This is a list of notable people from Varanasi.
Activists
Arts, music and entertainment
- Ashutosh Bhattacharya (1917–2004), Tabla Player
- Girija Devi, Singer, Padma Vibhushan
- Siddheshwari Devi, Khayal Singer, Padma Shri
- Sitara Devi, Padma Shri
- Bismillah Khan, Shehnai Player, Bharat Ratna Padma Vibhushan
- Vikash Maharaj, Sarod Player, Yash Bharti
- Birju Maharaj, Kathak Guru, Padma Vibhushan
- Kishan Maharaj, Tabla Player, Padma Vibhushan
- Channulal Mishra, Hindustani classical Player, Padma Bhushan
- Shamta Prasad (Gudai Maharaj), Tabla Player, Padma Shri
- Ritwik Sanyal, Singer, Dhrupad
- Ravi Shankar, Sitar Player, Bharat Ratna
- Shivnath Mishra, Sitarist, Surbahar
- Uday Shankar, Dancer, Padma Vibhushan
- Sujit Kumar, Actor & Producer
- Anant Lal, Indian Classical Musician & Teacher
- Rasoolan Bai, Vocalist
- Ronu Majumdar, Flautist
- Lalmani Misra, Musician
- Hemanta Mukherjee, Singer, Music Director & Film Director
- Deobrat Mishra, Sitar, Surbahar artist
- Hiralal Yadav, Folk Singer, Padma Shri
- Vidisha, Actress
Literature and academics
- Baldev Upadhyaya, Hindi, Sanskrit scholar, literary historian, essayist and critic, Padma Bhushan
- Teg Ali Teg, Bhojpuri writer and poet
- Bedhab Banarasi, Hindi writer
- Bharatendu Harishchandra, Novelist, poet, playwright writer
- Devaki Nandan Khatri, Writer
- Gopinath Kaviraj (1887–1976), Sanskrit scholar; Principal Government Sanskrit College, Varanasi (1923–1937);Padma Vibhushan (1964)
- Jaishankar Prasad, Writer
- Kabir Das, mystic Bhojpuri poet and saint
- Ravidas, mystic saint and poet
- Premchand, Hindi-Urdu Writer
- Tulsidas, saint and poet, and philosopher
- Vagish Shastri, Sanskrit scholar, Tantric, linguist and grammarian
- Veer Bhadra Mishra, founding president of the Sankat Mochan Foundation; former professor and HOD of Civil Engineering at IIT (BHU), Varanasi
- Sudama Panday 'Dhoomil', Poet
- Shiv Prasad Mishra, Writer
- Shiv Prasaad Singh, Writer
- Kashi Nath Singh, Writer
- Shiv Prasad Gupta freedom fighter, philanthropist and founder of Kashi Vidyapeeth.
- Charu Sheel Singh, Writer
- Premendra Mitra, Bengali Poet & Novelist
- Deviprasad Dwivedi, Writer & Teacher, Padma Bhushan
- Harihar Kripalu Tripathi, Sanskrit Scholar, Padma Bhushan
- Namvar Singh, Indian Literary Critic, Sahitya Akademi winner
- Ashok Dhawan, MLA, Uttar Pradesh
Politics
- Raghunath Singh First Member of Parliamnt Varanasi
- Devendra Nath Dwivedi, Governor designate of Gujarat
- Mahendra Nath Pandey, Former HRD Minister of Gujarat
- Sri Prakasa, Governor of Assam
- Sampurnanand, Former Chief Minister of UP and Former Governor of Rajasthan
- Kamalapati Tripathi, Writer, Freedom Fighter and Former Railway Minister
- Raj Narain, former freedom fighter, royalty and politician.
- Veena Pandey, Former MLC, Uttar Pradesh
- Adya Prasad Pandey, Former Vice Chancellor Manipur University, Professor, Banaras Hindu University
- Ajay Rai 5 times MLA from Pindra
Royalty
- Raja Chait Singh Zamindar of Benaras
- Kashi Naresh Maharaja Banaras Vibhuti Narayan Singh
- Maharani Kiran Rao, Queen of Bhopal
- Maharani Lakshmibai, Queen of Jhansi
Scientists
- Sushruta, father of plastic surgery
- Bishun Khare, Research Scientist
- Arvind Mohan Kayastha, Biologist
- Sanjaya Rajaram, Plant Biologist
- Subhash Chandra Lakhotia, Cytogenetist and Biologist
Sports
- Prashanti Singh, Basketball Player
- Mohammed Shahid, Hockey Player
- Lalit Upadhyay, Field Hockey Player
- Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Basketball Player
- Ram Singh Yadav, Marathon
- Narsingh Pancham Yadav, Wrestler
- Bernard Brodhurst, Cricketer
- Maharajkumar of Vizianagram, Cricketer
- Divya Singh, Basketball Player
- Akanksha Singh, Basketball Player
- Pratima Singh, Basketball Player
- Punam Yadav, Weightlifter
- Shivpal Singh, Track and Field
Others
- Bhagwan Das, Bharat Ratna
- K. L. Shrimali, Padma Vibhushan
- Lahiri Mahasaya, Yogi
- Rai Krishnadasa, Padma Vibhushan
- Ravidas
- Sameer, Lyricist
- Sir James Brooke, Founder of the White Rajah dynasty of Sarawak
- Sunil Bansal, Politician
- Arun Pathak, Activist and Politician
- Ekta Chowdhry, Model
- Tapan Singhel, managing director and CEO of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance
- Sitaram Chaturvedi, Educator, Dramatist and Scholar
- Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Revolutionary and founder of Hindustan Republican Association
- Manmath Nath Gupta, Revolutionary and Author
References
- "Sri Sri Anandamayi Ma's Devotees". Anandamayi Ma. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- "Dr. Veer Bhadra Mishra". Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.