List of people from Kerala

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The following is a list of notable people from Kerala, India. The names are classified according to the person's major area of work. For more details please see their respective articles.

Ancient rulers and kings

H H Rama Varma XV

Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma

• Rama Varma Kulashekhara – last king of the Later Chera Dynasty and undivided Kerala in the 12th century, ruled for 36 years
• Zamorin of Calicut (Saamoothiri, സാമൂതിരി) – rulers of Malabar from 14th and 18th century AD
• Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja – known as the Lion of Kerala; a prince from the royal dynasty of Pazhassi Kottayam
• Raja Kesavadas – Dewan of Travancore during the reign of Dharma Raja

Kings of Cochin

• Unniraman Koikkal I (1500–1503)
• Veera Kerala Varma (1537–1565)
• Kesava Rama Varma (1565–1601)
• Rama Varma (1701–1721)
• Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran (1790–1805)
• Rama Varma XV (1895–1914)
• Kerala Varma (1946–1948)
• Rama Varma Parishettu Thampuran (1948–1964) – last king of Cochin

Kings of Travancore

• Marthanda Varma Kulasekhara Perumal (1729–1758)
• Balarama Varma Kulasekhara Perumal – Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal (1758–1798)
• Balarama Varma Kulasekhara Perumal (1798–1810)
• Gouri Laksmibhai Ranee (1810–1815)
• Gouri Parvathibhai Ranee (1815–1829)
• Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma Kulasekhara Perumal (1829–1847)
• Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma Maharaja (1847–1860)
• Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma Maharaja (1860–1880)
• Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma Maharaja (1880–1885)
• Shri Moolam Thirunal Maharajah (1885–1924)
• Sethu Laksmibhai Ranee (1924–1933)
• Shri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma Maharajah (1933–1949) – last King of Travancore; Rajpramukh of Thiru-Kochi

Heads of state

K.R. Narayanan, President of India (1997–2002)

President of India

• K.R. Narayanan – 10th President of India (1997–2002), 9th Vice-President of India (1992–1997)

President of Singapore

• Devan Nair – 3rd President of Singapore (1981–1985)

Parliament of India

Rajya Sabha

• P. J. Kurien – 18th Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (August 21, 2012 – )

Lok Sabha

• P. D. Thankappan Achary – Secretary General of the Lok Sabha (14th and 15th)

Governors of states

• P.C. Alexander
  • ninth Governor of Tamil Nadu, 1988–1990
  • seventeenth Governor of Maharashtra, 1993–2002
  • seventh Governor of Goa, 1996–1998
• P V Cherian – eighth Governor of Maharashtra, 1964–1969
• M. M. Jacob – ninth Governor of Meghalaya, 1995–2007
• A. J. John, Anaparambil – fourth Governor of Madras, 1956–1957
• M K Narayanan – 24th Governor of West Bengal, 2010–present
• Pattom A. Thanu Pillai
  • fourth Governor of Punjab, 1962–1964
  • fourth Governor of Andhra Pradesh, 1964–1968
• Vakkom Purushothaman – eleventh Governor of Mizoram, 2011–present
• K. Sankaranarayanan – 21st Governor of Maharashtra, 2010–present
• K.K. Viswanathan – sixth Governor of Gujarat, 1973–1978

Council of Ministers, India

A. K. Antony

Union Cabinet Ministers

• John Mathai – Minister for Finance (1948–1950)
• V. K. Krishna Menon – Minister for Defence (1957–1962)
• Panampilly Govinda Menon – Minister for Law and Railways (1969–1970)
• Ravindra Varma – Minister for Labour (1977–79)
• K. P. Unnikrishnan – Minister for Telecommunications in the V P Singh Cabinet (1989–90)
• K. Karunakaran – Minister for Industries (1995)
• A.K. Antony – Minister of Defence (2006–2014); Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (1993–1995)
• Vayalar Ravi – Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs (2006–2014); Minister for Civil Aviation (2011)

Minister of State (Independent Charges)

• M. P. Veerendra Kumar – Ministry of Labour with additional charge of Urban Affairs (1997–1998)
• K. V. Thomas – Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (2009–2014)
• Alphons Kannanthanam - Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Culture, and Tourism (2016–present)

Minister of State (MoS)

• Lakshmi N. Menon – Ministry of External Affairs of India (1957–1966)
• Mullappally Ramachandran – Ministry of Home Affairs (2009–2014); Agriculture and Cooperation (1991–1996)
• M. M. Jacob – Ministries of Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources and Home Affairs at different periods (1987–93)
• O. Rajagopal – Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (1999–2004)
• Shashi Tharoor – Ministry of External Affairs of India (2009–2010), Minister of State for Human Resource Development (2012–2014)
• E. Ahamed – Ministry of External Affairs (2011– ); Minister of State for Human Resource Development; Minister of State for Railways (2004–2014)
• K. C. Venugopal – Ministry of Power (2011–2014)
• Kodikkunnil Suresh – Ministry of Labour and Employment (2012–2014)

Chief Ministers

V. S. Achuthanandan

From Kerala

Main articles: List of Chief Ministers of Kerala and Kerala Council of Ministers

Other states

• M. G. Ramachandran – Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1977–1987)
• Janaki Ramachandran – Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (11/01/1988–30/01/1988)

