List of people from Kerala - Misplaced Pages

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Here is a list of famous Keralites:

Abraham Kovoor - Well-known rationalist. Better known as A.T. Kovoor.
Abu Abraham - cartoonist, worked for The Guardian and The Observer.
Achuthan.C.P - First literary critic in Malayalam.
Adi Sankara (788 - 820) - saint, poet, thinker and reviver of Hinduism in India. Propounded the doctrine of Advaita (non-duality), which identified the Supreme with the Self. He is revered as 'Shankaracharya'.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan - internationally acclaimed director. Movies include Elipathayam (The Mousetrap) and Mathilukal (Walls).
Ajitha - former Naxalite and women's rights activist.
A.K. Antony - Chief Minister of Kerala during 1977-78, 1995-96, and 2001-2004. He was the Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly during 1996 to 2001.
Anil Kumble - Cricketer. Kumbala is located inside the geographical territory of Kerala. People here speak Tulu and are culturally more closer to Karnataka.
Amritanandamayi - Spiritual leader and promoter of charitable organisations worldwide.
Anita Nair - Writer
Anju George - only Indian to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships.
G. Aravindan - noted director and cartoonist. Movies include Kanchana Seeta, Kummatty (Bogeyman) and Chidambaram. His cartoon strip series 'Valiya lokavum Cheriya manushyarum' was very popular.
Arundhati Roy - writer, awarded the Booker Prize in 1997 for The God of Small Things. Born in Kerala.
Ayyankali - social activist who fought for dalit right.
Ayyappan, Sahodaran - Social reformer, follower of Sri Narayana Guru. He proclaimed "Jati Venda, Matham Venda, Daivam Venda Manusyanu" (No caste, No religion and No God for Human being" developing the famous words of his philosopher guide Narayana Guru which says: "One Caste, One Religion and One God for Human Being".
Balachandran Chullikkad - Poet. Admired by many youngsters for his realistic approach and hummable and rhythmic poems.
Balakrishna Pillai, Kesari- Social thinker, Literary critic who influenced a generation of writers and other intellectuals in Kerala during the first half of 20th Century. The name of one of his book "Navalokam" (New World) is symbolical representative of his intellectual contributions.
O. Chandumenon - author of the first Malayalam novel Indulekha.Also wrote the incomplete novel "Sharada".
Changampuzha Krishna Pillai (1911-1948) - poet, author of the pastoral elegy Ramanan (1936) which sold over 100,000 copies, a record that still stands. Changampuzha took Malayalam poetry to the zenith of romanticism.
Cherusseri Namboodiri - Mahakavi (great poet), part of the old Kavithrayam (triad of poets), with Ezhuthachan and Kunchan Nambiar. Author of Krishnagaadha (The Song of Krishna).
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar (1895-1974) - legendary Carnatic vocalist and one of the most highly respected iconic figures of South India, specially in classical music.
K. S. Chithra - renowned playback singer and winner of several state and national awards.
Professor D M Vasudevan, noted physician, researcher and educationist.
Dr K.K. Damodaran nuclear physicist and former Head of Training at BARC
Devan Nair- Former Head of the state of Singapore.
Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan - architect of modern Malayalam. Mahakavi (great poet), part of the old Kavithrayam. Penned the most popular Malayalam renditions of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
George Sudarsan - Renowned particle physicist.
A.K.G or A.K. Gopalan - Communist leader. First opposition leader in Indian Parliament. Undoubtedly AKG was the most popular among all the Left leaders in India. He died on March 21, 1977 at the age of 73.
Gundert, Hermann - Though not a Malayali, lived in Kerala for several years. Compiled the first Dictionary in Malayalam. Published the first News Paper in Malayalam. Linguist, Grammarian. Came to Kerala as a missionary but contributed to Malayalam Language more than any Malayali. People of Kerala still remember him with reverence and affection. In Thalasshery(Tellicherry), people have put a statue of Gundert. Hermann Hesse is the grand son of Gundert.
C.K. Janu - Tribal leader
Jayan - Film actor
Jimmy George - World-class volleyball player
John Abraham - Avant-garde film director
John Abraham - Indian model and actor
M. C. Joseph - rationalist, founding editor of Yukthivadi.
Kamala Das - English poet and feminist, also wrote in Malayalam under the pen-name Madhavikkutty. First Indian woman to openly write about woman's sexuality. Embraced Islam under the name Kamala Suraiyya in 1999. Asian Poetry Prize, 1964, Kent Award, 1965.
