58 Tamil writers

Akilandam, better known by his pen name Akilan, was an Indian writer and novelist who wrote in Tamil. He was attracted by Gandhian philosophy during his school days and he discontinued his college education at Pudukkottai to join the freedom struggle. Later, after Indian independence, he joined the Railway Mail Service, after which he joined the All India Radio and became a full-fledged writer. His stories began to appear mostly in small magazines.

Kurichchi Marimuthu Balasubramaniam better known as Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam (1920-1994) was an Indian writer and Poet who wrote mainly in the Tamil language. He was a popular Tamil film lyricist and have penned about 263 songs in about 54 Tamil-language films. He was popularly referred to as Ku. Ma. Paa.

Sirpi Balasubramaniam is a Tamil poet, critic, scholar and professor from Tamil Nadu, India.

Kanagasabai Subbu, popularly called Bharathidasan, was a 20th-century Tamil poet and writer rationalist whose literary works handled mostly socio-political issues. He was deeply influenced by the Tamil poet Subramania Bharati and named himself as Bharathidasan. His writings served as a catalyst for the growth of the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu. In addition to poetry, his views found expression in other forms such as plays, film scripts, short stories and essays. The Government of Puducherry union territory has adopted the song of Invocation to Mother Tamil, written by Bharathidasan as the state song of Puducherry.(Tamil Thai Valthu )

Kavi Yogi Maharishi Dr. Shuddhananda Bharati was an Indian philosopher and poet. His teachings are focused mainly on the search for God in Self, through the Sama Yoga practice he created.

Shaji Chen is a writer and film actor from South India. Shaji's main area of writing is music and cinema related. Shaji writes in Tamil, Malayalam, English languages and acts in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films.

A. K. Chettiar was an Indian travelogue writer, journalist and documentary film maker from Tamil Nadu, India. He is most notable for pioneering travelogue writing in Tamil and for his documentary on Mahatma Gandhi.

Professor A. Dakshinamurthy is an eminent Tamil scholar, writer, and an English translator of classical, medieval and modern Tamil literature. He is a pioneer in the field of translation of Classical Tamil works. He is best known for his complete and faithful English translations of 19 ancient classical Tamil literature for the very first time in history between the period of 1999-2012. The Government of India honored him with the Presidential Award for lifetime achievement in Classical Tamil, 'The Tolkappiyar Award' for the year 2015.

Rajammal Packiyanathan Devadas was an Indian nutritionist, educationist and a former chancellor of Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, popularly known as Avinashilingam Deemed University. She was a member of the State Planning Commission of Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu Commission for Women and the elected vice president of the World Food Conference. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 1992.

Alexander Mikhailovitch Dubiansky, also spelt Alexander Dubianskiy, Alexander Dubyanskiy, or Aleksandr Dubiansky, was a Russian Tamil scholar, university professor, linguist, and writer. During his lifetime, he was accredited and acknowledged for his valuable contributions towards the revival of Tamil language scholarship in Russia, especially after the downfall of Soviet Union.

B. R. Rajam Iyer was an Indian lawyer and writer who wrote in Tamil and English. He is the author of Kamalambal Saritharam, an early Tamil novel.

K. V. Krishna Iyer (1894–1982) was a professor of history at Zamorin's Guruvayurappan College, Kozhikode. He is considered an authority on the history of Kerala. He has authored important historical books namely The Zamorins of Calicut, History of Kerala and History of Guruvayur, which are based on facts from his personal research on available records like Olagranthangal, Vattezhuthu and Kolezhuthu inscribed on copper plates. His radio talks on the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch, Arabs on the Malabar coast and their interaction with the locals were highly appreciated; as also his newspaper articles on Kerala land tenure. Two of his students, P. P. Ummer Koya and C. H. Mohammed Koya, ministers in the Kerala cabinet compelled him to adorn many committees on History, Archeology and Anthropology of Kerala.

Ki. Va. Jagannathan b. 11 April 1906 – 4 November 1988), popularly known by his initials as Ki. Va. Ja, was a Tamil scholar, commentator, journalist, poet, writer and folklorist from Tamil Nadu, India. He was a student of noted Tamil scholar and publisher U. V. Swaminatha Iyer. He was the editor of the magazine Kalaimagal. He won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1967 in Tamil language category for his literary criticism Virar Ulagam. He has written extensive commentaries on many Tamil devotional texts including Kandar Alangaram, Kandar Anubhuthi, Thirumurugattruppadai, Abirami Andathi and Kandar Kalivenba.He has written more than 200 books on various topics in Tamil literature and grammar. He was a great orator and was popularly known as Vageesa Kalanidhi, a title bestowed on him by Kanchi Paramacharya.