Ministers

Kerala

• T. M. Varghese – Minister for Education, Travancore (1948), of Travancore-Cochin (1952)
• C. Kesavan – Minister of Travancore (1948); Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin (1951–1952)
• Joseph Mundassery – Minister for Education & Co-operation, Kerala (1957–1959)
• K. R. Gowri Amma – Minister for Revenue (1957–1959); (1967–1969); Minister for Industries (1980–1981); (1987–1991) and for Agriculture (2001–2006)
• R. Balakrishna Pillai – Minister for Transport, Jails and Excise (1975–1976), Electricity ( 1980–1981, 1982–1984, 1985–1986), Transport (1991–95, 2003–2004)
• K.M. Mani – Minister for Finance (1975–1977; 1980–1986; 2011–2016); Home Affairs (1977–1979); Irrigation (1987); Revenue (1991–1996; 2001–2006)
• Ramesh Chennithala – Minister for Rural Development (1986–1987), Home Affairs (2014–2016)
• M. P. Veerendra Kumar – Minister for forests (1987)
• P. K. Kunhalikutty – Minister for Industries (1991–1996; 2001–2005; 2011–2016)
• Pinarai Vijayan – Minister for Electric Power and Co-operatives (1996–1998)
• M.A. Baby – Minister for Education (2006–2011)
• Mathew T. Thomas – Minister for Transport (2006–2009)
• Paloli Mohammed Kutty – Minister for Local Self Government (2006–2011)
• P. J. Joseph – Minister for Public Works (2006); Water Resources (2011–2016)
• Monce Joseph – Minister for Public Works (2007–2009)

Other states

• K. J. George – Minister of Home, Karnataka (2013–2016)

Political leaders

• A. P. Udhayabhanu – Member Travancore State Assembly (1944–1952)
• C.P.Mathen – Member of Parliament (1952); Indian Ambassador to Sudan (1957–1960)
• A.K. Gopalan (AKG) – leader of the Opposition (India), Lok Sabha (1952–1977); Communist Party of India (Marxist)
• Mathai Manjooran – member of Rajya Sabha (1952–1954)
• K. M. George – member, Kerala Legislative Assembly (1960–1964) founder Kerala Congress (1964)
• K.Damodaran (Damodaran Kizhedath) – Member Rajya Sabha (1964–1970); the first 'Malayalee Communist' (1937)
• Thennala Balakrishna Pillai – Member Rajya Sabha, three terms (1991–1998; 2003–2009)
• P. Krishna Pillai – founder of communist movement in Kerala (1937)
• Azhikodan Raghavan – Communist Party Leader in Kerala
• Pannyan Raveendran – Member Loka Sabha (2006–2012); Kerala State Secretary, Communist Party of India (2012–2015)
• Pinarai Vijayan – Kerala State Secretary, CPI(M) (1998–2015), and member of the CPI(M) Politburo (2002–incumbent)
• Prakash Karat – General Secretary, CPI(M) of India (2005–2015)
• Panakkad Shihab Thangal (Panakkad Sayeed Mohammedali Shihab Thangal) – President of the Kerala state committee of the IUML (1975–2009)
• Ramesh Chennithala – President, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (2005-incumbent); four times Lok Sabha MP (1989–2004)
• P. Chacko MLA – Member, Kerala Legislative Assembly (1960–1964)
• Dr. George Thomas – Kerala Legislative Assembly (1967–1970)
• M. T. Jacob – Mayor of Aluva (2010-incumbent)
• Vakkom Bharathan – CPI(M)Leader, trade union leader
• Kummanam Rajasekharan – Hindu Aikya vedhi State General secretary
• P.J. Kurien – Member and Deputy Speaker of Rajya Sabha from Kerala (2012-incumbent)
• V.S. Achuthanandan - Former chief minister [Kerala] - [2006 - 11]

Award winners

V. R. Krishna Iyer

Bharat Ratna

The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India.

• M. G. Ramachandran – reformation activities (1988)

Padma Vibhushan

Adoor Gopalakrishnan

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

• V.K. Krishna Menon – Public Affairs (1954)
• John Matthai – Literature & Education (1959)
• Kalpathi Ramakrishna Ramanathan (K. R. Ramanathan) – Science & Engineering (1976)
• Mambillikalathil Kumar Menon (M. G. K. Menon) – Civil Service (1985)
• V. R. Krishna Iyer – Public Affairs (1999)
• Kakkadan Nandanath Raj (K. N. Raj) – Literature & Education (2000)
• Adoor Gopalakrishnan – Arts (2006)
• George Sudarshan – Science & Engineering (2007)
• K. J. Yesudas – singing (2017)

Padma Bhushan

M. S. Valiathan

The Padma Bhushan is India's third highest civilian honour. (This is not a complete list.)

• Vallathol Narayana Menon – Literature & Education (1954); poet (Mahakavi)
• Lakshmi Nandan Menon (Lakshmi N. Menon) – Public Affairs (1957)
• Kumar Padma Siva Shankara Menon (K. P. S. Menon (senior)) – Civil Service (1958)
• Mannathu Padmanabhan, (Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai) – Social Work (1966)
• K.P. Kesava Menon – Public Affairs (1966)
• Govinda Shankara Kurup (G. Sankara Kurup) – Literature & Education (1968); poet
• Poyipilli Kunju Kurup, (Guru Kunchu Kurup) – Arts (1971)
• Kandathil Mammen Cherian – Literature & Education (1971)
• Pothan Joseph – Literature & Education (1973)
• George Sudarshan – Literature & Education (1976)
• Prem Nazir – Arts (1983); actor
• Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai – Literature & Education; (1985) novelist and short story writer
• Nalapat Balamani Amma – Literature & Education (1987); poet
• Marathanda Verma Sankaran Valiathan, (M. S. Valiathan) – Medicine (1990
• Thomas Kailath – Science and Engineering (2009)
• Thayil Jacob Sony George (T. J. S. George) – Literature & Education (2011)
• K.J. Yesudas – Arts (2002); classical singer and musician

Padma Shri

Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar (1899–1990)

Dr. K. J. Yesudas

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer

The Padma Shri is India's fourth highest civilian honour. (This is not a complete list.)

