Chanakya is regarded as a great thinker anddiplomat in India. Many Indian nationalists regard him as one ofthe earliest people who envisaged the united India spanning theentire subcontinent. India's former National Security Advisor ShivShankar Menon praised Chanakya's Arthashastra for its clear andprecise rules which apply even today.

Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher, economist, juristand royal advisor. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya orVishnu Gupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise,the Arthashastra (Economics). As such, he is considered as thepioneer of the field of political science and economics in India,and his work is thought of as an important precursor to classicaleconomics. His works were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire andnot rediscovered until 1915.

Originally a professor of economics and political science at theancient university of Takshashila, Chanakya managed the firstMauryan emperor Chandragupta's rise to power at a young age. He iswidely credited for having played an important role in theestablishment of the Maurya Empire, which was the first empire inarchaeologically recorded history to rule most of the Indiansubcontinent. Chanakya served as the chief advisor to both emperorsChandragupta and his son Bindusara.