MS Subbulakshmi

 

MS is the nightingale of Carnatic music. She immortalised songs like Vaishnava Janatho, a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi, Meera bhajans, Annamacharya Kirthans. MS, a Bharat Ratna awardee , is also the first woman to be get the Sangita Kalanidhi from Madras Music Academy.

EV Ramasamy Naicker or Periyar

 

Electrified Tamil Nadu with dynamism and easy charm. Hailed even today as one of the tallest leaders of the Tamil people and one of the founders of the Dravidian movement. Periyar is revered because of the solid contribution he made in the demystification of the Brahmin from the exalted position in society.

APJ Abdul Kalam

 

Scientist and teacher who become the President of India. Starting with projects like the Satellite Launch Vehicle and the PSLV, Kalam helped develop the Agni and Prithvi missiles. The People's President aims to make India a developed nation by 2020.

Vishwanathan Anand

 

India's first ever Grand Master, Anand is one of India's greatest ever sportpersons. He is a former FIDE world champion. He is one of only four players in history to break the 2800 mark on the FIDE rating list. He is also one of India's highest-earning sportstars.

Rajnikanth

 

The king of Tamil cinema, Rajnikanth is its lone superstar after MGR. He was a bus conductor when a film director recongnised his talent and gave him a chance in films. Rajnikanth began as a villain, but now he is hero to millions.

Ilayaraja

 

The music maestro has several firsts in his musical career spanning three decades. He has composed music for over 800 films in several Indian languages. The man under whom A Rahman learnt the ropes, Illayaraja has composed music for world events.