Chanakya

Meaning

Noun

• A shrewd politician or, in general, a cunning person; a Machiavelli.

Origin

• From Sanskrit चाणक्य. Chanakya was an Indian economist, philosopher, political scientist, and royal advisor of the 4th century He is traditionally identified as the person named Kauṭilya or Vishnugupta who authored the Arthashastra, a political treatise. He engineered the collapse of Magadha and put Chandragupta Maurya into power, establishing the Maurya Empire.