Mumbai : The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President, M Karunanidhi who swayed Tamil Nadu died at the age of 94 due to illness.
Kindly called as Kalaignar, Karunanidhi led his hand from literature to cinema and politics.Tamil Nadu loss two major rival politicians as Karunanidhi’s death occurred after Jayalalitha’s death.
Born on 3 June 1924,M.Karunanidhi was born as ‘Dakshinamoorthy’ in Thirukuvalai, Nagapattinam district.He has married thrice and is survived by six children.As a young teen, Karunanidhi was heavily influenced by the speeches of Alagiriswami, who was considered the pillar of the Justice Party – an organisation which was formed to represent the non-Brahmins in the state, later going on to form the bedrock of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK).
His popular name ‘Kalaignar’ was given by MR Radha literally means ‘artist’.Karunanidhi earned the masses’ love for his work in the fields of literature and poetry, having penned scripts for several Tamil films. His life-long tryst with Dravidian politics reflected in his screenwriting and playwriting, which often propagated Dravidian ideologies like self-respect marriages and the abolition of untouchability.
His films we’re like Parashakti (1952) would illustrate how films were used by the DMK to propagate its ideals and ensconce itself deep in public consciousness. The film heavily criticised Brahminisim and upper-caste Hindu customs, and was even banned briefly, before it released to acquire cult status.
Karunanidhi entered politics at the age of 14. He became a part of the Dravidian movement led by reformist leader Periyar EVR. The Dravidian movement propagated by Periyar was “anti-Brahaministic” in nature and sought to create a society where the backward-classes have equal rights.
When the Dravida Kazhagam split in 1949 to become the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) under the leadership of CN Annadurai. He won his first election in 1957. He too served as Tamil Mary’s Chief Minister for 12 years.
Karunanidhi also faced a political rivalry with AIADMK’s founder.After a life of successfully battling political headwinds, this has been Karunanidhi’s enduring legacy a strong anti-Hindi, anti-Centre machinery in Tamil Nadu.
