The famous missionary known for spreading Christianity in India was William Carey, who arrived in India in 1793. Often referred to as the "father of modern missions," Carey founded the Serampore College and worked tirelessly on Bible translation into several Indian languages, including Bengali, Hindi, and Oriya. His efforts significantly contributed to the education and socio-economic development of India through the introduction of Western science and literature. Carey's approach emphasized cultural sensitivity and understanding, which laid the groundwork for future missionary work in India.