List of Lingayats explained

Group:	Lingayats
Rels:	Lingayat(Lingayatism)

Lingayat, also known as Veerashaiva, are a community in India who adhere to Lingayatism,not a sect under Hinduism. This is a list of notable Lingayats:^{[1] [2] [3]}

Saints

• Akka Mahadevi^[4]
• Allama Prabhu^[5]
• Basava^[6]
• Channabasavanna^[7]
• Devar Dasimayya^[8]
• Madivala Machideva^[9]
• Siddheshwar – of Solapur, Maharashtra
• Viswabandhu Marulasiddha^[10]
• Sharane Sri Danamma Devi^[11] – of Guddapura, Maharashtra

Historical rulers

• Kittur Chennamma(1778–1829)^[12] – queen of the princely state of Kitturu, Karnataka; fought against Doctrine of lapse
• Belawadi Mallamma^[13]
• Haleri Kings –^[14] of Madikeri
• Linga Rajendra II – Haleri king of Kodagu
• Chikka Virarajendra –^[15] last ruler of Madikeri
• Keladi Nayaka Kingdom^[16]
• Keladi Chennamma^[16]
• Shivappa Nayaka^[16]

Philanthropists

• Shivakumara Swamiji – head of Siddaganga Matha; Padma Bhushan awardee^[17]
• Gubbi Thotadappa - founder of famous Thotadappa hostel.

Education, science and technology

• D. C. Pavate - Vice chancellor of Karnataka University, Dharawada, Padmabhushan awardee.
• Dr. DG Hallikeri – freedom fighter and educationist
• A. S. Adke – former vice-chancellor of Karnataka University and former Principal of Karnataka Regional Engineering College, Surathkal
• M. Mahadevappa – agricultural scientist and plant breeder; Padma Bhushan awardee
• Dr. MC Modi – eye surgeon and Padma Bhushan awardee^[18]
• Sharan Patil – philanthropist and orthopaedic surgeon
• S. G. Balekundri – irrigation expert and architect of Alamatti Dam^[19]
• Y. G. Parameshwara – first Indian blind doctor
• A.N. Prabhu Deva – former vice-chancellor of Bangalore University
• S. J. Nagalotimath – medical writer
• A. S. Kiran Kumar^[20] – Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Secretary, Department of Space, Chairman of Space Commission and Padma Shri awardee

Literature

• Sarvajna – Kannada poet
• Chamarasa^[21] – author of Prabhulingaleele
• Harihara – known as Ragaleya Kavi
• Raghavanka – known as Shatpadi Brahma
• Palkuriki Somanatha^[22] – Telugu poet, author of Basava purana
• Nijaguna Shivayogi – 15th-century Kannada poet
• Hardekar Manjappa – known as Gandhi of Karnataka^[23]
• Phakirappa Gurubasappa Halakatti – Kannada writer
• G. S. Shivarudrappa – Poet and critic, Rashtra Kavi
• Chennaveera Kanavi – poet and critic
• Panchakshari Hiremath – writer and poet, short story writer, essayist, critic, translator, orator, editor, who writes in Kannada, Urdu and Hindi
• P. Lankesh – writer and journalist, writing in the Kannada language
• Jayadevi Taayi Ligade – writer; first lady president of akhila Bharatha Kannada saahitya sammelana
• M. M. Kalburgi – Kannada scholar, Researcher, Vice Chancellor or Hampi Kannada University
• H.S. Shivaprakash- Poet,Playwright
• L. Basavaraju – Kannada eminent scholar and writer of several books on Sharana Sahitya
• Sangamesh Saundattimath – Dravidian linguist
• M. Chidananda Murthy – Kannada writer, researcher and historian
• Channappa Uttangi – interfaith pioneer and writer
• K. Marulasiddappa – Kannada writer
• Chandrashekhar Patil – Kannada poet and playwright
• Patil Puttappa – Kannada writer and former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
• Manu Baligar – former bureaucrat, and current president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat
• T. V. Sadasiva Pandarathar - Tamil Historical writer

