List of Tulu people

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

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
 * 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
 * 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.

Business persons

 * Muthappa Rai: Indian businessman
 * A. B. Shetty (1883–1960), founder of Vijaya Bank
 * Ajit Shetty, is a Belgian businessman. He was chairman of the board of directors of Janssen Pharmaceutica
 * B. R. Shetty, CMD New Medical Centre, billionaire and Padma Shri awardee
 * Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Health
 * Manmohan Shetty, founder of Adlabs Imagica, India's first & only Theme Park
 * Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty, Chairman of Vijaya Bank
 * R. N. Shetty, CMD RNS Infrastructure and hereditary administrator of Murudeshwara Shiva Temple
 * Raj Shetty, founder of Ramee Hotels, a billionaire Hotelier from Dubai

War heroes

 * Dinesh Chandra Bhandary: Vir Chakra awardee


 * Captain Pranjal