The Ramayana is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Mahabharata.

Vyasa is traditionally regarded as the author of the Mahabharata, the longest epic poem in world literature.

Abhijnanashakuntalam, also known as Shakuntala, is a Sanskrit play by Kalidasa that tells the story of the love between King Dushyanta and Shakuntala, a beautiful maiden raised by a sage.

Tukaram was a 17th-century Marathi poet and saint known for his abhangas, or devotional songs, in praise of Lord Vitthala.

Chandidas was a 16th-century Bengali poet and saint known for his Vaishnava lyrics and devotional songs.

Surdas was a 16th-century blind poet and musician from North India, known for his devotional songs and poems in praise of Lord Krishna.

Bulleh Shah was a 17th-century Sufi poet from Punjab, known for his mystical and philosophical poetry.

Mirza Ghalib was a 19th-century Urdu poet from Delhi, known for his ghazals, or lyrical poems.

Jibanananda Das was a 20th-century Bengali poet known for his modernist poetry and is considered one of the greatest poets of the Bengali language.

Vallathol Narayana Menon was a 20th-century Malayalam poet known for his lyrical and philosophical poetry and is considered the greatest poet of the Malayalam language.

Subramania Bharati was a 20th-century Tamil poet known for his modernist poetry and is considered one of the greatest poets of the Tamil language.

Kuvempu was a 20th-century Kannada poet known for his lyrical and philosophical poetry and is considered the greatest poet of the Kannada language.

Sri Sri was a 20th-century Telugu poet known for his modernist poetry and is considered one of the greatest poets of the Telugu language.

Radhanath Ray was a 19th-century Odia poet known for his lyrical and philosophical poetry and is considered the greatest poet of the Odia language.

Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya was a 20th-century Assamese poet known for his modernist poetry and is considered one of the greatest poets of the Assamese language.