Kinhanna Rai - One of the leaders of Kasargod-Karnataka re-unification movement. Writer. There is a justification for his feeling that at least some regions of Kasargode could have been in the present day Karnataka. But the inability by the post independent Karnataka government to do anything to develop the subculture of the Tulu region or even to protect and develop the Kannada Laguage disillusioned the new generation to be identified with Karnataka movement. Also it was a strategic failure for the Karnataka re-unification movement to include the entire Kasargode to Karnataka rather than pressing for a smaller region. A respected leader for both Keralites and Karnataka, was head of Karnataka Sahitya Paishad. It is funny that most of the Karnataka people can not pronounce his name correctly but Malayalis can.
Kunhikkannan Teacher,Keeleri- Founder of Indian circus. Though the first Indian Circus was started by Chatre, his circus was only an animal show. Keeleri Kunhikkannan started the first professional Indian Circus.
V. R. Krishna Iyer - legislator and jurist, human rights activist. Krishna Iyer along with P.N. Bhagavathi as the justices of Indian Supreme Court radically interpreted the role of judiciary in ensuring the rights of citizens. This period is marked in the history of Indian Judiciary in Golden Letters as "Krishna Iyer-Bhagavathi Era".
M. Krishnan Nair - literary critic, whose column Sahithyavaraphalam has long served as a window to contemporary world literature.
V. K. Krishna Menon - former Defence Minister of India and renowned statesman. Delivered an eight-hour-long speech on Kashmir at a U.N. Security Council meeting in 1957. Krishna Menon was the close associate of Pandit Nehru, the then Prime Minister.
Krishna Pillai, P - One of the founders of Communist Party in Kerala. Was the President of Kerala Congress Committee.
Kumaran Asan - Mahaakavi (great poet), part of the new Kavithrayam, with Ulloor and Vallathol. Kumaran Asan was the follower of Srinarayana Guru. He used poetry to influence the society. "Veena Poovu" is a typical romantic poem while "Duravastha" is considered to be the first example of realistic poetry in Malayalam Literature.
Kalakkaththu Kunchan Nambiar - Mahaakavi (great poet), part of the old Kavithrayam. Founder of the art form Ottan Thullal.
Laurie Baker - Eco-friendly Architect and Engineer,
Logan, William - William Logan. Though not a Malayali, lived in Kerala. Author of "Malabar Manual", A road is Named after Logan in Kerala. Inspired many local intellectual with his scientific and rational outlook.
E. M. S. Namboodiripad - First Chief Minister of unified Kerala State.Headed one of the first communist administrations which came to exist through ballot paper elections. General Secretary of CPI(M) for many years.
K. R. Narayanan - President of India (1997-2002).
M.T. Vasudevan Nair - writer and cinema personality. Jnanpith Award, 1995.
Madhava - 14th century mathematician. He hailed from Sangamagrama, which is near the present day Kochi
Madhavan N.S - writer and civil servant.
Mammootty - winner of the national award for Best Actor 4 times.
G. Madhavan Nair - chairman of ISRO.
Mathai Manjooran (1912 - 1970) - One among the foremost freedom fighters of Kerala, a socialist revolutionary, member of the Indian parliament, and Labor Minister in the second communist ministry of Kerala led by E.M.S. Namboodiripad.
Menon.K.P.S - Diplomat served as India’s Ambassador to China and USSR. He was head of India’s mission in Moscow when Jawaharlal Nehru visited Soviet Union in early fifties, opening a long chapter of friendship between the two countries. Related to P.N. Menon and present day diplomat Shiv Shankar Menon all diplomats.
V. P. Menon - the right-hand man of Sardar Patel in the unification of princely states during the formation of the Indian Union.
Mohanlal - winner of the national award for Best Actor in 1992 (Bharatham) and 2000 (Vaanaprastham).
Mohan Sivanand - English journalist, painter and Editor of Reader's Digest.
Mrinalini Sarabhai - danseuse, born Mrinalini Swaminathan. Wife of late Indian physicist, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, mother of Mallika Sarabhai, and sister of Captain Lakshmi.
M. Mukundan - novelist, author of Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (On the Banks of Mayyazhi) and Deyvathinte Vikruthikal (Pranks of God).
Sree Narayana Guru (1856-1928) - social reformer, scholar, teacher and founder of SNDP, an organisation created to bring equality in the society.
Narayanan, K.R.- President of India.

Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru

Nityachaitanya Yati - scholar, monk
K. M. Panikkar - eminent historian. India's first ambassador to China.
K.C.S Panikkar - Painter, Founder of Cholamandalam, the community of artists.
P. Padmarajan (1945-1991) - popular director, affectionately known as 'Pappan', whose films often blurred the line between artistic and commercial cinema.
M. P. Parameswaran - scientist turned social activist, involved with Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad.
Paul, M.P.- Literary critic.
Paul Zachariah - Writer
Keralavarma Pazhassi Raja - feudal lord and ruler of Wynad who waged a heroic guerilla war against the British.
Pottekkad,S.K - "Mahanaya Ooru Thendi" (The great Street Roamer (gypsy)), as referred by a young writer, Shankaran Kutty Pottekkad represents the first generation of realistic writers of Malayalam literature (Second Generation writers). Though normally he is referred as one of the trio associated with Thakazhi and Basheer, Pottekkad does not represent the realistic 'progressive' writers' club. "Oru Theruvinte Katha" is a realistic work, most of his short stories represent the phase between romaticism and realism. Awarded Jnanpith Award for "Oru Deshathinte Katha". In his travelogues, he was more interested to portray real life pictures of human beings across the globe, which other travellers are scared to notice, than the formal life of shining metros.
Prakash Karat - Communist leader.
Poonthanam - Poet belonging to the Bhakti school
Ramachandran,M.G.- Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
K. N. Raj - economist who played a key role in India's first five year plan, one of the founding fathers of the Delhi School of Economics.
Raja Raja Verma, Kerala Palini Linguist, Grammarian.
Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) - world famous painter whose work was exhibited in Vienna and Chicago. First Indian painter to use the oil medium.
Sir C. Sankaran Nair - president of Indian National Congress in 1897. The only Keralite to hold the post.
Shaji N. Karun - noted director, whose movies include Piravi (Birth), Swam and Vaanaprastham.
K. Shankar Pillai (1902-1989) - the patron saint of Indian cartoonists. Founder of Shankar's Weekly and the International Dolls Museum, New Delhi.
Shashi Tharoor - novelist, Commonwealth Writers Prize, 1991; Under-Secretary-General (Communication and Public Information) of the United Nations.
Shiva Shankara Pillai, Thakazhi - Writer. Awarded Jnanpith Award.
Shobana - Actress and Bharatanatyam dancer. 2-time National award winner.
Dr Thomas Thomas - The first Indian Cardio-Thoracic surgeon.
Swathi Thirunal - erstwhile king of Travancore and a great musician.
Sehghal, Lakshmi, Captain,Dr.- The head of women's wing of Indian National Army founded by Netaji.
Swami Chinmayananda - Founder of the Chinmaya Mission. He was not only a guru but also a great visionary, whose work touched not only India but the whole world.
P. T. Usha - One of India's greatest athletes, who missed out on a bronze medal by 0.01 seconds in the 400 m hurdles event in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Ulloor - Mahaakavi, part of the new Kavithrayam. Author of Umakeralam.
Unni - Cartoonist, writer
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer - writer, philosopher.
Valiya Koyithampuran, Kerala Varma- Writer.
Vallathol - Mahaakavi, part of the new Kavithrayam. Author of Sahithyamanjari. Founder of Kerala Kalamandalam, the state's flagship institution for the promotion of performing arts.
Vayalar Ramavarma - arguably the greatest lyricist in the history of Malayalam cinema.
Verghese Kurien - architect of India's Milk Revolution, centred around Amul in Gujarat.
I.M Vijayan - A skilful soccer player who played for the national team and prominent Indian soccer clubs such as Mohan Bagan. He was a forward and scored many goals.
M.N.Vijayan- Vijayan, M. N - Thinker, writer, literary critic, Social activist. Most of his works are compilation of speeches.
O. V. Vijayan - novelist, cartoonist. Author of Khasakkinte Ithihaasam (The Legends of Khasak) and Dharmapuranam (The Saga of Dharmapuri).
K. J. Yesudas - Singer of devotional and film songs, exponent of Carnatic music and disciple of the great Chembai.
Yousuf Arakkal - Bangalore based painter.
Yohannan, T.C - Participated in Olympics. Long jumper. Son Tinu is a cricketer
Fr. Chavara Kuriakose - A saint of Kerala. The yeoman service rendered by him led to the growth of the C.M.I. (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate)Congregation.
Sr. Alphonsa - A world famous Nun from Bharananganam, kerala.
S K Nair - BCCI Secretery