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
Basavaraja Rajaguru , vocalBhimsen Joshi , vocalBapu Padmanabha , bansuriS. Ballesh , vocal and shehnai Ganapati Bhat , vocalGangubai Hangal , vocalGururao Deshpande , vocalJayateerth Mevundi , vocalKumar Gandharva , vocalLalith J. Rao , vocalMadhava Gudi , vocalMallikarjun Mansur , vocalMilind Chittal , vocalNachiketa Sharma , vocalNagaraja Rao Havaldar , vocalPravin Godkhindi , bansuriPuttaraja Gawai , vocalRajeev Taranath , sarodSanjeev Chimmalgi , vocalSangeetha Katti , vocalSawai Gandharva , vocalShobha Gurtu , vocalSmita Bellur , vocalTaranath Ram Rao Hattiangadi , tablaPandit Venkatesh Kumar , vocalVinayak Torvi , vocalKeshav Ginde , fluteMadhav Gudi , vocalPanchakshari Gawai , vocal
Modern musicians
Mysore Ananthaswamy , bhavageeteP. Kalinga Rao , bhavageetePandit Narasimhalu Vadavati S. Ballesh , shehnai and vocal Mysore Manjunath Pravin Godkhindi , fluteShimoga Subbanna , Sugama SangeethaC. Ashwath , Sugama SangeethaBalappa Hukkeri , folkloreG.V. Atri , bhavageeteGanesh Hegde , choreographyBiddu Appaiah , composerBapu Padmanabha , flute
Film music Film singers Dance Maya Rao (1928-2014), Kathak Guru and founder of NIKC, BangaloreFashion 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 capitalistK. 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 GroupT. 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 GroupVittal Mallya , UB GroupPradeep Kar , Microland Ashok Kheny , NICEThumbay Moideen , founder of Thumbay Group and Gulf Medical University
Health care Science and technology Science
C. N. R. Rao , chemistryC. R. Rao , statisticsN. K. Naik , Professor Emeritus at IIT BombayM. C. Modi , ophthalmologyNarayan Hosmane , biochemistry, cancer researchRaja Ramanna , physicsRoddam Narasimha , aerospace, atmospheric sciencesU. R. Rao , space scienceM.L. Kulkarni , pediatricianB. N. Suresh S. K. Shivkumar K. N. Shankara S. G. Balekundri Nandan Nilekani Sudha Murthy Vivek Kulkarni Narayan Hosmane Gururaj Deshpande Mathematics
Technology
Engineering
Economics
Literature Classical writers Modern writers Politicians
K.C. Reddy , former Chief MinisterKadidal Manjappa , former Chief MinisterKengal Hanumanthaiah , former Chief MinisterSiddaramaiah , former Chief MinisterShantaveri Gopala Gowda , Socialist leader, former MLAS. Nijalingappa , former Chief MinisterDevaraj Urs , former Chief MinisterKamaladevi Chattopadhyaya , freedom fighterBasappa 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 CouncilBantwal Vaikunta Baliga , former Law Minister; former Speaker, Mysore StateGundu Rao , former Chief MinisterRamakrishna Hegde , former Chief MinisterSudheendra Kulkarni Prabhakar Kore , member of Rajya Sabha from KarnatakaS.R.Kanti , former Chief MinisterNeeraj Patil , Mayor of Lambeth district of LondonS.R.Bommai , former Chief MinisterVeerendra Patil , former Chief MinisterS.Bangarappa , former Chief MinisterVeerappa Moily , former Chief MinisterL. G. Havanur , former Law MinisterH.D. Deve Gowda , former prime minister J.H.Patel , former Chief MinisterGeorge Fernandes , former Defense MinisterS.M. Krishna , Governor of Maharashtra, former Chief MinisterDharam Singh , former Chief MinisterH.D.Kumaraswamy , former Chief MinisterB.S.Yediyurappa , former Chief Minister, MPD.V. Sadananda Gowda , former Chief Minister and present union Statistics and Program implementation ministerJagadish Shettar , former Chief MinisterRamesh Jigajinagi , former Home Minister, currently Union Minister of state for drinking water and sanitation and M.PM.P. Prakash , former deputy Chief MinisterOscar Fernandes , former Union MinisterJaffer Sharief , former Union MinisterMargaret Alva , former Union MinisterU. Srinivas Mallya , former Member of ParliamentH.N.Ananth Kumar , Union Minister for chemicals and fertilizers & M.P.Mallikarjun Kharge , former Home Minister, former Union Railway MinisterK.H. Muniyappa , former Union minister of state for RailwaysV.S.Acharya , former Minister for Home affairs & Medical EducationH.Vishwanath , former Minister, former M.PVatal Nagaraj , former MLAVishweshwara Hegde , former Education MinisterBhagwanth Khuba , Member of Parliament, Bidar Shri Thanedar , United States Representative
Bureaucrats C B Muthamma , first woman IFS officerC. G. Somiah , Comptroller and Auditor General of India (1990-1996)Shankar Bidari , IPS, DG & IPG, Karnataka Abdul Rahman Infant , IPS, DG & IGP, KarnatakaDr.M.H.Marigowda , former Director of HorticultureH. T. Sangliana , former police officer, and M.P. Lok SabhaDaya Nayak Kempaiah Veeranna Aivalli Vivek Kulkarni Cooperative movement S. K. Amin , founder of South Kanara District Co-Operative Fish Marketing FederationReligion and philosophy Yoga Wildlife and environment Historians, epigraphists and archaeologists Social service Sports Cricket Hockey Athletics Badminton Tennis Others 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 ForcesGen.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 Award winners Bharat Ratna Jnanpith Award Kuvempu , for his epic Sri Ramayana Darshanam D. R. Bendre , for his anthology of poems Naku Thanthi K. Shivaram Karanth , for his novel Mookajjiya Kanasugalu Masti Venkatesha Iyengar , for his historical novel Chikkaveera Rajendra V. K. Gokak , for Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi , in 1990U. R. Ananthamurthy , for his monumental contributions, in 1994Girish Karnad , for his monumental contributions to Kannada literature and for contributions to Kannada theatre (Yayati), in 1998Chandrashekhara Kambara , for his monumental contributions to Kannada literature, in 2010Saraswati Samman Militants Others See also