Veteran Congress leader Kumari Ananthan passes away
Veteran Congress leader and noted orator in Tamil, Kumari Ananthan who fought for and succeeded in addressing the Parliament in Tamil language has died, his family said on Wednesday.
He was 92 and he passed away around 12.15 am, Wednesday.
Kumari Ananthan is survived by a son and four daughters, including senior BJP leader and former Governor of Telangana, Tamilisai Soundararajan.
In his condolence message, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said Ananthan’s death is a huge loss for the Tamil society. Praising him as a disciple of Congress icon and former Chief Minister K Kamaraj, Stalin said Ananthan earned people’s respect through his hard work and served the people as an MP once and four times as an MLA. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K Selvaperunthagai and leaders of parties condoled Ananthan’s death.
Stalin said: “The credit for establishing the right to speak in Tamil in the Parliament will go only to him.” The chief minister recalled late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi’s praise for Ananthan in this regard. Further, he said that Ananthan dedicated his life for serving the Tamil language and in order to honour him, the Tamil Nadu government conferred the Thagaisal Tamizhar (Eminent Tamilian) Award on him. “He will be in our hearts,” Stalin said and conveyed his condolences and sympathies to Ananthan’s family members including Tamilisai Soundararajan and Congress party workers.
Born at Agastheeswaram in Kanyakumari district, he is well known for his ‘padyatras’ propagating among others, Gandhian ideals. ‘Kumari’ is a reference to Kanyakumari district. “Ilakiya selvar,” which denotes profound knowledge in literature is Ananthan’s well known sobriquet.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Nagercoil in 1977 and served as an MLA in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly four times—in 1980, 1984, 1989 and 1991.
He also held the post of TNCC president and led multiple padyatras across the state, demanding better conditions for farmers and the poor.
One of his significant achievements was leading a protest that resulted in the provision of free electricity to farmers owning small tracts of land.
He also fought to ensure Tamil language got top priority in Central government offices in Tamil Nadu.
Ananthan was a recipient of the Mahakavi Bharathiyar Award and the Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Award.
On Independence Day in 2024, he was conferred with the prestigious Thagaisal Thamizhar award by Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Tamilisai Soundararjan praised her father for his unblemished political career, love for the Tamil language and his principled, disciplined life, whose journey started from a small village in Kanyakumari district.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday announced that the mortal remains of Kumari Ananthan, veteran Congress leader will be laid to rest with State honours.