List of Indian poets

This list of Indian poets consists of poets of Indian ethnic, cultural or religious ancestry either born in India or emigrated to India from other regions of the world.

Assamese

See also: List of Assamese-language poets

• Amulya Barua (1922–1946), first published posthumously in 1964
• Atul Chandra Hazarika (1903–1986), poet, dramatist, children's story writer and translator
• Parvati Prasad Baruva (1904-1964), lyricist, poet and filmmaker
• Bhabananda Deka (born 1929), writer, poet, critic, columnist, playwright
• Ganesh Gogoi (born 1907–1938)
• Hem Barua (1915–1977), poet and politician
• Lakshminath Bezbarua, a doyen of Assamese literature
• Chandra Kumar Agarwala, Romantic poet
• Hemchandra Goswami, Romantic poet
• Ambikagiri Raichoudhury, Romantic poet
• Hiren Bhattacharya (1932–2012), writer, poet, critic, columnist and editor
• Homen Borgohain (1932–2021), writer, poet, critic, columnist and editor
• Jyoti Prasad Agarwala (1903–1953), playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and film maker
• Bishnu Prasad Rabha (KolaGuru)
• Nabakanta Barua, also known as Ekhud Kokaideu (1926–2002), novelist and poet
• Nilmani Phookan (born 1933)
• Harekrishna Deka (born 1942), poet, fiction writer, and critic
• Mahim Bora (born 1930), poet, fiction writer

Bengali

See also: List of Bengali-language authors (chronological)

Bengali language names in parentheses

• Abul Bashar (born 1951), poet and writer
• Annadashankar Roy (1905–2002)
• Bharatchandra Ray (1712–1760), Raygunakar, Shakta court poet and song writer in Krishnanagar
• Binoy Majumdar (1934–2006), Indian poet
• Bishnu Dey (1909–1982), poet, prose writer, movie critic
• Buddhadeb Basu (also spelled "Buddhadeva Bose") (1908–1974), poet, novelist, short-story writer and essayist
• Chandidas (born 1408 CE), refers to (possibly more than one) medieval poet
• Dwijendralal Ray (1863–1913), poet, playwright, and musician, known primarily for patriotic plays and songs, as well as Hindu devotional lyrics
• Govindadasa, Medieval Vaishanavite poet
• Humayun Kabir (1906–1969), poet, educationalist, politician, writer, philosopher
• Iswarchandra Gupta (1812–1859), poet and writer
• Jatindramohan Bagchi (1878–1948)
• Jatindranath Sengupta (1887–1954), poet and writer
• Jibanananda Das (1899–1954)
• Joy Goswami (born 1954), Indian poet
• Kazi Nazrul Islam (also spelled "Kazi Nozrul Islam") (1899–1976), poet, musician, revolutionary, and philosopher
• Krittibas Ojha (also spelled "Krittivas Ojha"), medieval poet
• Malay Roy Choudhury (born 1939), founder of the Hungry generation movement
• Mallika Sengupta (born 1960), poet and writer
• Michael Madhusudan Dutta (also spelled "Maikel Modhushudôn Dôtto" and "Datta") (1824–1873), born Madhusudan Dutt, poet and dramatist
• Nabaneeta Dev Sen (Nôbonita Deb Shen) (born 1938), writer and poet
• Nabinchandra Sen (1847–1909), poet and writer
• Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899–1976), poet, national poet of Bangladesh, novelist, short story writer, dramatist, singer, composer, essayist, translator, and movie director
• Premendra Mitra (1904–1988), poet, novelist, short-story writer, including thrillers and science fiction
• Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar (1921–1990), known for Prabhat Samgiita
• Purnendu Patri (born 1930), poet, novelist, artist and film maker
• Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941), Indian poet who won the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature
• Ramprasad Sen (1718–1775), Shakta court poet
• Shankha Ghosh (1932–2021), poet and critic
• Samir Roychoudhury (1933–2016), post-modern poet, short story writer, critic and editor
• Subhash Mukhopadhyay (Shubhash Mukhopaddhae) (1919–2003)
• Subhro Bandopadhyay (born 1978), poet
• Subodh Sarkar (born 1958), poet
• Sudhindranath Dutta
• Sukanta Bhattacharya (1926–1947), poet
• Sukumar Ray (1887–1923), humorous poet, short-story writer and playwright
• Sunil Gangopadhyay (Shunil Gônggopaddhae) (born 1934), Indian poet, novelist
• Syed Kawsar Jamal (born 1950), Indian poet and essayist
• Tarapada Roy (1936–2007), poet, essayist and short-story writer, short stories, and essays, humourist

Indian poets writing in English

In alphabetical order by first name:

• A. J. Thomas (born 1952), poet, editor
• A. K. Ramanujan (1929–1993), poet and scholar of Indian literature who wrote in both English and Kannada
• Abhay K (born 1980), poet, diplomat, writer, author and artist
• Agha Shahid Ali (1949–2001), Kashmiri-American poet writing in English
• Amit Chaudhuri (born 1962), author and poet writing in English
• Anuradha Bhattacharyya (born 1975), author and poet writing in English
• Amol Redij (born 1977), English poet and writer
• Arun Kolatkar (1932–2004), poet writings in English and Marathi
• Arundhathi Subramaniam, poet and writer and web editor writing in English
• Arvind Krishna Mehrotra (born 1947), poet, anthologist, literary critic and translator writing in English
• Bibhu Padhi (born 1951), poet, translator and critic writing in English
• C. P. Surendran, poet, novelist and editor writing in English
• D. C. Chambial, poet, editor and critic
• Eunice De Souza (also "Eunice de Souza" (born 1940)), poet, literary critic and novelist writing in English
• Feroze Varun Gandhi (born 1980), poet, politician and columnist
• Fredoon Kabraji (1897–1986), poet, writer, journalist, and artist writing in English
• G. S. Sharat Chandra (1935–2000), author and poet writing in English
• Gieve Patel (born 1940), poet, playwright and painter who practised to be a general physician writing in English
• Gopi Kottoor (born 1956), poet, playwright, translator writing in English
• Hemant Mohapatra, poet writing in English
• Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (1809–1831), Indian poet
• Jagannath Prasad Das (born 1936), also known as J P Das, award-winning poet in English and Oriya
• Jayanta Mahapatra (born 1924), poet, critic, arts scholar, and curator writing in English
• Jeet Thayil (born 1959), poet, novelist, editor
• Kamala Das also known as "Kamala Suraiya" (born 1934), writer and poet in English and Malayalam
• Keki Daruwalla, poet writing in English
• K. V. Dominic (born 1956), poet, short story writer, critic and editor
• Makarand Paranjape (born 1960), poet writing in English
• Mani Rao (born 1965), poet writing in English
• Meena Alexander (1951-2018), poet, scholar and writer in English, Distinguished Professor of English at Hunter College
• Meena Kandasamy (born 1984), writer, poet, translator and activist
• Michael Madhusudan Dutt (1824–1873), poet and dramatist
• Nissim Ezekiel (1924–2004), poet, playwright and art critic and editor writing in English
• Nalini Priyadarshni (1974), poet, writer, and critic in English
• Nandini Sahu (1973), feminist poet, writer, and critic writing in English
• Neelam Saxena Chandra (born 1969), poet, author, novelist writing in English and Hindi
• P. Lal (1929–2010), poet, translator, professor and publisher; founder and publisher of Writers Workshop in Calcutta, India
• P C K Prem (born 1945), poet, critic and author writing in Hindi and English
• Pritish Nandy (born 1951), poet, journalist, politician, television personality and film producer writing in English
• R. Parthasarathy, poet, translator, critic, and editor writing in English
• Rochelle Potkar, fiction writer and poet
• Raman Mundair, poet, writer, artist and playwright writing in English
• Yuyutsu Sharma (born 1960), poet, editor and translator, writes in English
• Ranjit Hoskote (born 1969), poet, art critic, cultural theorist and independent curator writing in English
• Robin S Ngangom, poet writing in English
• Rukmini Bhaya Nair, poet and theorist, writing in English
• Salik Shah, poet, author, editor and publisher in English
• Sarojini Naidu (1879–1949), eminent poet, freedom fighter and administrator writing in English
• Shahzad A. Rizvi (born 1937, Gwalior), author, scholar and poet writing in English and Urdu
• Shiv Kumar, poet, playwright, novelist, short story writer
• Shreekumar Varma (born 1955), newspaper columnist, poet, novelist writing in English
• Smita Agarwal (born 1958), poet, critic, educator, and singer
• Som Ranchan (born 1932), poet and novelist writing in English
• Sreyash Sarkar (born 1993), poet and engineering researcher
• Sri Aurobindo (Sri Ôrobindo, 1872–1950), poet, philosopher, and yogi writing in English and French
• Subhash Misra (born 1955)
• Sudeep Sen, poet and editor writing in English
• Tabish Khair (born 1966), poet, novelist and essayist
• Tapan Kumar Pradhan (born 1972), activist, writer, poet, translator in English, Hindi and Oriya
• Tishani Doshi (born 1975), award winning poet writing in English
• T.K. Doraiswamy (Nakulan (1921–2007), poet, novelist, translator and professor of English
• T. Vasudeva Reddy (born 1943), poet, novelist, critic and professor of English
• Toru Dutt (1856–1877), poet, wrote in English and French
• Vihang A. Naik (born 1969), poet and educator writing in English and Gujarati.
• Vikram Seth (born 1952), award winning novelist and poet writing in English.

