Latest news with #Kalaignar
New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Tamil society honours writers who champion social progress, says CM Stalin
CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday said creators must be celebrated during their lifetime and pointed out that Tamil society has always recognised and honoured writers who champion social progress and upliftment. In that spirit, he said, former CM and DMK president M Karunanidhi not only made exceptional contributions to Tamil literature, but also encouraged and elevated other creators. He was speaking at the inauguration of a two-day 'Centenary Seminar on Muthamizharignar Kalaignar M Karunanidhi' jointly organised by Sahitya Akademi and Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) Special Centre for Tamil Studies. Stalin said the event marked the 'recognition of Kalaignar as the literary face of India'. Highlighting initiatives to support writers, Stalin noted that the state has implemented the Kanavu Illam scheme to provide houses worth Rs 1 crore each to Sahitya Akademi award-winning writers. 'So far, 15 scholars have benefitted from the scheme. Continuing this initiative, houses have now been allotted to 10 translators who have also received the Sahitya Akademi awards,' he said. 'No other state has introduced such a scheme.' Stalin also recalled that during his tenure as CM, Karunanidhi nationalised the works of 108 Tamil scholars and distributed royalties worth Rs 7.76 crore. 'In the past four years, I have nationalised the works of 36 Tamil scholars and distributed Rs 4.25 crore in royalties,' he added. 'These seminars should not only celebrate Kalaignar but also inspire the creation of a society with egalitarian ideas and progressive thoughts, as he envisioned,' Stalin said. He further noted that Karunanidhi had created a Tamil chair at JNU, which has now developed into a full-fledged department. 'We have allocated Rs 5.30 crore for it, and steps are under way to install a statue of Thiruvalluvar at JNU,' the CM added. JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit praised Karunanidhi's contributions to literature and cinema, saying, 'In turning language into resistance, cinema into conscience, and literature into liberation, Kalaignar became more than an icon -- he is a legend.' She added the Thiruvalluvar statue at JNU will be unveiled by Stalin.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Doctors march to Chennai from Salem, six detained
Doctors affiliated to the Legal Coordination Committee (LCC) for Government Doctors, who took out a march from Salem to Chennai to draw the Chief Minister's attention to their long-pending demands, reached Chennai on Thursday. While they planned to march till Kalaignar memorial, the police prevented six of them from proceeding further from Saidapet, and detained them in a hall here. The march began at Mettur in Salem on June 11, and was to conclude at the Kalaignar memorial in Chennai on Thursday. Areas covered include Attur, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, and Chengalpattu. Some of LCC's demands are four salary increments for government doctors in 12 years of service as per G.O. 354, more number of doctors, nurses, and medical staff depending on the number of patients in government hospitals, and a government job for the wife of Vivekanandan, a doctor who died in service during the pandemic. LCC president S. Perumal Pillai, in a statement said, the police did not grant them permission to proceed after Saidapet, and forced six doctors into a police vehicle and took them to a hall. He condemned the government's action.
Hindustan Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
TN CM pays rich tributes to Karunanidhi on his birth anniversary
Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin paid rich tributes to his father and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on his birth anniversary on Tuesday hailing him as a towering Tamil personality who elevated Tamil Nadu. Stalin paid floral tributes to a portrait of the late leader at Gopalapuram here. Karunanidhi's birth anniversary today is being observed as Classical Language Day. A resolution passed at the DMK general council in Madurai on June 1 had said June 3, marking the birth anniversary of late DMK president and five-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister will be observed as Classical Language Day across India. Taking to social media platform X, Stalin said 'Birthday of Kalaignar, leader of Tamil race, who rose like a sun of knowledge to uplift Tamil Nadu that once lay in decline." He further said 'Let us take pride in being the bretheren of Kalaignar who created history by leading the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a great movement that guides India, for 50 years, and who provided both light and shadow. #Kalaignar 102.' DMK youth wing secretary and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin appealed to the party members to celebrate the birthday of the "great Tamil scholar who is still the heartbeat of the Tamils" as Classical Language Day and pay tribute to his fame. 'Let us resolve to continue the party's rule by winning in 2026 polls,' he said in a post on X. Hailed as a visionary leader, Karunanidhi a prolific writer, too, was also a champion of social justice. 'More than being a five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Kalaignar was a cultural icon, a fearless reformer, and a tireless advocate for social justice. Over his decades-long political journey, he championed the rights of the marginalised and worked relentlessly to uplift the lives of millions,' says DMK leader Nolambur V Rajan. Among his many transformative contributions, his revolutionary reforms in education stand as one of his most enduring legacies. At a time when access to quality education was a privilege for the few, Kalaignar envisioned a Tamil Nadu where education would be a fundamental right for all, regardless of caste, creed, or economic background, Rajan said. Besides, Karunanidhi advocated for Tamil as a medium of instruction to make learning more accessible to the rural population.
