Who is Jagadish Palaniswamy? A look at Tamil Nadu CM Vijay’s close aide and Private Secretary

On Monday, June 22, on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s 52nd birthday, it was learned that Jagadish Palanisamy had been appointed as Private Secretary to the Chief Minister. The Government Order on the appointment was made public by Mr. Palanisamy in a social media post and was widely shared online.

“Eighteen years ago, I stood in line as a die-hard fan, hoping for a photo with you. Now, I stand beside you as the Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of the State. Life has come full circle. I owe you everything for who I am today,” Palanisamy posted on X.

Who is Jagadish Palanisamy?

Jagadish Palanisamy is a long-time associate of Vijay, a film producer, and the head of a talent management company. Palanisamy reportedly began his journey in films as the manager of acclaimed musician GV Prakash Kumar. Palanisamy built strong connections in the film industry, which soon put him on Vijay’s radar.

In 2020, Palanisamy began the celebrity management and film production company The Route, which co-produced Vijay’s 2021 blockbuster Master and 2023 hit Leo, both directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The company has also produced films such as Kalyani Priyadarshan’s Sesham Mike-il Fathima, Vijay Sethupathi’s Maharaja, and the Keerthy Suresh starrer Revolver Rita.

The company now represents some of the leading actors and directors in the film industry, including Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Atlee, Keerthy Suresh, Rashmika Mandanna, and so on.

According to unconfirmed reports, The Route also played a major role in the election campaigning of Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Palanisamy was even said to have been made Head Office Co-Treasurer of the TVK.

Vijay on his association with Palanisamy:

Vijay had spoken about his association with Palanisamy on multiple occasions. During his speech at the Master audio launch, Vijay said, “AR Murugadoss said something interesting (about Jagadish Palanisamy). ‘He got your appointment through me, and now, I need to ask him to get an appointment with you.’” Later, during the audio launch of Leo, Vijay praised Palanisamy’s growth, stating, “(He) moved from Coimbatore with one big dream: to make it big in cinema. Started as a celebrity coordinator in college and became an executive producer for some Tamil movies. And now, he’s running the biggest celebrity management company in South India. Usually, it takes 20-30 years to attain all this. But this man, in this short span of time, has grown to such an extent. He would sit in his seat and plan everything so well. I am so jealous of you, Jagadish.” Notably, during the audio launch of Varisu, Vijay revealed that Jagadish Palaisamy was the administrator handling the social media platforms of the star.

Now, as the Chief Minister’s Personal Secretary, Palanisamy has even more responsibilities on hands.