The following is a list of notable people from or related to the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, India
Academics
Activism, social work, and philanthropy
- Bhrigu, sage (Maharishi) in Hindu tradition, considered one of the seven great sages (Saptarishis).
- Jayaprakash Narayan, independence activist and recipient of the Bharat Ratna who led the "Total Revolution" movement.
- Chittu Pandey, independence activist who led the Quit India Movement in Ballia and established a temporary local government.
- Harihar Nath Shastri, freedom fighter and a key figure in the Indian trade union movement.
- Mangal Pandey, a sepoy whose actions were a precursor to the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
- Prasiddha Narayan Singh, freedom fighter and socialist leader from the region.
- Rabindra Nath Upadhyay, social worker and Padma Shri recipient, noted for his work in rural development.
- Raja Mohar Singh, freedom fighter who participated in the Indian independence movement.
Art and literature
- Amarkant, writer of Hindi literature and a recipient of the Jnanpith Award.
- Atul Kumar Rai, novelist and screenwriter who received the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar.
- Baldev Upadhyaya, Sanskrit scholar and literary historian who wrote on the history of Sanskrit literature.
- Bulaki Das, saint and Bhojpuri poet whose devotional compositions are part of the region's folk traditions.
- Doodhnath Singh, Hindi language writer, critic, and poet.
- Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Hindi novelist, literary historian, and critic.
- Kedar Nath Pandey, polymath known as a father of Hindi travel literature.
- Kedarnath Singh, modern Hindi poet, critic, and a recipient of the Jnanpith Award.
- Suryakumar Pandey, contemporary poet known for his work in Hindi poetry and satire.
Film, television, and entertainment
Journalism
- Manoj Prasad, journalist and correspondent for The Indian Express.
Politics and government
Prime Ministers
Union ministers & Members of Parliament
- Harivansh Narayan Singh, journalist and politician serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. (JD(U))
- Janeshwar Mishra, socialist leader who served as a Union Cabinet Minister in multiple governments. (Samajwadi Party)
- Murli Manohar, represented the Ballia Lok Sabha constituency in the 3rd Lok Sabha (1962âÂÂ1967). (INC)
- Neeraj Shekhar, Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha and former Lok Sabha MP from Ballia. (BJP)
- Rajeev Rai, Member of Parliament for the Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency, elected in 2024. (Samajwadi Party)
- Virendra Singh Mast, multi-term Member of Parliament who represented Ballia in the 17th Lok Sabha. (BJP)
- Bharat Singh, represented the Ballia constituency in the 16th Lok Sabha and has also served as an MLA. (BJP)
- Gulam Rasool Balyawi, has served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Bihar. (JD(U))
- Chandrika Prasad, politician who served as a Member of Parliament from the region.
State ministers & Members of Legislative Assembly (Uttar Pradesh)
Civil services
References