Tributes pour in as DMK veteran Anbazhagan is dead
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s main opposition Dravida Munnetra kazhagam (dmk) on saturday announced the demise of its general secretary K Anbazhagan. In a statement, party chief MK Stalin said the veteran leader passed away at 1am on Saturday, at the age of 97.
Anbazhagan, one of the founder leaders of DMK, was admitted to Apollo Hospitals due to age-related ailments on February 24. He was on ventilator support for the last few days after his condition deteriorated. He did not recover from his illnesses.
The veteran is He is survived by two daughters and a son.
On Saturday morning, thousands gathered at his residence to pay last respects.
Condoling Anbazhagan’s death, Stalin, Stalin, who addressed Anbazhagan as periyappa (grand uncle), announced a mourning period of a week. All DMK party functions have been postponed, and the party flags are set to fly half-mast. In a handwritten letter, Stalin said a ‘Dravidian Everest’ has fallen.
“When my Appa (father) passed away, I consoled myself that periyappa is there to guide me. Now, after the demise of periyappa, who will I look up to for advice? How will I solace myself?” he wrote.
Stalin recalled how it was difficult to get a word of appreciation from Anbazhagan, adding that he was fortunate to have received some.
He added that his heart aches for the man who gave him the greatest honour of his life by declaring him the next party chief after Kalaignar (Karunanidhi).
Anbazhagan, who became the patriarch of dmk after the death of his bosom friend M. Karunanidhi, remained the chief adviser to Karunanidhi and later Stalin at all times. Older than Karunanidhi but never an aspirant to the top job, he stood firm with the DMK during its crises as well as days of glory. He held the post of general secretary for 43 years.
Anbazhagan was elected to Tamil Nadu Assembly nine times and had been Karunanidhi’s finance minister. In earlier cabinets, he looked after social welfare and education.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha 1967.
Fondly referred to as ‘Perasiriyar’ or Professor, Anbazhagan was born as Ramaiah in Tiruvarur District (then Thanjavur District) in 1922. A postgraduate in Tamil literature from the Annamalai University, he later adopted the name Anbazhagan, which means one who is charming because he is full of love.
Anbazhagan later served as a professor of Pachiayappan College for close to 13 years.
His first political meeting was held in 1942. He was invited to address leaders as a special speaker in Thiruvarur, organised by Muslim outfits. The meeting was chaired by the DMK leader and former chief minister CN Annadurai.