List of Nairs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following list gives the names of several individuals from the Nair community, who have become renowned figures during their lifetimes. Though many personalities in this list are/were multi-faceted, their names were classified according to their major area of work.
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[edit] Administration and Diplomacy
- Sardar KM Panicker- Diplomat and Diwan of many of India's erstwhile princely states
- Velu Thampi Dalava- Diwan of Travancore
- PGN Unnithan- Last Diwan of Travancore
- VP Menon- Secured the formal accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India
- Balakrishna Menon - Former Chairman Thorn EMI - UK
- Jyotindra Nath Dixit- Son of Munshi Paramu Pillai and India's National Security Advisor (2004-05)
- KPS Menon- India's first Foreign Secratary
- M Damodaran- Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India
- MK Narayanan- India's National Secuity Advisor (2005- )
- NR Pillai- India's first Cabinet Secretary (1950-53)
- Paliath Achchan- Former prime minister of the princely state of Kochi
- R Ramachandran Nair (aka Thulasivanam)- Former Chief Secretary of the state of Kerala, Sanskrit scholar
- N Chandrasekaharan Nair - Former Chief Secretary of Kerala
- Mrs. Sathi Nair - Former Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh
- RK Nair - Former Cheif Secretary of Rajasthan
- TKA Nair - Former Chief Secretary of Punjab and Pricinpal Secretary to Prime Minister
[edit] Arts and Literature
- Chandran Nair- Singaporean Poet writing in English
- G Sankara Kurup- Malayalam poet and the first winner of the Jnanpith Award (1965)
- Guru Gopinath- Dancer
- Irayimman Thampi- Malayalam Poet
- K Chandraseskaran Nair- Founder of the Malayalarajyam Newspaper
- Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair- Kathakali artist
- Kavalam Narayana Panicker- Dramatist and folk arts exponent
- Kezhpadam Kumaran Nair- Kathakali artist
- KP Kesava Menon- Founder of the Mathrubhoomi Newspaper
- Kesari Balakrishna Pillai- Journalist and Freedom Fighter
- MT Vasudevan Nair- Jnanpith Award winning (1995) Malayalam Writer
- Mavelikkara Krishnan Kutty Nair- Renowned Mridangam maestro
- ONV Kurup- Renowned Malayalam poet
- Pala Narayanan Nair- Malayalam Poet
- P. G. Ratnakutty- Essayist, poet and Purana lyricist
- Shankar- Famous Cartoonist and founder of the Children's Book Trust
- Shashi Tharoor- Under Secretary General of the UN and Renowned Author
- Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai- Jnanpith Award winning (1984) novelist
- Vallathol Narayana Menon- Malayalam Poet and Founder of the Kerala Kala Mandalam
- Villayil Raman Gopala Pillai Singaporean Malayalam novelist
- Dr.K.C.S Panicker - Founder of Cholamandalam Artists Village and former Principal of Government College of the Arts and Crafts, Chennai
- Professor G Sankara Pillai - Founder Kerala Nataka Academy
- Anita Nair - English Novelist and Poet
- Jayashree Nair - English Novel Writer
- [[D.Appukkuttan Nair - Civil Engineer and author of several Attaprakarams(Choreography} for Kathakali and prime mover behind Margi]]
[edit] Business and Entrepreneurship
- Captain Krishnan Nair- Founder of the Leela Group
- Dileep Nair- Former managing director of DBS Bank, Singapore and UN Under Secretary General for Internal Oversight Services
- Adv. Renjith K. Panicker- Head of Shri Ram Group of Companies, Kerala Division
- TPG Nambiar- Founder of the BPL group
- PNC Menon - Chairman Shobha Group
[edit] Film
- Adoor Gopalakrishnan- Renowned film maker and Dadasaheb Phalke Award Winner (2004)
- Aranmula Ponnamma- Malayalam movie actor
- G Aravindan- Renowned film maker
- Balan K Nair- Malayalam movie actor
- Dileep- Real name Gopalakrishnan -Malayalam movie actor
- Kalpana- Malayalam movie actor
- Kalaranjini- Malayalam movie actor
- KS Chitra - Playback Singer
- Mohanlal- Malayalam Cinema Artiste
- M G R- Tamil movie actor, Chief Minister
- Madhu- Malayalam movie actor
- Murali- Malayalam movie actor
- Meghanadhan- Malayalam movie actor
- Navya Nair- National award winning actor
- Renuka Menon- Malayalam movie actor
- Revathi Menon - Film Director/Actor and Women Empowerment Leader)
- Shobhana- National award winning actor and dancer
- Suresh Gopi- Malayalam movie actor, National award winner
- Vineeth- Malayalam movie actor
- Urvashi- Malayalam movie actor
[edit] India's Freedom Struggle
- Amsi Narayana Pillai - Freedom fighter wrote the famous patriotic song "Varika Varika Sahajare...". "Mahatma" was a news paper published by Amsi Narayana Pillai.