• Perakath Verghese Benjamin – Medicine (1955)
• Guru Kunchu Kurup – Arts (1965)
• Kandathil Mammen Cherian – Literature & Education (1965)
• C.K. Nair Alias V. Kunchu Nair – Arts (1971)
• Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair – Arts. poet and actor (1973)
• Mani Madhava Chakyar – Arts. Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu (1974)
• K.J. Yesudas – Arts. classical singer and musician (1975)
• Vaikom Muhammad Basheer – Literature & Education (1982)
• Manathoor Devasia Valsamma, M. D. Valsamma – Sports (1983)
• Adoor Gopalakrishnan – Arts (1984); director, screenwriter, producer
• P. T. Usha – Sports (1985)
• Bharath Gopi – Arts (1991); actor
• P. I. Mohammed Kutty (Mammootty) – Arts (1998); actor
• Viswanathan Mohanlal – Arts (2001); actor
• Rajagopalan Krishnan Vaidyan – Ayurveda (2003)
• Shobana Chandrakumar – Arts(2006); actress and Bharatanatyam dancer
• Sugathakumari – Literature & Education (2006)
• T. K. Alex – Science and Technology (2007)
• Thilakan – Arts. actor (2009)
• K. Viswanathan – Social service (2009)
• Palpu Pushpangadan – Science and Engineering (2010)
• Resul Pokutty – Arts (2010); sound editor
• K. S. Chithra – Arts (2005); singer
• Balachandra Menon – Arts (2007); acting, direction, script writer
• Shaji N.Karun – Arts (2011); director/cinematographer
• Jose Chacko Periappuram – Medicine (2011); first heart transplant Kerala
• Gopalan Nair Shankar – Science and Engineering (2011); architecture
• Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri – Arts (2012); Indian classical dance – Kutiyattam
• Soman Nair Priyadarsan – Arts (2012); cinema direction
• J. Hareendran Nair – Medicine (2012); Ayurveda
• Pepita Seth – Literature and Education (2012)
• Madhu – Arts (2013)
• Dipika Rebecca Pallikal – Sports (2014); squash
• Padma Shri Kalamandalam Kshemavathy – Arts; dance
• K. P. Haridas – Medicine (2015); surgery
• Jayaram – arts, cinema acting
• N. Balakrishnan Nair – Medicine (1984)
• R.K. Krishna Kumar – contributions to Indian trade and industry (2009)

Government and world organisations

Members of the Imperial Civil Service

• K P S Menon Sr. – 1st Foreign Secretary of India and the 1st Ambassador of India to China
• V. P. Menon – Political Reforms Commissioner to the Viceroy of India Lord Louis Mountbatten
• N. R. Pillai – 1st Cabinet Secretary (1950–1953)
• M. K. Vellodi – 3rd Cabinet Secretary (1957–1958)

Civil Services of India

Cabinet Secretaries

• T.N.Seshan – 18th Cabinet Secretary (1989–1989)
• K. M. Chandrasekhar – 29th Cabinet Secretary (2007–2011)

Members

Shivshankar Menon

Shashi Tharoor

• P.J Thomas Parakunnel – 1st Chief Economic Advisor of India
• T. K. A. Nair – former Adviser and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India
• P.M. Nair – former Secretary to the President of India
• Anna Malhotra – first female member of the Indian Administrative Service
• Christy Fernandes – former Secretary to the President of India
• Shivshankar Menon – National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India
• Jyotindra Dixit – former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India
• Nirupama Rao – Ambassador of India to United States of America
• Ranjan Mathai – 28th Foreign Secretary of India
• Gopal Pillai – former Home Secretary of India
• Kavalam Panikkar – former Home Secretary of India
• Hormis Tharakan – former Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing
• S. S. N. Moorthy – former CBDT Chairman
• P. J. Thomas – 14th Central Vigilance Commissioner of India
• R.B. Sreekumar – former Director General of Police of Gujarat
• Abdul Rahman– former Director General of Police of Karnataka
• Letika Saran – former Director General of Police of Tamil Nadu
• K. Koshy – former Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Civil Defence
• Reeta Menon – Chairman of India Trade Promotion Organization
• Moorkoth Ramunni – 4th Administrator of Lakshadweep

Members of the United Nations

• Abraham Mathai – Chief Security Advisor, United Nations Human Rights Organisation, Geneva (1997–)
• Chandran Nair – Civil servant with UNESCO (1981–2004)
• Vijay K. Nambiar – Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (2007–2012)
• Shashi Tharoor – Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (2001–2007)
• Ajay Prabhakar - Country Programme Coordinator of the United Nations (2001 - 2014)

Military leaders

Army

• General Sundararajan Padmanabhan – 22nd General of the Indian Army and Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army (2000–2002)
• Lieutenant General Philip Campose – Vice Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army
• Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar – Head of Mission of the United Nations Protection Force (1992–1993)
• Major General Jai Shanker Menon – Head of Mission and Force Commander of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force
• Lieutenant General Bobby Cherian Mathews – General officer commanding of Konark Corps
• Lieutenant General G.M. Nair – Military Secretary of India (2010-?)
• Lieutenant General K.P. Candeth – Deputy Chief of Army Staff (1965–1971?)
• Havildar Thomas Philipose – medal winner in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

Air Force

Param Vishist Seva Medal holders

• Air Marshal E.P.R. Nair – Commanding-in Chief of the Training Command, Indian Air Force (1981–1985)
• Air Marshal K.N. Nair – Commanding-in Chief of the Eastern Air Command, Indian Air Force
• Air Marshal Narayan Menon – Air Officer-in-Charge (Personnel), Air Headquarters (1999–2004)

