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Here is a list of notable people from Kerala, India: Kerala ((?); Malayalam: കേരളം, — ) is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. ...
Abraham Kovoor - Well-known rationalist. He is better known as A.T. Kovoor.
Adi Sankara (788 - 820) - Saint, poet, philosopher and reviver of Hinduism in India. Propounded the doctrine of Advaita (non-duality), which identified the Supreme with the Self. He is revered as the Shankaracharya.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan - Internationally acclaimed director. Movies include Elipathayam (The Mousetrap) and Mathilukal (Walls).
A.K. Antony - Chief Minister of Kerala during 1977-78, 1995-96, and 2001-2004. He was the Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly during 1996 to 2001.
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.
Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri - A famous Malayalam poet who is honored by the epithet Mahaakavi. He won the Kendra Sahithya Academy Award for Malayalam in 1973. His famous poems include 'Irupatam Nuttantinte Ithihasam. Akkitham is associated with Tapasya _ a cultural organization.
Amritanandamayi - Renowed Saint Inhabiting the lagoons of South Kerala known for her hugging which creates a spiritual current among her disciples
Anita Nair - Writer.
Anju George - The only Indian to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships.
Balachandran Chullikkadu - Poet. Admired by many youngsters for his realistic approach and hummable and rhythmic poems.
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.
C. Kesavan - The Chief Minister of erstwhile state of Travancore-Cochin from 1951-52.
C.K. Janu - Tribal leader.
Devan Nair - Former Head of the state of Singapore.
Dr. John Mathai _ London School of Economics and Oxford trained economist and the first Malayali Union Cabinet Minister. He was twice Finance Minister in the Union Cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Dr. P. Palpu - Social reformer.
Dr. P. Mohammed Ali - Middle East based business tycoon also known as Galfar Mohammed Ali.
Dr. K.K. Damodaran - Nuclear physicist and former Head of Training at BARC.
Dr. P.C. Alexander - Former Governor of Tamil Nadu and Maharashra; former High Commissioner to UK
E.K. Nayanar - Former Chief Minister of Kerala. Noted Communist leader. Native of Kannur District of Kerala.
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.
E. Sreedharan A noted Indian Technocrat. Managing Director of Delhi Metro. CMD of Konkan Railway. Padmasree winner.
Fr. Chavara Kuriakose - A Christian saint of Kerala. The yeoman service rendered by him led to the growth of the C.M.I. (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate) Congregation.
G. Aravindan - Noted film director and cartoonist. Movies include Kanchana Seeta, Kummatty (Bogeyman) and Chidambaram. His cartoon strip series 'Valiya lokavum Cheriya manushyarum' was very popular.
Hameed Chennamangaloor - A prolific writer, a prominent progressive Muslim intellectual, and a widely acclaimed doyen of secularism in Kerala.
Hermann Gundert - A German-born linguist, grammarian, and lexicographer of Malayalam language. He compiled the first dictionary in Malayalam besides publishing the first newspaper in Malayalam.
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.
Joseph Mundassery - A prominent literary critic of Malayalam language and Education Minister in the first communist ministry of Kerala.
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.
Kesari Balakrishna Pillai - 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.
K.K. Mathew - Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India. He also served as the Tenth Law Commission Chairman and also as the Second Press Commission Chairman of India.
K. M. Moulavi - An active leader of the Khilafat movement and the first president of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (1950), which is responsible for fighting social evils like dowry, superstition, and promoting education and protecting rights of women among the Muslim population in Kerala.
K. M. Panikkar - Eminent historian. India's first ambassador to China.
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.
K. S. Chithra - Renowned playback singer and winner of several state and national awards.
K. Shankar Pillai (1902-1989) - The patron saint of Indian cartoonists. Founder of Shankar's Weekly and the International Dolls Museum, New Delhi.
K. P. Kesava Menon - Well known patriot and active volunteer of the freedom fight against the British. Founder of Mathrubhumi daily.
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.
Kozhikode Abdul Kader - Abdul Kader made his debut as a playback singer in Malayalam films in 1951 in the film `Navalokam.' The 'Malabar Saigal' died on February 13, 1977.
K. J. Yesudas - Exponent of Carnatic music and disciple of the great Chembai . Play back Singer
K.P.S. Menon - Diplomat who served as Indian Ambassador to China and USSR. He was the 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.
Mammootty - Winner of the national award for Best Actor 3 times.
Marthanda Varma - An 18th century Maharaja described as "the maker of modern Travancore".
Mathai Manjooran (1912 - 1970) - A gallant freedom fighter, socialist revolutionary, member of the Indian Parliament, Labor Minister in the 2nd EMS communist ministry, and above all the staunchest advocate towards the formation of Kerala State.
P. Krishna Pillai - One of the founders of Communist Party in Kerala. He was the President of Kerala Congress Committee.
P. Padmarajan (1945-1991) - Popular film director, affectionately known as 'Pappan', whose films often blurred the line between artistic and commercial cinema.
P. Parameswaran - Renowned thinker. Director of Bharatiya Vichara Kendram and former President of Vivekanand Kendra, Kanyakumari. Also known as Parameswarji.
Prem Naseer - The former evergreen hero of Malayalam cinema.
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.
Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) - World renowned painter whose works were exhibited in Vienna and Chicago. First Indian painter to use the oil medium.
Raja Raja Varma - Linguist and grammarian known as the Kerala Panini.
Sahodaran Ayyappan - 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" as a rejoinder to the famous words of his philosopher-guide Narayana Guru who said: "One Caste, One Religion and One God for Human Being".
Sree Narayana Guru (1856-1928) - Social reformer, scholar, teacher, saint and Vedantin and founder of SNDP, an organisation created to bring equality in the society.
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.
Vakkom Abdul Khader Moulavi - Publisher of the legendary publication Swadeshabhimani, social reformer, and a prominent leader of the progressive Islahi Movement in Kerala.
Vallathol Narayana Menon - 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.
Vayalar Ravi - Kerala politician. Union cabinet minister.
Verghese Kurien - Architect of the Indian version of White Revolution, centred around Amul in Gujarat.
Vijayan, M. N - Thinker, writer, literary critic, social activist. Most of his works are compilation of speeches.
V. P. Menon - The right-hand man of Sardar Patel in the unification of princely states during the formation of the Indian Union.
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".
V. K. Krishna Menon - Former Defence Minister of India and renowned statesman. Delivered an eight-hour-long speech on Kashmir dispute at a U.N.Security Council meeting in 1957. Krishna Menon was the close associate of Pandit Nehru, the then Prime Minister.
V.S. Achuthanandan - Current Chief Minister of Kerala. He was the secretary of CPI(M) state committee from 1980 to 1992 and Opposition leader of KLA from 1992 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006.
A Keralite identity — distinct from the Tamils and associated with the second Chera empire and the development of Malayalam — evolved during the 8th–14th centuries.
Since its incorporation as a state, Kerala's economy largely operated under welfare-based democratic socialist principles; nevertheless, the state is increasingly — along with the rest of India — liberalising its economy, thus moving to a more mixed economy with a greater role played by the free market and foreign direct investment.
Carnatic music dominates Keralite traditional music; this was the result of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma's popularisation of the genre in the 19th century.
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