Mudaliar, also spelled as Mudaliyar, Muthaliyar, Mudali, and Mudhali, is a surname used by people belonging to Thuluva Vellala, Sengunthar and Kondaikatti Vellalar. It is derived from the honorary title Mudali meaning a person of first rank in the Tamil language, which was bestowed upon top-ranking bureaucratic officials, philanthropists, educationists, physicians, politicians and army officers in medieval south India during the rule of Imperial Cholas.^[1]

The following is a list of people who belong to Mudaliar communities.

• Irattaipulavar^[2] (Mudhusooriyar, Ilam sooriyar) 14th century poetical-duo (one blind and one lame) who authored Ekambaranathar ula.
• Kangeyar,^[3] a 14th-century poet who wrote "Urichol Nigandu".
• Padikasu Pulavar^[4] Tamil poet of 17th century known for his work 'Thondaimandala Sadhakam'.
• Andaka Kaviviraraghava Mudaliar: A poet of the 16th century

• Vallal Sadaiyappa Mudaliar: 12th Century velir chieftain: Lived Puducherry: and Thiruvenainallur: in Tamil Nadu. Patron of Tamil Poet Kambar: who created Kamba Ramayanam.
• Ottakoothar:^[5] 12th century court poet and minister of Cholas under Vikrama Chola, Kulothunga Chola II, Raja Raja Chola II reign. He is known as Kavichakravarthy.
• Ariyanatha Mudaliar: Vellala Dalavoy of the Vijayanagar viceroy Viswanatha Nayaka.
• Veerabaahu: commander-in-chief of Lord Kartikeya's army.
• Chandramathi Mudaliar: was a 17th-century Tamil chieftain and ruler of south Kongu Nadu (Erode region) who fought many battles against the Telugu Madurai Nayak. Erode Fort was built by him.^[6][7][8][9]
• Kottaiyannan Mudaliar: was a 14th-century chieftain who was ruling Kongu region and fought against Muslim invaders. He belongs to the lineage of Sengunthar Therinja Kaikolar regiment.
• Chinna Mudaliyar: chief of Rasipuram in 16th century. He renovated many temples. He constructed a mandapam in Tiruchengode Ardhanareeswarar temple. People call him as Rasipuram Chinna Mudaliyar.

• Nagamanikam Mudaliyar: Last Zamindar of Nanjai Uthukuli, Erode district. 1,600 acre zamin estate.
• Maasillamani Mudaliyar: Mirasdar of Thirukandeeswaram, Cuddalore district, who hold 1,200 acre cultivatable land. NLC India Limited founder Rao Bahadur T. M. Jambulingam Mudaliar is son of Maasillamani Mudaliar.
• S. Sivaraj Mudaliyar: Mirasdar from Tirukovilur whose family holds thousands of acre cultivatable land in that area. He won 4 times as MLA from Rishivandyam constituency.
• P.S. Thuraiyappa Mudaliar: Last Mirasdar of Puthukaiputhur, Erode district. His family has hold 1300 acre cultivatable land in Gobi taluka.
• A.G. Murugesa Mudaliar: Last Mirasdar of Variyankaval, Ariyalur district. His family has hold 450 acre cultivatable land in Andimadam taluk.
  
  

• S. P. Ayyaswamy Mudaliar, His house Gandhi Peak in Royapettah, Chennai hosted many INC meetings and Netaji.
• C. Jambulingam Mudaliar, Indian politician and freedom-fighter who served as a civil court judge and member of the Madras Legislative Council
• Muthuranga Mudaliar, Freedom-fighter from Nasarath pettai near Poonamallee in Thiruvallur District. He participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942
• Sarojini Varadappan, Social worker in women welfare and empowerment, awarded Padma Shri 1971 and Padma Bhushan in 2009.
• M.B. Nirmal, Social worker in consumer advocacy, afforestation programmes, and rehabilitation of convicts among others.

• Bharathidhasan (1891-1964) (born as Kanaga. Subburathinam Mudaliar)^[10] known as Paavendhar, Puratchi Kavignar ^{[need quotation to verify]}, Tamil poet, politician, social activist and teacher.
• A. Singaravelu Mudaliar:Compiled a Tamil encyclopedia entitled Apitana Cintamani.
• Makaral Karthikeya Mudaliar: Tamil scholar
• Pa. Subramania Mudaliar: Tamil scholar
• Mahavidwan Vasudeva Mudaliar: Tamil scholar
• Thandavarayar Mudaliyar, Tamil enthusiast, translated panchatantra from maratha language
• T. K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar: A scholar and author of Kambar tharum Ramayanam.
• Tamilanban (b.1933): Tamil Poet and writer.