Gujarati

Main article: List of Gujarati-language writers

In alphabetical order by last name:

• Akho (1591–1659), poet, Vedantist and radical
• Adil Mansuri (1936–2008), Gujarati poet from Gujarat, India
• Niranjan Bhagat (born 1926), Gujarati poet
• Anil Chavda (born 1985), Gujarati language poet, writer and columnist from Gujarat
• Ashok Chavda (born 1978), Gujarati language poet, writer and critic from Gujarat
• Pir Sadardin, fourteenth-century Ismaili Da'i; regarded as the founder of the Khoja Ismaili sect; also called Satpanth
• Dalpatram (1820–1898), father of Nanalal Dalpatram Kavi
• Dayaram (1777–1853), Gujarati poet of medieval Gujarati literature
• Dileep Jhaveri (born 1943), poet, translator and editor from Mumbai
• Mahadev Desai (1892–1942), writer in English, Gujarati and Bengali
• Suresh Joshi (1921–1986), novelist, short-story writer, critic, poet and writer
• Umashankar Joshi – see listing under "Umashankar", below
• Kalapi (1874–1900), poet and the royal of Lathi state in Gujarat
• Kavi Kant (1867–1923), writer and poet in Gujarati
• Nanalal Dalpatram Kavi (નાનાલાલ દલપતરામ કવિ)
• Jhaverchand Meghani (1896–1947), novelist, poet, short-story writer, folklorist in Gujarati
• Narsinh Mehta, alternate spelling Narasingh Mehta (c. 1414 – c. 1481)
• Chinu Modi (1939–2017), Gujarati poet from Gujarat, India
• Manhar Modi, Gujarati poet from Gujarat, India
• K. M. Munshi (1887–1971), novelist, playwright, writer, politician and lawyer
• Narmad (1834–1886), Gujarati poet, playwright, essayist and reformer during British India
• Vihang A. Naik (born 1969), writes poetry in Gujarati and English
• Ravji Patel (born 1939), modernist poet and novelist in Gujarati
• Rajendra Shah (born 1913), Gujarati poet and Jnanpith Award winner
• Rajendra Shukla, Gujarati poet
• Sundaram (1909–1990), poet, short-story writer, travel writer, biographer and critic
• Govardhanram Tripathi (1855–1907), novelist and poet
• Umashankar Joshi (1911–1988), novelist, poet, playwright, writer and academic; surname: Umashankar, Jnanpith Award winner
• Sitanshu Yashaschandra (born 1941), Gujarati language poet and playwright

Hindi

Main article: List of Hindi-language poets

• Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana (1556–1627), composer, poet, and produced books on astrology
• Amir Khusrow (1253–1325), musician, scholar and poet
• Ashok Chakradhar (1951– ), author and poet
• Banarsidas (1586–1643), poet, businessman
• Bihari (1595–1663), poet, author
• Bhikhari Das (1721–?), poet
• Bharatendu Harishchandra (1850–1885), novelist, poet, playwright
• Bhawani Prasad Mishra (1913–1985), poet and author
• Dharmveer Bharti (1926–1997), poet, author, playwright and social thinker
• Dushyant Kumar (1933–1975)
• Gulzar (1934– ), poet, lyricist, film director
• Geet Chaturvedi (1977– ), poet, short story author and journalist
• Gopal Singh Nepali (1911–1963), poet of Hindi literature and lyricist of Bollywood
• Gopaldas Neeraj (1924– ), poet and author
• Gulab Khandelwal (1924– ), poetry including some in Urdu and English
• Harivansh Rai Bachchan (1907–2003), poet of Chhayavaad literary movement (romantic upsurge)
• Hemant Shesh (1952– ), writer, poet and civil servant
• Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu (1502–1552), bhakti Braj Bhasha poet-sant and religious leader
• Jagdish Gupt (1924–2001), Chhayavaad literary movement poet
• Jaishankar Prasad (1889–1937), novelist, playwright, poet
• Javed Akhtar (1945– ), poet, lyricist and scriptwriter
• Jumai Khan Azad (1930–2013), poet
• Jwalamukhi (1938–2008), poet, novelist, writer and political activist
• Kabir (1440–1518), mystic poet and saint of India
• Kavi Bhushan (1613–1712), poet and scholar
• Kaka Hathrasi (1906–1995), satirist and humorist poet
• Kedarnath Agarwal (1911–2000), Hindi language poet and littérateur
• Kedarnath Singh (1934– ), poet, critic and essayist
• Keshavdas (1555–1617), best known for his Rasik Priya, a pioneering work of the riti kaal
• Kripalu Maharaj (1922–2013), spiritual master and poet
• Krishan Kumar Sharma "Rasik" (1983– ), Hindi, Punjabi, English and Urdu poet and writer
• Kumar Vishwas (1970– ), poet and professor
• Kunwar Narayan (1927– ), poet
• Kanwal Ziai (1927–2011)
• Mahadevi Varma (1906–1987), poet, woman's activist and educationist
• Maithili Sharan Gupt (1886–1964), poet, politician, dramatist, translator
• Makhanlal Chaturvedi (1889–1968), Indian poet, writer, essayist, playwright and journalist
• Meera (1498–1547), mystic singer and composer of Bhajans
• Mohan Rana (1964– ), poet
• Murari Lal Sharma Neeras (1936– ), poet and educator
• Naresh Mehta, poet and playwright
• Nagarjun (1911–1998), poet, writer, essayist, novelist
• Nawal Kishore Dhawal (1911–1964), writer, poet, proofreader, editor, critic, journalist and author
• Neelam Saxena Chandra (b 1969), poet, writer, novelist
• Padma Sachdev, poet, novelist (Hindi and Dogri language)
• Parichay Das, writer and editor and contemporary Bhojpuri poetry
• Pawan Karan (1964– ), poet, writer, editor, and journalist
• Prasoon Joshi (1971– ), poet, lyricist
• Rambhadracharya (1950– )[β], Hindu religious leader, educator, Sanskrit scholar, polyglot, poet, author, textual commentator, philosopher, composer, singer, playwright and Katha artist
• Ramdhari Singh Dinkar (1908–1974), poet, essayist and academic
• Ramesh Chandra Jha (1925–1994 ), poet, novelist and freedom fighter
• Rustam Singh (born 1955), poet, philosopher, translator and editor
• Ravindra Prabhat (1969– ), author and poet
• Sachchidananda Vatsyayan (1911–1987), poet, writer, novelist, journalist, traveller
• Sahir Ludhianvi, lyricist, poet from Punjab (Ludhiana)
• Shahnaz Fatmi (1949–), poet, writer, essayist, novelist
• Shivmangal Singh Suman (1915–2002), poet and academician
• Shail Chaturvedi (1936–2007), poet, humorist, lyricist, actor
• Sri Lal Sukla (1925–2011), author, writer
• Subhadra Kumari Chauhan (1904–1948), poet
• Sudama Panday 'Dhoomil' (1936–1975), poet
• Sūdan (1700–1753), poet, writer
• Sumitranandan Pant (1900–1975), Chhayavaad poetry, verse plays and essays
• Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' (1899–1961), poet, novelist, essayist and story-writer
• Suryakumar Pandey (Born 1954), poet, writer
• Surdas (1467–1583), composer and devotional poet
• Tara Singh, poet
• Teji Grover (born 1955), Hindi poet, fiction writer, translator and painter
• Tulsidas (1532–1623), poet-saint, reformer and philosopher
• Tribhuvan (born 1964), poet, writer, and journalist
• Uday Prakash (1952– ), scholar, poet, journalist, translator and short story writer
• Valmiki, poet-saint, author of the epic Ramayana
• Virendra Kumar Baranwal (born 1941), Indian poet and writer
• Vrind (1643–1723), poet

Kannada

Main article: List of Kannada-language poets

• A. K. Ramanujan (1929–1993), poet and scholar of Indian literature who wrote in Kannada and English
• Kuvempu (1904–1994)
• D. R. Bendre (1896–1981)
• Gopalakrishna Adiga (1918–1992)
• V. K. Gokak (1909–1992)
• K. S. Narasimhaswamy (1915–2003)
• U. R. Ananthamurthy (1932–2014)
• Adikavi Pampa (902–975)
• Ranna (949-?)
• Janna (13th century)
• Harihara
• Vaidehi (1945– )
• D. V. Gundappa (1887–1975)
• Purandara Dasa (1484–1564)
• Kanaka Dasa (1509–1609)
• M. Govinda Pai (1883–1963)
• Dinakara Desai (1909–1982)
• Gangadevi (14th century)
• Gourish Kaikini (1912–2002)
• Kumara Vyasa (late 14th-early 15th century)
• Akka Mahadevi (1130–1160)
• Nagavarma I (late 10th-early 11th century)
• Nagavarma II (late 11th-early 12th century)
• T. N. Srikantaiah (1906–1966)
• B. M. Srikantaiah (1884–1946)
• G. S. Shivarudrappa (1926–2013)
• Allama Prabhu (12th century)
• Shishunala Sharif (1819–1889)
• Sarvajna (16th century)
• K. S. Nissar Ahmed (1936– )
• Masti Venkatesha Iyengar
• Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar
• Raghavendra Swami (belongs to Kannada Madhva Brahmin; born in 1595 or 1598 or 1601 CE)
• Devanur Mahadeva (1948 Devanuru village Nanjangud taluk, Mysore district, Karnataka)
• Sri Ponna (born 9th to 10th century)
• Kayyar Kinhanna Rai (1915 to 2015)
• Raghavanka (12th century)
• Rudrabhatta (12th century)
• Palkuriki Somanatha (1195)
• Kesiraja (13th century)

Kashmiri

• Allama Muhammad Iqbal
• Abdul Ahad Azad (1903–1948)
• Agha Shahid Ali
• Amin Kamil (1924–2014)
• Arnimal (died 1800)
• Ghulam Ahmad Mahju (1885–1952)
• Habba Khatun (16th century)
• Lalleshwari, also known as "Lalla" or "Lal Ded"
• Mahmud Gami (1765–1855)
• Maqbool Shah Kralawari (1820–1976)
• Nund Reshi (1377–1440)
• Rasul Mir (died 1870)
• Rehman Rahi (born 1925), poet, translator and critic
• Rupa Bhavani (1621–1721)
• Zinda Kaul 'Masterji' (1884–1965)
• Hakeem Manzoor (1937–2006)
• Ghulam Nabi Firaq (1922–2016)

Konkani

• Balakrishna Bhagwant Borkar (1910–1984), also known as "Baki-baab"
• R. V. Pandit, vast poetic production in Konkani, and some in Portuguese
• Uday Bhembre
• Ramesh Veluskar, prominent and award-winning Konkani poet

Maithili

• Vidyapati, also known as Vidyapati Thakur and called Maithil Kavi Kokil "the poet cuckoo of Maithili" (c. 1352 – c. 1448), Maithili poet and Sanskrit writer
• Acharya Ramlochan Saran (1889–1971), littérateur, grammarian, publisher and poet
• Jayamant Mishra (1925–2010), Sanskrit scholar and Maithili poet

Malayalam

Main article: Malayalam literature § Poetry

Medieval poets

• Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, called the "Father of the Malayalam language" (fl. 16th century)
• Johann Ernst Hanxleden, also known as "Arnos Paathiri" (1681–1732), German Jesuit priest
• Poonthanam Namboothiri (fl. 16th century), devotional poet
• Kunchan Nambiar (1705–1770)
• Unnayi Warrier
• Irayimman Thampi (1783–1862), court poet and musician
• Moyinkutty Vaidyar (1857–1891)

Renaissance Poets

• Kumaran Asan (1873–1924)
• Kerala Varma Valiya Koyithampuran, also known as Kerala Varma (1845–1914), poet and translator
• Vallathol Narayana Menon (1878–1958)
• Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer (1877–1949)
• K. V. Simon (1883–1943)
• K.C. Kesava Pillai (1868–1914)
• A. R. Raja Raja Varma (1863–1918), poet, grammarian, scholar, critic and writer

Romantic Poets

• Changampuzha Krishna Pillai (1911–1948), poet and translator
• Edappalli Raghavan Pillai (1909–1936)
• P. Kunhiraman Nair (1906–1974)
• Sanjayan

Neo-Romantic Poets

• G. Sankara Kurup, aka "Sankara Kurup" (died 1978)
• Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon, aka "Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon" (1911–1985)
• Edasseri Govindan Nair (1906–1974))
• N.V. Krishna Warrier (1916–1989), poet and scholar
• Thirunalloor Karunakaran (1924–2006), poet and scholar
• P. Bhaskaran (1924–2007), poet and film songwriter
• Vayalar Ramavarma, also spelled Vayalar Rama Varma (1928–1975)
• O.N.V. Kurup (born 1931)
• Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri (born 1939)
• Kunjunni (died 2006)
• Balamani Amma
• Sugathakumari

Modernist Poets

• M. Govindan (1919–1988)
• K. Ayyappa Panicker, also spelled Ayyappa Paniker, Indian (1930–2006)
• Attoor Ravi Varma
• Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan, popularly known as Kadammanitta (1935–2008)
• Satchidanandan (born 1946), critic (writing in Malayalam and English), poet (in Malayalam)
• S. Rajasekharan (born 1946), poet and literary critic
• D. Vinayachandran
• A. Ayyappan (born 1949)
• Balachandran Chullikkad (born 1957), poet and actor
• Nellikkal Muraleedharan (born 1948), poet, writer and critic
• Venu V Desom

Postmodern Poets

• P. P. Ramachandran
• T. P. Rajeevan (born 1959), poet, novelist and literary critic.
• V. M. Girija (born 1961), poet
• Veerankutty
• Syam Sudhakar (born 1983), poet and literary critic

Manipuri

• Nongthombam Biren Singh, politician, poet and former journalist
• Ashangbam Minaketan Singh
• Robin S Ngangom (born 1959), poet who writes in English and Meiteilon
• Angom Gopi
• Rajkumar Shitaljit Singh
• Elangbam Nilakanta Singh

Marathi

• Samarth Ramdas, wrote Manache Shlok; known as the Guru of Shivaji Maharaj
• Sant Dnyaneshwar, also known as "Sant Jñāneshwar" and "Jñanadeva" (1275–1296), saint, poet, philosopher and yogi
• Eknath or Eknāth (1533–1599), poet and scholar
• Tukaram (birth-year estimates range from 1577–-1609 – died 1650)
• Keshav Pandit, also known as Keshav Pandit or Keshav Bhat Pandit (died 1690), religious official under Chhatrapati Shivaji, poet and Sanskrit scholar
• Raghunath Pandit
• Suresh Bhat 1932–2003), known as Ghazal Samrat (Emperor of ghazals) for his exposition of that form
• Namdeo Dhasal (born 1949), poet, writer, journalist, editor and Dalit activist
• Manohar Oak (born 1933), poet and novelist
• Arun Kolatkar (born 1931 or 1932), poet who wrote both in Marathi and English; also a graphic designer
• Bahinabai Chaudhari (1880–1951), illiterate poet whose son wrote down her poems for her
• Tryambak Bapuji Thombre "Balkavi"
• Vilas Sarang (born 1942), writer, critic, translator and poet
• Kusumagraj, pen name of Vishnu Vāman Shirwādkar (1912–1999), poet, writer and humanist
• P. S. Rege (1910–1978), poet, playwright, fiction writer and academic
• Shanta Shelke (1922–2002), poet, journalist, professor, composer, story writer, translator, writer of children's literature
• Hemant Divate (born 1967), poet, editor of Abhidhanantar magazine, translator
• Hridaynath Mangeshkar (born 1937), eminent poet and composer of songs mainly in Marathi and Hindi
• Manya Joshi (born 1972), Marathi poet
• Mangesh Narayanrao Kale (born 1966), poet, editor, critic and translator
• Saleel Wagh (born 1967), poet, translator, critic
• G. D. Madgulkar, popularly known in his home state of Maharashtra by his initials, Ga Di Ma (1919–1977), poet, lyricist, writer and actor; older brother of writer Venkatesh Madgulkar
• Poet Borkar, Balakrishna Bhagwant Borkar, also known as "Baki-baab" (1910–1984), wrote mostly in Marathi but with numerous works in Konkani
• Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1883–1966), revolutionary freedom fighter, ideologue and thinker who composed mainly poems and songs of nationalist and revolutionary sentiments
• Varjesh Solanki (born 1967), award-winning Marathi poet
• Vasant Abaji Dahake (born 1942), poet, novelist, playwright, artist, and critic
• Bhau Panchbhai, poet and dalit activist
• Mangesh Padgaonkar (born 1929), Marathi poet and recipient Maharashtra Bhushan Award
• Indira Sant

Nepali

• Agam Singh Giri (1927–1971)
• Parijat (1937–1993)
• Rajendra Bhandari (born 1956)
• Yuyutsu Sharma (born 1960)
• Salik Shah (his bilingual poetry collection, "Khas Pidgin," won Elgin Award nomination from Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association in 2018)

Odia

• Jayadeva, author of the famous Gita Govinda in Sanskrit and some poems in Odia (12th century)
• Sarala Dasa, author of the Odia Mahabharata (15th century)
• Jagannatha Dasa, author of the Odia Bhagabata and one of the panchasakha (15th century)
• Achyutananda Dasa, author of Sunya Sanghita and multiple other texts, one of the panchasakha (16th century)
• Salabega (born 1607 or 1608), Muslim author of many bhajans and devotee of Jagannath
• Upendra Bhanja (born from 1670 to 1688), poet and member of the royal family of a princely state
• Abhimanyu Samantasinghara, author of Bigadha Chintamani
• Bhima Bhoi (1850–1895), author of Stuti Chintamani, blind Mahima saint poet of Odisha
• Brajanath Ratha
• Fakir Mohan Senapati (1843–1918), short-story writer, novelist, poet, writer, government official and social activist
• Gangadhar Meher
• Gopabandhu Das, called Utkala Mani ("Gem of Orissa", 1877–1928), social worker, political activist, writer, novelist and poet
• Jayanta Mahapatra
• Krushna Chandra Kar
• Manasi Pradhan
• Manmohan Acharya
• Nanda Kishore Bal
• Nirmala Devi
• Pratibha Satpathy
• Radhanath Ray
• Ramakrushna Nanda
• Ramakant Rath
• Sitakanta Mohapatra
• Tapan Kumar Pradhan

Punjabi

Main article: List of Punjabi language poets

• Baba Farid (12th–13th century)
• Damodar Das Arora (15th century)
• Shah Hussain (16th century)
• Sultan Bahu (16th–17th century)
• Saleh muhammad safoori (17th century)
• Bulleh Shah (17th–18th century)
• Waris Shah (18th century)
• Khwaja Ghulam Farid (18th–19th century)
• Mian Muhammad Bakhsh (19th century)
• Qadaryar (19th century)
• Peelu (19th century)
• Hashim (19th century)
• Shareef Kunjahi (20th century)
• Mir Tanha Yousafi (20th century)
• Anwar Masood (20th century)
• Afzal Ahsan Randhawa (20th century)
• Aatish (20th century)
• Shaista Nuzhat –(20th century)
• Bhai Veer Singh (20th century)
• Jaswant Singh Rahi (20th century)
• Dhani Ram Chatrik (20th century)
• Faiz Ahmad Faiz (20th century)
• Amrita Pritam (20th century)
• Darshan Singh Awara (20th century)
• Dr. Harbhajan Singh (20th century)
• Shiv Kumar Batalvi (20th century)
• Sharif Kunjahi (20th century)
• Paash (20th century)
• Surjit Paatar (20th century)
• Ajmer Rode (20th century)
• Sukhdarshan Dhaliwal
• Satinder Sartaj
• Balwant Gargi
• Sukhbir
• Shardha Ram Phillauri
• Ustad Daman
• Munir Niazi

