Chanakya, jinko Kautilya ya Vishnugupta ke naam se bhi jaana jaata hai, ek prachin Bharatiya guru, rajanayik, aur arthashastri the. Unka janm lagbhag 350 BCE ke aas-paas hua tha. Chanakya ne Maurya Samrajya ki sthapana mein mahatvapurn bhumika nibhayi thi, khaas karke Chandragupta Maurya ko shashak banaane mein.

Unka pramukh karya "Arthashastra" hai, jo rajneeti, arthashastra, aur yudh niti ke vishay mein vyakhya karta hai. Chanakya ko unki chaturai, samrajya ki neeti, aur rajneetik dhrishti ke liye jaana jaata hai. Unhe ek mahaan rajneta aur vidwan maana jaata hai, aur unki soch aaj bhi prashansit ki jaati hai.