"Erode" Tamilanban, also spelled as Erode Tamizhanban, is a Tamil poet and writer from Tamil Nadu, India. In 2004, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil for his poetry collection Vanakkam Valluva (lit. Greetings, Valluvar). He has also worked as a newsreader for Doordarshan. [1] [2] He is a board member of the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nadaga Mandram. [3]
K. Satchidanandan is an Indian poet and critic, writing in Malayalam and English. A pioneer of modern poetry in Malayalam, a bilingual literary critic, playwright, editor, columnist and translator, he is the former editor of Indian Literature journal and the former secretary of Sahitya Akademi. He is also social advocate for secular anti-caste views, supporting causes like environment, human rights and free software and is a well known speaker on issues concerning contemporary Indian literature. He is the festival director of Kerala Literature Festival.
Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was an Indian classical music violinist and music composer.
The Kalaimamani is the highest civilian award in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. These awards are given by the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram, a unit of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Tamil Nadu, to recognise artists in the state for their achievements.
Thoguluva Meenatchi Iyengar Soundararajan, popularly known as TMS, was an Indian Carnatic musician and a playback singer in Tamil cinema for over six and a half decades. He sang over 10,138 songs from 3,162 films, including devotional, semi-classical, Carnatic, classical and light music songs. He gave classical concerts starting in 1943.
M. P. Periyasaamy Thooran was a patriot, Tamil poet, teacher, and composer of Carnatic music.
Umayalpuram Kasiviswanatha Sivaraman is an Indian musician and exponent of the Carnatic percussion instrument, the mridangam. He is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
Sirkazhi Govindarajan was an Indian Carnatic vocalist and a leading playback singer of Indian cinema.
Mylai Ponnuswamy Sivagnanam, popularly known as Ma.Po.Si., was an Indian politician, freedom fighter, and the founder of the political party Tamil Arasu Kazhagam. He wrote more than 100 books.
Lalgudi Gopala Jayaraman Radhakrishnan, popularly known as G. J. R. Krishnan or Lalgudi Krishnan, is a Carnatic violinist, vocalist and composer. He is the son and disciple of the legendary maestro Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. Over the years, Krishnan has nurtured and propagated the legacy of the Lalgudi Bani, while also blending his own artistic elements. His style is defined by technique, bhava, laya, and a philosophical adherence to the notion that the violin must closely mimic the human voice. Lalgudi Krishnan was awarded with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2015. This is the highest Indian recognition given to people in the field of performing arts. Along with his sister, Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi, the duo was honored with the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi award from the Madras Music Academy in 2022. This is considered the highest accolade in the field of Carnatic music.
Rayangala Shri Krishna Raja Narayana Perumal Ramanujam Naicker, shortened to Ki. Rajanarayanan and popularly known by his Tamil initials as Ki. Ra., was an Indian Tamil language folklorist and acclaimed writer from Kovilpatti, in Tamil Nadu. Some of his popular works include Gopalla Grammam, Gopallapurathu Makkal, Mayamaan, and Nattuppura Kadhai Kalanjiyam. He was a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1991.The Times of India called him the "Guardian of Tamil oral tradition".
T. M. Chidambara Ragunathan, was a Tamil, writer, translator, journalist and literary critic from Tamil Nadu, India. He is also known as T. M. C. Ragunathan, Tho. Mu. Si. Ragunathan or by his Tamil initials as Tho. Mu. Si.
Sirpi Balasubramaniam is a Tamil poet, critic, scholar and professor from Tamil Nadu, India.
A. S. Gnanasambanthan, was a Tamil writer, scholar and literary critic from Tamil Nadu, India. He is also known by his Tamil initials as Aa. Sa. Gna.
Thi. Ka. Sivasankaran or T. G. Sivasankaran, was a Tamil writer and critic from Tamil Nadu, India. He is popularly known by his Tamil initials as Thi. Ka. Si.
Nanjil Nadan is the pseudonym of G. Subramaniam, a Sahitya academy winning Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India.
Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavathar (1912–2004) was a Carnatic musician, musicologist, Harikatha exponent and composer.
Aarthi, also known as Harathi is an Indian actress, comedian and television host who works in Tamil films and television dramas. She initially worked as a child artist in the late 1990s, she also appeared in stand-up comedy shows namely Super10 and Lollu Sabha, before joining the Tamil film industry, she has played roles in Giri (2004), Padikkadavan (2009) and Kutty (2010).
Era Natarasan, popularly known as Ayesha Natarasan, is an Indian writer of children's books. He writes in Tamil and English. He is the author of Ayisha / Ayesha that has sold millions of copies in 12 languages. He has written more than 80 books most of them on science and Science Fiction including Vigyana vikramadhithyan kadhaigal which won the "Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award" for Children Literature, awarded by Sahitya Academy.
J. Vaidhyanathan affectionately known as JV is a Mridangam exponent from Tamil Nadu, India. He was the first mridangist to receive the Yuva Kala Bharathi Award, Vellore Gopalachariar Memorial award and Isai Peroli Award. He also received several other awards including Kalaimamani the highest civilian award for artists in Tamil Nadu and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists.