Rahul Sankrityayan, Indian monk and historian (b. 1893)
Rahul Sankrityayan (born Kedarnath Pandey; 9 April 1893 – 14 April 1963) was an Indian independence activist, writer and a polyglot who wrote in Hindi. He played a pivotal role in giving travelogue a 'literary form'. He was one of the most widely travelled scholars of India, spending forty-five years of his life on travels away from his home. Sankrityayan is often called the "father of Indian travelogue".
He travelled to many places and wrote many travelogues. He is known for his authentic descriptions about his travel experiences, for instance in his travelogue Meri Laddakh Yatra (lit. 'My Ladakh Journey') he covers the regional, historical and cultural aspects of that region judiciously. He became a Buddhist monk (Bhikkhu) and eventually became a Marxist. Sankrityayan was an Indian patriot, having been arrested and jailed for three years for his anti-British writings and speeches. He is referred to as the 'Greatest Scholar' for his scholarship. He was both a polymath as well as a polyglot. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan in 1963.