• Rao Bahadur M. Jambulingam Mudaliar, Philanthropist from Cuddalore who was donator of 620 acres land to Neyveli lignite corporation.
• Nachimuthu Mudaliar, a philanthropist from Chennimalai. He was the founder of Chentex weavers co-operative society in which thousands of weavers benefited and he was a Padma Shree awardee. He was former president of Senguntha Mahajana Sangam.
• K. A. Shanmuga Mudaliar: ex MLA and Chairman of Tirupattur. Founder of Government Thirumagal Mill's College by donating his 47 acres land
• Pachaiyappa Mudaliar, Philanthropist after whom the Pachaiyappa's College, Pachiyappa's Trust Board, Chennai was named.
• V. L. Ethiraj, Renowned Barrister and Philanthropist who donated his life savings and founded the Ethiraj College for Women.
• Raja Sir Ramaswamy Mudaliar: Philanthropist who endowed a hospital and dispensary in the Native infirmary and was a leader of Indian National Congress
• Arcot Narrainsawmy Mudaliar, Philanthropist who founded the R.B.A.N.M.'s Educational Charities and R.B.A.N.M.'s Chattram and other Charities.

• C. Natesa Mudaliar: One of the founders of Justice Party
• Ponnambala Thiaga Rajan, Former Chief Minister of Madras Presidency and Former President of Justice Party
• Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai, Fourth and last Chief Minister of Madras State and the First Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• Minjur Bhaktavatsalam, 4th Chief Minister of Madras State
• V. R. Nedunchezhiyan, Former Acting Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Former General Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam & the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• Ekiri Sanjeevi Mudaliyar: Philanthropist and district board member,(zilla parisad member) of Chittoor district in 1937 and first president of Podaturpet town.
• Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar, Indian lawyer, politician and statesman
• K. Anbazhagan, Former Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu, Former General Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
• Pulavar K. Govindan: 4 times elected as MLA. Two times elected as speaker of Tamil Nadu legislative Assembly.^[11]
• V. K. Ramaswami Mudaliar, Indian politician, ex opposition leader Legislative Assembly.
• C. Gopal Mudaliyar former MLA and MP.
• M. R. Kandasamy Mudaliar first MLA of Veerapandi
• A. Mariappan Mudaliar: freedom Fighter and former MLA
• C. S. Ratnasabhapathy Mudaliar, Father of Modern Coimbatore
• S. Muthiah Mudaliar, Minister of Education (1928–1830).
• C. Muttukumarasami Mudaliyar, Indian politician and hereditary zamindar of Chunampet. Member of the Madras Legislative Council 1904-7
• R. N. Arogyasamy Mudaliar: an Indian civil engineer and politician who served as the Minister of Development in the Madras Presidency from 1926 to 1928
• A. M. Ponnuranga Mudaliar: Former MLA of Sholinghur constituency, INC
• C. Ramaswamy Mudaliar (1905–1997), Indian politician from Indian National Congress. Member of Lok Sabha for Kumbakonam from 1951 to 1957.
• S. J. Ramaswamy Mudali: Textile merchant and Former MLA of Arakkonam and former MP of Sholinghur constituency.
• A. Ranganatha Mudaliar: Indian politician and theosophist from Bellary, first Commissioner of the Thirumala-Tirupathi devasthanam board from 1935 to 1939.
• S. C. Sadayappa Mudaliar: textile merchant, freedom fighter and Former Arakkonam MLA.
• S. V. Natesa Mudaliar: Former INC MLA from Kanchipuram, Famous for defeating former chief minister C.N Annadurai.
• P. T. R. Palanivel Rajan, 9th Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Former Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Government of Tamil Nadu
• A. R. Subbiah Mudaliar: Tamil Nadu politician
• C. P. Subbiah Mudaliar: Freedom fighter and former MLA of Coimbatore. Former Vice President of Indian National Congress party.
• Muniswamy Mudaliar: Fiji Indian politician
• O. V. Alagesa Mudaliar: freedom fighter and Tamil Nadu politician, India's Ambassador to Ethiopia from 1968 to 1971.
• E. S. Thyagarajan Mudaliar: Prominent leader of DMK and he was former MLA of Tiruttani constituency. Uncle of Dr. E.S.S. Raman.
• Dr. E.S.S. Raman: State Vice President Tamil Maanila Congress and was former MLA of Pallipattu constituency.^[12]
• B. Senguttuvan: Prominent lawyer from Vellore and former Member of Parliament.^[13]
• Palanivel Thiagarajan, Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management, Government of Tamil Nadu