Art and music

• Pandit Ganayogi Panchakshara Gawai – Hindustani and classical musician
• Basavaraj Rajguru – classical vocalist, Padma Bhushan awardee
• Mallikarjun Mansur – Hindustani vocalist, Padma Vibhushan, Kalidas Samman awardee
• Rajshekhar Mansur-Hindustani vocalist
• Kumar Gandharva – Hindustani vocalist, Padma Vibhushan, Kalidas Samman awardee
• Pandit Puttaraj Gawai – Hindustani and classical musician, Padma Bhushan, Kalidas Samman awardee
• Mukul Shivputra – Hindustani classical music vocalist and son of Kumar Gandharva
• Balappa Hukkeri – Kannada folk singer
• Rajashekhar Mansur – classical vocalist
• Gubbi Veeranna – theatre director, known as 'father of Kannada film industry'
• B. Jayashree - theatre
• Ranjani Shettar – artist and sculpurist
• Vyjayanthi Kashi – artist and Kuchipudi dancer
• Prateeksha Kashi – kuchipudi dancer

Politics

Chief Ministers

Photo	Name	State
	S. Nijalingappa	Karnataka
	B. D. Jatti
	S. R. Kanthi
	Veerendra Patil
	S. R. Bommai
	J. H. Patel
	B. S. Yediyurappa
	Jagadish Shettar
	Basavaraj Bommai

Other politicians

• Shivraj Patil – Home Minister of India 2004–2008, Speaker of Lok Sabha 1991–1996, Minister of Defence 1980–1989, Governor of Punjab 2010–2015, Governor of Rajasthan 2010-2012^[24]
• K. P. Puttanna Chetty – First President of Bangalore Municipality
• M. S. Gurupadaswamy – Leader of House of Rajya Sabha 1989–1990, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha 1971–1972, Minister of Agriculture^[25]
• Laxman Savadi – former Deputy Chief Minister, former Minister for Transport and Minister for Co-operation, Government of Karnataka
• J. C. Madhu Swamy - ex Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, and Minor Irrigation, Government of Karnataka
• B. C. Patil - ex Minister for Agriculture, Government of Karnataka
• V. Somanna - ex Minister for Housing, Government of Karnataka
• C. C. Patil – ex Minister for Public Works Department, former Minister for Mines and Geology, Government of Karnataka^[24]
• Shashikala Annasaheb Jolle – ex Minister for Women and Child development, Senior Citizen and differently abled Empowerment, Government of Karnataka and MLA, Nippani
• Eshwara Bhimanna Khandre – MLA and former Minister, Government of Karnataka
• K. S. Nagarathanamma - former Speaker and Leader of opposition of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and minister for Health and family welfare.^[26]
• S. Mallikarjunaiah – former MP Tumkur and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha (1991–1996)^[24]
• M.P. Prakash – Congress Leader and Former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka^[24]
• M. B. Patil – former Minister for Water Resources, Government of Karnataka
• Suresh Angadi – Minister of State for Railways, Government of India
• Suresh Shetkar – former MP of Zahirabad (Lok Sabha constituency), Telangana
• Gudleppa Hallikeri – freedom fighter and former Chairman of Legislative Council,
• M. V. Rajasekharan – former Minister of State in the Ministry of Planning, Government of India
• H.Siddhaveerappa – former minister for Home, Industries and Health, Leader of opposition, Government of Karnataka
• Murugesh Nirani – former Minister for Heavy Industry, Government of Karnataka
• S. S. Mallikarjun – MLA, Karnataka and Minister for Horticulture, Mines & Geology, Government of Karnataka
• S. A. Ravindranath – former minister for Horticulture and Sugar, government of Karnataka
• Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeswara – Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
• Smt.Basavarajeswari – three time MP from Bellary and former Union Minister of India^[24]
• Siddappa Kambli – politician, freedom fighter and contributor for Unification of Karnataka
• Ratnappa Kumbhar – former MP, MLC and Minister of Home, Food and Civil Supplies in Maharashtra Government^[27]
• Babagouda Patil – BJP Leader, former MP and Union Minister of Rural Areas & Employment^[24]
• Basangouda Patil – former Union minister of state for Railways and Textiles^[24]
• Dr Neeraj Patil – former Mayor of Lambeth, London
• Vatal Nagaraj – former MLA and founder leader of Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha
• B. Y. Raghavendra – MP Shimoga; son of CM B. S. Yeddyurappa
• M. P. Renukacharya – MLA and former Minister for Excise, Government of Karnataka
• D. C. Srikantappa – former three time MP from Chikmagalur
• Basavaraj Patil Sedam – former Member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
• M. Rajasekara Murthy – former Union minister for Surface Transport, MP, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and former minister for Finance, Revenue, Excise and Commerce and Industry, Karnataka^[24]
• Dilip Gangadhar Sopal – former MLA, Barshi, Solapur, and former minister for Law and Judiciary, and Water supply and Sanitation, Government of Maharashtra
• Shashil G. Namoshi – former Member of Legislative Council, Karnataka
• Basavaraj Patil Attur – former minister for Higher Education, Small Scale Industries, and Minor Irrigation
• Anant Gudhe – former Member of Parliament, Amravati
• Chandrakant Khaire – former Member of Parliament, Aurangabad
• Shamanuru Shivashankarappa – MLA, Davanagere South, former Minister for Horticulture and Agro Marketing, Government of Karnataka^[24] and President, Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha
• H. K. Patil – former Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka^{[28] [29]}
• Sharan Prakash Patil – former Minister for Medical Education, Government of Karnataka
• S. R. Patil – former Minister for Infrastructure, Information Technology, Biotechnology, Science and Technology, Planning and Statistics, Government of Karnataka
• H. S. Mahadeva Prasad – former Minister for Co-operation, Government of Karnataka
• Prakash Babanna Hukkeri – Member of Parliament, Chikkodi and former Minister for Sugar, Small Scale Industries and Endowments, Government of Karnataka
• Bhagwanth Khuba – Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, New and Renewable Energy of India and Member of Parliament, Bidar
• P. C. Gaddigoudar – Member of Parliament, Bagalkot^[30]
• Karadi Sanganna Amarappa – Member of Parliament, Koppal (Lok Sabha constituency)^[31]
• B. Jayashree – artist and former Member of Rajya Sabha, Padma Shri awardee^[32]
• Annasaheb Jolle - Member of Parliament, Chikkodi.
• B B Patil – Member of Parliament, Zahirabad (Lok Sabha constituency), Telangana^[33]
• Satish Hiremath – former Mayor of Oro Valley, Arizona, United States of America
• Manjunath Kunnur – former MP, Dharwad South
• Basavraj Madhavrao Patil – MLA, Ausa, Latur, and former Minister for Rural Development, Government of Maharashtra
• Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre – MLA, Akkalkot, Solapur, and former Minister for Home and Rural Development, Government of Maharashtra
• Karne Prabhakar – MLC, Telangana, and Spokesperson of BRS^[34]
• Vijay Deshmukh – former Minister of state for PWD, Transport, Labour and Textiles, Government of Maharashtra, and MLA, Solapur North^[35]
• Vinay Kulkarni – former Minister for Mines and Geology, Government of Karnataka, and MLA, Dharwad^[36]
• Ganesh Hukkeri – Member of Legislative Assembly, Chikkodi
• Lakshmi Hebbalkar – Member of Legislative Assembly and former president, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee women's wing
• B. Y. Vijayendra - president of Bharatiya Janata Party Karnataka state unit
• Rahul Siddhvinayak Bondre - MLA,, Maharashtra
• Prabha Mallikarjun - Member of Parliament, Davanagere Lok Sabha constituency^[37]
• Sagar Khandre - Member of Parliament, Bidar Lok Sabha constituency^[38]