D. Jayakanthan, popularly known as JK, was an Indian writer, journalist, orator, film-maker, critic and activist. Born in Cuddalore, he dropped out of school at the age of 9 and went to Madras, where he joined the Communist Party of India. In a career spanning six decades, he authored around 40 novels, 200 short stories, apart from two autobiographies. Outside literature, he made two films. In addition, four of his other novels were adapted into films by others.

Bahuleyan Jeyamohan is an Indian Tamil and Malayalam language writer and literary critic from Nagercoil in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Jothimani Sennimalai, also known mononymously as Jothimani, is an Indian politician, writer, and social worker. A member of the Indian National Congress, she was elected to the Lok Sabha from Karur, Tamil Nadu in 2019. Having joined politics at a young age, Jothimani served separate terms as the General Secretary and Vice President of Indian Youth Congress and Tamil Nadu Youth Congress respectively.

Vittal Rāo K is a Tamil writer who was born at Hosur, a small town in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, India. Although a Kannadiga by birth, Tamil was his medium of instruction since he did his schooling in Tamil Nadu. A man of varied talents, he took to writing in his early twenties, but he became a recognizable face in the local literary circles when his short stories started appearing in popular Tamil weekly magazines such as Ananda Vikatan in 1967. In his literary career spanning over four decades, Vittal Rao has written 9 novels, 5 collections of 140 short stories and 7 essays ranging from world cinema to fine art, history and literature.

Parithimar Kalaignar, a Professor of Tamil at the Madras Christian College, was the first person to campaign for the recognition of Tamil as a classical language.

Konangi is the pen name of the Tamil writer Ilangovan. He is the maternal grandson of the Tamil playwright, lyricist, writer and Freedom fighter Madurakavi Baskaradoss. His father is the Tamil writer Shanmugam and his mother is Saraswathi. His elder brother is the Tamil short-story writer Tamilselvan and his younger brother is Murugaboopathy a contemporary Tamil playwright. He grew up in Naagalapuram, bodinayakanur and Nenmeni Mettupatti and he currently lives in Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu.

Rajam Krishnan, was a feminist Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India.

Mathuram Bhoothalingam was a Tamil writer who wrote plays and short stories in Tamil and English.

Kumbakonam Swaminatha Pillai Krishnamurthy (1914-1990) was an Indian poet, lyricist, writer, novelist, and screenplay writer for Tamil Language films and plays.

Anantanarayanan Madhaviah is one of the pioneer Tamil writers, novelists and journalists. His writings were about social reformation and misogyny in society. He is the author of one the early Tamil Novels named Padmavathi sarithiram.

Malayapuram Singaravelu, also known as M. Singaravelu and Singaravelar, was a pioneer in more than one field in India. In 1918, he founded the first trade union in India. On 1 May 1923 he organised the first ever celebration of May Day in the country. Singaravelar was a major leader of the Indian independence movement, initially under the leadership of Gandhi, but later, joining the budding communist movement. In 1925, he became one of the founding fathers of the Communist Party of India; and chaired its inaugural convention in Kanpur. Though the British Government arrested him along with other leaders on charges of conspiring to wage war against the Crown, he was set free, soon after, on account of his failing health. Singaravelar was also a path-breaking social reformer who in his early life took to Buddhism, seeing it as a weapon against the evil of untouchability, which was particularly severe in the 19th-century India. He was also in the forefront of Self respect movement, in the Madras Presidency that fought for equal rights for backward castes. Though in his advanced years, he withdrew from active politics, Singaravelar remained a staunch advocate of the causes he had pioneered till his death at the age of 85.

Kavignar Meenavan, born R.K. Narayanasamy, was a Tamil poet, writer and activist. He was called Kavignar Meenavan by the people of Nagapattinam. He was a popular scholar and has written lot of poetry and research articles in Tamil language.

Raju Murugan is a writer, journalist turned filmmaker from Tiruvarur. His works include Vattiyum Muthalum, Ondru and Gypsy, all of which were published in Ananda Vikatan. He made his directorial debut with Cuckoo (2014). His second film, Joker, was awarded the Best Feature Film in Tamil award at the 64th National Film Awards. He worked as an assistant to Lingusamy for 3 years.

Nanjil Nadan is the pseudonym of G. Subramaniam, a Sahitya academy winning Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India.

