Ekambaram Kaunakaran (born 6 June 1954) is a former Indian weightlifter. He was the first Indian to win the gold medal in an international competition in weightlifting. This was in the Commonwealth games in Edmonton, Canada in 1978. Karunakaran's career spanned over a decade. He was conferred with the Arjuna Award in the year 1978-79 by the Government of India.