M. G. Ramachandran, Sri Lankan-Indian actor, producer, and politician, 5th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (born 1917)

Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran, known by his initialism M.G.R. and as Makkal Thilagam/Puratchi Thalaivar, was an Indian actor, director, producer, politician and philanthropist who served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987. He was the founder and former general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. On 19 March 1988, M.G.R. was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. M.G.R. is regarded as one of the most influential politicians of post-independence India. Apart from politics, as a film personality, he won the National Film Award, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and three Filmfare Awards South. MGR was a 'Superstar' of his era in Tamil cinema.

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu is the chief executive of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In accordance with the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister. Following elections to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, the state's governor usually invites the party with a majority of seats to form the government. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. Given that he has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits.