This is an incomplete list of notable persons of Kashmiri origin.
Activists
Ataullah Shah Bukhari, Indian freedom struggle activist. Parveena Ahanger, co-founder and chairman of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. Parvez Imroz, Kashmiri human rights lawyer and a civil rights activist. Mohammad Subhan Hajam (1910–1962), Kashmiri barber, social activist Mushtaq Pahalgami, Social Activist, Environmentalist, President Himalayan Welfare Organization, Pahalgam Khurram Parvez, Kashmiri human rights activist. Sanaullah Amritsari, Indian freedom struggle activist and co-founder of Jamia Millia Islamia Shehla Rashid, Political and civil rights activist. Ayub Thakur, (1948 – 2004) Kashmiri political activist and founder of London-based World Kashmir Freedom Movement (WKFM).
Administrators, diplomats, bankers and jurists
Amitabh Mattoo (1962– ), Vice Chancellor, Jammu University, thinker & writer, Padma Shri awardee Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, Prime Minister Jammu and Kashmir 1953 to 1964. Baseer Ahmad Khan (1958- ), Advisor to Governor and Former Divisional Commissioner Kashmir. Birbal Dhar (early 19th century), invited Maharaja Ranjit Singh to Kashmir Braj Kumar Nehru (1909–2001), ambassador of India to the United States (1961–1968) and Governor of Assam (1968–1973) Durga Prasad Dhar (1918–1975), ambassador of India to the Soviet Union, and politician Farah Pandith (1969– ), U.S. State Department Special Representative Farooq Abdullah, former Cabinet Minister and Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Khan, ex IPS, credited with creating JKP SOG. Ghulam Nabi Azad (1949 born), politician and former CM of Jammu and Kashmir. Haidar Malik, Kashmiri administrator of the Mughals Haji Gokool Meah, industrialist and businessman in Trinidad and Tobago M. L. Madan, Veterinarian, Scientist, Administrator. Masood Khan, Career Diplomat and President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir[ Markandey Katju, (1946-), Former Judge at the Supreme Court of India Masud Choudhary (1944–2022), Prominent educator, social reformer and former administrator vice-chancellor. Mehraj Mattoo (1961– ), British Investment Banker, Economist, Harvard Fellow Mirza Pandit Dhar, Kashmiri during the rule of Azim Khan Mohan Lal (1812–1877), diplomat in the First Anglo-Afghan War, and writer Neel Kashkari (1973– ), Interim Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability in the US Treasury P. K. Kaul (1929–2007), ambassador of India to the United States (1986–1989) Purushottam Narayan Haksar (1913–1998), political strategist Rafiq Ahmad Pampori (born 1956), Islamic scholar, author and the former Principal of the Government Medical College, Srinagar. Rameshwar Nath Kao (1918–2002), first chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, India's intelligence agency (from 1969 to 1977) Sameera Fazili, Kashmiri American attorney and community development finance expert who is a deputy director of the National Economic Council in the Biden administration. Satish Dhawan ISRO chief Shah Faesal IAS topper (2009), youth icon, politician Sheikh Abdullah (5 December 1905 – 8 September 1982), Leader of the National Conference, Prime Minister of the state of Jammu and Kashmir after its accession to India in 1947. T.N. Kaul (1913–2000), ambassador of India to USA (1973–1976), Soviet Union & Iran. Foreign Secretary, Indian Ministry of External Affairs. V. N. Kaul Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2002–2008). Tej Bahadur Sapru (1875–1949), lawyer, political and social leader during the British Raj Triloki Nath Khoshoo (1927–2002), secretary of the Department of Environment in the Indira Gandhi Government, and environmentalist Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1900–1990), ambassador of India to the United States (1949–1952), President of the United Nations General Assembly (1953), politician, sister of Jawaharlal Nehru Zafar Choudhary Journalist, author, policy analyst, and practitioner of peace-building. Zaffar Iqbal Manhas writer, poet, social activist and Pahari politician hailing from Jammu and Kashmir.
