KIM:  a British-Indian boy of 10 or 11 years of age.  Tall and thin, with an athletic and slender build, thin limbs, dark-skinned as all the Indians, delicate features, big blue or blue-green eyes, short black hair.  He never wears anything on his head and has the appearance of a little urchin.

LAMA TESHOO:  is a very old man, rather tall, thin and bony, with yellow wrinkled skin, onyx-colored oriental thin slanted eyes, wears a purple pleated tunic, a belt from which a rosary hangs.  On his head he wears the cap of Tibetan monks, from which hangs a thin tail or braid.

MAHBUB ALI’:  is a young man in his twenties, with an athletic build, an olive complexion, green eyes, auburn hair and a copper-colored beard on his chin.

JASMINE:  is a twenty-year-old Indian girl, very beautiful and feminine, skin as dark as Kim’s, almond-shaped green eyes, long black hair that goes down her back, which she wears in a braid or a ponytail, usually wears a sari and earrings.

COLONEL CREIGHTON:  is a man in his late-thirties, with a powerful yet trim build, fair eyes and light brown hair.

ELSA: is a 10 or 11 year old British girl.  She’s as tall and as thin as Kim.  She might have freckles, dark hair, very fair skin and blue or green eyes.

JULIAN:  is a 10 or 11 year old British tall and thin boy.  Light or red hair and fair eyes.

SULIMA:  is a rather elderly Indian woman.  She has grey hair and the classic red spot in the middle of her forehead.

BENNET:  is a tall and thin man in his late thirties, dark hair and green eyes.  He is rather attractive but seems somewhat servile. 

X22:  a short and stocky Indian man in his fifties, always in disguise.  He has a friendly and jovial expression.

LALA DINAH:  a short and fat Indian nobleman in his fifties.

DARK ROBED MEN :  men of various age brackets, dark-skinned, hooked noses, dark eyes, dressed in black and with turbans that cover half of their faces.

RANJIT SINGH, alias THE LION OF THE PUNJAB (actually existed):  Indian prince and warrior, a man in his thirties.

PRINCIPAL ANIMALS IN THE SERIES

DRI’:  Kim’s black cricket with long antennae.  It expresses itself by whistling, making shrill sounds and waving its antennae.

MALU’:  black crow that accompanies the Lama.   It is rather large in size, with yellow eyes and a blue streak on its feathers.

SECONDARY CHARACTERS

MISTER BARNEY:  Elsa’s British assistant housemaster, a man in his fifties.

MISTER DEROZIO (actually existed):  Kim’s illuminated teacher at St. Xavier’s, a man in his thirties.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL WELLESLEY (actually existed):  the Governor-General of British India, a man in his sixties.