K. Anbazhagan

Kalyanasundaram Anbazhagan (19 December 1922 – 7 March 2020) was an Indian politician. He was a long-standing leader of the Dravidian movement[2] and was the General Secretary of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party for nine terms. He has held several cabinet ministerial portfolios in the Tamil Nadu government under M. Karunanidhi including Finance, Education and Health and Social Welfare. He was elected as a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on nine occasions. He was earlier elected to the Lok Sabha the lower house of India's Parliament from Tiruchengode and was also a member of the Madras Legislative Council. He was popularly referred to as Perasiriyar (Professor), though he was a Lecturer in Tamil in Pachaiyappa's College before resigning to contest elections in 1957.[3]

In this Indian name, the name Kalyanasundaram is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Anbazhagan.

K. Anbazhagan
General Secretary of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
In office
1977 – 7 March 2020
Inaugural HolderC. N. Annadurai
Preceded byV. R. Nedunchezhiyan
Succeeded byDurai Murugan
Minister of Finance
In office
17 May 2006 – 15 May 2011
Minister of Education
In office
16 May 1996 – 15 May 2001
In office
27 January 1989 – 30 January 1991
Member of Tamil Nadu legislative assembly
In office
14 May 2001 – 12 May 2006
ConstituencyHarbour
In office
16 November 1984 – 26 January 1989
ConstituencyPark Town
In office
30 June 1977 – 15 November 1984
ConstituencyPurasawalkam
Minister for Health and Social Welfare
In office
15 March 1971 – 31 January 1976
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
4 March 1967 – 15 March 1971
ConstituencyTiruchengode
Member of Legislative Council
In office
1 April 1957 – 25 February 1967
Personal details
Born
Ramaiah

(1922-12-19)19 December 1922[1]
Tanjore, Madras Presidency, British India
(now in Tamil Nadu, India)
Died7 March 2020(2020-03-07) (aged 97)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Political partyDravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Other political
affiliations		Justice Party
ResidenceAnna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Early life

Anbazhagan was born in Kattoor near Thiruvarur in Tanjore district (now Thiruvarur District) of Madras Presidency, British India on 19 December 1922 to M. Kalyanasundaranar and Swarnambal as Ramaiah. He changed his name to Anbazhagan influenced by the Pure Tamil Movement led by Tamil scholar Maraimalai Adigal. He came into limelight in 1942 when he addressed a Justice Party meeting in Thiruvarur as a student after being requested by C. N. Annadurai and here he came into contact with M. Karunanidhi for the first time.[4] He did his Master of Arts in Tamil from Annamalai University and joined Pachaiyappa's College as a lecturer in Tamil in 1944.[5]

Political career

Anbazhagan resigned as a Professor from Pachaiyappa's College to contest elections and was elected from Egmore to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1957. He was a member of the Madras legislative council between 1962–1967 and a close confidant of the DMK founder C. N. Annadurai. He was a member of Lok Sabha between 1967–1971. In 1971, he served as Social Welfare minister of Tamil Nadu. He had given up his M.L.A. position, representing Park Town constituency, in 1984 putting forward the Tamil Eelam issue.[6] He was elected from Harbour constituency in 1996, 2001 and 2006.[7]

Personal life

Anbazhagan lived with his wife Santhakumari in Shanthi Colony, Anna Nagar, Chennai. She died on 23 December 2012 at age 97 due to diabetes mellitus.[8]

Illness and death

Anbazhagan was in poor health, minimised his political activities and public appearances, with the last one being on his 97th birthday on 19 December 2019.[9][10]

On 24 February 2020, his health deteriorated and became "extremely critical and unstable", and he was admitted at Apollo Hospital in Chennai for treatment.[11] He died there at 1:05 a.m. on 7 March 2020 due to age-related illness, which led to multiple organ failure. His political party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam declared a seven-day mourning after his death.[12]

Literary works

He has sound knowledge of Tamil poetry.[13][14] Some of his published works include:

  • Urimai vaazhvu
  • Viduthalaik kavignar
  • Pesum kalai valarpom
  • Thamizh kadal
  • Alai osai
  • Thamizhar thirumanamum inamaanamum

References
  1. "DMK stalwart Kalyanasundaram Anbazhagan passes away in Chennai". D Govardan. The Times of India. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  2. "End of an era: K Anbazhagan's demise leaves vacuum in Dravidian politics". New Indian Express. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  3. "DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan Dies At 97 In Chennai". NDTV. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  4. "From Tiruvarur to Marina: The platinum jubilee friendship of Karunanidhi and Anbazhagan". New Indian Express. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  5. "DMK general secretary Anbazhagan no more". B Kolappan. The Hindu. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  6. "'Perasiriyar' K Anbazhagan passes away at 97, end of an era for DMK politics". The News Minute. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  7. "Harbour (Tamil Nadu) Election Results 2016". Elections. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  8. "Veteran DMK Leader K. Anbazhagan Passes Away at 97". The Wire. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  9. "DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan passes away at 97". India Today. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  10. "Leaders greet DMK's Anbazhagan on 97th birthday". B Sivakumar. The Times of India. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  11. "DMK general secretary Anbazhagan no more". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  12. "DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan passes away at 97 in Chennai". Daily News and Analysis. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  13. "Anbazhagan struck a balance between literature and politics". B Kolappan. The Hindu. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  14. "DMK veteran leader K Anbazhagan passes away". Daily Thanthi. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
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