- K Madhavan Nair (1882-1933) - Freedom Fighter, Home Rule League Leader and Founding member of Mathrubhoomi Newspaper
- C Gopinathan Nair- Gandhian
- G Ramachandran- Fought for India's independence and founded Gandhi Sevagram, Madurai
- Justice Janaki Amma
- Karikkakom S. Narayana Pillai- Famous Travancore freedom fighter
- KP Madhavan Nair- Former General Secratary of the Indian National Congress
- K P Unnikrishnan- Former Indian Union Minister
- Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair- President of the Indian National Congress (1897-1898)
- Smt.A.V. Kuttimalu Amma - Top ranking Congress leader of Kerala and a fearless freedom fighter
- K Kelappan - Known as Kerala Gandhi, Leader Bhoodan Movement
[edit] Politics
- C Achutha Menon- Chief Minister of Kerala (1969-1970)
- CV Devan Nair- Former President of Singapore
- Erambala Krishnan Nayanar- Chief Minister of Kerala (1980-81,1987-91,1996-2001) and leader of the CPI(M)
- Shankunthala Nair - ex Cabinet Minister - UP
- Leela Damodara Menon- President of the National Mahila Congress
- MG Ramachandran- Charismatic late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
- PK Vasudevan Nair- Former Chief Minister of Kerala and leader of the Communist Party of India
- Pattom Thanu Pillai- Prime Minister of Thiru-Kochi (1948), Chief Minister of Thiru-Kochi (1954-55) and Kerala (1960-62)
- P. G. Krishnan Kutty Panicker- Secretary, Kerala Karshaka Sangam, North Paravur Congress(I) block President
- Prakash Karat- General Secratary of the CPI(M)
- Ramesh Chennithala- General Secratary of the AICC
- TM Ramakrishna Pillai- Helped found the Justice Party
- VK Krishna Menon- India's first Defence Minister]]
- Paravur T.K Narayana Pillai- First Chief Minister of Travancore-Cocihn State
- Panampalli Govinda Menon - Union Law Minister in Nehru's Cabinet
- KP Unnikrishnan - Former Union Cabinet Minister and Member of Congress Working Committee
[edit] Religion
- Chattambi Swamikal- Hindu spiritual guru
- Karuvatta Swamikal- Established the Karuvatta Ashram
- Swami Abhedananda- Disciple of Chattambi Swamikal
- Swami Chakrananda- of the Ramakrishna Mission
- Swami Chinmayananda- Renowned Hindu spiritual guru
- Swami Ranganathananda- Headed the Ramakrishna Mission (1988-2005)
- Swami Tapovan Maharaj- Guru of Swami Chinamayananda
- Swami Vishnu Devananda alias Flying Swamy - Founder of Sivananda Yoga Ashram all over the world
[edit] Science, Medicine and Engineering
- Dr. R Kesavan Nair- Kerala's first civil surgeon
- G Madhavan Nair- Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (2003- )
- MGK Menon- Scientist and educationist
- Dr. Sanil R. Pillai- Famous zoologist and Professor
- MKK Nair- The man who built the Bhilai Steel Plant
- Mohan D Nair- Pharmaceutical and health technology industry, and WHO consultant
- Dr. C G Krishnadas Nair - ex Chairman - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore, President Aeronautical Society of India
[edit] Social Reform
- Koickal Chellappan Nair- Gandhian and founder of the Gandhi Smaraka Grama Seva Kendram
- Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai - Social reformer, Travancore politician and founder of the Panmana Ashramam
- Bharatha Kesari Mannathu Padmanabhan- Founder of the Nair Service Society
- Shantiniketanam Krishnan Nair- Gandhiji's disciple and chairman of the All India Sarvodaya Sangh
