Biography of C.N.Annadurai-Indian Political Leader- “Perarignar Anna”

Annadurai hailed from a middle class family  and he was a very good orator and writer in Tamil. After completing his post-graduation in Economics and Politics, Annadurai started his career as a School Teacher.

After some years he left the teaching profession and took stage-dramas as his full time profession. And he started writing drama-scripts and acted in them and out of about 60 of his stage plays, many of  them were later converted into successful Tamil Cinema Movies.

Annadurai was born as a Hindu family and their family deity was Lord Murga. Afterwards, Annadurai joined the “Dravidar Kazhagam” / D.K. of Thanthai Periyar E.V.Ramasamy and became an atheist.

Annadurai had difference of opinions with EVR-Periyar in policy matters of the party and in the personal life activities of his leader. So, Annaduari came out of the D.K. party and started his own  party- 2Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam” / D.M.K.

Thereafter Annaduarai  switched over from atheism and declared his attitude regarding the religions and faith in  God as :”Ondre Kulam-Oruvane Devan”/ “One Community- One God”. According to Annadurai all the communites are equal and one and all religions and gods are all one.

He never worshiped any god or goddess and also he was not against the  religious sentiments of other people. However, he maintained his ideas against the traditional  and superstitious beliefs and rituals.

Further, Annadurai changed from his earlier concept conceived from his mother-party- D.K. regarding  Independent Tamilnadu / Dravida Nadu  to “Joint Rule in the Centre and Independent Rule in States”.

M.G.Ramachandran, the famous Tamil actor known as “Makkal Thilagam -MGR” joined Annadurai’s D.M.K.

Being an actor himself, Annadurai believed that the cinema actors can and will become popular and become even the Chief Ministers of States.

Annadurai used the populartiy of  “MGR” and Annadurai used to refer to “MGR” as the  “Fruit of his Heart”.

And MGR’s involvement in DMK had been instrumental in D.M.K. receiving people’s  full support and snatching the power from the then ruling party- Indian National Congress in the General Elections of the year 1967.

As the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Annadurai:

• Legalized Self-respect marriages,
• Inforced a two language policy, instead of the three languages- formula in other southern states, 
• In the Election Propaganda/promises of DMK in the 1967 General Elections, Annaduari had promised to supply 3 measures of rice per one rupee, which he could not do due to obvious reasons. However Annaduarai implemented subsidized rice supply at low cost, through Public Distribution System/Ration and
• Renamed “Madras State” to “Tamil Nadu”.

Unfortunately, Annadurai died  in the year 1969, within just two years in office as the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and his Funeral Procession was attended by  a large  number of  people, which had become a “Guinness World Record” of that time.

M. G. Ramachandran was dismissed from the D.M.K. party  in 1972, due to difference of opinions with the D.M.K. Chief M.Karunanidhi and MGR started a new party named after Annadurai– “Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam”/ADMK. 

MGR as the Chief of the party ADMK, became the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu in the year 1977 and remained as the CM of Tamilnadu till the year 1987 till his death.

It is  notable that D.M.K and AAIDMK alternatively  become the ruling party in Tamilnadu,keeping the Indian  National Congress in the opposition from the year 1967, when Annaduarai formed his majority government defeating the Congress.

Short Biography of C.N.Annaduarai:
 
Name: Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai/C.N.Annaduari

Known as: “Perarignar Anna”/Great Wise Elder Brother

Date of Birth:15th September 1909

Date of Death: 3rd February 1969 (at the age of 59 years)

Father: Natarajan Mudaliar

Mother: Bangaru Ammal

Wife: Rani Annadurai

Foster Children:
Ilangovan, Gouthaman, Rajendran and Parimalam

Studied :
B.A. (Hons) & M.A.(Economics &Politics) –Studied at Pachaiyappa’s College, Chennai

Occupation:

• English Teacher at Pachaiyappa’s High School, Chennai
• Tamil Orator, Tamil Writer, Tamil  Drama Actor and Cinema Story/Screen-play Writer
• Founder President of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam/AAIDMK
• Former Chief Minister of Tamilnadu

• Listed by “India Today” in its  “Top 100 people” who shaped India by thought, action, art, culture and spirit”
• Awarded the “Chubb Fellowship” at Yale University – being the first non-American to receive the honour