List of Tamil people

Last updated

This is a list of notable Tamils .

Ancient Kings and Rulers

Tamil dynasties

Other royal families

Multinational positions

Independence movement

Indian independence movement

Independence movements in other countries

Contributions to Tamil people

Governor-Generals

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
CountryTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 C. Rajagopalachari
(1878–1972)
Flag of India.svg India 21 June 194826 January 19501 year, 219 days
2 Veerasamy Ringadoo
(1920–2000)
Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius 17 January 198612 March 19926 years, 55 days

Presidents

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
CountryTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
(1888–1975)
Flag of India.svg India 13 May 196213 May 19675 years
2 R. Venkataraman
(1910–2009)
25 July 198725 July 19925 years
3 Veerasamy Ringadoo
(1920–2000)
Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius 12 March 199230 June 1992110 days
4 S. R. Nathan
(1924–2016)
Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore 1 September 19991 September 201112 years
5 A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
(1931–2015)
Flag of India.svg India 25 July 200225 July 20075 years
6 Tharman Shanmugaratnam
(b. 1957)
Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore 14 September 2023Incumbent1 year, 356 days

Vice Presidents

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
CountryTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
(1888–1975)
Flag of India.svg India 13 May 195212 May 19629 years, 364 days
2 R. Venkataraman
(1910–2009)
31 August 198424 July 19872 years, 327 days
3 Angidi Veeriah Chettiar
(1928–2010)
Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius 1 July 199717 February 20027 years, 252 days
25 August 200715 September 2010
4 Moses Nagamootoo
(b. 1947)
Flag of Guyana.svg Guyana 20 May 20152 August 20205 years, 74 days
5 Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory
(b. 1964)
Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius 4 April 201625 November 20193 years, 235 days
6 Kamala Harris
(b. 1964)
Flag of the United States.svg USA 20 January 202120 January 20254 years
7 C. P. Radhakrishnan
(b. 1957)
Flag of India.svg India September 2025IncumbentTBA

Prime Ministers

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
CountryTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Moses Nagamootoo
(b. 1947)
Flag of Guyana.svg Guyana 20 May 20152 August 20205 years, 74 days

Deputy Prime Ministers

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
CountryTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Tharman Shanmugaratnam
(b. 1957)
Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore 21 May 201130 April 20197 years, 344 days

Chief Justices

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
CountryTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 M. Patanjali Sastri
(1889–1963)
Flag of India.svg India 7 November 19513 January 19542 years, 57 days
2 P. Sathasivam
(b. 1949)
19 July 201326 April 2014281 days

Governors of states

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
StateTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 C. Rajagopalachari
(1878–1972)
West Bengal 15 August 194721 June 1948311 days
2 P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja
(1898–1957)
Odisha 10 February 195411 September 19562 years, 214 days
3 P. Subbarayan
(1889–1962)
Maharashtra 17 April 19626 October 1962172 days
4 Jothi Venkatachalam
(1917–Unknown)
Kerala 14 October 197726 October 19825 years, 12 days
5 M. M. Ismail
(1921–2005)
Tamil Nadu 27 October 19803 November 19807 days
6 P. Ramachandran
(1921–2001)
Kerala 27 October 198223 February 19885 years, 119 days
7 T. V. Rajeswar
(1926–2018)
Sikkim 21 November 19851 March 19893 years, 100 days
West Bengal 2 March 19896 February 1990341 days
Uttar Pradesh 8 July 200428 July 20095 years, 20 days
Rajasthan 1 November 20048 November 20047 days
8 C. Subramaniam
(1910–2000)
Maharashtra 5 February 19909 January 19932 years, 339 days
9 Shanmughasundaram Mohan
(1930–2019)
Karnataka 5 February 19908 May 199092 days
10 Viswanathan Ratnam
(1932–2020)
Himachal Pradesh 10 July 199430 July 199420 days
11 Gopala Ramanujam
(1915–2001)
Goa 4 August 199415 June 1995315 days
Odisha 18 June 199530 January 19972 years and 164 days
13 February 199713 December 1997
Andhra Pradesh 22 August 199723 November 199793 days
12 C. Rangarajan
(b. 1932)
24 November 19973 January 20035 years, 40 days
Odisha 27 April 199814 November 19991 year, 201 days
Kerala 29 February 200023 April 200085 days
19 October 20007 November 2000
16 February 200228 February 2002
Tamil Nadu 3 July 200117 January 2002198 days
13 A. Padmanaban
(1928–Unknown)
Mizoram 2 May 199830 November 20002 years, 212 days
14 M. M. Rajendran
(1935–2023)
Odisha 15 November 199917 November 20045 years, 2 days
15 E. S. L. Narasimhan
(b. 1945)
Chhattisgarh 25 January 200723 January 20102 years, 363 days
Andhra Pradesh 28 December 200923 July 20199 years, 207 days
Telangana 2 June 20147 September 20195 years, 97 days
16 M. O. H. Farook
(1937–2012)
Jharkhand 22 January 20103 September 20111 year, 224 days
Kerala 8 September 201126 January 2012140 days
17 M. K. Narayanan
(b. 1934)
West Bengal 24 January 201030 June 20144 years, 157 days
Sikkim 7 April 201027 April 201020 days
18 Sasindran Muthuvel
(b. 1974)
West New Britain 16 July 2012Incumbent13 years, 51 days
19 P. Sathasivam
(b. 1949)
Kerala 5 September 20145 September 20195 years
20 V. Shanmuganathan
(b. 1949)
Meghalaya 20 May 201527 January 20171 year, 252 days
Manipur 30 September 201520 August 2016325 days
Arunachal Pradesh 14 September 201627 January 2017135 days
21 Tamilisai Soundararajan
(b. 1961)
Telangana 8 September 201919 March 20244 years, 193 days
22 La. Ganesan
(1945–2025)
Manipur 27 August 202121 February 20231 year, 178 days
West Bengal 18 July 202222 November 2022127 days
Nagaland 20 February 202315 August 20252 years, 176 days
23 C. P. Radhakrishnan
(b. 1957)
Jharkhand 18 February 202330 July 20241 year, 153 days
Telangana 19 March 202431 July 2024134 days
Maharashtra 31 July 2024Incumbent1 year, 36 days

Lieutenant governors of union territories

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
Union territoryTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 T. V. Rajeswar
(1926–2018)
Arunachal Pradesh 10 August 198321 November 19852 years, 103 days
2 Tamilisai Soundararajan
(b. 1961)
Puducherry 16 February 202118 March 20243 years, 31 days
3 C. P. Radhakrishnan
(b. 1957)
22 March 20246 August 2024137 days

Chief Ministers

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
StateTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
(1855–1921)
Madras Presidency 17 December 192011 July 1921206 days
2 P. Subbarayan
(1889–1962)
4 December 192627 October 19303 years, 327 days
3 B. Munuswamy Naidu
(1885–1935)
27 October 19304 November 19322 years, 8 days
4 P. T. Rajan
(1892–1974)
4 April 193624 August 1936142 days
5 C. Rajagopalachari
(1878–1972)
14 July 193729 October 19392 years, 107 days
Tamil Nadu 10 April 195213 April 19542 years, 3 days
6 Omanthur P. Ramaswamy Reddiar
(1895–1970)
Madras Presidency 23 March 19476 April 19492 years, 14 days
7 P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja
(1898–1957)
6 April 194925 January 1950294 days
Tamil Nadu 26 January 19509 April 19522 years, 74 days
8 K. Kamaraj
(1903–1975)
13 April 19542 October 19639 years, 172 days
9 M. Bhakthavatsalam
(1897–1987)
2 October 19635 March 19673 years, 154 days
10 V. Venkatasubba Reddiar
(1909–1982)
Puducherry 11 September 19649 April 19673 years, 40 days
6 March 196817 September 1968
11 C. N. Annadurai
(1909–1969)
Tamil Nadu 6 March 19673 February 19691 year, 334 days
12 M. O. H. Farook
(1937–2012)
Puducherry 9 April 19676 March 196810 years, 249 days
17 March 19692 January 1974
16 March 19857 March 1990
13 V. R. Nedunchezhiyan
(1920–2000)
Tamil Nadu 3 February 196910 February 196921 days
24 December 19877 January 1988
14 M. Karunanidhi
(1924–2018)
10 February 196931 January 197618 years, 360 days
27 January 198930 January 1991
13 May 199613 May 2001
13 May 200615 May 2011
15 S. Ramassamy
(1939–2017)
Puducherry 6 March 197428 March 19741 year, 155 days
2 July 197712 November 1978
16 M. G. Ramachandran
(1917–1987)
Tamil Nadu 30 June 197717 February 198010 years, 65 days
9 June 198024 December 1987
17 M. D. R. Ramachandran
(1934–2024)
Puducherry 16 January 198023 June 19834 years, 152 days
8 March 19902 March 1991
18 V. N. Janaki Ramachandran
(1923–1996)
Tamil Nadu 7 January 198830 January 198823 days
19 J. Jayalalithaa
(1948–2016)
24 June 199112 May 199614 years, 124 days
14 May 200121 September 2001
2 March 200212 May 2006
16 May 201127 September 2014
23 May 20155 December 2016
20 V. Vaithilingam
(b. 1950)
Puducherry 4 July 199125 May 19967 years, 214 days
4 September 200815 May 2011
21 R. V. Janakiraman
(1941–2019)
26 May 199621 March 20003 years, 300 days
22 P. Shanmugam
(1927–2013)
22 March 200027 October 20011 year, 219 days
23 O. Panneerselvam
(b. 1951)
Tamil Nadu 21 September 20012 March 20021 year, 106 days
28 September 201423 May 2015
6 December 201615 February 2017
24 N. Rangasamy
(b. 1950)
Puducherry 27 October 20014 September 200816 years, 90 days
16 May 20115 June 2016
7 May 2021Incumbent
25 Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan
(b. 1975)
Eastern Province 16 May 200818 September 20124 years, 125 days
26 C. V. Wigneswaran
(b. 1939)
Northern Province 7 October 201323 October 20185 years, 16 days
27 V. Narayanasamy
(b. 1947)
Puducherry 6 June 201622 February 20214 years, 261 days
28 Edappadi K. Palaniswami
(b. 1954)
Tamil Nadu 16 February 20176 May 20214 years, 79 days
29 M. K. Stalin
(b. 1953)
7 May 2021Incumbent4 years, 121 days