Navy

• Vice-Admiral K. N. Sushil – former Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command
• Commander Jose Manjooran - Vishist Seva Medal(1995)

Jurists

Chief Justice of India

• K. G. Balakrishnan – 37th Chief Justice of India (2007–2010)

Judges of the Supreme Court of India

Justice M. Fathima Beevi

• P. Govinda Menon (1956–1957)
• K. K. Mathew (1971–1976)
• V.R. Krishna Iyer (1973–1980)
• V. Balakrishna Eradi (1981–1987)
• T.K. Thommen (1988– )
• M. Fathima Beevi (1989–1992) – first woman Judge of the Supreme Court of India
• K. S. Paripoornan (1994–1997)
• K.T. Thomas (1996–2002)
• Cyriac Joseph (2008–2012)
• Kurian Joseph (2013–present)

Women Judges of the Supreme Court of India

• M. Fathima Beevi (1989–1992) – first woman Judge of the Supreme Court of India

Women Judges of the High Court

• Smt. Justice Anna Chandy – Judge of the High Court of Kerala (1959–1967) and the first woman in India to be a judge of a High Court
• Kumari Justice P. Janaki Amma – second woman Judge of the High Court of Kerala (1974–1982)

Academia

Ancient mathematicians

• Madhava of Sangamagrama (c.1350–c.1425) – astronomer-mathematician
• Jyeshtadeva (c. 1500–c. 1610) – astronomer-mathematician of the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics; author of a treatise on calculus

Faculty

Thomas Kailath

• George Sudarsan – Padma Vibhushan Emeritus professor
• Thomas Kailath – Padma Bhushan. Professor of Engineering
• Faisal Kutty – Professor of Law
• George Varghese – Professor of Computer Science
• K. Mani Chandy – Professor of Computer Science
• Mathai Varghese – Professor of Mathematics
• Pulickel Ajayan – Professor of Engineering
• Thomas Zacharia – computer scientist
• T. Pradeep – Professor of Chemistry
• Father V.C. Samuel – theologian, historian, author and multilinguist
• P. N. Vinayachandran – Associate Professor of Oceanography
• Thanu Padmanabhan – professor
• G. Balakrish Nair – director
• Prahlad Vadakkepat – professor and robotics scientist
• K. R. K. Easwaran – Astra Chair Professor of the Indian Institute of Science
• Navin Manjooran - Professor of Engineering, Virginia Tech

Heads of institutions

• Mathai Varghese – Director of the Institute for Geometry and its Applications (IGA), Adelaide
• Eluvathingal Devassy Jemmis – Director of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram
• M. G. K. Menon – former President of the Indian Statistical Institute
• V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai – 6th Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University
• Prasant Payyappilly Palakkappilly – Principal of Sacred Heart College, Thevara (autonomous)

Medical sciences

• Abraham Verghese – Professor of Medicine and Senior Associate Chair of Department of Internal Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine
• Mani Menon – Director of the Vattikuti Urology Institute at the Henry Ford Hospital
• Thomas Thomas – first Indian cardio-thoracic surgeon
• M. Krishnan Nair – leading oncologist
• M. S. Valiathan – cardiac surgeon, Former Vice Chancellor, Manipal University
• R. Kesavan Nair – Kerala's First Civil Surgeon
• Vaidyaratnam P. S. Warrier – Ayurvedic physician and founder of the Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala
• Salim Yusuf – Director of Population Health Research Institute, Canada
• Rajagopalan Krishnan Vaidyan – Ayurvedic physician
• Mohan D. Nair – Indian pharmaceutical scientist and author

Humanities and Social Sciences

• Nivedita Menon- a feminist writer and a professor of political thought at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Business and commerce

File:Yusf.jpg

M.A Yousuf Ali

• Abin Alex - The author of The Transparent, novel published in Malayalam. Also published many if his writings including short novels poems stories etc...

• Rajeev Madhavan – entrepreneur and venture vapitalist in Silicon Valley, US; founder of MAGMA DA; Lifetime Achievement and distinguished alumnus award from NIT Surathkal;n the Dean's Advisory Board at UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering
• Jai Prakash Menon – Group Director at HT Media
• Thomas Kurian – Global President of Product Development at Oracle Corporation
• Reji Abraham – Managing Director of ABAN Group of Companies
• Kris Gopalakrishnan – Co-Chairman and former CEO of Infosys Technologies
• S. D. Shibulal – CEO and Managing Director of Infosys Technologies
• T K Kurien – CEO of Wipro
• RK Krishna Kumar – trustee of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust
• R Gopalakrishnan – Executive Director of Tata Sons
• Mavila Nair – former Chairman and Managing Director of Union Bank of India
• B. Ravi Pillai – Indian business magnate
• Gokulam Gopalan – Chairman of Gokulam Group of Companies
• George Alexander Muthoot – Managing Director of Muthoot Finance and Muthoot Group
• Verghese Kurien – founder Chairman of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.
• Thakiyudeen Wahid – owner of East West Airlines
• K.M. Mammen Mappilai – founder of MRF Tyres and Manorama publications
• C. P. Krishnan Nair – founder of the Leela Group of Hotels
• Rajmohan Pillai – Chairman of Beta Group
• Kochouseph Chittilappilly – Managing Director of V Guard Industries Ltd
• M. A. Yousuf Ali – founder of EMKE Group, Lulu Hypermarkets and Supermarkets in United Arab Emirates
• Beena Kannan – Managing Director and Lead Designer of Seematti
• Nadakkal Parameswaran Pillai or "Coffee House Pillai" – co-founder of Indian Coffee Houses in Kerala
• Ajit Balakrishnan – founder and Chairman of Rediff
• Dileep K Nair – first Chancellor of North East Frontier Technical University; publisher of The Engineers Outlook Magazine
• PNC Menon – founder of Sobha Developers Limited.
• Arun Kumar - Founder of Strides Shasun.
• Ramachandran Ottapathu - Africa's Indian Retail King.

