. S. Srinivasa Sastri
1869–1946
Statesman · Diplomat · Writer
1 work on this site · Referenced in 2 pieces
C. Rajagopalachari
1878–1972
Statesman · Writer · Editor
24 works on this site · Referenced in 181 pieces
C. Y. Chintamani
1880–1941
Editor · Parliamentarian · Journalist
Referenced in 2 pieces
M. N. Roy
1887–1954
Philosopher · Writer · Activist
2 works on this site · Referenced in 43 pieces
B. R. Ambedkar
1891–1956
Reformer · Legal scholar · Statesman · Economist · Writer
4 works on this site · Referenced in 50 pieces
A. D. Shroff
1899–1965
Industrialist · Economist · Writer
47 works on this site · Referenced in 200 pieces
Minoo Masani
1905–1998
Statesman · Writer · Parliamentarian
54 works on this site · Referenced in 47 pieces
B. R. Shenoy
1905–1978
Economist · Professor · Writer
29 works on this site · Referenced in 46 pieces
Nani Palkhivala
1920–2002
Legal scholar · Writer · Diplomat
54 works on this site · Referenced in 77 pieces
D. R. Pendse
1930–2018
Economist · Writer
13 works on this site · Referenced in 11 pieces
M. R. Pai
1931–2003
Activist · Writer · Editor
33 works on this site · Referenced in 46 pieces
S. V. Raju
1933–2015
Editor · Activist · Writer
45 works on this site · Referenced in 25 pieces
Sharad Joshi
1935–2015
Activist · Writer · Economist · Parliamentarian
25 works on this site · Referenced in 35 pieces
Sudha R. Shenoy
1943–2008
Economist · Historian · Professor
1 work on this site · Referenced in 5 pieces
Sauvik Chakraverti
1956–2014
Writer · Journalist · Economist
15 works on this site · Referenced in 1 piece
International influences
Thinkers from the wider liberal tradition whose ideas the Indian liberals read, translated, debated, and built upon.