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami was an Indian writer known for his work set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of early Indian literature in English along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao.

Era Natarasan, popularly known as Ayesha Natarasan, is an Indian writer of children's books. He writes in Tamil and English. He is the author of Ayisha / Ayesha that has sold millions of copies in 12 languages. He has written more than 80 books most of them on science and Science Fiction including Vigyana vikramadhithyan kadhaigal which won the "Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award" for Children Literature, awarded by Sahitya Academy.

Subaiya Natesan was a Ceylonese politician, Member of State Council, Member of Parliament and senator.

Neela Padmanabhan, is a Tamil writer from Nagercoil, India. He also writes in Malayalam.

Manonmaniyam P. Sundaranar was an Indian scholar, noted for the famous Tamil drama Manonmaniyam. as well as the state song of Tamil Nadu Tamil Thai Valthu.

Ponneelan is the pen name of Kandeswara Bhaktavatsalan, a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India. He is a Marxist and was influenced by Tamil Communist leader P. Jeevanandham in his younger days. He became a teacher and retired as the deputy director of school education for Tamil Nadu. He won the 1994 Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil his novel Pudhiya Dharisanangal. He is currently the state president of the Tamil literary organisation Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkiya Perumandram. During 2005-2008, he was a member of the Central Board of Film Certification. He also wrote the script for the 2008 film Ayyavazhi.

Melanmai Ponnusamy was a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India. He was born in Melanmarainadu village [மேலாண்மறை நாடு] in Virudhunagar District. He was a farmer by profession who also ran a grocery shop in his village. He was a Marxist by political orientation and a member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M). His first short story was published in 1972 in the literary journal Semmalar. His works have since appeared in mainstream Tamil magazines like Ananda Vikatan and Kalki. He credited Soviet literature as a major influence in his writing style and choice of subjects. His works are set in rural Tamil Nadu and deal with the lives of peasants. As of 2009, he has written 23 short story collections, six novellas, six novels and an essay collection. He was awarded the 2008 Sahitya Akademi Award for his Tamil short story Minsarapoo. He was also awarded the 2009 Makkal TV award for his contributions to Tamil Literature. He was a founder member and the general secretary of the Marxist writers' organisation - Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association (TNPWA). He was married to Ponnuthai and had three children. He died on 30 October 2017.

Prapanchan, is the pseudonym of S. Vaidyalingam a Tamil, writer and critic from Puducherry, India.

T. M. Chidambara Ragunathan, was a Tamil, writer, translator, journalist and literary critic from Tamil Nadu, India. He is also known as T. M. C. Ragunathan, Tho. Mu. Si. Ragunathan or by his Tamil initials as Tho. Mu. Si.

Syed Abdul Rahman was a Tamil poet from Tamil Nadu, India. He was known by the title KAVIKKO. He was ex-chairman of Waqf board of Tamil Nadu.

M. Rajendran served as Vice-Chancellor of Tamil University, Thanjavur, in Tamil Nadu, India. He is a Tamil Scholar, Writer and Publisher of Kanaiyazhi literary magazine in Tamil., He was the coordinator of academic committee, World Classical Tamil Conference 2010.

Sundara Ramaswamy was an Indian novelist, poet, and literary critic, widely considered to be a pre-eminent figure in post-Independence Tamil literature. Born in 1931 in Nagercoil, then part of the princely state of Travancore, he grew up in Kottayam and, later, central Travancore until the age of eight, when his family moved to Nagercoil. His notable works include Oru Puliyamarathin Kathai, J.J. Sila Kuripugal and Kuzhanthaigal, Pengal, Aangal. A key figure in Tamil modern literature, the translations of his novels and short stories have brought him international acclaim. Sundara Ramaswamy has been praised for his versatility, his skillful negotiation of various literary forms: poetry, short fiction and the novel.

Perumal Rasu. R is an Indian poet and a writer from Krishnagiri, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

Su. Samuthiram, was a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India.

S. M. Natesa Sastri (1859–1906) was a noted exponent of Harikatha. He came from Tiruvarur and lived during the second half of the 19th century and the first 20 years of the 20th century.

D. Selvaraj was a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India. He was the author of a number of novels, short stories, and plays in Tamil. He was a lawyer by profession and was involved in various Communist and left leaning writers' organisations like Democratic Writers Association India and the Progressive writers association of Tamil Nadu (TNPWA). He was in the executive committee member of the TNPWA.. He received the Tamil Nadu Government's literary award for the best Novel for 2011 for his work on tannery workers of Southern Tamil Nadu titled "Thol". He did the field work for Thol for a decade before writing it. The novel was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award for Tamil in 2012.

