C. N. Annadurai
C. N. Annadurai | |
---|---|
R. Venkatraman | |
Succeeded by | Position abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai[1] 15 September 1909 Conjeevaram, Madras Presidency, British India (now Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India) |
Died | 3 February 1969 Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India | (aged 59)
Resting place | Anna Memorial |
Political party | DMK (from 1949) |
Other political affiliations |
|
Spouse | |
Awards | Chubb Fellowship (1968) |
Nicknames |
|
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai (15 September 1909 – 3 February 1969), popularly known as Anna, also known as Perarignar Anna (Anna, the scholar or Elder Brother), was an Indian politician who served as the fourth and last
He was well known for his oratorical skills and was an acclaimed writer in the
Due to differences looming with Periyar, on issues of separate independent state of
However, he died of cancer just two years into office. His funeral had the highest attendance of any to that date. Several institutions and organisations are named after him. A splinter party launched by M. G. Ramachandran in 1972 was named after him as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Early life
Annadurai was born in a
At the age of 21, he married Rani while he was still a student. The couple had no children of their own, so they later adopted and raised Rajamani's grandchildren. He attended Pachaiyappa's High School,[4] but left school to work as a clerk in the town's Municipal office to assist with the family finances.
In 1934, he graduated with a
Religion
Though Annadurai was an
Annadurai would attack superstitions and religious exploitation but would never fight against the spiritual values of society. He once explained his stance towards God and religion as "I do not break coconuts for
Entry into politics
Annadurai's interest in politics made him join the
The Justice party originated with the Madras United League which was initially started as a work group that helped non-Brahmin students inDifferences with Periyar and birth of DMK
The
Protests in 1953
In 1953, Annadurai directed the DMK to undertake three protests:[16]
- Condemning Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, for describing the damaging Hindi letters in railway station boards by DK and DMK activists as "childish nonsense"
- Against Kula Kalvi Thittam
- Against renaming Kallakkudi, Dalmiyapuram as the name Dalmiyapuram symbolised north Indian domination. He was eventually sentenced to three months imprisonment in this protest.
Dravida Nadu
During his days in Dravida Kazhagam, Annadurai had supported Periyar's call for an independent Dravida Nadu. The claim for such an independent state stayed alive in the initial days of DMK. E. V. K. Sampath, who had earlier forfeited his inheritance from Periyar to join DMK, saw the call for Dravida Nadu as an unrealistic goal. Responding to Sampath's concern, Annadurai said
We must contest more elections, win more seats and that way, win the confidence of the people; and when it is hot, we can strike and strike hard[19]
Sampath's opposition to using film stars made him cross swords with many other members of the party. Eventually, with looming differences with Annadurai and other leaders on Dravida Nadu, Sampath left the DMK and formed his own party, the
However, the reorganisation of states in India on linguistic basis removed Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam speaking regions from the Madras Presidency leaving behind a predominantly Tamil
On the party's position, Annadurai said
To make the Dravidian state a separate state was our ideal. A situation has arisen where we can neither talk nor write about this ideal. Of course we can destroy the party by undertaking to violate the prohibition. But once the party itself is destroyed there will not be any scope for the ideal to exist or spread. That is why we had to give up the ideal.[19]
Anti-Hindi agitations
Hindi was first recommended to be an apt language for official purposes in India by a committee headed by
Protests of 1938
In 1938, the Congress government in
Madras Anti Hindi agitation, 1965
