✅ Shunga dynasty: Founded by Pushyamitra Shunga (185 BCE); Brahmanical revival
✅ Menander (Milinda): Indo-Greek king; converted to Buddhism; Milindapanha
✅ Kanishka I: Greatest Kushana king; Fourth Buddhist Council; Saka era (78 CE); Gandhara art
✅ Wima Kadphises: First coins with Shiva image
✅ Gautamiputra Satakarni: Greatest Satavahana king; defeated Shakas; Nasik inscription
✅ Chandragupta I: First great Gupta king; Gupta era 319/320 CE; married Lichchhavi princess
✅ Samudragupta: “Napoleon of India” (V.A. Smith); Allahabad Pillar inscription
✅ Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya): Defeated Shakas; Fa-Hien visited; Navratnas
✅ Kumaragupta I: Founded Nalanda University
✅ Skandagupta: Repelled Huna invasions; last great Gupta king
✅ Aryabhata: pi = 3.1416; heliocentric theory; Aryabhatiya (499 CE)
✅ Brahmagupta: Zero and negative numbers; Brahmasphutasiddhanta
✅ Varahamihira: Brihat Samhita; Navratna of Chandragupta II
✅ Charaka: Father of Ayurveda; Charaka Samhita
✅ Sushruta: Father of Surgery; plastic surgery; Sushruta Samhita
✅ Kalidasa: Shakuntala + Meghaduta = “Shakespeare of India”; Navratna
✅ Panchatantra: Vishnu Sharma; animal fables; translated into 50+ languages
✅ Iron Pillar of Delhi: Chandragupta II; rust-free for 1,600 years
✅ Nalanda: Founded by Kumaragupta I; destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji (1193 CE)
✅ Harshavardhana: Pushyabhuti dynasty; capital Kanauj; 606–647 CE
✅ Pulakesi II defeated Harsha on Narmada (Aihole inscription)
✅ Xuanzang visited during Harsha’s reign; wrote Si-Yu-Ki
✅ Banabhatta: Harshacharita (biography of Harsha) + Kadambari (novel)