List of people from Karnataka

This is a list of notable people from Karnataka, India. In order to be included, a person of influence needs only to have been born in Karnataka. This article can be expanded to accommodate newly surfacing information.

Arts and entertainment

Cinema

Theatre

Ancient architecture and sculpture

Modern and contemporary art, art criticism

Music

Classical music - Carnatic

Classical music - Hindustani

Modern musicians

Mysore Ananthaswamy, bhavageete
P. Kalinga Rao, bhavageete
Pandit Narasimhalu Vadavati
S. Ballesh, shehnai and vocal
Mysore Manjunath
Pravin Godkhindi, flute
Shimoga Subbanna, Sugama Sangeetha
C. Ashwath, Sugama Sangeetha
Balappa Hukkeri, folklore
G.V. Atri, bhavageete
Ganesh Hegde, choreography
Biddu Appaiah, composer
Bapu Padmanabha, flute

Film music

Film singers

Dance

Maya Rao (1928-2014), Kathak Guru and founder of NIKC, Bangalore^[1]

Fashion

Kings and nobles

Industrialists and businesspeople

A. B. Shetty, founder of Vijaya Bank
Ammembal Subba Rao Pai, founder of Canara Bank
B. R. Shetty, NMC Group
G. R. Gopinath, founder of Deccan Aviation
Gururaj Deshpande, venture capitalist
K. V. Kamath, managing director and CEO of ICICI Bank
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Biocon India Ltd.
N. R. Narayana Murthy, Infosys Technologies, Ltd.
N S Narendra, founder of FirePro
Nandan Nilekani, Infosys Technologies, Ltd.
Phaneesh Murthy, iGATE Global Solutions, Ltd.
R. N. Shetty, Murdeshwar Group
T. M. A. Pai, co-founder of Syndicate Bank and Manipal Academy of Higher Education
V. G. Siddhartha, Cafe Coffee Day
Vaman Srinivas Kudva, co-founder of Syndicate Bank
Vijay Mallya, UB Group
Vijay Sankeshwar, Vijayanand Group
Vittal Mallya, UB Group
Pradeep Kar, Microland
Ashok Kheny, NICE
Thumbay Moideen, founder of Thumbay Group and Gulf Medical University

Health care

Dr. H. Sudarshan Ballal
Dr. C. N. Manjunath, cardiologist
Dr. M. C. Modi, eye surgeon
Dr. Sharan Patil, orthopaedic surgeon
Dr. Y. G. Parameshwara
Dr. Devi Shetty, cardiovascular surgeon

Science and technology

Science

C. N. R. Rao, chemistry
C. R. Rao, statistics
N. K. Naik, Professor Emeritus at IIT Bombay
M. C. Modi, ophthalmology
Narayan Hosmane, biochemistry, cancer research
Raja Ramanna, physics
Roddam Narasimha, aerospace, atmospheric sciences
U. R. Rao, space science
M.L. Kulkarni, pediatrician
B. N. Suresh
S. K. Shivkumar
K. N. Shankara
S. G. Balekundri
Nandan Nilekani
Sudha Murthy
Vivek Kulkarni
Narayan Hosmane
Gururaj Deshpande

Mathematics

Technology

Arun Netravali, Bell Lab
Kumar Malavalli, co-founder of Brocade Communication Systems
Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Engineering

Rajeshwari Chatterjee, Karnataka's first female engineer^[3]
S. S. Murthy, Electrical engineer,
Samaira Hullur Aircraft pilot, youngest female aviator ^[4]^[5] ^[6]

Economics

N. S. Subba Rao

Literature

Classical writers

Nripatunga Amoghavarsha
Asaga
Ranna, 10th-century poet
Janna
Adikavi Pampa
Sri Ponna
Shivakotiacharya
Muddana, 19th-century poet and author
Andayya, 13th-century writer
Gangadevi, 14th-century poet and author
Kumaravyasa
Harihara, poet
Lakshmisha (Jaimeni Bharatha in Kannada)
Raghavanka
Rudrabhatta
Basavanna
Akka Mahadevi
Sarvajna
Tirumalamba
Purandaradasa
Kanakadasa
Trivikrama Panditacharya
Narayana Panditacharya
Kumudendu Muni, author of Siribhoovalaya
Shishunaala Sharif Saheba, first Muslim poet in Kannada literature

