Pappammal
A Coimbatore organic farmer who grew millets and pulses well past the age of 100 and served on local councils from 1959, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Tamil Nadu
Heroes from Tamil Nadu
People from the state of Tamil Nadu whose work we have profiled.
Showing 25–48 of 57 heroes
Punniamurthy Natesan
A veterinary scientist who studies traditional herbal remedies for livestock and has trained over a lakh farmers, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Tamil Nadu
Purisai Kannappa Sambandan
A fifth-generation Therukoothu artist from Purisai who took Tamil street theatre to Paris and Bogota, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Tamil Nadu
R Muthukannammal
The last living exponent of Sadir, the temple dance from which Bharatanatyam grew, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Tamil Nadu
R. Ashwin
The Chennai off-spinner who took 537 wickets in 106 Tests, India's second-highest wicket-taker, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Tamil Nadu
R. Krishnan
An Alu Kurumba painter from the Nilgiris who revived his community's Ajile Bottu art, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026 (posthumous)
- Tamil Nadu
R.G. Chandramogan
The founder of Hatsun Agro, India's largest private dairy company, which buys milk directly from farmers, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Tamil Nadu
Radhakrishnan Devasenapathy Sthapathy
A Swamimalai bronze sculptor who cast the 27-foot Nataraja at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Tamil Nadu
Rajastapathi Kaliappa Goundar
A Salem bronze sculptor who has made temple icons for India and abroad and restored more than 100 old temples, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Tamil Nadu
Ranjani and Gayatri
Carnatic vocalist sisters who have performed as the duo Ranjani–Gayatri for nearly four decades, honoured together with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Tamil Nadu
S Ballesh Bhajantri
A shehnai player and disciple of Ustad Bismillah Khan, called the Bismillah Khan of the South, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Tamil Nadu
S Damodaran
The founder of Gramalaya, who helped make Thandavampatti India's first open-defecation-free village, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Tamil Nadu
S P Balasubramaniam
The playback singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, who sang over 40,000 songs in many languages, honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan in 2021.
- Padma Vibhushan 2021 (posthumous)
- Tamil Nadu
S. K. M. Maeilanandhan
An Erode businessman who has led a consumer protection centre for 33 years and runs yoga education, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2026.
- Padma Bhushan 2026
- Tamil Nadu
Seeni Viswanathan
A Tamil scholar who spent 63 years compiling Subramania Bharati's complete writings in 23 volumes, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Tamil Nadu
Seshampatti T. Sivalingam
A leading nadaswaram player with more than fifty years on radio and stage who teaches students worldwide, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Tamil Nadu
Shobana
A Bharatanatyam dancer and two-time National Award-winning actor known for Manichitrathazhu, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
- Padma Bhushan 2025
- Tamil Nadu
Sirpi Balasubramaniam
A Tamil poet, critic and translator who helped found the Vanambadi poetry movement and has published over 120 books, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Tamil Nadu
Sivasankari
A Tamil writer of over 30 novels and the 16-year project Knit India Through Literature, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Mann Ki Baat #106
- Tamil Nadu
Solomon Pappaiah
A Madurai Tamil scholar and professor whose Pattimandram debate shows on television drew audiences across the Tamil world, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Tamil Nadu
Sowcar Janaki
An actress who appeared in more than 450 films in five languages over seven decades, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022. She died in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Tamil Nadu
Sridhar Vembu
The founder of Zoho, who built a debt-free global software firm and moved to Tenkasi to create rural jobs, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Tamil Nadu
Subbu Arumugam
A Tirunelveli master of villupattu, the Tamil bow-song, who performed for more than six decades and wrote dozens of books, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Tamil Nadu
Thiruthani Swaminathan
An othuvar who has sung the Tamil Thirumurai hymns for over 55 years, including 26 years at the Thiruttani temple, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Tamil Nadu