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Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, was an ancient Indian philosopher, economist, and political strategist. He is best known for his treatise on statecraft, the Arthashastra, which is considered one of the earliest and most influential works on political science and economics. Kautilya served as the chief advisor to Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan Empire, and is credited with playing a key role in the empire's success.