Rajasthani

• Chand Bardai
• Bankidas Asiya
• Kanhaiyalal Sethia (1919–2008), Rajasthani and Hindi poet
• Sanwar Daiya
• Sawai Singh Dhamora
• Kripa Ram Barath
• Lakshmi Kumari Chundawat
• Narayan Singh Bhati
• Vijaydan Detha

Sanskrit

See also: List of Sanskrit poets

Ancient poets

• Valmiki, author of Ramayana
• Vedavyasa, author of Mahabharata Ashtadasapurana

Classical poets

• Kālidāsa, Classical Sanskrit poet and dramatist writer of Kumara Sambhavam, Meghadootam, abhignana shakuntalam
• Adi Sankara, author of a lot of poems; Bhaja Govindam, Soundarya Lahari, Eulogy on Brahma sutrams, Bhagavathgita Bhashyam and Lalitha Sahasranama
• Bharavi, author of Kiratarjuniya
• Magha
• Bhatti, author of Bhattikāvya, known as Rāvatavadha

Medieval poets

• Jayadeva (1200 AD), author of Gita Govinda
• Narayana Panditacharya, author of Sumadhvavijaya, Sangraha Ramayana
• Vedanta Desika (1269–1370), Sri Vaishnava writer, poet, devotee, philosopher and teacher

Early modern poets

• Kavikalanidhi Devarshi Shrikrishna Bhatt (1675–1761), court poet of Jai Singh II
• Krishnadevaraya (died 1529), king of the Vijayanagara empire and poet
• Prabodhananda Sarasvati (16th century), Vaishnava bhakti poet-saint
• Vadiraja Tirtha (1480–1600), Dvaita saint, poet, devotee and philosopher

Modern Poets

• Jagadguru Rāmabhadrācārya
• Ram Karan Sharma, of New Delhi
• Srinivas Rath
• Vanikavi Manomohan Acharya, Cuttack
• Pandhareenathachar Galagali

Sindhi

Main article: List of Sindhi language poets

• Moti Prakash

Tamil

Sangam poets (c. 300 BC to 300 AD)

• Agastya
• Avvaiyar, the name of more than one poet who was active during different periods of Tamil literature; Auvaiyar I lived during the Sangam period (c. 1st and 2nd century CE)
• Kadiyalur Uruttirangannanar
• Kapilar

see also Sangam literature

Post-Sangam poets (200 AD to 1000 AD)

• Thiruvalluvar ([fl.] c. 2nd – 8th century AD), poet who wrote the Thirukkural, an ethical work
• Ilango Adigal (300 to 700 AD), wrote the epic Cilappathikaaram
• Nakkeerar (fl. c. 9th century)
• Sīthalai Sāttanār
• Tirutakkatevar

Bakthi period poets (700 to 1700 AD)

• Manikkavacakar
• 63 Nayanars, namely Appar, Sambanthar, Sundarar etc.
• 12 Alvars, namely Poigaialvar, Boothathaalvaar etc.
• Sekkizhar (fl. 12th century), poet and scholar
• Kambar
• Ottakoothar
• Arunagirinathar
• Pattinathar
• Siva Prakasar

Patriots and British period poets

• Anandabharati Aiyangar (1786–1846)
• Henry Alfred Krishnapillai (1827–1900, author of Ratchanya Yaatrigam)
• Subramanya Bharathi called Mahakavi Bharati ("Great Poet Bharati") (1882–1921) poet, writer, independence advocate and reformer
• Subramanya Siva (1884–1925), poet and independence advocate
• Bharathidasan, also spelled Bharatidasan (1891–1964), poet, playwright, screenwriter, short-story writer and essayist
• Kavimani Desigavinayagam Pillai
• Sheikh Thambi Pavalar
• Ramalinga Swamigal

Modern

• Perunchithiranar (1933–1995), poet and philosopher
• Kannadasan (1927–1981), poet and song lyrics writer
• Vaali (1931–2013), poet and song lyrics writer
• Annamalai Reddiyar, Tamil poet
• Vairamuthu, poet and song lyrics writer
• Pudhumaipithan
• T. K. Doraiswamy ("Nakulan")
• Prof. Karmegha Konar
• P. Vijay, poet who writes song lyrics for films
• Mu Metha, poet and songwriter
• L. S. Kandasamy
• V. Akilesapillai (1853–1910), Sri Lankan scholar, poet and writer
• Perumal Rasu, poet, writer, painter and spiritual master
• Manushyaputhiran

