List of Tulu people

This is a list of notable people who belong to an ethnic Tuluva community and who natively speak Tulu language.^[1]

Journalists

Kayyar Kinhanna Rai: Indian independence activist and writer
V. T. Rajshekar: founder and editor of the Dalit Voice

K. K. Shetty freedom fighter (He was the editor of Navayuga for a short period).

Freedom fighters

Kedambadi Ramaiha Gowda

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay

Judiciary and lawyers

K. S. Hegde: former Speaker of Lok Sabha; former Judge of the Supreme Court of India
N. Santosh Hegde: Karnataka Lokayuktha; former Judge of the Supreme Court of India
Rohini Salian: public prosecutor
Kalmanje Jagannatha Shetty (1926–2015), former judge, Supreme Court of India and former Chief Justice, Allahabad High Court
Kedambadi Jagannath Shetty former Judge of Karnataka High Court

Literature, philosophy, and religion

P. Gururaja Bhat: Historian and writer of Tulunadu
Bannanje Govindacharya: Vedic scholar
Ratnavarma Heggade:
Veerendra Heggade: philanthropist
M.K.Seetharam Kulal: Tulu-Kannada dramatist, author, poet; Karnataka State Tulu Sahithya Academy Award (2014)
Madhvacharya: proponent of Dvaita (Dwaita) philosophy
Muddana: poet
Venkataraja Puninchathaya: Scholar
Kayyar Kinhanna Rai: poet and activist
Bola Chittaranjan Das Shetty: author
Vishwesha Teertharu (Pejavara Shreegalavaru)

Health care

B. M. Hegde: educationist and surgeon
Dinker Belle Rai: Indian American vascular surgeon, inventor, athlete and philosopher^[2]
Devi Shetty: Philanthropist and surgeon
Shantharam Shetty - Orthopaedic surgeon
K. N. Udupa Padma shri awardee

Politics

V. S. Acharya : Former Home minister, Karnataka state and Former member of Karnataka legislative assembly and council.
A. Shanker Alva: former Member of Parliament, Mangalore
K. Nagappa Alva: former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha(1970–1976) and Health Minister, Karnataka State (1962–1967)
Raghupati Bhat: Former Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly (M.L.A), elected from Udupi constituency.
D. V. Sadananda Gowda: Former Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Former Minister of Law and Justice, Former Minister of Railways, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka
K. Jayaprakash Hegde: former member of parliament
Shobha Karandlaje: Member of parliament, Udupi Lok sabha constituency, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Food Processing Industries
V. Dhananjay Kumar: former Union Minister
Nalin Kumar Kateel: Member of Parliament of Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency and former President of BJP-Karnataka
Manorama Madhwaraj: former Member of Parliament, Udupi; former MLA Udupi
Lalaji Mendon: MLA, Kaup Vidhansabha
Veerappa Moily: former Chief Minister of Karnataka, member of the 16th Lok Sabha
Janardhana Poojary: former Union Minister of State for Finance
I. Rama Rai: former Member of Parliament, Kasaragod
Ramanath Rai: Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology
Kumble Sundara Rao Former M.L.A of Surathkal constituency
Halady Srinivas Shetty: MLA 2013 assembly for Kundapura, Karnataka
I. M. Jayarama Shetty: former Member of Parliament, Udupi
K. K. Shetty: former Member of Parliament, Mangalore
Suresh Shetty: MLA, Andheri (East), Maharashtra

Artists

K. K. Hebbar: painter
Prakash Shetty: cartoonist
Sudarshan Shetty (born 1961), artist
R. Verman: art director
Vilas Nayak: artist

Film directors and producers

Ranjith Bajpe: Indian film director and screenwriter known for his work in Tulu cinema
Anup Bhandari: film director, music director, lyricist & playback singer
Ramchandra P. N.: filmmaker
Manmohan Shetty: founder of Adlabs Films^[3]
Raj B. Shetty
Rakshit Shetty
Rohit Shetty: film director and producer
B. Vittalacharya movie director of Kannada, Telugu language cinema.

Actors

Pruthvi Ambaar
Anushree
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Neha Shetty
Anup Bhandari
Nirup Bhandari
Aravind Bolar
Harini (Kannada actress)
Pooja Hegde
Kalpana (Kannada actress)
Arjun Kapikad
Leelavathi (actress)
Naveen D. Padil
Shubha Poonja
Vinaya Prasad
Radhika
Vinay Rai
Prakash Raj
Anushka Shetty
Avantika Shetty
Athiya Shetty
Dayanand Shetty
Dheekshith Shetty
Krithi Shetty
M. B. Shetty: 70s Bollywood actor
Rakshit Shetty: Kannada actor, director
Rishab Shetty
Vinod Kumar Alva
Rohit Shetty
Shamita Shetty
Shilpa Shetty
Srinidhi Shetty: Miss Supranational 2016
Suniel Shetty
Yagna Shetty
Suman
Bhojaraj Vamanjoor

Music

Sandeep Chowta: music director
Kadri Gopalnath: saxophonist
Gurukiran: music director
Ganesh Hegde: singer, performer, video director and Bollywood choreographer
Manikanth Kadri: film score and soundtrack composer and singer
V. Manohar: music director, lyricist, film director and actor
Vittal Ramamurthy: violinist
Shweta Shetty: pop singer
Vidyabhushana: vocalist

Science and technology

Vittal Rai: scientist
Rajini Rao: physiologist
Udupi Ramachandra Rao: scientist
Kalidas Shetty: food scientist
H. V. K. Udupa: Electrochemical scientist

Sports

Ashwini Akkunji: national level athlete
Ashish Ballal: former captain of the Indian Field Hockey team and Arjuna awardee
Budhi Kunderan: cricketer
Mamatha Poojary: kabadi player
Nikhil Poojary: footballer
K. L. Rahul India cricketer
Satheesha Rai: Indian weightlifter, Olympian and Arjuna awardee
Tanush Kotian: Indian cricketer
Shodhan Rai: international bodybuilder and Ekalavya Award winner
Vandana Rao: national sprinter, 90s
Chirag Shetty Indian badminton Player
Pooja Shri Shetty Indian Karateka
Vijith Shetty: Indian football player
Vikrant Shetty: United Arab Emirates cricketer
Gundibail Sunderam: cricketer
Siddhanth Thingalaya: national sprinter

Bankers

U. R. Bhat: director of Karnataka Bank
A. B. Shetty: founder of Vijaya Bank and prominent politician
Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty: Chairman of Vijaya Bank
V. P. Shetty: Chairman of JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt. Ltd., JM Financial Asset Management Co. Pvt. Ltd. and JM Financial Products Ltd.