Click to play videoNew Delhi: CNN-IBN has been celebrating 50 years of formation of the southern states through its special series - the Golden South.
As part of the series, CNN-IBN conducted a poll to select the most popular Tamilian. The wait is over and results are out.
President APJ Abdul Kalam has emerged as the most liked Tamilian in the CNN-IBN-Deccan Chronicle- Radio City Most Popular Tamilian poll. The missile man turned people's president has secured 32 per cent of the total votes cast.
The king of Tamil cinema Rajnikanth has received 24 per cent votes and secured the second position.
Rajnikanth was a bus conductor when a film director recongnised his talent and today, he is not only the lone superstar after MGR, but also one who rules millions of Tamil hearts.
Periyar is in the third position with 21 per cent votes. EV Ramasamy Naicker or Periyar - as he is popularly called - is one of the main founders of the Dravidian movement, which revolutionised Tamil society politically and socially.
Following him is the music maestro Ilayaraja, who's got 12 per cent. Ilayaraja has composed music for over 800 films in several Indian languages in a career spanning over three decades.
The nightingale of Carnatic music MS Subbulakshmi is in the fifth position. She's received 9.5 per cent votes. The Bharat Ratna awardee has immortalised songs like Vaishnava Janatho, Meera bhajans and Annamacharya Kirthans.
And finally, Vishwanathan Anand, the first Indian Grand Master, has bagged 1.9 per cent votes. Anand is one of highest-earning sports stars in India.
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