R. P. Sethu Pillai (1896–1961), was a Tamil scholar, writer and professor of Tamil at the University of Madras.

Gopi Shankar Madurai is an Indian equal rights and Indigenous rights activist. Shankar was one of the youngest, and the first openly intersex and genderqueer, candidates to contest in 2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election. Shankar is also the founder of Srishti Madurai Student Volunteer Collective. Shankar’s work inspired the Madras High Court to direct the Government of Tamil Nadu to order a ban on forced sex-selective surgeries on intersex infants. In December 2017 Shankar was elected to the Executive board of ILGA Asia. In August 2020 the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment appointed Shankar as the South Regional representative in the National Council for Transgender Persons.

Ka. Mu. Sheriff was a writer and poet who wrote mainly in the Tamil language. He was a popular Tamil film lyricist during the 1950s and 60s. His lyrics Chittukuruvi Chittukuruvi Sedhi Theriyuma?, Yerikaraiyin Maele Poravale Penn Mayile are ever-green in the minds of Tamil film song lovers. He has also written screenplay and dialogues to some films.

Suki (Suhi/Sugi) Sivam is a popular orator, writer and scholar in Tamil. He hosts a TV show Indha naal iniya naal on Sun TV.

Thi. Ka. Sivasankaran or T. G. Sivasankaran, was a Tamil writer and critic from Tamil Nadu, India. He is popularly known by his Tamil initials as Thi. Ka. Si.

Somasundara Bharathiar was a Tamil researcher, writer, professor and lawyer. He participated in the Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu. He also headed the movement for the abolition of untouchability in Madurai.

Kothamangalam Subbu was an Indian poet, lyricist, author, actor and film director based in Tamil Nadu. He wrote the cult classic Tamil novel Thillana Mohanambal and was awarded the Padma Shri. According to novelist Ashokamitran's memoirs, Subbu functioned as the No. 2 of the giant Gemini Studios of Chennai, South India for over three decades and was a close associate of movie mogul S. S. Vasan, who established those studios and published the popular Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan.

Aadhavan is the pseudonym of K. S. Sundaram, a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India.

Swaminatha Desikar "Susai" born Swaminatha Desikar, was a spiritual writer. He was born from a Tamil-speaking Desikar family in Valavanur, Tamil Nadu. He compiled three books in Tamil.

Vairamuthu Ramasamy is an Indian lyricist, poet, and novelist working in the Tamil film industry. He is a prominent figure in the Tamil literary world. A master's graduate from the Pachaiyappa's College in Chennai, he first worked as a translator, while also being a published poet. He entered the Tamil film industry in the year 1980, with the film Nizhalgal, an Ilaiyaraaja musical, directed by Bharathiraja. During the course of his 40-year film career, he has written over 7,500 songs and poems which have won him seven National Awards, the most for any Indian lyricist. He has also been honored with a Padma Shri, a Padma Bhushan and a Sahitya Akademi Award, for his abundant literary output.

Kabilan Vairamuthu is a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu the southern state of India. He is an engineering graduate who went on to pursue communication for social change in the school of Journalism - UQ -Australia. After serving as an executive producer for programming and current affairs in the Tamil television industry for three plus years, Kabilan is now a full-time writer with the Tamil film industry. He is the son of the famous Tamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu.

Vallikannan, is the pseudonym of R. S. Krishnasamy, a Tamil, writer, journalist, critic, and translator from Tamil Nadu, India.

Vanidasan was a 20th-century Tamil poet. He was known to be one from Pavalar generation known as 'Bharathidasan's poetic ancestry'. He was an expert in Tamil, Telugu, English and French. He had published over 17 collections of poetry, including several novels in poetry form.

S. Venkatesan also known as Su. Venkatesan is a Tamil writer from Tamil Nadu, India and Tamil Nadu State Committee member of CPI(M). His debutant novel Kavalkottam published in 2008 was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil in 2011. The film Aravaan is based on it. His second novel Veera Yuga Nayagan Velpari was serialised in Tamil popular magazine Ananda Vikatan. He is the general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association. S. Venkatesan contested as CPI(M) candidate in the 2019 Indian general election from Madurai. He was elected to the Lok Sabha with a margin of 1.39 Lakhs of votes.

M. V. Venkatram, was a Tamil, writer and translator from Tamil Nadu, India.