Social reformers

Independence activists

Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair

• Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair – KCIE, President of the Indian National Congress (1897–1898)
• Variyan Kunjahammed Haji – The great warrior fought against British in Kerala
• Lakshmi Sehgal – As Captain Lakshmi, she commanded the Jhansi Rani Regiment of the INA under Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
• Veliyankode Umar Khasi – mystic leader and Muslim scholar, freedom fighter and poet
• N.P. Nayar – administrator of Azad Hind Dal
• Ammu Swaminathan
• Accamma Cherian – Jhansi Rani of Travancore
• Mohammed Abdul Rahiman – freedom fighter and former KPCC President
• Vakkom Majeed – former Member of Travancore-Cochin State Assembly
• T. M. Varghese – Minister of Travancore-Cochin
• George Joseph – lawyer, trade unionist and nationalist activist
• C. Kesavan – Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin
• K. Kelappan – leader of the Payyanur Salt Satyagraha and the Guruvayur Satyagraha
• Vaikom Muhammad Basheer – Malayalam fiction writer, humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer
• K. P. Kesava Menon – founder-editor of the Mathrubhumi newspaper
• A. K. Gopalan – founder leader of the Communist Party of India
• Velu Thampi Dalava
• Ammu Swaminathan
• A. J. John, Anaparambil
• Nettur. P. Damodaran – social worker
• Moidu Moulavi – leader of the Indian National Congress
• K. Kumar (Kumarji) – Gandhian nationalist, orator and reformer who revived the banned Swadeshabhimani newspaper

Social reformers

Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

• Adi Sankara (788–820) – saint, poet, philosopher and reviver of Hinduism in India
• Ayyankali – leader of Dalits
• K. M. Seethi – Saheb Bahadur, usually referred to as Seethi Saheb
• Chattampi Swamikal (1853–1925) – social reformer
• C. Kesavan – Chief Minister of erstwhile state of Travancore-Cochin, 1951–1952
• Kuriakose Elias Chavara – social reformer and Syrian Catholic saint
• Lalithambika Antharjanam – social reformer and writer
• K. P. Kesava Menon – founder of Mathrubhumi daily
• K. Kumar (Elanthoor Kumarji) – freedom fighter and social-reformer who worked for Harijan upliftment and communal harmony
• K. Kelappan – freedom fighter and social reformer
• Mathai Manjooran (1912–1970) – socialist revolutionary, member of the Indian Parliament, Labor Minister in the 2nd EMS communist ministry
• Mannathu Padmanabhan – founder of Nair Service Society
• M. C. Joseph – rationalist, founding editor of Yukthivadi
• Nawab Rajendran – social activist
• Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928) – pivotal figure in the Renaissance of Kerala, social reformer, scholar, teacher, saint and Vedantin
• Sahodaran Ayyappan – social reformer, follower of Sri Narayana Guru
• Nataraja Guru – disciple of Narayana Guru
• Vakkom Moulavi (1877–1933) – social reformer, educationist, writer and journalist
• Abraham Barak Salem – Zionist, Indian nationalist, leader of the Jewish community and social activist

Religion and spirituality

Hinduism

• Adi Sankara (788–820) – saint, poet, philosopher and reviver of Hinduism in India
• Sree Narayana Guru – founder of Sivagiri Mutt and social reformer of India
• Chattampi Swamikal – Hindu sage and social reformer
• Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi (1935–2006) – founder Chairman of Hindu Aikya Vedi
• Tapovan Maharaj – Teacher of Swami Chinmayananda and Swami Sundaranand
• Swami Ranganathananda – 13th president of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission
• Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha – spiritual leader and the founder of Narayanashrama Tapovanam
• Karunakara Guru – spiritual leader, founder of Santhigiri Ashram
• Nitya Chaitanya Yati – exponent of Advaita Vedanta
• Chinmayananda – founder of Chinmaya Mission
• Mata Amritanandamayi – spiritual leader and founder of Mata Amritanandamayi Math popularly known as Amma

Islam

• Panakkad Thangal
• Ahmad Kutty – Islamic scholar
• E.K. Aboobacker Musliar
• Cherussery Musliyar
• KT Manu Musliar
• Kalambadi Muhammad Musliyar
• Ullal Thangal
• Hyderali Shihab Thangal
• Chekannur Maulavi – progressive Islamic cleric
• MM Akbar – Muslim intellectual, comparative religion scholar

Christianity (current)

• Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception – first woman of Indian origin to be canonised as a saint by the Catholic Church
• Baselios Cleemis – Cardinal-Priest of the Church of Saint Gregory VII
• Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II – Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Baselios Thomas I – Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
• Geevarghese Mar Gregorios – First Indian canonized saint by the Malankara Church
• George Alencherry – Cardinal-Priest of San Bernardo alle Terme
• Johnson Philip – Principal of Brethren Theological College at Cochin University
• Joseph Mar Thoma – primate of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church
• Joy Alappat – Syro-Malabar Catholic bishop in the United States
• Joseph Parecattil – inducted as Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in June 1988
• KP Yohannan – Metropolitan Bishop of Believers Church
• Kuriakose Elias Chavara – Syro-Malabar Catholic Church saint and social reformer
• K.V. Simon – Kerala Brethren pioneer
• Mar Gregory Karotemprel – Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Rajkot
• P.C. John – Kerala Brethren pioneer
• Saint Euphrasia – Indian Carmelite nun of the Syro-Malabar Church
• Varkey Vithayathil – former Cardinal-Priest of San Bernardo alle Terme
• Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly – elevated as Servant of God by the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
• Palackal Thoma - Indian Catholic priest of the Syro-Malabar Church based in India.

