Mano Thangaraj

Mano Thangaraj is an Indian politician from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Since May 2016, he has been representing Padmanabhapuram constituency in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.^[1] He is the Minister of Milk and Dairy Development of Tamil Nadu.^[2]

T. Mano Thangaraj
Mano Thangaraj
Minister for Milk and Dairy Development
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 April 2025
Chief Minister	M. K. Stalin
Preceded by	Raja Kannappan
In office 11 May 2023 – 28 September 2024
Chief Minister	M. K. Stalin
Preceded by	S. M. Nasar
Succeeded by	Raja Kannappan
Minister of Information & Technology
In office 7 May 2021 – 10 May 2023
Chief Minister	M. K. Stalin
Preceded by	R. B. Udhayakumar
Succeeded by	P.T.R. Palanivel Thiyagarajan
Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 May 2016
Preceded by	Pushpa Leela Alban
Constituency	Padmanabapuram
Personal details
Born	(1967-06-01) 1 June 1967 (age 57) Karungal, Madras State (now Tamil Nadu), India
Political party	Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Parent	Thangaraj Nadar (father)
Education	Master of Arts in English literature
Alma mater	Annamalai University
Website	https://www.manothangaraj.com/

Early life and education

He was born on June 1, 1967, to Thangaraj Nadar from Karungal in Kanyakumari district. He completed his schooling at LMS School, Palliyadi, and studied at Nesamony Memorial Christian College (NMCC) (in Marthandam, Kanyakumari), where he served as the student union chairman. This period sparked his interest in politics. He earned an MA in English literature from Annamalai University in May 1997.^[3]

Activism

In 1988, he protested against drawing water from the Pechiparai Reservoir for the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP).^[4]

Politics

Civic Body Member (1996-2006)

He served as the district panchayat chairman from 1996 to 2006.

Ministry

Designation	Portfolio	Party	Ministry	To
				Took Office	Left Office
Minister of Milk and Dairy Development	Milk and Dairy Development	DMK	M.K.Stalin	11 May 2023	29 September 2024
Minister of Information Technology & Digital Services	Information Technology and Digital Services			7 May 2021	10 May 2023

Electoral performance

Year	Constituency	Party	Result	Votes	Vote %
2016 Tamilnadu Assembly Election	Padmanabhapuram	DMK	Won	76,249	47.20
2021 Tamilnadu Assembly Election	Padmanabhapuram	DMK	Won	87,744	51.57

This section is transcluded from Padmanabhapuram Assembly constituency. (edit | history)

2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election: Padmanabhapuram^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	DMK	Mano Thangaraj	87,744	51.57	+4.37
	AIADMK	D. John Thankam	60,859	35.77	+13.89
	NTK	Seelan	13,899	8.17	+7.66
	AMMK	D. Jenkins	3,234	1.90	New
	BSP	P. Latha	1,272	0.75	New
	NOTA	NOTA	1,036	0.61	−0.23
	MNM	M. Jeyaraj	981	0.58	New
Margin of victory			26,885	15.80	−9.52
Turnout			170,156	71.18	2.84
Rejected ballots			1443	0.85
Registered electors			239,036
	DMK hold		Swing	4.37

2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election: Padmanabhapuram^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	DMK	Mano Thangaraj	76,249	47.20	+5.72
	AIADMK	K. P. Rajendra Prasad	35,344	21.88	New
	BJP	Su. Sheeba Prasad	31,994	19.80	−4.09
	DMDK	D. Jeganathan	13,185	8.16	−19.94
	NOTA	NOTA	1,359	0.84	New
	NTK	Arul Selestin Raj	826	0.51	New
Margin of victory			40,905	25.32	11.94
Turnout			161,560	68.34	−1.60
Registered electors			236,398
	DMK hold		Swing	5.72

Ministership (2021-)

GITEX 2022

He participated in GITEX 2022 at Dubai as a representative of Ministry for Information Technology & Digital Services, India for Government of Tamil Nadu. He met a lot of founders, CEOs, top leadership of Indian Startups at GITEX, Dubai, during “Meet Indian Startups” event organised by the Consulate General of India, Dubai on 12 October 2022.

Philanthropy

He owns the Good Vision Charitable Trust which was working on women, children and sanitation related issues.^[7]