Modern writers

A.N. Krishna Rao
Anupama Niranjana
Aravind Adiga, won the Man Booker Prize in 2008
B. G. L. Swamy
B. M. Srikantaiah
Beechi, comedian from Bellary District
Chandrashekhara Kambara
Da. Ra. Bendre
D. Javare Gowda
Jayalakshmi Seethapura
D. V. Gundappa
G. P. Rajarathnam
Girish Karnad
Gopalakrishna Adiga
Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar
Ha Ma Nayak
H. S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar
K. S. Narasimhaswamy
K. S. Nissar Ahmed
K. Anantharamu
Kota Shivarama Karanth
Kuvempu
M. Govinda Pai
Maa Naa Chowdappa
Maasti Venkatesh Ayengar
Maya Kamath, political cartoonist
P. Lankesh
Panchakshari Hiremath
A.K. Ramanujan
Poornachandra Tejaswi
P. T. Narasimhachar
R. C. Hiremath
R. K. Narayan, settler
Raja Rao
S. Srikanta Sastri
S. L. Bhyrappa
Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh
Shashi Deshpande
T. P. Kailasam
T. R. Subba Rao
T. N. Srikantaiah
U. R. Ananthamurthy
V. K. Gokak
Yashwant Chittal
Ferdinand Kittel
Dinakara Desai
Venkatesh Galaganath

Politicians

K.C. Reddy, former chief minister
Kadidal Manjappa, former chief minister
Kengal Hanumanthaiah, former chief minister
Siddaramaiah, former chief minister
Shantaveri Gopala Gowda, Socialist leader, former MLA
S. Nijalingappa, former chief minister
Devaraj Urs, former chief minister
Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, freedom fighter
Basappa Danappa Jatti, former vice-president
Gudleppa Hallikeri, freedom fighter, former chairman of the Legislative Council.
M.N. Jois, freedom fighter, former M.L.C, Dy Speaker of Legislative Council
Bantwal Vaikunta Baliga, former law minister; former speaker, Mysore State
Gundu Rao, former chief minister
Khedinji Kanthappa Hegde, former Karnataka Minister of Health
Ramakrishna Hegde, former chief minister
Sudheendra Kulkarni
Prabhakar Kore, member of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka
S.R.Kanti, former chief minister
Neeraj Patil, Mayor of Lambeth district of London
S.R.Bommai, former chief minister
Veerendra Patil, former chief minister
S.Bangarappa, former chief minister
Veerappa Moily, former chief minister
L. G. Havanur, former law minister
H.D. Deve Gowda, former prime minister
J.H.Patel, former chief minister
George Fernandes, former defense minister
S.M. Krishna, Governor of Maharashtra, former chief minister
Dharam Singh, former chief minister
H.D.Kumaraswamy, former chief minister
B.S.Yediyurappa, former chief minister, MP
D.V. Sadananda Gowda, former chief minister and present union Statistics and Program implementation minister
Jagadish Shettar, former chief minister
Ramesh Jigajinagi, former home minister, currently Union Minister of state for drinking water and sanitation and M.P
M.P. Prakash, former deputy chief minister
Oscar Fernandes, former Union Minister
Jaffer Sharief, former Union Minister
Margaret Alva, former Union Minister
U. Srinivas Mallya, former member of parliament
H.N.Ananth Kumar, Union Minister for chemicals and fertilizers & M.P.
Mallikarjun Kharge, former home minister, former Union Railway Minister
K.H. Muniyappa, former Union minister of state for Railways
V.S.Acharya, former Minister for Home affairs & Medical Education
H.Vishwanath, former Minister, former M.P
Vatal Nagaraj, former MLA
Vishweshwara Hegde, former Education Minister
Bhagwanth Khuba, Member of Parliament, Bidar
Shri Thanedar, United States Representative

