Kalidasa

Possibly the most influential Sanskrit dramatist who lived between 425 and 500 AD in India. He is best known through his drama Sakuntala (translated into English by Sir William Jones in 1789), titled after the name of its heroine which recounts a story contained in the Indian Sanskrit epic the Mahabharata. His other famous dramas include Malavikagnimitra (Malavi and Agnimitra) and Vikramorvasi (Urvasi Won by Valor). He also penned the epic poems Raghuvansa (Dynasty of Raghu) and Kumarasambhava (Birth of the War God) and the short lyrical poem Meghaduta (The Cloud Messenger). Much of his life is quite an enigma.