Literature and writing

Writers

See also: List of fiction writers in Malayalam

Arundhati Roy

Chandiroor Divakaran

• Ajay Prabhakar – International Author and Researcher
• A. R. Raja Raja Varma – linguist and grammarian
• Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri – Malayalam poet; winner of the Kendra Sahithya Academy Award for Malayalam in 1973
• Appu Nedungadi – author of Kundalatha, the first Malayalam novel
• Anita Nair – writer
• Arundhati Roy – actress turned writer, awarded the Booker Prize in 1997 for The God of Small Things, which is set in Kerala
• Balachandran Chullikkadu – poet
• Balamani Amma – poet; won the literary medal in India, the Saraswathi Samman
• Chandiroor Divakaran – poet, folk songwriter and 2011 Ambedkar Award winner
• Changampuzha Krishna Pillai (1911–1948) – poet, author of the pastoral elegy "Ramanan" (1936)
• Cherusseri Namboothiri – poet, author of Krishnagaadha (The Song of Krishna)
• D. Vinayachandran – poet
• Edasseri Govindan Nair – poet and playwright
• Faisal Kutty – lawyer, professor and columnist
• G. Sankara Kurup – poet
• Gayatri – writer, Painter, art and literary critic
• George Menachery – historian, Editor of The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Editor of The Indian Church History Classics (The Nazranies)
• Hassan Thikkodi – writer, poet, Chairman of MES Raja Residential School
• Hameed Chennamangaloor – writer, progressive Muslim intellectual, critic of religious fundamentalism
• E. Harikumar – Novelist and Short Story writer
• Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan – Malayalam poet
• Kalakkaththu Kunchan Nambiar – poet
• Kamala Das – English poet and novelist; also wrote in Malayalam under the pen-name Madhavikkutty; first Indian woman to openly write about women's sexuality; embraced Islam under the name Kamala Suraiyya in 1999; Asian Poetry Prize, 1964; Kent Award, 1965
• Kesari Balakrishna Pillai – social thinker, literary critic
• Kumaran Asan – poet, also called Mahakavi Kumaran Asan, died at age 51 in a boat (named Redeemer) accident en route Alapuzha to Kollam in January 1924
• Kunjunni – Malayalam poet
• N. S. Madhavan – writer and civil servant
• M. Krishnan Nair – literary critic
• M. Mukundan – novelist
• Moothiringode Bhavathrāthan Namboothiripad – author and social
• Moyinkutty Vaidyar – poet
• M. P. Parameswaran – scientist turned social activist
• M. P. Paul – literary critic
• M. T. Vasudevan Nair – writer and cinema personality; Jnanpith Award, 1995
• Niranam Poets – three Malayali poets, Madhava Panikkar, Sankara Panikkar and Rama Panikkar of the Kannassa family; they lived between AD 1350 and 1450 in the Niranam village of Tiruvalla
• Nitya Chaitanya Yati – scholar and monk
• O. Chandumenon – novelist
• O. V. Vijayan – novelist and cartoonist
• O. N. V. Kurup
• P. C. Devassia (1906–2006) – Sanskrit scholar and poet who won the Sahitya Akademi Award (1980) for Sanskrit for his poem "Kristubhagavatam"
• P. Parameswaran – Director of Bharatiya Vichara Kendram; former President of Vivekanand Kendra, Kanyakumari; also known as Parameswarji
• P. F. Mathews – novelist, short story writer and screenwriter
• P. K. Gopi – poet
• P. M. Taj – writer
• Paul Zacharia – writer
• Poonthanam – poet belonging to the Bhakti school
• Sarah Joseph – writer, Novelist, Sahitya Academy winner
• Shashi Tharoor – novelist, Commonwealth Writers Prize, 1991; previous Under-Secretary-General (Communication and Public Information) of the United Nations, Deputy Minister of External affairs
• S. K. Pottekkatt – author winner of the Jnanpith award of 1980
• Shreekumar Varma – novelist, award-winning playwright, poet, children's author
• Sukumar Azhikode – teacher, critic and orator
• Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai – novelist and short story writer; Jnanpith Award in 1984
• Thirunalloor Karunakaran – poet, scholar, teacher and leftist intellectual
• Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan – architect of modern Malayalam; poet
• Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer – poet
• Uroob – writer, novelist, Sahitya Academy winner, winner of president of India's silver medal
• Vaikom Muhammad Basheer – writer, philosopher
• Vakkom Abdul Khader Moulavi – publisher, social reformer, and a leader of the progressive Islahi Movement in Kerala
• Vallathol Narayana Menon – Mahaakavi; founder of Kerala Kalamandalam,
• Vayalar Ramavarma – lyricist
• Vayalar Sarath Chandra varma – Malayalam film
• Vijayan, M. N – writer, literary critic, social activist
• Vrindavanam Venugopalan – writer, journalist and educationalist
• Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon – Malayalam poet
• Yusuf Ali Kechery – poet, lyricist

