M.N. Roy was the founding member and first General Secretary of the Communist Party of India, serving from 1920 to 1929.

S.A. Dange, the second General Secretary of the CPI, is often referred to as the 'Father of the Indian Constitution' for his contributions to the Constituent Assembly debates.

P. Sundarayya, a prominent leader of the CPI, played a key role in leading the Telangana Rebellion, a peasant uprising against the feudal landlords and the Nizam of Hyderabad.

B.T. Ranadive, the fourth General Secretary of the CPI, was known for his hardline stance and advocacy of armed struggle as the primary means of achieving revolution.

Ajoy Ghosh succeeded B.T. Ranadive as the General Secretary of the CPI in 1951 and served until 1962.

S.A. Dange, during his second term as General Secretary of the CPI (1942-1951), advocated for a more moderate and pragmatic approach to politics, emphasizing the importance of mass movements and parliamentary participation.

Ajoy Ghosh was the General Secretary of the CPI during the Sino-Indian War of 1962, which led to a split within the party over its stance on the conflict.

S.A. Dange played a significant role in promoting unity among communist parties in India, working towards the formation of a united Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1964.

Rajeswara Rao succeeded Ajoy Ghosh as the General Secretary of the CPI in 1962 and served until 1964.

Indrajit Gupta, a prominent CPI leader, made significant contributions to the development of the party's agrarian policies, advocating for land reforms and the rights of peasants.

C. Rajeshwara Rao was the General Secretary of the CPI during the Emergency period in India, which saw the suspension of civil liberties and widespread political repression.

Indrajit Gupta played a prominent role in promoting peace and disarmament initiatives, both domestically and internationally, during his tenure as the General Secretary of the CPI.

Indrajit Gupta succeeded C. Rajeshwara Rao as the General Secretary of the CPI in 1976 and served until 1990.

Indrajit Gupta, during his tenure as the General Secretary of the CPI, made significant contributions to the development of the party's economic policies, focusing on issues such as poverty alleviation and social justice.

A.B. Bardhan succeeded Indrajit Gupta as the General Secretary of the CPI in 1990 and served until 2005.