Armed forces
Brij Mohan Kaul, commanded the Indian forces in the Sino-Indian War Colonel Anil Kaul, VrC, Indian Army Mahendra Nath Mulla Mohammed Amin Naik, Major General Indian Army Mushaf Ali Mir, Air Chief Marshal (1947–2003) Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force (2000–2003) S. K. Kaul (1934– ), Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force, former Chief of Air Staff (1993–1995) Tahir Rafique Butt, Air Chief Marshal is the current Chief of the Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force (2012 -) Tapishwar Narain Raina (1921–1980), [Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army (1975–1978)
Authors and poets
Abdul Ahad Azad, Kashmiri poet Agha Shahid Ali, (1949–2001) Poet Amin Kamil (1924–2014), Kashmiri poet & short story writer Ata ul Haq Qasmi, Urdu-language Poet, playwright and columnist. Basharat Peer (1977– ), author Bhamaha Poet of kavyalankara Bilhana, 11th century poet Chandrakanta (1938– ), novelist and short story writer Dina Nath Walli alias Al-mast Kashmiri (1908–2006), poet as well as renowned water color artist Fazil Kashmiri (1916–2004) poet and lyricist, involved in Arabic, English, Persian, Urdu and particularly in Kashmiri literature Gani Kashmiri (), 17th-century Persian-language poet Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor (1885–1952), poet, better known by the pen name Mahjoor Ghulam Nabi Firaq (1922-), poet, writer and educationist Habba Khatun 16th century poet, known as Zoon (the Moon) because of her immense beauty Haidar Malik (fl.1621 CE) Kashmiri administrator of the Mughals, known for writing Tarikh-i-Kashmir Hakeem Manzoor (1937–2006) an Urdu writer, poet & administrator. He has written more than 15 books including Na Tamaam, Barf Ruton Ki Aag and Lahu Lamas Chinar. Hanifa Deen, Australian writer winner of New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards — Ethnic Affairs Commission Award of 1996. Hari Kunzru (1969– ), British novelist of Kashmiri descent Javaid Rahi (1970) Tribal researcher of national repute working on tribal Gujjar culture. Khalid Bashir Ahmad Writer and poet Khalid Hasan (1935–2009) writer, senior Pakistani journalist and diplomat. Krishna Hutheesing (1907–1967), author, and sister of Jawaharlal Nehru Madhosh Balhami, (1966-), poet known for his elegies for dead militants Mahmud Gami (1765–1855), composed a version of the story of Yusuf and Zulaikha Manju Kak, short story writer Maqbool Shah Kralawari (1820–1876), lyricist Marghoob Banihali, Kashmiri poet from Banihal, Kashmir. Meeraji (1912–1949) Urdu poet, lived the life of a bohemian and worked only intermittently Mirza Waheed British Novelist born and raised in Kashmir. Mohi ud-Din Miskin (d.1921), poet and writer, wrote a history of Kashmir 'Tarikh-i-Kabir' Mohiuddin Hajni (1917–1993) writer, critic, political activist and teacher. Momin Khan Momin (1800–1851) poet known for his Urdu ghazals Moti Lal Kemmu (1933– ), playwright Muhammad Din Fauq (1877–1945) writer and first journalist of Kashmir. Muhammad Iqbal (1877–1938) Muslim poet and philosopher. Commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal Mullah Nadiri (fl.1420 CE) Kashmiri poet of Persian-language, known for writing Tarikh-i-Kashmir Naseem Shafaie (b.1952), Kashmiri-language poet. Nayantara Sahgal (1927– ), Indo-Anglian writer, novelist Nyla Ali Khan, Professor, writer, granddaughter of Sheikh Abdullah. Pamposh Bhat, (1958– ), author and environmentalist. Predhuman K Joseph Dhar, author, social worker and a writer Rahul Pandita, Kashmiri author and journalist. Rasul Mir, also known as the John Keats of Kashmir. Rehman Rahi, Kashmiri poet Rudrata poet S.L. Sadhu (1917–2012), Scholar, Professor, poet, writer, folklorist and Historian Saadat Hasan Manto (1912–1955), short story writer, member Progressive Writers' Movement Salman Rushdie (1947– ), British-Indian novelist and essayist Santha Rama Rau (1923– 2009), travel writer Sheikh Showkat Hussain (1954– ), author and political analyst Tanha Ansari (1914 – 1969), poet Vishnu Sharma author of panchtantra Zareef Ahmad Zareef (b.1943), poet, writer, social activist and environmentalist, best known for his satirical poetry and efforts to highlight various social and political problems. Zinda Kaul (1884–1965), poet, also known as Masterji Zulfiqar Naqvi Urdu poet and English lecturer, from Mendhar Tehsil, Jammu and Kashmir