India Gazette
03-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Sun of knowledge who came to elevate downtrodden Tamil Nadu": MK Stalin remembers M Karunanidhi on his birth anniversary
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday remembered former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on his birth anniversary, praising him in a post as the 'sun of knowledge who came to elevate the downtrodden Tamil Nadu'. In the post on social media X, Stalin paid tribute to the 'guardian of three Tamil languages'. 'Happy birthday to the Tamil leader Kalaignar, who came as the sun of knowledge to elevate the downtrodden Tamil Nadu! Praise the guardian of the three Tamil languages, who made the classical language special for the Tamil languages, which were seen by the Mu Sangam,' the post stated. Stalin further said in his post: 'Let us be proud to be the siblings of the leader Kalaignar, who ruled Tamil Nadu as the Chief Minister five times, created a lot of history, and led the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a great movement that guided India, for 50 years, and provided both light and shadow!.' M. Karunanidhi, an influential politician and leader, was a prominent figure in Tamil Nadu's politics and played a crucial role in the Dravidian movement and the state's political landscape. Associated with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), he served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu five times, and held his position from 1969 to 1971, 1971 to 1976, 1989 to 1991, 1996 to 2001, and 2006 to 2011. Karunanidhi was known for his powerful oratory skills, and his commitment towards the people of the state, advocating for the rights of the Tamil-speaking population and working towards the cause of social justice. His demise on August 7, 2018, was the end of an era for Tamil Nadu politics. (ANI)
NDTV
01-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Classical Language Day, No Cap On Jewel Loans: Resolutions Passed At DMK Meet
Chennai: At a high-profile General Council meeting held in Madurai, the DMK passed a series of significant resolutions reaffirming its ideological commitments, praising the government's performance, and issuing sharp criticisms of the BJP-led Central government. The meeting took place on Saturday. One notable resolution passed is to celebrate June 3 -- the birth anniversary of late party patriarch and five-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi -- as Classical Language Day across India. The party said the move would honour Kalaignar's pivotal role in securing classical status for Tamil. The meeting also heaped praise on DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for his successive electoral victories, describing him as a "continuous victory hero with the overwhelming support of the people." The council lauded the "Dravidian Model" of governance for its pioneering work in uplifting women and marginalised communities, including farmers, weavers, and fishermen. The DMK reiterated its commitment to disseminate the achievements of its government to every household and passed a resolution supporting Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, calling him the "future hope of Tamil Nadu." In a political tone, the council passed resolutions condemning the BJP-led Union government on several counts. These included criticism for not lifting restrictions on jewel loans, delaying the release of educational and development funds, failing to allocate adequate resources for Tamil Nadu's railway projects, and allegedly politicising the Keeladi archaeological site. A specific resolution urged the Reserve Bank of India to immediately remove the cap on jewel loans, calling it a burden on the poor and working-class families. Another resolution condemned what the party described as the imposition of Hindi, urging the Centre to stop "tampering with the linguistic sentiments of Tamils." The party also expressed appreciation for the state government's consistent efforts to honour leaders who have brought pride to the Tamil identity and reiterated its mission to uphold social justice, federalism, and linguistic equality. The Madurai meeting marks a critical moment ahead of the next political season, with the DMK positioning itself as both a regional powerhouse and a national voice for federal rights and cultural identity.