Business

• Baba Kalyani - Founder and Chairman of Kalyani Group
• Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeswara – MP and head of GM group^[39]
• Ashok Kheny – head of Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Project (NICE)
• Prabhakar B. Kore – Karnatak Lingayat Education Society (largest education society in the state), chairman, MP and former minister
• Murugesh Nirani – of Nirani Group
• Shamanuru Shivashankarappa – of Bapuji Educational Association
• Vijay Sankeshwar – Chairman of VRL Group

Media and entertainment

• M. P. Shankar – veteran Kannada film actor and director
• Doddanna – veteran Kannada actor
• Manjula – actress
• B.C. Patil – Kannada actor
• Prabhu deva – Indian actor, known as the Indian Michael Jackson
• Mugur Sundar – Indian director
• Raju Sundaram – Tamil actor
• Nagendra Prasad – actor
• Gubbi Veeranna – theatre director
• B. C. Gowrishankar – choreographer
• K. M. Chaitanya – director
• Sharath Lohitashwa – actor
• Lohithaswa – actor and writer
• Kavitha Lankesh – writer and director
• Gauri Lankesh - journalist
• Vedhika Kumar – actress and model
• Chindodi Leela – actress and dramatist, Padmashri awardee
• Indrajit Lankesh – director
• Preetham Gubbi – director
• Dilip – South Indian actor
• Girija Shettar – actress
• Chetan Kumar – actor
• Shashank – Kannada director
• Uma Shivakumar – actress
• Vaijanath Biradar – comedy actor
• P. Neelakantan – Tamil director
• Sunil Nagappa – actor
• Sanchari Vijay – actor, winner of Best actor award in 62nd National Film Awards
• Anoop Seelin – music director
• Dhananjay – Kannada actor
• Naga Kiran – Kannada actor
• Kishore Kumar – South Indian actor
• Sumanth Shailendra – Kannada actor
• Pushkara Mallikarjunaiah - Kannada Producer
• C. Rudraiah – Tamil director
• Aditi Prabhudeva - Kannada actress
• Chitkala Biradar - actress

