Notable people from Palai include:

Politicians

K. R. Narayanan Kocheril Raman Narayanan (27 October 1921 – 9 November 2005) was an Indian statesman, diplomat, academic, and politician who served as the 9th vice president of India, Vice President of India from 1992 to 1997 and 10th President of India fr ...

, President of India (1997–2002), Vice-President of India (1992–97). *

Jose K. Mani Jose Karingozhackal Mani (born 29 May 1965) is an Indian politician and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Kerala. He is the son of veteran politician K. M. Mani and the Chairman of Kerala Congress ...

Member of Indian Parliament - Lok Sabha (2010-Continuing). *

N M Joseph Neendukunnel Mathew Joseph (18 October 1943 – 13 September 2022) was an Indian politician who was a member of the 8th Kerala Legislative Assembly. N. M. Joseph is the son of Shri N. J. Mathew and Annamma Mathew. He married Elizabeth and has one ...

, Minister of Forests, Kerala State (1987–91) * M M Jacob, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) (1981-1993), Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha (1986–87), Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Home (1987–93), State Governor of Meghalaya (1995–2007). * Kidangoor Gopalakrishna Pillai, General Secretary of NSS (1967 onwards) and Indian High-Commissioner to Singapore (1992 onwards). *

P K Vasudevan Nair Padayatt Kesavapillai Vasudevan Nair (2 March 1926 – 12 July 2005), popularly known as PKV, was the 9th Chief Minister of Kerala and a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI). He was elected to the Lok Sabha four times, in 1957, ...

, Member of Parliament, Chief Minister of Kerala State. * K M Chandy, State Governor (1982–89), President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (I). *

Cherian J. Kappan Cherian J. Kappan (also spelled as Kappen) was a Freedom fighter, Indian National Congress leader, Member of the Travancore–Cochin Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Member of Parliament from Kerala, India. He was a memb ...

, Freedom Fighter, Member of Indian Parliament - Lok Sabha (1962–67). Municipal Chairman. *

George Thomas Kottukapally George Thomas Kottukapally of Pala, Kottayam, Kerala, India (29 October 1901 – 11 October 1970), was a Member of Parliament, philanthropist, one of South India's largest plantation owners, public intellectual, an Indian independence activist ...

, Member of Indian Parliament - Lok Sabha (1957–62), U.N. Delegate. * R V Thomas, President (Speaker) of Travancore State Legislative Assembly (1947–49). * Dr P J Thomas, Member of Madras Legislative Council, 1937–42 and Member of Indian Parliament - Rajya Sabha 1957-62. *

Ulahannan Ulahannan Vadakkan Pala () is a town and a municipality in Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the headquarters of the Meenachil taluk and the Pala Revenue Division. Pala is situated on the banks of the Meenachil river. It is one of the main gateways t ...

, Member of

Sree Moolam Popular Assembly The Sree Moolam Popular Assembly in the erstwhile state of Travancore was the first popularly elected legislature in the history of India. Its predecessor legislative council was formed in Travancore in 1888 with eight appointed members. Sri Mu ...

of Travancore State (1912–31). * J Thomas Kayalackakom, Member of

of Travancore State (1922–28).

Literature, education and social service

Aryambika S. V. Aryambika S. V. (born 1981) is a Malayalam language poet from Kerala, India. She received several awards including Yuva Puraskar by Sahithya Akademi and Kanakasree Award by Kerala Sahitya Akademi. Biography Aryambika was born on 1981 at Edanad ...

, Malayalam poet. * Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar: Author of "

Varthamana Pusthakam ''Varthamanappusthakam'' is a Malayalam travelogue written by Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar, a Nasrani Mappila kathanar of the modern-day Syro-Malabar Church. It is the first ever travelogue written in an Indian Language. It was written in the 18t ...

", the first travelogue in an Indian language. * Ramapurathu Warrier - Poet (Kuchelavritham). *

Kattakayam Cherian Mappillai Kattakayam Cherian Mappillai (1859–1936) was an Indian poet and playwright of Malayalam literature. He was known for the epic poem ''Shreeyeshu Vijayam'', which earned him the title of Mahakavi. He was the founder editor of '' Vijnaana Rathnaak ...

