Abstract

The idea of human rights has long shaped political thought ethical reasoning and social movements across the world. In India however the concept of human rights evolved not merely as a response to global frameworks but as a distinctive intellectual tradition rooted in centuries of philosophical reflection social critique and moral activism. Indian intellectuals from ancient philosophers to contemporary thinkers contributed significantly to the imagination of rights grounded in human dignity justice and universal moral concern. This research paper explores how Indian intellectuals conceptualized human rights as a collective moral responsibility rather than an individualistic entitlement. Drawing from ancient scriptures medieval reform movements nationalist struggles constitutional debates post-independence intellectual discourses and modern human rights activism the paper reconstructs the philosophical and historical foundations of human rights in India. Indian thinkers such as Mahatma