Journalists

• Rohit Viswanath – CNN Young Journalist of the Year 2006; editorial page writer with The Times of India
• T. N. Gopakumar – Editor-in-Chief, Asianet News
• Nisha Pillai – BBC newsreader
• Sunnykutty Abraham – COO and Chief News Editor of Jaihind TV; political analyst
• Sebastian Paul – Media critic
• K. C. Mammen Mappillai – founder of Malayala Manorama
• Faisal Kutty – lawyer and columnist for Express Tribune, Toronto Star, Middle East Eye and Madhyamam Daily
• V. K. Madhavan Kutty – Former Editor of the Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi, and a founder director of satellite channel Asianet
• O. Abdurahman – Editor-in-charge of Madhyamam
• Kummanam Rajasekharan – Managing Director of Malayalam daily Janmabhumi, General Secretary Hindu Aikya Vedi
• Kamal Varadoor – Chief News Editor of Malayalam daily Chandrika, State Sports Award for Best Sports reporter (1998, 2002)
• Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai the deported nationalist who edited the Swadeshabhimani newspaper
• K. Kumar of Travancore - Gandhian reformer, nationalist and Freedom Fighter who revived and edited "Swadeshabhimani" run by the deported Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishnana Pillai

Film and media

Shobana

Revathi

File:Vidya Balan at WWF World Earth Hour event, ITC Grand Maratha, Mumbai.jpg

Vidya Balan

Models

• Kalpana Iyer
• Nafisa Joseph
• Surelee Joseph
• Rima Kallingal
• Sana Khan
• Nina Manuel
• Lakshmi Menon
• Sheetal Menon
• Swetha Menon
• Parvathy Omanakuttan

Actresses

• Shobana – Padma Shri recipient, two time National Award winner
• Sukumari – Padma Shri recipient
• Urvashi – National Award recipient
• Monisha Unni – National Award winner
• Meera Jasmine – National Award winner
• K. P. A. C. Lalitha – National Award winner
• Priyamani – National Award winner
• Revathi Menon
• Manju Warrier – Special Jury Award (National)
• Kavya Madhavan
• Asin
• Bhavana
• Samvrutha Sunil
• Navya Nair
• Kaviyoor Ponnamma
• Nayantara
• Neha Dhupia
• Vidya Balan
• Shweta Menon
• Nithya Menen
• Parvathi Menon
• Sindhu Menon
• Namitha Pramod
• Remya Nambeesan
• Ann Augustine
• Priyamani
• Padmini
• Ragini
• Nazriya Nazim
• Keerthi Suresh

Actors

Mohanlal

• Mohanlal – Padma Shri recipient; five-time National Award winner
• Mammootty – Padma Shri recipient; three-time National Award winner
• Balachandra Menon – Padma Shri recipient; National Award winner for acting and direction ; holder of a world record
• Sathyan – actor
• Prem Nazir – Padma Bhushan recipient; holds four Guinness records
• Thikkurussi Sukumaran Nair – Padma Shri recipient; actor; winner of the national award for Best Supporting Actor in 1959
• Madhu – actor, winner of Padma Shri
• Jayan – actor
• M.N. Nambiar
• Suresh Gopi – actor and winner of the national award for Best Actor in 1998
• Dileep – actor
• Nedumudi Venu – actor
• Jagathy Sreekumar – actor
• Bharath Gopi – actor, Padma Shri recipient and winner of the national award for Best Actor in 1977
• Jayaram – actor, Padma Shri recipient
• Murali – actor and winner of the national award for Best Actor in 2002
• Prithviraj Sukumaran – Aactor; Kerala State Award winner 2006
• Premji – stage and film actor
• M. G. Ramachandran – Tamil actor
• Salim Kumar – actor, winner of the national award for Best Actor in 2010
• Krishnakumar Kunnath, also known as KK – singer
• Benny Dayal – singer
• Dulquer Salmaan – actor
• Fahadh Faasil – actor
• John Abraham
• Kay-Kay-Menon (Krishna Kumar Menon) – Bollywood actor originally from Kerala
• Naveen Andrews – Hollywood actor
• Shishir Kurup – Hollywood actor
• Suresh Menon – Bollywood comedian and actor
• Suraj Sharma – Hollywood and Bollywood actor
• Suraj Venjaramoodu – actor and winner of the National award for Best Actor in 2013
• Nivin Pauly − actor
• Jayasurya – actor, winner of the national for Special Jury Mention in 2016
• Kalabhavan Mani – actor; National Award for special jury

Film producer and directors

• M. T. Vasudevan Nair – writer and cinema personality; Jnanpith Award, 1995
• Bejoy Nambiar – film director
• M. Night Shyamalan – Hollywood film director
• I.V. Sasi – film director
• Priyadarshan – film director
• Joshiy – film director
• Sreenivasan – writer, director and actor
• Shaji N. Karun – film director
• Bharathan – film maker
• TK Rajeev Kumar – film maker
• Siddique – film maker
• Sohanlal – director and writer
• Santosh Sivan – director and cinematographer
• Resul Pookutty – sound engineer, first Oscar-winning Indian (for film Slumdog Millionaire)
• Lohithadas – film director and writer
• G. Aravindan – film director and cartoonist
• P. Padmarajan (1945–1991) – film director
• Rosshan Andrrews – director
• Jayaraj – director
• Appachan Maliampurackal Chacko Punnoose – film director and producer
• Ranjith – film director and writer
• K P Kumaran – film maker
• G. Devarajan – music director
• P.T.Kunju Muhammed – film director and writer
• Alberrt Antoni – film director
• Blessy – film maker
• Madhu Muttam – script writer
• Fazil – film director and writer
• Shaji Kylas – action film director
• Sibi Malayil – Malayalam film director
• Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma – lyricist
• Maliampurackal Kunchacko – film producer
• Bharath Gopi – film, drama producer, director and actor
• Sathyan Anthikkad – Malayalam film director
• V.R.Sankar – film director and writer
• P.F. Mathews – script writer, recipient of National Award
• Sabu Cyril – art director
• Sangeeth Sivan – director
• John Matthew Matthan – Hindi film director
• Benny Mathews – Hollywood director
• Rupesh Paul – Hollywood director
• Gowtham Menon – Tamil film director
• Shajith Koyeri – National Film Awards-winning sound designer

