Writer Biographies

Modern era

Bapsi Sidhwa

August 11, 1938 – December 25, 2024

Pakistani American author

Contemporary era

Mohsin Hamid

b. July 23, 1971

Pakistani novelist

Early Modern era

Roshan Ara Begum

September 3, 1617 – September 11, 1671

Mughal princess

Contemporary era

Shaan Shahid

b. April 27, 1971

Pakistani actor, screenwriter and director

Contemporary era

Shoaib Mansoor

b. April 4, 1952

Pakistani director, writer and musician

Modern era

Hakim Mohammed Said

January 20, 1920 – October 17, 1998

Pakistani medical researcher, scholar, philanthropist, and governor of Sindh Province (1920–1998)

Modern era

Annemarie Schimmel

April 7, 1922 – January 26, 2003

German scholar of Islam (1922-2003)

Modern era

Jahanara Imam

May 3, 1929 – June 26, 1994

Bangladeshi writer (1929–1994)

Early Modern era

Lalon Shah

1772 – October 17, 1890

Bengali poet, composer and Baul saint

Modern era

Begum Rokeya

December 9, 1880 – December 9, 1932

Bengali feminist writer and social reformer (1880-1932)

Modern era

Anagarika Dharmapala

September 17, 1864 – April 29, 1933

Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist and writer (1864-1933)

Modern era

Bhanubhakta Acharya

July 13, 1814 – April 23, 1868

The First-ever poet of Nepali Language

Medieval era

Rabia Balkhi

b. c. 1000

Persian poet, first woman poet of Islamic period

Medieval era

Wen Tianxiang

June 6, 1236 – January 9, 1283

Chinese politician of the Song Dynasty

Medieval era

Zhu Xi

October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200

Chinese historian, neo-Confucian philosopher, poet, and politician during the Song dynasty (1130–1200)

Medieval era

Wang Yangming

October 31, 1472 – January 9, 1529

Chinese philosopher and general (1472–1529)

Medieval era

Su Shi

January 8, 1037 – August 24, 1101

Chinese writer and politician (1037–1101)

Ancient era

Wang Xizhi

321 CE – 361 CE

Chinese calligrapher (c. 321 – c. 361)

Medieval era

Li Qingzhao

March 19, 1084 – May 19, 1155

Chinese Song Dynasty poet, known as "the most talented woman in all ages"

Early Modern era

Li Shizhen

July 3, 1517 – 1593

Chinese polymath and scientist (1517-1593)

Early Modern era

Xu Xiake

1586 – March 8, 1641

Chinese geographer and traveller

Medieval era

Sei Shonagon

966 CE – 1025

Japanese author and court lady

Early Modern era

Shin Saimdang

October 29, 1504 – May 17, 1551

Calligraphist and noted poet (1504-1551)

Early Modern era

Yi Hwang

1501 – 1570

Korean Confucian scholar (1502 -1571)

Early Modern era

Yi I

December 26, 1536 – 1584

Joseon civil servant & Neo-Confucianist (1536 – 1584)

Early Modern era

Zanabazar

1635 – 1723

Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader

Medieval era

Nguyen Trai

1380 – September 28, 1442

Vietnamese scholar and poet (1380–1442)

Early Modern era

Nguyen Du

b. c. 1500

16th-century Vietnamese writer

Early Modern era

Ho Xuan Huong

1772 – 1822

Vietnamese poet (1772–1822)

Modern era

Phan Boi Chau

December 26, 1867 – October 29, 1940

19/20th-century Vietnamese nationalist and revolutionary

Modern era

Vo Nguyen Giap

August 25, 1911 – October 4, 2013

Vietnamese general and communist politician (1911–2013)

Modern era

U Thant

January 22, 1909 – November 25, 1974

UN Secretary-General from 1961 to 1971

Modern era

Pramoedya Ananta Toer

February 6, 1925 – April 30, 2006

Indonesian writer (1925–2006)

Early Modern era

Magtymguly Pyragy

1733 – 1782

Turkmen spiritual leader and philosophical poet

Medieval era

Rudaki

859 CE – 941 CE

Persian poet, the father of Persian poetry

Medieval era

Shota Rustaveli

1172 – 1216

Georgian poet

Medieval era

Nizami Ganjavi

1141 – 1209

Persian poet

Modern era

Mohammad Mosaddegh

May 19, 1882 – March 5, 1967

Former Prime Minister of Iran (1882–1967)

Medieval era

Attar of Nishapur

1145 – April 26, 1221

Persian Sufi poet (c. 1145 – c. 1221)

Modern era

Forugh Farrokhzad

January 5, 1935 – February 13, 1967

Iranian poet (1935-1967)

Modern era

Nazim Hikmet

January 15, 1902 – June 3, 1963

Turkish communist poet, playwright and novelist (1902–1963)

Early Modern era

Evliya Celebi

March 25, 1611 – 1682

Turkish traveler and writer (1611–1682)

Modern era

Halide Edib Adivar

June 11, 1884 – January 9, 1964

Turkish social reformer and statesperson (1884–1964)

Medieval era

Al-Jahiz

775 CE – 868 CE

Arabic writer (776–869)

Modern era

May Ziadeh

February 11, 1886 – October 17, 1941

Lebanese-Palestinian writer (1886-1941)

Modern era

Nizar Qabbani

March 21, 1923 – April 30, 1998

Syrian diplomat, poet and publisher (1923-1998)

Medieval era

Ahmad ibn Majid

1432 – 1500

Arab navigator and cartographer

Muhammad Ali Pasha

Historical figure

Modern era

Taha Hussein

November 14, 1889 – October 28, 1973

Egyptian writer and literary critic (1889–1973)

Modern era

Abd el-Krim

January 12, 1882 – February 6, 1963

War leader and president of the Rif Republic from 1921 to 1926

Modern era

Mohammed Abdullah Hassan

April 7, 1856 – December 21, 1920

Emir of Diiriye Guure and his Dervish Kingdom (1856-1920)

Early Modern era

Usman dan Fodio

December 15, 1754 – 1817

Founder of the Sokoto Caliphate

Early Modern era

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

November 12, 1651 – April 17, 1695

Mexican writer, philosopher, playwright and poet

Early Modern era

Francisco Morazan

October 3, 1792 – September 15, 1842

President of Federal Republic of Central America (1830-1839)

Early Modern era

Francisco de Miranda

March 28, 1750 – July 14, 1816

Venezuelan military leader (1750–1816)

Modern era

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento

February 15, 1811 – September 11, 1888

Argentinian politician and writer (1811-1888)

Modern era

Louis Riel

October 22, 1844 – November 16, 1885

Métis leader in Canada (1844–1885)

Modern era

Liliuokalani

September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917

Monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom (1838–1917)

Modern era

Ned Kelly

1854 – November 11, 1880

Australian bushranger (1854–1880)

Modern era

David Unaipon

September 28, 1872 – February 7, 1967

Indigenous Australian inventor and writer (1872–1967)