Businesspeople and industrialists
Farooq Kathwari (born 1944), American businessman, CEO of Ethan Allen Gokool, (Haji Gokool Meah) Trinidadian and Tobagonian industrialist, philanthropist, and cinema magnate Jamim Shah, Nepali businessman, known as Cable King of Nepal
Philosophers and historians
Abhinavagupta, (ca. 950–1020), Kashmiri philosopher, mystic and aesthetician Ahmad Hasan Dani (1920–2009), intellectual, archaeologist, historian, linguist Anandavardhana (820–890), philosopher and author of the Dhvanyaloka Bhaskara, writer on the Kashmir Shaivism Bhatta Kallata, a Shaivite thinker Gopi Krishna (1903–1980), writer and mystic Prem Nath Bazaz Kashmiri politician, scholar and author Jonaraja (15th century), historian and poet Kalhana (12th century), historian and author of Rajatarangini Kalidasa (most likely 5CE) classic Sanskrit author Hassan Khoyihami (c. 1832–1898) historian, poet and scholar Kshemaraja (10th century), philosopher and a disciple of Abhinavagupta Kumarajiva (4th n 5 century CE), Buddhist scholar in China Lalleshwari (1320–1392), saint-poet Prajna Bhatta (16th century), historian Shrivara (15th century), historian Somananda (875–925) a teacher of Kashmir Shaivism Subhash Kak (1947– ), writer, philosopher, and computer scientist Utpaladeva, a teacher of Kashmir Shaivism Vasugupta (860–925), author of the Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta
Politicians
Abdul Ghani Lone (1932–2002), lawyer, politician and founder of the People's Conference Abid Hassan Minto Pakistani lawyer and politician Agha Shorish Kashmiri scholar, writer, debater, and leader of the Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam, figure of the freedom movement of undivided India Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Indian politician, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha Asiya Andrabi (1963), Chief Of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Kashmiri separatist leader Attique Ahmed Khan President and Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad (1907–1972), Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1953–1963) Begum Akbar Jehan Abdullah, Politician, wife of Sheikh Abdullah Birbal Dhar leader in the Kashmiri resistance to Afghan rule in the early 19th century Birbal also Maheshdas Bhat (1528–1586), the Grand Vizier (Wazīr-e Azam) of the Mughal court in the administration of Emperor Akbar Deepa Kaul (1944– ), former minister, social worker and human rights defender Firdous Tak, former Member of Legislative Council G. M. Saroori former minister of Jammu and Kashmir for mechanical engineering and Road and building (R&B) G. N. Ratanpuri (1954–), Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) from J&K National Conference Ghulam Ahmad Ashai, educator, reformer, a founder of the University of Kashmir Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq, Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1964–1965), Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1965–1971) Ghulam Mohammad Shah (1920–2009)), Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1984–1986) Ghulam Nabi Azad (1949– ), former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Hina Pervaiz Butt, Pakistani politician and MLA. Indira Gandhi (1917–1984), Prime Minister of India, daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister of Pakistan Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964), first Prime Minister of independent India Kailash Nath Katju (1887–1968), freedom fighter, lawyer, participated in INA trials, former governor, chief minister of several Indian states, cabinet minister under Jawaharlal Nehru Khalid Ibrahim Khan, Politician