• T. V. Rajeswar IPS: former Intelligence Bureau chief and a Governor of 4 states.
• S. Muthiah Mudaliar, High Court lawyer and politician, Justice party
• Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar, Mayor of Madras (1928–30), Vice Chancellor of University of Kerala (1951–61), leader of the Justice Party politician, member of Winston Churchill's war cabinet, first President of ECOSOC and Founder of WHO, founding Chairman of ICICI Bank, Diwan of Mysore; awarded Padma Vibushan
• Kanakaraya Mudali, Chief dubash and a broker for the French East India Company
• Salem Ramaswami Mudaliar, Indian lawyer, politician and Indian independence activist.
• Sivasankar Natarajan, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
• Shanmughasundaram Mohan, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court & Karnataka High Court, Former Acting Governor of Karnataka.
• R Sudhakar, Former Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court and President of the National Company Law Tribunal.
• T. S. Sivagnanam, Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.

• Mangalam Chinnaswamy Mudaliar, Founder Karnataka Cricket Association, President BCCI, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore is named after him.
• C. D. Gopinath, Former Indian Test cricketer.

• T. R. Sundaram Mudaliyar Yesteryears Film producer and Founder of Modern Theatres Ltd. Hailed from Pullikkarar Gothram.
• A. Jagannathan, Yesteryears Tamil film director
• P. S. Veerappa, Yesteryears Tamil film producer and actor.
• Papanasa Mudaliar, Carnatic music composer
• Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar, playwright and director of Tamil drama
• R. Nataraja Mudaliar, pioneer in the production of silent films
• Alarmel Valli, Classical dancer, teacher and choreographer, exponent of the Pandanallur style, of the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam, awarded Padma Shri in 1991 and Padma Bhushan in 2004.
• Meenakshi Chitharanjan, Classical dancer, teacher and choreographer, exponent of the Pandanallur style of the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam, awarded Padma Shri in 2008.
• K.S.Ravi Kumar, Tamil film director
• R.K.Selvamani, Tamil film director
• Anandaraj, Tamil actor
• Pandiarajan: Tamil film actor who has played leading roles in many humorous Tamil films.
• Prashanth: known for his works predominantly in Tamil cinema. Besides Tamil films, he has also appeared in few Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam films.
• Pa. Vijay: Tamil poet, film actor ,lyricist and national awardee for best lyrics.
• Vikranth: is an Indian actor who has appeared in Tamil language films. He is the cousin of popular Tamil actor Vijay
• Lokesh Kanagaraj, Tamil film director

• A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, first Indian Principal of the Madras Medical College and longest-serving Vice Chancellor of the University of Madras; Chairman of UNESCO;First chairman IIT MADRAS, awarded Padma Vibhushan for Medicine, 1963.
• Guruswami Mudaliar, first Indian to be appointed Professor of Therapeutics at the Madras Medical College, first Dean of Madras Medical college
• A.Shanmukha Mudaliar Professor of Samskrit, Head of Department of Samskrit - Pachiyappa’s College, Chennai. Co-Founder - Kuppuswamy Sastri Research Institute. Mylapore.
• N. D. Sundaravadivelu, Former Vice Chancellor, University of Madras
• C. Tadulinga Mudaliar, Indian botanist, Former Mayor of Madras
• Munirathna Anandakrishnan, Former Vice-Chancellor, Anna University, Chennai and Former Chairman, IIT Kanpur, awarded Padma Shri in 2002.
• Mylswamy Annadurai, ISRO Scientist, known as Moon Man of India, awarded Padma Shri in 2016. Programme director of Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan mission.
• M. Annamalai, Space scientist and former director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota and Senior Advisor for Space Transportations Systems at ISRO.
• V. M. Muralidharan, Chairman of the Ethiraj College for Women
• Aswath Damodaran, Professor of Finance at the Stern School of Business, New York University
• S. Kameswaran, ENT surgeon, awarded Padma Shri in 1990.
• Thanikachalam Sadagopan, Cardiologist, awarded Padma Shri in 2009.
• Sivapatham Vittal, Surgical endocrinologist, considered by many as the Father of Surgical Endocrinology in India, awarded Padma Shri in 2011.
• Mohan Kameswaran, Otorhinolaryngologist, awarded Padma Shri in 2006.

• Varadarajan Mudaliar, Bombay based don known as Vardha Bhai; the Tamil movie Nayakan was based on his life story
• Raja Mudaliar, richest trader in Malacca during the early 16th century