# 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. He is also the former Minister of Milk and Dairy Development of Tamil Nadu.

## 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.

## Activism

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

## Politics
### Civic Body Member (1996-2006)

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

## Ministry

| Designation | Portfolio | Party | Ministry | To | To |
| Designation | Portfolio | Party | Ministry | 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 | DMK | M.K.Stalin | 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 |
2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election: Padmanabhapuram :
| Party | 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 | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 26,885 | 15.80% | −9.52% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 170,156 | 71.18% | 2.84% |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 1443 | 0.85% | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 239,036 | | |
| | DMK hold | DMK hold | Swing | 4.37% | |
2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election: Padmanabhapuram :
| Party | 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 | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 40,905 | 25.32% | 11.94% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 161,560 | 68.34% | −1.60% |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 236,398 | | |
| | DMK hold | 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.