List of people from Kerala

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

^[4][5]

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

^[6]

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)

Rajya Sabha

• P. J. Kurien – 18th Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (August 21, 2012 – ) ^[7][8]

Lok Sabha

• T K VISHWANATHAN – Secretary General of the Lok Sabha (14th and 15th)

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)

From Kerala

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)

Padma Vibhushan

Adoor Gopalakrishnan

The Padma Vibhushan is India's second highest civilian honour.^[12]

• 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.^[13] (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
• Jacob Cherian - Social work (1999)^[14]

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.^[15] (This is not a complete list.)

• Perakath Verghese Benjamin – Medicine (1955)^[16]
• Guru Kunchu Kurup – Arts (1965)
• Kandathil Mammen Cherian – Literature & Education (1965)^[17]
• 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)^[18]
• 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)

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^[19]
• N. R. Pillai – 1st Cabinet Secretary (1950–1953)
• M. K. Vellodi – 3rd Cabinet Secretary (1957–1958)

Civil Services of India

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^[20]
• Anna Malhotra – first female member of the Indian Administrative Service^[21]
• 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^[22]
• 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^[23]
• Reeta Menon – Chairman of India Trade Promotion Organization^[24]
• Moorkoth Ramunni – 4th Administrator of Lakshadweep

Members of the United Nations

• 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)

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^[25]
• 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^[26]
• 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)^[27]
• Air Marshal K.N. Nair – Commanding-in Chief of the Eastern Air Command, Indian Air Force^[28]
• Air Marshal Narayan Menon – Air Officer-in-Charge (Personnel), Air Headquarters (1999–2004) ^[29]

Navy

• Vice-Admiral K. N. Sushil – former Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command^[30]

Chief Justice of India

• K. G. Balakrishnan – 37th Chief Justice of India (2007–2010)^[31]

Judges of the Supreme Court of India

Justice M. Fathima Beevi

• K. K. Mathew (1971–1976)
• V.R. Krishna Iyer (1973–1980)
• V. Balakrishna Eradi (1981–1987)
• M. Fathima Beevi (1989–1992) – first woman Judge of the Supreme Court of India^[32]
• K. S. Paripoornan (1994–1997)^[33]
• Kurian Joseph (2013–present)^[34]

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)

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^[35]

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
• Rev. Fr. Dr. V.C. Samuel – Theologian, Historian, Author, Ecumenical Leader and multi-linguist
• P. N. Vinayachandran – Associate Professor of Oceanography
• Thanu Padmanabhan – professor
• G. Balakrish Nair – director
• Prahlad Vadakkepat – professor and robotics scientist^[36]
• K. R. K. Easwaran – Astra Chair Professor of the Indian Institute of Science

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

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.

Independence activists

Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair

• Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair – KCIE, President of the Indian National Congress (1897–1898)
• 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

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^[38]
• 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)

• Mar Yohannan Yoseph -Episcopal Bishop of the Holy Catholic Assyrian Church of the East
• 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 Venerable by the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
• Palackal Thoma - Indian Catholic priest of the Syro-Malabar Church based in India.

Writers

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
• 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
• Sugathakumari - Indian poet and activist
• 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

Models

• 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
• Revathi Menon
• Manju Warrier – Special Jury Award (National)
• Geetu Mohandas – Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress, Best Child Artist
• Kavya Madhavan
• Asin
• Bhavana
• Samvrutha Sunil
• Navya Nair
• Kaviyoor Ponnamma
• Nayantara
• Neha Dhupia
• Shweta Menon
• Nithya Menen
• Parvathi Menon
• Sindhu Menon
• Namitha Pramod
• Remya Nambeesan
• Ann Augustine
• Padmini
• Ragini
• Nazriya Nazim
• Siddhi Mahajankatti
• Liza Koshy

Actors

Mammootty

• Mammootty – Padma Shri recipient; three-time National Award winner
• Mohanlal – Padma Shri recipient; 2 time national award winner for best actor, 2 time special jury award winner & one time national award winner for best feature film producer
• 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
• 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
• Rajeev Ravi – cinematographer, director, producer, National Film Award for Best Cinematography
• Geetu Mohandas – film director
• 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 ^[40]

Music

K.S. Chithra, singer

• K. J. Yesudas – Classical singer and musician
• Vayalar Ramavarma – Lyricist
• P. Jayachandran – playback singer
• K. S. Chithra – playback singer
• M. G. Sreekumar – 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