S. Keerthana (born 1996) is an Indian politician and political consultant from Tamil Nadu. She is a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district representing the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. On 10 May 2026, she was sworn in as the Minister for Industries, becoming the youngest in Vijay's cabinet and the first woman to serve as Tamil Nadu's Minister for Industries.
Early life and education Keerthana was born in 1996 in Kovilangulam village, near Aruppukkottai, Virudhunagar district. Her parents are Sampath, a financial consultant, and Vijayalakshmi, a homemaker. She attended Kshatriya Girls Higher Secondary School, Virudhunagar, studying in the Tamil medium. She then graduated with a B.Sc. in mathematics from V.P.M.M Arts and Science College for Women, Krishnankoil, which is affiliated with Madurai Kamaraj University. Later, she did her M.Sc. in statistics from Pondicherry Central University in 2019.
Career Before entering politics, Keerthana was involved in professional service through the Piramal Foundation. She later worked as a political consultant and digital strategist with firms such as I-PAC and Showtime Consulting, collaborating with political leaders including M. K. Stalin, Mamata Banerjee and N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Keerthana became an MLA for the first time winning her debut 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election from Sivakasi Assembly constituency representing the TVK party. She polled 68,809 votes and defeated her nearest rival, Ashokan G of the Indian National Congress, by a margin of 11,670 votes.
After the victory in the 2026 election, she was in a spotlight when she spoke in Hindi during some public interactions but she defended herself and stated that her goal was to help a wider audience connect with Vijay’s message.
Keerthana faced criticism for using the Tamil term "Oonamutror" while referring to persons with disabilities during a media interaction. She later apologized for the remarks on 13 May 2026.
Keerthana faced criticism following the circulation of a video showing her smiling during a media interaction related to the Coimbatore child assault-murder. BJP leaders alleged that her conduct was insensitive and that she appeared dismissive while responding to questions on the killing.
In July 2026, Keerthana faced criticism after a video showed her questioning a student in English during an inspection of a government girls' school near Sivakasi. She told the teacher that the student was unable to answer even a simple question, while the interaction took place in front of her classmates. The interaction drew criticism over her remarks about the student's English proficiency and ability to answer the question.
Elections contested and results ElectionsConstituencyResultVote %Opposition CandidateOpposition PartyOpposition vote %2026 Sivakasi 35.51% A. M. S. G. Ashokan INC 29.47%
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