Top 10 famous people of Varanasi (Banaras) वाराणसी के 10 प्रसिद्ध लोग

Banaras (Varanasi) is India’s cultural capital India, and it is not only rich in its culture but also has a rich heritage within itself.

This city had given numerous personalities to the world; some of them are mentioned in this article-

1. Rani Lakshmi Bai (रानी लक्ष्मी बाई)

Name of the person	Rani Lakshmi Bai
Date of birth	19th November 1835
Date of death	17th June 1858
Famous for	Revolutionary Movement of 1857

Rani Lakshmi Bai is one of the most popular Freedom fighters of India. She emerged as a great and powerful leader during the mutiny of 1857-58 or the Revolt of 1857.

She was trained in martial arts and was very proficient in sword fights. She married the maharaja of Jhansi Gangadhar Rao but was widowed without having a Child as the throne’s successor. At that time, India was facing a policy Doctrine of Lapse.

Rani Lakshmi bai adopted a child to succeed the throne, but the Governor-general of the British Government, Lord Dalhousie, refused to accept that. This led to the Revolt against the British Government in India. Rani Lakshmi Bai fought with Bravery and Courage with the British troops and gave the Indian Independence Movement spark.

Do you know about How many Temples are in Varanasi?

2. Girija Devi (गिरिजा देवी)

Name of Person	GIRIJA DEVI (गिरिजा देवी)
Date of birth	8th May 1929
Date of death	24th October 2017
Famous for	Classical Music

Girija Devi was born in Varanasi and was one of the greatest Indian Classical Singer, and she was popular for singing.

Seniyas and Banaras Gharanas. Used to perform classically and light Classical Musical. she was one of the most precious gems of the Indian Classical Music Industry.

She was also known as the Queen of Thumri.

She emerged as a musician; not only as a musician, she became a star of the music industry when people usually criticized the music industry.

She stood up and fought against this criticism of society and gave her talent the best.

For which she had received several awards by the Indian government, such as:

• She got Padma Shri in 1972.
• Padma Bhushan in 1989
• Padma Vibhushan in 2016. For her contribution to the Indian classical music industry.

3. Lal bahadur shastri (लाल बहादुर शास्त्री)

Name of the person	Lal Bahadur Shastri (लाल बहादुर शास्त्री)
Date of birth	2nd June 1906
Date of death	11th January 1966
Famous for	Indian Freedom fighter and Politician(XPm Of India)

Read: Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti [Biography]

Lal bahadur shastri was also born in Varanasi. He was one of the most famous freedom fighters, and he also became India’s second prime minister India. He was known for the starting of the White Revolution in India.

He supported outgrowing India’s one of the biggest milk-producing cooperatives, i.e., Amul India. He also set up the National Dairy Development Board.

He was a renowned Freedom fighter and played a very important role in the Indian Independence Movement in the 1920s.In the first government of India, he became the railway minister, and later on, he became the Prime minister of India.

He led our country during the India-Pakistan war of 1965. During that war, he gave the famous slogan – Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, to empower the people of India. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna Award.

4. Kabir Das (कबीर दासी)

Name of the person	Kabir Das (कबीर दासी)
Date of birth	1398-1440
Date of death	1448-1518
Famous for	Indian Saint and Poet

Kabir was one of the most popular poets and saints from Varanasi during the 15th century. His poetic works influenced Hindu Bhakti Movement and also Sikhism, as his poetic works are also found in the Guru Granth Sahib. He was born to a Muslim family in Varanasi city of Uttar Pradesh. But later, due to the influence of his Teacher Ramananda, he became a saint.

His legacy can be seen in Indian history and Indian literature, and Today also his poetic works mean a lot to the people of India. His poetry works give the messages of righteousness, living, non-living and divine to the world.

5. Sitara Devi (सितारा देवी)

Name of the person	Sitara Devi
Date of birth	8th November 1920
Date of death	25 November 2014
Famous for	Kathak dancer

Sitara Devi was another magnificent and precious gem of Varanasi; she was one of the most popular Indian Kathak dancers. She was one of the Prominent Classical Dancers of India. She was not only a dancer only, but she was a singer and an actress also.

She had been recognized with several awards during her lifelong journey. She was not only famous for her art in India but also abroad she was very famous. She had also performed in the Royal Albert Hall, London, in 1967 and at the Carnegie Hall, New York, in 1976.

6. Ravidas (रविदास)

Name of the person	Ravidas (रविदास)
Date of birth	1450
Date of death	1520
Famous for	Saint and Poet

Ravidas was also known as Shri Guru Ravidas ji .He was a great and mystic Poet Saint of the Bhakti Movement of India. He was also known as the founder of the Ravidassia Religion formed during the 15th and 16th centuries CE.

As a guru, he traveled across different states of India like- Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Haryana, to preach knowledge and social reforms in the society.

His poetic works are also included in the Guru Granth Sahib. He spent most of his life with Sufi saints, sadhus, and ascetics.

7. Vallabhcharya (वल्लभाचार्य)

Name of the person	Vallabhacharya (वल्लभाचार्य)
Date of birth	1479
Date of death	1531
Famous for	Indian Philosopher, saint, and Guru

Vallabhacharya was popularly known as the Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji. He was famous for his founding of Krishna-centered PushtiMarg and his philosophy of suddha Advaita. He was a popular philosopher.

Vallabhacharya was born in a Tamil Brahmin family who were living in Varanasi. Later during the Muslim invasion, he had to escape to the Champaran of Chattisgarh.

Vallabha studied the Vedas and Upanishads from early childhood for more than 20 years. he also became one of the important leaders during the devotional Bhakti Movement.

8. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai (कृष्ण प्रसाद भट्टराई)

Name of the person	Krishna Prasad Bhattarai (कृष्ण प्रसाद भट्टराई)
Date of birth	13th December 1924
Date of death	4th March 2011
Famous for	Nepalese Politician.

Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was a well-known Nepalese Political Leader. He was known as one of the most important leaders in transitioning Nepal from an Absolute Monarchy to a Democratic country. He was amongst the first to participate in the movement to modernize the Nepalese Political system.

He was initially born in Varanasi in his youth and was a journalist; later on, he joined the politics and the struggle movement against the monarchy in Nepal.

After the success of their struggle, he became prime minister of Nepal in April 1990, and then he referred to that political movement and struggled as Jana- Andolan. He was the one who became the Prime minister of Nepal twice.

9. Narsingh Yadav (नरसिंह यादव)

Name of the person	Narsingh Pancham (नरसिंह यादव)
Date of birth	6th August 1989
Date of death	–
Famous for	Wrestling sports

Narsingh Yadav, or Narsingh Pancham Yadav, is a popular Indian wrestler who won the gold medal in Commonwealth games 2010 in the freestyle men’s wrestling in the 74kg category.

He was also given the popular title in Indian kushti, the Triple Maharashtra Kesari. He is the first Indian wrestler who had won simultaneously three times in 2011,2012, and 2013.

He was born in the state of Uttar Pradesh and used to live in Varanasi. He started his practice of wrestling sports from the early age of 13. Along with him, his brother Vinod also became a wrestler.
At present, he is living in the suburban Jogeshwari in Mumbai. Currently, he is the DSP With Maharashtra Government.

10. Mohammed Shahid (मोहम्मद शाहिद)

Name of the person	Mohammed Shahid (मोहम्मद शाहिद)
Date of birth	14th April 1960
Date of death	20th July 2016
Famous for	Hockey Player

Mohammed Shahid is a well-known Indian field Hockey player. Not this only he was considered as one of the best players of India. He was very popular and known for his dribbling skills. When he was a member of the Indian hockey team, his team won the Gold Medal in the 1980 Olympic games held in Moscow.

He was also honored with the Arjuna award in 1980-1981. And also given Padma Shri in 1986.

He was born in Varanasi in 1960 and appeared at the junior Hockey team in 1979 who played the Junior world cup in France and was also awarded the best forward player award and all.

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