Music

K.S. Chithra, singer

• K. J. Yesudas – Classical singer and musician
• V. Dakshinamoorthy – carnatic musician and Malayalam music director
• Vayalar Ramavarma – Lyricist
• P. Jayachandran – playback singer
• K. S. Chithra – playback singer
• M. G. Sreekumar – playback singer and music director
• Srinivas – playback singer and music director
• Kozhikode Abdul Kader – playback singer
• Manjari Babu – playback singer
• Pradip Somasundaran – playback singer
• Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri – lyricist
• Sujatha Mohan – playback singer
• Vidhu Prathap – playback singer
• Madhu Balakrishnan – playback singer
• KK (Krishnakumar Kunnath) – playback singer
• M. Jayachandran – music director and playback singer
• Raveendran – music director
• G. Venugopal – playback singer
• Unni Menon – playback singer and multiple Tamil State Award winner
• Berny-Ignatius – music director duo
• Kannur Rajan – music composer
• Ouseppachan – music director
• Gireesh Puthenchery – lyricist and writer
• Sharreth – music director and playback singer
• Alex Paul – music director
• Sudeep Kumar – playback singer
• Sabrina Setlur – German rapper and singer
• Nikhil Mathew – playback singer
• Unni Menon – playback singer
• Unnikrishnan – playback singer
• Vijay Yesudas – playback singer
• Swetha Mohan – playback singer
• Benny Dayal – playback singer
• Gopi Sundar – music director and keyboard artist
• Mridula Warrier – playback singer
• Deepak Dev – music composer, playback singer
• Jassie Gift – music composer, playback singer
• Rahul Raj – music composer, playback singer
• Stephen Devassy – pianist, music composer

Artists, architects, painters, sculptors

Painters

• Raja Ravi Varma – painter
• K. C. S. Paniker – painter, founder of Cholamandal Artists' Village
• Namboothiri – painter, cartoonist and sculptor
• T. K. Padmini – painter
• A. Ramachandran – painter
• C. N. Karunakaran – painter, Chairman of Kerala Lalitakala Academi
• Akkitham Narayanan – painter, settled in Paris
• Balan Nair – painter
• Sekar Ayyanthole – painter, art teacher, former president of Kerala Chithrakala Parishath
• M. V. Devan – artist and writer
• Bose Krishnamachari – painter
• Paris Viswanathan – painter, settled in Paris
• Yusuf Arakkal – Bangalore based painter
• Kavitha Balakrishnan – artist and art historian
• V. S. Valiathan – artist, Raja Ravivarma award winner
• C.L Porinchukutty – Raja Ravi Varma Awardee for 2011
• K. Janardanan – painter

Architects

• Eugene Pandala – architect and artist

Sculptors

• Kanayi Kunhiraman – sculptor, former Chairman of Kerala Lalitakala Academy
• Balan Nambiar – sculptor, painter and research scholar

Cartoonists

• Abu Abraham – cartoonist
• Cartoonist Shankar (1902–1989) – political cartoonist
• K. S. Pillai (1919–1978) – political cartoonist
• O. V. Vijayan – cartoonist, writer
• P. K. Manthri – artist, cartoonist
• Gopikrishnan – cartoonist
• S. Jithesh – performing cartoonist
• Yesudasan – cartoonist; former Chairman of Kerala Lalitakala Academy

Sports

See also: List of Kerala Olympians

• T. C. Yohannan – athletics
• Jimmy George – volleyball
• Suresh Babu – athletics
• M. D. Valsamma – athletics
• P. T. Usha – athletics
• Shiny Abraham – athletics
• Cyril C. Valloor – volleyball
• Mercy Kuttan – athletics
• Rosa Kutty – athletics
• George Thomas – badminton
• K.M. Beenamol – athletics
• Sebastian Xavier – swimming
• Anju Bobby George – athletics
• I. M. Vijayan – football
• Anil Kumar – athletics
• K. M. Binu – athletics
• Chitra K. Soman – athletics
• Sinimol Paulose – athletics
• Joseph Abraham – athletics
• Preeja Sreedharan – athletics
• Deepika Pallikal – Squash
• V. P. Sathyan – former captain of the India national football team
• IM Vijayan – former striker India national football team
• Tinu Yohannan – former Indian cricket team player
• C. V. Pappachan – former captain of India national football team
• Abey Kuruvilla – Indian cricket player
• Naduparambil Pappachen Pradeep – footballer and captain of India's U23 team
• S Sreesanth Shanthakumaran Sreesanth – Indian cricket player
• Sanju Samson – batsman, Indian national cricket team and Rajasthan Royals

Activists

• Fr. Prasant Payyappilly Palakkappilly – social activist and environmentalist
• K. V. Rabiya – literacy campaigner, social worker
• Tiffany Brar – Blind social worker
• Pramada Menon- Queer feminist activist, stand-up comedian, gender and sexuality consultant, and co-founder of Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action

Performing artists

• Mani Madhava Chakyar (1989–1991) – Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu artist, Natya Shastra scholar
• Gopinath Muthukad – magician
• Tirur Nambissan – Kathakali singer
• Kalamandalam Hyderali – Kathakali singer
• Kalamandalam Gopi – Kathakali artist
• Kottakkal Sivaraman – Kathakali artist
• Guru Gopinath (1908–1987) – classical dancer and author
• Guru Chandrasekharan (1916–1998) – dancer and choreographer
• Mrinalini Sarabhai – dancer
• Kalamandalam Kshemavathy – dancer
• Athira – violin prodigy, Guinness World record holder
• Kim Thayil – guitarist
• Haripad Murukadas (b. 1971) – Nadaswaram player, music educator
• Paul Varghese – comedian