When India became a republic with its own constitution in 1950, the constitution had given special status to the Hindi language, which was to gain official status after 15 years in 1965. This move was regarded with anxiety by students in Tamil Nadu.[23] Speaking of making Hindi as official language of India, Annadurai said It is claimed that Hindi should be the common language because it is spoken by the majority. Why should we then claim the tiger as our national animal instead of the rat which is so much more numerous? Or the peacock as our national bird when the crow is ubiquitous?.[25] In view of continued threat to impose Hindi, the DMK held an open-air conference against Hindi imposition at Kodambakkam, Chennai in August 1960, which Annadurai presided over. He gave black flags to leading functionaries, to be shown to the President of India during his visit to the state. Sensing an uprising, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru assured in the Parliament that English would continue to be the official language of India, as long as non-Hindi speaking people desire. DMK gave up the plan of showing black flags and Annadurai appealed to the Union Government to bring about a constitutional amendment incorporating the assurance.[16]
With no constitutional amendment done, Annadurai declared 26 January 1965, the 15th
With violence surging, Annadurai asked the students to forfeit the protests, but some DMK leaders like
Literary contributions
Annadurai was known as one of the best Tamil orators during his time.[5] He developed a style in Tamil public speaking using metaphors and pleasing alliterations, both in spoken and written language. Anna was also best known for his extempore speaking ability being very well affluent on rhetoric skills.[27]
He has published several novels, short stories[4] and plays[28] which incorporate political themes.[5] He himself acted[28] in some of his plays during his time in the Dravidar Kazhagam.[29] He introduced movie media as a major organ for propaganda of
His first movie made it clear that greed and avarice of the rich did not pay in the long run.[...] Some of the elementary principles of socialism and stressed that we should depend upon our own labour for our progress and well being and not some unknown factor.[29]
Velaikari made direct references against the suppressive landlords who were traditionally allied with
Some of his books had a social approach and its content were debatable, such as "Arya Mayai" (Aryan Illusion) in which he highlighted the view point of bringing an equal living society regardless of any caste dominance and especially drawing similarities which existed by then of the upper-
Some of his well-known works are his books Annavin Sattasabai Sorpolivukal (Anna's speeches at the state legislative, 1960), Ilatchiya varalaru (History of Ideals, 1948), Valkkaip puyal (Storm of life, 1948) and Rankon rata (Radha from Rangon).
At times when Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was extensively using movies for its propaganda, censorship crippled the process. To evade censorships, DMK movies used Annadurai's popular nickname Anna, which also means elder brother in Tamil, as a pun. When praises were bestowed on the Anna on screen, the crowd would break into applause.[29] Kannadasan has criticised Anna's works that apart from Sivaji Kanda Hindu Rajyam[28] and Needhi Devan Mayakkam, the rest lacked even a plot[34]
Posts held
The provincial conference of the DMK was held at
As chief minister
In 1967, the Congress lost nine states to opposition parties, but it was only in Madras state that a single non-Congress party majority was achieved.
Annadurai legalised
It was Annadurai's government that renamed the Madras State to its present-day form declaring officially as Tamil Nadu. The name change itself was first presented in the upper house (Rajya Sabha) of the Parliament of India by Bhupesh Gupta, a communist MP from West Bengal, but was then defeated.[14] With Annadurai as chief minister, the state assembly succeeded in passing the bill renaming the states.
Anna was instrumental in organising the World Tamil Conference under the aegies of UNESCO in 1967.