Bureaucrats

C B Muthamma, first woman IFS officer
C. G. Somiah, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (1990-1996)
Shankar Bidari, IPS, DG & IPG, Karnataka
Abdul Rahman Infant, IPS, DG & IGP, Karnataka
Dr.M.H.Marigowda, former director of Horticulture
H. T. Sangliana, former police officer, and M.P. Lok Sabha
Daya Nayak
Kempaiah
Veeranna Aivalli
Vivek Kulkarni

Cooperative movement

S. K. Amin, founder of South Kanara District Co-Operative Fish Marketing Federation

Religion and philosophy

Sarvajna
Sree Sree Shivakumara Swamiji, Karnataka Ratna, highest civilian awarded by the state
Kanaka Dasa, saint
Basavanna, founder of Veerashaivism, social reformer
Purandara Dasa, saint
Vidyaranya, 12th Shankaracharya of Sringeri, spiritual guide to Vijayanagar Empire
Allama Prabhu
Madhvacharya
Mangesh V. Nadkarni
Raghavendra Swami
Akka Mahadevi
Jayatirtha
Sripadaraya
Vyasatirtha
Vadirajatirtha
Madhvacharya
Naraharitirtha
Padmanabha Tirtha
Raghaveshwara Bharathi
Raghunatha Tirtha
Raghuvarya Tirtha
Raghuttama Tirtha
Gangadharendra Saraswati
Balagangadharanatha Swamiji
Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji
Satyavrata Tirtha
Satyanidhi Tirtha
Satyanatha Tirtha
Satyapriya Tirtha
Satyabodha Tirtha
Satyasandha Tirtha
Satyadharma Tirtha
Satyadhyana Tirtha
Satyapramoda Tirtha
Shishunala Sharifa
Jaggi Vasudev, founder of Isha Foundation
Siddharudha Swami
Narayan Maharaj
Narayanacharya
Dattatreya
Kaadsiddheshwar
Keshavashram

Yoga

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, known as "the father of modern yoga" and reviver of Hatha yoga
B.K.S. Iyengar
Geeta Iyengar
Jaggi Vasudev
Malladihalli Sri Raghavendra Swamiji
Pattabhi Jois

Wildlife and environment

Historians, epigraphists and archaeologists

Social service

Sports

Cricket

Hockey

B. P. Govinda (former captain, Arjun award)
M. P. Ganesh (former captain, Arjun Award)
Ashish Ballal
Arjun Halappa
M M Somaiya (former captain)

Football

Vinoth Kumar
Xavier Vijay Kumar
N.S. Manju
Kuppuswami Sampath
Shankar Sampingiraj
Karma Tsewang
Sanjeeva Uchil (Represented India in 1948 Olympics)

Athletics

Badminton

Tennis

Others

C.C. Machaiah, former boxer, Olympian and coach, 1978 Arjuna Awardee
Chetan Baboor, Table Tennis
Nisha Millet, Swimming
Pankaj Advani, Billiards
Malathi Krishnamurthy Holla

Military

Ajjamada B Devaiah, Pilot in Indian air force, Maha Vir Chakra (posthumous), war martyr.
Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, Commander-in-Chief, Indian Armed Forces
Gen.K. S. Thimayya, Chief of Staff, Indian Army
Gen. A C Iyappa, Prisoner-of-War in World War II, Indian Army, BEL chief.
Air Marshal C D Subbaiah, VrC, PVSM, World War II fighter pilot, Indian Army.
Ramesh Halagali, AVSM, SM, Deputy Chief of Indian Army.
Major M C Muthanna, killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, Shaurya Chakra awardee.
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, killed in action during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, consequently awarded the Ashoka Chakra, Indian Army

Judiciary

Justice Manepalli Narayana Rao Venkatachaliah, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Justice N Y Hanumanthappa, Chief Justice of Orissa High Court and Ex-Member of Parliament, Chitra Durga
Justice Santhosh Hegde, retired Supreme Court Judge
Justice H.L.Dattu, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Justice V. Gopala Gowda, Supreme Court Judge
Chief Justice of India P. B. Gajendragadkar, from Gajendragad

