Premchand, also known as Dhanpat Rai Srivastava, is considered the father of modern Hindi literature. He is renowned for his poignant portrayal of rural life and social issues in his novels and short stories.

Munshi Premchand wrote 'Godan', a powerful novel that explores the plight of Indian farmers and the social injustices they faced during the colonial era.

Sarojini Naidu, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement, is known as the 'Nightingale of India' for her lyrical and evocative poetry.

Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel laureate, wrote 'Gitanjali', a collection of poems that explores themes of spirituality, love, and nature.

Mirza Ghalib, a master of Urdu poetry, is renowned for his ghazals that delve into themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human emotions.

Vyasa, also known as Veda Vyasa, is traditionally considered the author of the 'Mahabharata', one of the longest epic poems in world literature.

Salman Rushdie, a Booker Prize winner, wrote 'Midnight's Children', a magical realism novel that explores the history of India after independence.

Arundhati Roy, a Booker Prize winner, wrote 'The God of Small Things', a novel that explores the lives of two fraternal twins growing up in Kerala, India.

Vikram Seth wrote 'A Suitable Boy', a sprawling novel that follows the lives of four families in post-independence India.

Anita Desai wrote 'Clear Light of Day', a novel that explores the lives of three generations of women in a Bengali family.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is known for her historical novels, including 'The Palace of Illusions', which retells the story of the Mahabharata from the perspective of Draupadi.

Jhumpa Lahiri wrote 'Interpreter of Maladies', a collection of short stories that explore the lives of Indian immigrants in the United States.

Bharati Mukherjee wrote 'Jasmine', a novel that follows the life of a young Indian woman who immigrates to the United States.

Jhumpa Lahiri wrote 'The Namesake', a novel that explores the lives of two generations of Indian immigrants in the United States.

Mira Nair wrote and directed 'Monsoon Wedding', a film that follows the lives of a Punjabi family during a monsoon wedding in India.