Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, is known as Bangabandhu (Friend of Bengal). He played a pivotal role in the independence movement of Bangladesh in 1971 and is revered as a key leader in South Asian history.

The famous Sanskrit drama "Mudrarakshasa" was written by Visakhadatta. It is a historical play that portrays the cunning strategies employed by Chanakya (Kautilya) to ensure Chandragupta Maurya's rise to power and the downfall of the Nanda dynasty.

Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban, a ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, is known for crushing the "Gang of Forty" (Turkan-i-Chahalgani). This was a powerful group of Turkish nobles who wielded significant influence during the early years of the Sultanate.

When Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer, arrived in Calicut (now Kozhikode) in 1498, he was warmly received by the Zamorin, the ruler of Calicut. The Zamorin was a powerful monarch and a significant figure in the Indian Ocean trade network, which attracted the Portuguese to establish trade relations in India.

In 1813, Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of India, remarked that Indians possess superior skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic compared to the common people of Europe. This statement highlighted the intellectual capabilities of Indians during the British colonial period, though it came amid colonial policies that later disrupted traditional education systems.