Sports

• Prarthana Thombare – Indian tennis player
• Nanjangud Shivananju Manju – Indian footballer
• Laxmikant Kattimani – Indian footballer
• Gagan Ullalmath – Indian swimmer
• Manju Nadgoda – Indian cricketer
• Sujith Somasunder – Indian cricketer
• Satish Kumar – Indian taekwondo player
• Deepak Chougule – Indian cricketer
• Harishchandra Birajdar – wrestler and first Hind Kesari from Maharashtra, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Dhyanchand Award recipient
• Yere Goud – Indian cricketer
• KL Rahul – Indian cricketer
• Kruthik Hanagavadi - Indian Cricketer
• Shreyanka Patil - Indian woman Cricketer
• Aditi Ashok - Indian golfer

Military and police

• General Satyawant Mallanna Shrinagesh^[40] – 3rd Chief of Army Staff - Indian Army, and former Governor of Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Mysore state
  • Lieutenant General B. S. Raju, UYSM, AVSM, YSM – Vice Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army, former Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General M. V. Suchindra Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, YSM & bar, VSM is a serving general officer – Vice Chief of Indian Army
• Lieutenant General Ramesh Halagali, AVSM, SM – former Deputy Chief of Indian Army
• Col M. B. Ravindranath VrC - Indian Army Officer and Vir Chakra Awardee
• Shankar Bidari, IPS – former Director general of police, Karnataka and Commissioner of Police of Bangalore city
• L. Revanasiddaiah, IPS – former Additional Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, DGP, Karnataka and Commissioner of Police of Bangalore city
• B. G. Jyothi Prakash Mirji, IPS – former Commissioner of Police of Bangalore city
• Veeranna Aivalli, IPS – former Chairman of Aviation Security Audit Programme, International Civil Aviation Organization, United Nations^[17]
• Mallikarjun Bande – slain Indian Police Sub-Inspector
• Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad – Indian soldier
• V. C. Sajjanar, IPS^[41] - Telangana Police officer known as an Encounter Specialist

Law and judiciary

• V. S. Malimath – former Chief Justice of Kerala and Karnataka
• Pramila Nesargi – advocate, politician and activist
• Mohan Shantanagoudar – Former Judge of the Supreme court of India and former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court^[42]
• S. R. Bannurmath - former Chief Justice of Kerala
• Ravi Malimath - current Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh

Others

• M. D. Nanjundaswamy – farmer leader and activist
• Subhash Mendhapurkar – social activist, Himachal Pradesh
• S. R. Hiremath – Indian environmental activist, Karnataka

External links

• Community dominance and political modernisation: the Lingayats, Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda Patil,
• List of Prominent Lingayats
• Lingayat Religion
• Welcome to Lingayat Religion
• Basava Divine Center