Award winners

Bharat Ratna

Jnanpith Award

Kuvempu, for his epic Sri Ramayana Darshanam, in 1969
D. R. Bendre, for his anthology of poems Naku Thanthi, in 1974^[7]
K. Shivaram Karanth, for his novel Mookajjiya Kanasugalu, in 1977
Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, for his historical novel Chikkaveera Rajendra, in 1983
V. K. Gokak, for Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi, in 1990
U. R. Ananthamurthy, for his monumental contributions, in 1994
Girish Karnad, for his monumental contributions to Kannada literature and for contributions to Kannada theatre (Yayati), in 1998
Chandrashekhara Kambara, for his monumental contributions to Kannada literature, in 2010

Saraswati Samman

S. L. Bhyrappa, for his novel Mandra, in 2010

Militants

Others

Shakuntala Devi, calculating prodigy; "called human computer"
N. Someswara, doctor and quiz master of Thatt Antha Heli
Aluru Venkata Rao
Huilgol Narayana Rao
Ravi Belagere
Mayurasharma
Pulakesi I
Krishna Deva Raya
Kudroli Ganesh, magician
Kumara Rama
Somesvara I
Belawadi Mallamma
Kittur Chennamma
Attimabbe
Raghavendra Acharya
Pandita Ramabai, reformer for women's education, Sanskrit scholar, Christian Bible translator into Marathi
Saraswati Gangadhar
S. D. Phadnis, cartoonist
A. N. Prahlada Rao, crossword writer; created 40,000 crosswords; name mentioned in LIMCA Book of Records 2015

References

^ GS Kumar (25 August 2014). "Maya Rao took forbidden dance to a new level". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
^ "Pratibha unveils Kittur Rani Chennamma statue". Retrieved 26 August 2008.
^ A. Jayaram (18 April 2002). "The nuts and bolts of a superachiever". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 July 2003. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
^ https://www.siasat.com/karnataka-girl-18-becomes-youngest-to-get-commercial-pilot-lincense-3142081/
^ https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Dec/02/18-year-old-from-karnataka-among-youngest-indians-to-get-commercial-pilot-licence
^ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/vijayapura-girl-becomes-commercial-pilot-at-18/article68938515.ece
^ "Jnanpeeth Awardees from Karnataka". Archived from the original on 29 April 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2008.

[toijuly-1] GS Kumar (25 August 2014). "Maya Rao took forbidden dance to a new level". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 September 2014.

[2] "Pratibha unveils Kittur Rani Chennamma statue". Retrieved 26 August 2008.

[Jayaram-3] A. Jayaram (18 April 2002). "The nuts and bolts of a superachiever". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 1 July 2003. Retrieved 15 March 2014.

[4] ttps://www.siasat.com/karnataka-girl-18-becomes-youngest-to-get-commercial-pilot-lincense-3142081/

[5] ttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Dec/02/18-year-old-from-karnataka-among-youngest-indians-to-get-commercial-pilot-licence

[6] ttps://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/vijayapura-girl-becomes-commercial-pilot-at-18/article68938515.ece

[7] "Jnanpeeth Awardees from Karnataka". Archived from the original on 29 April 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2008.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

Arts and entertainment

Cinema

Theatre

Ancient architecture and sculpture

Modern and contemporary art, art criticism

Music

Classical music - Carnatic

Classical music - Hindustani

Modern musicians

Film music

Film singers

Dance

Fashion

Kings and nobles

Industrialists and businesspeople

Health care

Science and technology

Literature

Classical writers

Modern writers

Politicians

Bureaucrats

Cooperative movement

Religion and philosophy

Yoga

Wildlife and environment

Historians, epigraphists and archaeologists

Social service

Sports

Cricket

Hockey

Football

Athletics

Badminton

Tennis

Others

Military

Judiciary

Award winners

Bharat Ratna

Jnanpith Award

Saraswati Samman

Militants

Others

See also

References