Death
On 10 September 1968 Annadurai travelled to New York for medical treatment and he was operated for cancer in the gullet at the
Legacy
After his electoral success with his DMK in 1967, the Congress has not yet returned to power in Tamil Nadu. His government was the first in the country to be from a non-Congress party with full majority. There is no doubt that this powerful orator is the single-most popular mass figure in the region[37]
The magazine India Today has listed Annadurai in its "Top 100 people who shaped India by thought, action, art, culture and spirit".[54] In 2010, Anna Centenary Library was established in Chennai in remembrance of Annadurai.[55]
A life-size statue of Annadurai was unveiled on 1 October 2002 in the
On 31 July 2020, Alandur metro station in
Filmography
Year | Film | Credits[59] |
---|---|---|
1949 | Velaikaari
|
Story, Screenplay and Dialogues |
1949 | Nallathambi | Story, Screenplay and Dialogues |
1951 | Or Iravu | Story and Dialogues |
1954 | Sorgavasal | Story and Dialogues |
1956 | Rangoon Radha | Story |
1959 | Thaai Magalukku Kattiya Thaali | Story |
1961 | Nallavan Vazhvaan
|
Story |
1962 | Edhayum Thangum Idhayam
|
Story |
1970 | Kadhal Jothi | Story |
1978 | Vandikaaran magan | Story |
Annadurai's first movie script, of his play Velaikkari, fetched him a fee of ₹ 12,000, a considerable sum at that time[60] (worth ₹ 1 crore in 2015 prices)
Apart from his stories, the names of some of Annadurai's works were used as film titles for Panathottam (1963), Valiba virundhu (1967), Kumarikottam (1971), Rajapart Rangadurai (1973), Needhi devan mayakkam (1982).[59]
Bibliography
Fiction
Year | Type | Work | First appeared in[59] |
---|---|---|---|
1939 | Novella | Komalathin Kobam | Kudi arasu |
1939 | Novella | Kabothipura Kadhal | Kudi arasu |
1942 | Novella | Kumasthavin penn or | Dravida Nadu |
1942 | Novella | Kalingarani | Dravida Nadu |
1943 | Novella | Parvathi B.A | Dravida Nadu |
1943 | Play | Chandrodhayam | |
1945 | Novella | Dasavatharam | Dravida Nadu |
1945 | Play | Sivaji kanda Hindu samrajyam[28] | |
1946 | Play | Velaikaari | |
1946 | Novella | Kumari kottam | Dravida Nadu |
1946 | Novella | Rangoon Radha | Dravida Nadu |
1947 | Play | Needhidevan mayakkam | |
1947 | Parable | Kadhiravan Kaneen | Dravida Nadu |
1948 | Play | Nallathambi | |
1948 | Play | Or iravu | |
1948 | Novella | En vazhvu | Dravida Nadu |
1953 | Play | Sorgavasal | |
1953 | Play | Kadhal jothi | |
1955 | Parable | Kumari Surya | Dravida Nadu |
1955 | Parable | Nangai Nagaithaal | Dravida Nadu |
1955 | Parable | Oru muttalin kadhai | Dravida Nadu |
1955 | Play | Pavayin payanam | |
1956 | Novella | Pudhiya polivu | Dravida Nadu |
1957 | Novella | Kadaisi kanavu | Dravida Nadu |
1965 | Novella | Thazhumbukal | Kanchi |
1965 | Novella | Vandikaaran magan | Kanchi |
1968 | Novella | appodhae sonnen | Kanchi |
1970 | Play | Inba oli | Kanchi and Dravida nadu |
Novella | Romapuri Raanigal | Kanchi and Dravida nadu |
Non fiction
Year | Title[4] |
---|---|
1947 | Kambarasam |
1948 | Ariyamayai |
In popular culture
A scene from the film
In a scene from the film
The song sequence "Nee mannavana chinnavana" from the film Rudra Thandavam (1978) shows real footage of Annadurai's funeral.[64]
In the film Walter Vetrivel (1993), Vijayakumar played Viswanathan (Tamil Nadu Minister for Home Affairs as per the plot). The actor's countenance in the film strongly resembles Annadurai.
In the film Iruvar (1997), Nassar played Ayya Veluthambi, a character whose role is reminiscent of Annadurai.
Annadurai is portrayed in the film Kamaraj (2004).
S. S. Stanley played Annadurai in the film Periyar (2007). Directed by Gnana Rajasekaran, the film had Sathyaraj in the lead role of Periyar, Annadurai's mentor. After Annadurai's death (not shown in the film), his real life photo is seen in the table of M. Karunanidhi, who succeeded him as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
The song sequence "Nee kondru kuvithatu" from the film Indiralohathil Na Azhagappan (2008) shows real footage of Annadurai.[65]
Bharathi Kannan played Annadurai in the film Thalaivii (2021).[66]
See also
References
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