Notes and References

1. Web site: Prominent Figures – Veerashaiva.info . 2010-06-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111005091307/http://www.veerashaiva.info/literature/society/prominent-figures.html . 2011-10-05 . dead .
2. https://books.google.com/books?id=R84n-Wv1S-8C Community dominance and political modernisation: the Lingayats
3. http://www.virashaiva.com/prominent-lingayat-figures/ Prominent Lingayat Figures
4. Web site: Prominent Lingayat Figures . virashaiva.com . 18 November 2015.
5. http://lingayatreligion.com/Sharanaru/Sharanaru.htm Sharanas
6. http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/sages/basaveshwara/page1.htmWho is Basavanna?
7. Web site: Channabasavanna . lingayatreligion.com . 18 November 2015.
8. News: 'Devar Dasimayya Jayanti Utsav' celebrated . The Hindu . 25 March 2015 . 18 November 2015. Patil . Vijaykumar .
9. Web site: Madivala Machideva - Lingayat Religion . lingayatreligion.com . 18 November 2015.
10. Web site: Ujjini Marulasiddeshwara Temple . Goudar.com . 18 November 2015.
11. Web site: Story of Danamma Devi . Filmibeat . 18 November 2015.
12. Web site: Lingayats asked to work for progress of all groups . The Hindu . 17 April 2011 . 18 November 2015.
13. Web site: Power not permanent: Yeddyurappa . https://web.archive.org/web/20151118185830/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/article340629.ece?service=print . dead . 18 November 2015 . The New Indian Express . 18 November 2015.
14. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/20079/on-haleri-trail.html On the Haleri Trail - Deccan Herald
15. Web site: The Lingayat Rajas . 2 September 2011 . Kodagu First . 18 November 2015.
16. Book: Keladi Nayakas - Shivappa Nayaka and Chennamma, Community Dominance and Political Modernisation: The Lingayats . Shankaragouda Hanumanthagouda Patil . Mittal Publications . 2002 . 9788170998679 . 22 May 2015.
17. http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/people/lingayats/prominent_lingayats.htm List of Prominent Lingayats
18. Web site: Man with a vision . 2012-03-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120212072444/http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec202005/spectrum1291520051219.asp . 2012-02-12 . dead .
19. http://kannada.oneindia.in/literature/people/2010/0511-sg-balekundri-irrigation-expert-engineer.html Second Visveswarayya
20. Web site: A S Kiran Kumar felecitation - awarded Veerashaiva Vaijnyanika Ratna . Namaste Telangana . 30 November 2015.
21. Web site: Chamarasa . 18 November 2015.
22. Book: A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850 - Palkuriki Somanatha . 18 November 2015 . Sujit Mukherjee. 1998 . Orient Blackswan . 9788125014539 .
23. http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/people/lingayats/prominent_lingayats.htm Hardekar Manjappa
24. Web site: Prominent Lingayat Figures . Virasaiva.com . 17 November 2015.
25. Web site: M. S. Gurupadaswamy biography. https://web.archive.org/web/20150328035648/http://www.in.com/m-s-gurupadaswamy/biography-1957625.html. dead. 28 March 2015. In.com. 4 April 2013.
26. https://vijaykarnataka.indiatimes.com/district/chamarajnagara/-/articleshow/57522787.cms First Woman Speaker of Karnataka - K. S. Nagarathnamma
27. Web site: Ratnappanna Kumbhar . 2010-05-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110721175628/http://kolhapur.nic.in/Htmldocs/rkumbhar.htm . 2011-07-21 .
28. http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/cong-balances-caste-equation-in-first-list/1098470/ H. K. Patil
29. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/the-importance-of-being-patil/article4655921.ece The importance of being Patil
30. News: Bagalkot registers 57.93 per cent polling . The Hindu . May 2009 . 17 November 2015.
31. News: The bastion of Lingayats . The Hindu . 14 September 2011 . 17 November 2015. Rao . D. k Kishan .
32. Web site: B. Jayashree . Tumkurinfo . 17 November 2015 . 18 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151118024053/http://tumkurinfo.net/index.php/art-culture-a-sports/498-gubbi-veeranna . dead .
33. http://www.primepost.in/basaveswara-statue-tank-bund/ Separate Bhavan in Hyd–Lingayats urge CM
34. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/141226/nation-politics/article/queues-say-sop-story-hyderabad Queues say a sop story in Hyderabad
35. News: 3 Western Maharashtra leaders make it to Fadnavis cabinet . . 6 December 2014 . 11 November 2015.
36. Web site: Four more Ministers sworn in Karnataka - Vinay Kulkarni . News Karnataka . 17 November 2015.
37. Web site: Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun of Congress Wins Davanagere Seat by 600000 Votes – News Karnataka . News Karnataka . 5 June 2024.
38. Web site: Congress candidate Sagar Khandre clinches Bidar seat . News Karnataka . 5 June 2024.
39. http://www.gmgroup.in/ Gm Group's
40. Web site: S. M. Shrinagesh . Udayavaani . 20 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160122212337/http://www.udayavani.com/kannada/news/rajangana/128710/palella-political-leaders-military-leaders-and-the-fame . 22 January 2016 . dead .
41. Web site: Students exhorted to keep off social media . Hans News Service . 14 July 2019.
42. News: Supreme Court Judge Justice Mohan M Shantanagoudar Dies At 62. NDTV. 25 April 2021 . 30 June 2021.