The ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economy and military strategy, the Arthashastra, is attributed to

The Arthashastra is attributed to Kautilya, also called Chanakya or Vishnugupta, the minister of Chandragupta Maurya. Kalidasa was a Gupta-era poet and dramatist, Banabhatta wrote the Harshacharita for Harsha, and Vishakhadatta wrote the play Mudrarakshasa, which also deals with Chanakya, making it a tempting trap.