Deputy chief ministers

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
StateTerm of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 M. K. Stalin
(b. 1953)
Tamil Nadu 29 May 200915 May 20111 year, 351 days
2 O. Panneerselvam
(b. 1951)
21 August 20176 May 20213 years, 258 days
3 Udhayanidhi Stalin
(b. 1977)
28 September 2024Incumbent342 days

Deputy Speakers of the Lok Sabha

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office
Assumed officeLeft officeTime in office
1 G. Lakshmanan
(1924–2001)
1 December 198031 December 19844 years, 30 days
2 M. Thambidurai
(b. 1947)
22 January 198527 November 19899 years, 229 days
13 August 201425 May 2019

Union Ministers

Political leaders outside of India

Governors of the Reserve Bank of India

Political families

Tamil Nadu

C. Rajagopalachari family

C.P. Ramaswami Iyer family

D. Jayakumar family

  • D. Jayakumar (1960–), former speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
    • J. Jayavardhan (1987–), Former member of parliament (Lok Sabha); son of Jayakumar

E. V. K. Sampath family

  • E. V. K. Sampath (1926–1977), former member of parliament (Lok Sabha)
    • E. V. K. S. Elangovan (1948–), Former Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles; son of E. V. K. Sampath

G. K. Moopanar family

  • G. K. Moopanar (1931–2001), former member of parliament (Rajya Sabha)
    • G. K. Vasan (1964–), Former Union Minister of Shipping; son of Moopanar

H. Kumari Ananthan family

M. Bhakthavatsalam family

  • M. Bhakthavatsalam (1897–1987), former chief minister of Tamil Nadu
    • Jayanthi Natarajan (1954–), Former Union Minister of Environment and Forests; granddaughter of Bhakthavatsalam

M. Karunanidhi family

  • M. Karunanidhi (1924–2018), former chief minister of Tamil Nadu
    • M. K. Alagiri (1951–), Former Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers; son of Karunanidhi
    • M. K. Stalin (1953–), Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu; son of Karunanidhi
    • Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (1968–), Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha); daughter of Karunanidhi
    • Murasoli Maran (1934–2003), Former Union Minister of Commerce and Industry; nephew of Karunanidhi
      • Kalanithi Maran (1964–), Founder of the Sun Group; grand-nephew of Karunanidhi
      • Dayanidhi Maran (1966–), Former Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology; grand-nephew of Karunanidhi

An O. Panneerselvam family

  • O. Panneerselvam (1951–), former chief minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
    • P. Ravindhranath (1980–), Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha); son of Panneerselvam