(1859–1936) - Author of Sri Yesu Vijayam (1926) & Editor of

Vijnaana Rathnaakaram ''Vijnaana Rathnaakaram'' was a literary magazine started in 1913 in the old Native State of Travancore, India. J Thomas Kayalackakom was its founder publisher and Mahakavi Kattakayam Cherian Mappillai was its Editor. It was the second literary ...

(1913) * Pala Narayanan Nair, poet, teacher, most celebrated work 'keralam valarunnu' *

Pravithanam PM Devasia Pravithanam PM Devasia was a Malayalam poet. He penned five Christian Mahakavyam. His best known works are ''Israel Vamsam'' and ''Rajakkanmar''. He was a teacher by profession. He led a very austere life and received many accolades for his work. ...

, poet * Lalithambika Antharjanam, novelist *

Fr. Abel Abel Periyappuram (born Periyappuram Mathan Vaidyar Mathew, 19 January 1920 – 27 October 2001), commonly known as Fr. Abel, was an Indian Syro-Malabar Church, Syro-Malabar Catholic Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, CMI priest, journalist, and ly ...

Periapuram, Founder of Kalabhavan. * Paul Zacharia, writer & columnist * Ezhacherry Ramachandran, poet * Bishop

Sebastian Vayalil Bishop Sebastian Vayalil (28 January 1906 – 21 November 1986) was the first bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Palai, in Kerala, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is ...

, Founder of St. Thomas College * Cyriac Thomas, former Vice Chancellor

Government and administration

V. Joseph Thomas IPS Vattavayalil Joseph Thomas (30 November 1941 – 10 February 2018), known simply as Joseph Thomas in police and political circles, was an officer of Indian Police Service, who served as the Director General of Kerala Police. Personal life V. Jo ...

, Director General of Police, Kerala. *

V. J. Kurian IAS Vattavayalil Joseph Kurian was the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Kerala in India was the Managing Director of Cochin International Airport. He belongs to the 1983 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Kerala cadre ...

, Addl. Chief Secretary to Govt. of Kerala. Managing Director of the World's First Solar Powered Airport *

B. Sandhya B. Sandhya (Malayalam: ബി. സന്ധ്യ) (born May 25, 1963) is a retired officer of the Indian Police Service and a former Director General of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, Home Guard, and Civil Defence. She is also known fo ...

IPS, writer and police officer.

Sports

* Col. G.V. Raja, sports promoter * M D Valsamma, athletics, Asian Games Gold Medalist * Mani C. Kappan international volleyball player

Commerce and industry

Joseph Augusti Kayalackakom Palai Central Bank was a commercial bank headquartered in Kerala, South India that functioned during the middle of last century. Although it was started in a small, remote city, the bank grew to become not only the largest bank but the largest ...

(1884–1968) - Founder Managing Director of

Palai Central Bank Palai Central Bank was a commercial bank headquartered in Kerala, South India that functioned during the middle of last century. Although it was started in a small, remote city, the bank grew to become not only the largest bank but the largest i ...

Movies

* Bhadran, movie director * Miss Kumari, Malayalam actress in leading roles * Suvarna Mathew, actress * Ponnamma Babu, actress * Pala Thankam, actress * Miya (Gimi George), actress * Mani C. Kappan, director, producer, actor * Rimi Tomy, singer * Listin Stephen, film producer * Chali Pala, actor

Journalists

Jose Panachippuram Jose Panachippuram (born 24 August 1951 in Kottayam District, Kerala, India) is a noted short story writer, novelist and journalist in Malayalam. He is working as the Senior associate editor of ''Malayala Manorama'' daily. He won the Kerala ...

, associate editor, '' Malayala Manorama'' daily *

Eby J Jose Eby J. Jose (born 28 March 1972) is a journalist and human rights activist from Kizhathadiyoor village, Pala, Kerala, Pala, Kottayam District in Kerala, India. His wife Sindhu is an employee at the LSG department and he is the father of five c ...

, editor, ''Gulf Life'' magazine

References

{{Reflist People from Pala, Kerala