Telugu

Medieval poets

• Nannaya Bhattaraka, also known as the First Poet "Aadi Kavi", the first poet of the Kavi Trayam, or "Trinity of Poets", that translated Mahabharatamu into Telugu over the course of a few centuries
• Tikkana also called "Tikkana Somayaji" (1205–1288), poet and member of Kavi Trayam
• Errana also known as "Yellapregada" or "Errapregada" (fl. 14th century).
• Gona Budda Reddy – 13th-century poet
• Annamacharya (1408–1503), mystic saint composer of the 15th century, widely regarded as the Telugu pada kavita pitaamaha (grand old man of simple poetry); husband of Tallapaka Tirumalamma
• Sri Krishnadevaraya, Vijayanagar Emperor, Telugu language patron, Telugu language poet
• Allasani Peddana, 15th century poet and known as foremost of Asthadiggajas (Eight elite Telugu poets under Sri Krishnadevaraya)
• Nandi Thimmana, a member of Ashtadiggajas
• Madayyagari Mallana, a member of Ashtadiggajas
• Dhurjati, a member of Ashtadiggajas
• Ayyalaraju Ramambhadrudu, a member of Ashtadiggajas
• Pingali Surana, a member of Ashtadiggajas
• Ramarajabhushanudu, a member of Ashtadiggajas
• Tenali Ramakrishna, poet, scholar, thinker and a special advisor in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya, nicknamed Vikatakavi
• Molla, also known as "Mollamamba", both popular names of Atukuri Molla (1440–1530), poet who wrote Telugu Ramayan; a woman
• Potana, born Bammera Pothana (1450–1510), poet best known for his translation of the Bhagavata Purana from Sanskrit; the book is popularly known as Pothana Bhagavatham
• Tallapaka Tirumalamma, also known as "Timmakka" and "Thimmakka" (fl. 15th century), poet who wrote Subhadra Kalyanam; wife of singer-poet Annamacharya and was popularly known as Timmakka
• Vemana (fl. 14th century), poet
• Bhadrachala Ramadasu, 17th-century Indian devotee of Lord Rama and a composer of Carnatic music.

Rennaissance poets

• Kandukuri Veeresalingam (1848–1919), social reformer, poet, scholar, founded the journal Vivekavardhani, introduced the essay, biography, autobiography and the novel into Telugu literature
• Gurajada Apparao (1862–1915), poet, writer and playwright who wrote the first Telugu play, Kanyasulkam; also an influential social reformer sometimes called Mahakavi ("the great poet")
• Gurram Jashuva (1895–1971), a dalit poet and writer and producer of All India Radio, awarded "Padma Bhushan" by the Govt of India, known for poetry on social evils
• Sri Sri, Srirangam Srinivasa Rao (1910–1983), marxist poet notable for his work Maha Prasthanam
• Jwalamukhi, pen name of Veeravalli Raghavacharyulu (1938–2008), poet, novelist, writer and political activist
• Viswanatha Satyanarayana (1895–1976), popularly known as the Kavi Samraat ("Emperor of Poetry")
• Balijepalli Lakshmikantham (1881–1953), poet and dramatist
• Chellapilla Venkata Sastry, poet and scholar
• Devulapalli Krishna Sastry (1887–1981), poet and writer of radio plays, known as "Andhra Shelly"
• Devarakonda Balagangadhara Tilak
• Divakarla Tirupati Sastry
• Rayaprolu Subba Rao
• C. R. Reddy

Modern poets

• C. Narayana Reddy (born 1931), poet, academic and songwriter
• Aarudhra, pen name of Bhagavatula Siva Sankara Sastry (1925–1998), author, poet, essayist, writer of stories (including detective stories), playwright, translator, composer of film songs
• Ismail, popular name of Mohammad Ismail (born 1928)
• Suravaram Pratap Reddy, writer and historian from Telangana
• Kethu Viswanatha Reddy, poet from Rayalaseema
• Gunturu Seshendra Sarma (1927–2007), also known as Yuga Kavi
• Papineni Sivasankar, poet and critic from Andhra Pradesh
• Sirivennela Sitaramasastri, popular poet and lyricist

Urdu

In alphabetical order by last name:

See also: List of Urdu language poets

• Javed Akhtar (born 1945) Eminent lyricist and script writer for movies.
• Mir Babar Ali Anis
• Kaifi Azmi
• Ghalib
• Raza Naqvi Wahi, poet from Patna, Bihar
• Shahnaz Fatmi (1949–), poet, writer from Patna, Bihar
• Rafiq Husain
• Rahat Indori
• Masud Husain Khan
• Syed Mahmood "Talib" Khundmiri
• Syed Hasnain Raza Naqvi
• Irfan Nasirabadi
• Nazish Pratapgarhi
• Shahzad A. Rizvi (born 1937), author, scholar and poet
• Iftikhar Imam Siddiqui
• Kanwal Ziai
• Mir Taqi Mir

See also

• Indian poetry
• List of Indian English poetry anthologies