U. V. Swaminatha Iyer

| death_date = | death_place = Tirukalukundram,
Chingleput District,
Madras Province, British India (now in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India) | occupation = scholar, researcher }} U.V. Swaminatha Iyer (19 February 1855 – 28 April 1942) was a Tamil scholar and researcher who was instrumental in bringing many long-forgotten works of classical Tamil literature to light. His singular efforts over five decades brought to light major literary works in Tamil and contributed vastly to the enrichment of its literary heritage. Iyer published over 90 books in his lifetime, on a variety of matters connected to classical Tamil literature, and collected over 3,000 paper manuscripts, palm-leaf manuscripts and notes of various kinds.

He is affectionately called ''Tamil Thatha'' (literally, "Tamil grandfather"). Provided by Wikipedia