MK
DMKDeceased · 2018Male
M. Karunanidhi
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1969–76, 1989–91, 1996–2001, 2006–11)
Born 1924 · Died 2018 (aged 94)
Self-educated; prolific Tamil writer and playwright
About
Muthuvel Karunanidhi — 'Kalaignar' — was one of the towering figures of Dravidian politics, serving as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister five times over five decades and as DMK president for 50 years. A Tamil screenwriter and playwright who rose through the Dravidian movement under E.V. Ramasamy Periyar and C.N. Annadurai, he became CM in 1969 after Annadurai's death. He championed Tamil language rights, social justice for OBCs, and Tamil cultural identity against Hindi imposition. His rivalry with J. Jayalalithaa defined Tamil politics for three decades. He died on 7 August 2018 at age 94.
Lifespan
1924–2018
Education
Self-educated; prolific Tamil writer and playwright
No declared cases
No criminal or civil cases declared in affidavit