P. Subbarayan family

P. T. Rajan family

Sri Lanka

Arumugampillai Coomaraswamy family

Arunachalam Ponnambalam family

S. Pararajasingam family

V. P. Ganeshan family

  • V. P. Ganeshan, founder of the Democratic Workers' Congress, film producer and actor
    • Mano Ganesan (1959–), Member of Parliament, Provincial Councillor, son of V.P. Ganeshan
    • Praba Ganesan (1964–), Member of Parliament, Provincial Councillor, son of V.P. Ganeshan

Savumiamoorthy Thondaiman family

G. G. Ponnambalam family

Arumugam Canagaratnam family

Military leaders

Army

Air Force

Independence Movement

Award winners

Nobel Prize winners

Fields Medal

Bharat Ratna

The Bharat Ratna, Highest Civilian Award of the Republic of India

Contents

Padma Vibhushan

The Padma Vibhushan is India's second highest civilian honour.

Padma Bhushan

The Padma Bhushan is India's third highest civilian honour.

Padma Shri

The Padma Shri is India's fourth highest civilian honour.

Ramon Magsaysay Award

The Ramon Magsaysay Award was established in 1957 in memory of Ramon Magsaysay, the late president of the Philippines. It is often considered to be Asia's Nobel Prize.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema, given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.

Param Vir Chakra

The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military honor.

Sahitya Akademi Award

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is India's highest sporting honor.

Jnanpith Award

The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honor

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award

Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship

Guinness World Records

Arjuna Award

The Arjuna Award was instituted in 1961 by the Government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in national sports.

Oscar awards

Social workers

Criminals

Business and administration

Tamil billionaires

Tamil executives and business people

Educators

Philanthropists

Diplomats

Journalists and broadcasters

Scientists

Social anthropologists

Academicians

Agriculture

Botanists

Computer science

Finance and economics

Law

Mathematics

Medicine

Engineering (scientists)

Zoologists

Music

Tamil music

Carnatic music

Hindustani music

Film music

Western music

Other

Dance

Cinema

Directors

Actors

Actresses

Music composers

See: Film music

In Hollywood

Other entertainers

Sports and games

Athletics

Basketball

Boxing

  • Venkatesan Devarajan was the second Indian to win a medal at the Boxing World Cup after Pu Zoramthanga (boxer), from Mizoram. He is from Chennai, India. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1995. He competed in the men's bantamweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics. V. Devarajan has been a fighter on and off the boxing ring. He broke new ground by becoming the first Indian to win a World Cup medal on foreign soil in 1994.
  • Kalaivani Srinivasan is a female boxer from Tamil Nadu who won a silver medal at the Indian Seniors National Boxing Championship in Vijayanagar in 2019. She was named the ‘Most Promising Boxer’ at the Indian National Boxing Championship in 2019. She later won a gold medal at the South Asian Games in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2019.

Carrom

Volleyball

Chess

Cricket

India

Other countries

Football

Hockey

Mountain climbing

Racing

Squash

Tennis

Entertainers

Religion and spirituality

Tamil literature

Classical literature

Religious literature

Shaivism

Vaishnavism

Islam

Jainism

Christianity

Modern literature

India

Other countries

Others

Modern art

See also

References

  1. "Roy Padayachie | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za.
  2. "Spotlight on: Vanushi Walters | Office of Ethnic Communities". www.ethniccommunities.govt.nz.
  3. Rajasekharan Parameswaran, Rajasekharan Parameswaran. "Guinness World Records". guinness world records. GWR.
  4. Bose, Sushmita (December 12, 2008). "Living in Times of Terror, Reaching out in Cyberspace". Khaleej Times. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  5. "The Solid Seven: India's most influential Gays & Lesbians". Pink-Pages. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  6. "Leadership at Carnegie Mellon University". www.cmu.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  7. "9 Youngest in Their Fields". HowStuffWorks. September 18, 2007.
  8. Tomlinson, Brett (2018-06-04). "Q&A: Dr. Celine Gounder '97 on the Opioid Epidemic, Ebola, and More | Princeton Alumni Weekly". Paw.princeton.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
  9. "London's R&B Sensation: Arjun". TamilCulture.com.
  10. Raheja, Dinesh (May 6, 2002). "Bollywood's Dancing Queen". Rediff . Retrieved 2011-01-02.