Governor of Tamil Nadu is the constitutional head of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A Governor is a nominal head and representative of the President of India. The governor is appointed by the president for a 5 year term. The area under the present-day state of Tamil Nadu has been part of different territorial configurations under Madras Presidency and Madras State in its history.
The following list includes both elected and acting heads of Tamil Nadu since 1946. The Governors of Tamil Nadu are as follows:
Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Edward Nye
Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Edward Nye was the 1st Governor of the Madras Presidency from 6th May 1946 to 7th September 1948. He was a senior British Army officer.
Maharaja Sir Krishna Kumarasinhji Bhavsinhji
Maharaja Sir Krishna Kumarasinhji Bhavsinhji became the 2nd Governor of Madras State and the 1st Indian to be in this position from 7th September 1948 to 12th March 1952. He was an Indian monarch and the last Maharaja of the Gohil dynasty.
Sri Prakasa
Sri Prakasa was the 3rd Governor of the Madras State from 12th March 1952 to 10th December 1956. He was a freedom fighter and was arrested during the Quit India Movement.
A. J. John, Anaparambil
A. J. John, Anaparambil became the 4th Governor of Madras State from 10th December 1956 to 30th September 1957. He was also a Travancore freedom fighter and served as Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin.
Pakala Venkata Rajamannar
Pakala Venkata Rajamannar served as the 5th acting Governor of Madras State from 1st October 1957 to 24th January 1958. He was the first Indian to become Chief Justice of Madras High Court after Independence.
Bhishnuram Medhi
Bhishnuram Medhi became the 6th Governor of Madras State from 24th January 1958 to 4th May 1964. He was also a freedom fighter and has served as the Chief Minister of Assam.
Maharaja Sir Jayachamaraja Wodeyar Bahadur
Maharaja Sir Jayachamaraja Wodeyar Bahadur served as the 7th Governor of Madras State from 4th May 1964 to 24th November 1964. He also served for the second time from 7th December 1965 to 28th June 1966. He was the 25th Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore.
P. Chandra Reddy
P. Chandra Reddy was the 8th Governor of the Madras State from 24th November 1964 to 7th December 1965.
Sardar Ujjal Singh
Sardar Ujjal Singh was the 9th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 28th June 1966 to 27th May 1971.
Kodardas Kalidas Shah
Kodardas Kalidas Shah was the 10th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 27th May 1971 to 16th June 1976.
Mohan Lal Sukhadia
Mohan Lal Sukhadia became the 11th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 16th June 1976 to 8th April 1977. He also served as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for 17 years and was revered as the "founder of modern Rajasthan".
Justice P. Govindan Nair
Justice P. Govindan Nair served as the 12th acting Governor of Tamil Nadu from 9th April 1977 to 27th April 1977.
Prabhudas B. Patwari
Prabhudas B. Patwari was the 13th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 27th April 1977 to 27th October 1980. He was an Indian lawyer, community activist, freedom fighter and a Gandhian follower.
Justice M. M. Ismail
Justice M. M. Ismail became the 14th acting Governor of Tamil Nadu from 27th October 1980 to 4th November 1980. He also served as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.
Sadiq Ali
Sadiq Ali was the 15th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 4th November 1980 to 3rd September 1982. He was a freedom fighter who also served as President of the Indian National Congress and Governor of Maharashtra.
Sundar Lal Khurana
Sundar Lal Khurana served as the 16th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 3rd September 1982 to 17th February 1988. He was an Indian bureaucrat and a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
Dr. P. C. Alexander
Dr. P. C. Alexander, IAS was the 17th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 17th February 1988 to 24th May 1990. He was an Indian Administrative Service officer.
Sardar Surjit Singh Barnala
Sardar Surjit Singh Barnala became the 18th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 24th May 1990 to 15th February 1991 and from 3rd November 2004 to 31st August 2011. He also served as the Chief Minister of Punjab.
Bhishma Narain Singh
Bhishma Narain Singh served as the 19th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 15th February 1991 to 31st May 1993.
Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy
Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy was the 20th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 31st May 1993 to 2nd December 1996. He was a leader of Indian National Congress Party and also served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Krishan Kant
Krishan Kant became the 21st Governor of Tamil Nadu from 2nd December 1996 to 25th January 1997. He took part in the Indian Independence Movement as a youth and participated in the Quit India Movement.
Justice M. Fatima Beevi
Justice M. Fatima Beevi served as the 22nd Governor of Tamil Nadu from 25th January 1997 to 3rd July 2001. She became the first female judge to be a part of the Supreme Court of India.
Dr. C. Rangarajan
Dr. C. Rangarajan was the 23rd Governor of Tamil Nadu from 3rd July 2001 to 18th January 2002.
P. S. Ramamohan Rao
P. S. Ramamohan Rao became the 24th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 18th January 2002 to 3rd November 2004. He is a retired Director General of Police of Andhra Pradesh.
Konijeti Rosaiah
Konijeti Rosaiah was the 25th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 18th January 2002 to 3rd November 2004. He was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
C. Vidyasagar Rao
C. Vidyasagar Rao served as the 26th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 2nd September 2016 to 6th October 2017. He belongs to Bharatiya Janata Party and had served as a Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Banwarilal Purohit
Banwarilal Purohit is the present and the 27th Governor of Tamil Nadu from 2017. He had also served as the Governor of Assam.
