The Dravidian Dream

It has been 97 years since the world witnessed the birth of a rebel, a loyal student to his mentor, a journalist, a screenwriter, a statesman, a chief minister. It has been 97 years since the world witnessed the birth of a man that would go on to change Indian politics forever. It has been 97 years since the world witnessed the birth of a leader, of politics and people’s hearts. It has been 97 years since the world witnessed the birth of Muthuvel Karunanidhi.

I had the opportunity to read Mr A.S Pannerselvan’s biography, ‘Karunanidhi, A life’, a biography for the ages. As a reader, I was captivated right from the beginning of the story because from the moment he was born, every moment that followed was a legacy in the making, a legacy that would leave every single one of us in awe. Muthuvel Karunanidhi was a force to be reckoned with through his life, whether it was him threatening the headmaster of a school that he would jump into a well if he was denied admission into the school because of his caste or him organizing a student revolt group to lie on railway tracks to voice out their opinion against a Government that was trying to shake the roots of a state that loved its culture and language. As a charismatic journalist, Karunanidhi was able to attract many prominent leaders through his words. Of these leaders, Arignar Annadurai and Periyar were two people that inspired Karunanidhi and to be a part of their campaign to fight for causes was a lifelong dream of Karunanidhi that turned into reality. ‘Murasoli’, the newspaper started by Karunanidhi, eventually became the principal organ of the political party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, (popularly referred to as DMK) started by Arignar Anna. With this political career on one side, Karunanidhi embarked on a career in films on the other. Never giving up on his political path, Karunanidhi made sure to include his ideas and beliefs in scripts that he wrote as a screenwriter for movies in which influential actors starred so that it could be appealed to a wider audience. One of those influential actors that initially helped spread his message turned out to be someone that would eventually prove to be Karunanidhi's first rival in his political career, happened to be M.G Ramachandran. A real-life example of best friends turning into rivals due to jealousy and betrayal but always respecting the impact each had on the other’s life is the story of Karunanidhi and MGR. Though they went against each other to fight for the most powerful position in the state of Tamil Nadu, both of them had mutual respect and admiration for each other. This rivalry helped widen Tamil Nadu politics on a large scale with development and to bring recognition to the state politics. His political career had its ups and downs, but for a man of his demeanour and ambition, his downs would have seemed like ups, everything taken in as a learning experience. Not only was he victorious in every election he contested in but also could proudly call himself a 5-time chief minister of a state he loved with all his heart. Everything he did in his account was always for the betterment of state progress and politics. Fighting for what he believed to be right, never giving up on himself or his career when there were so many moments for him to do so, a classic and true example of a hard worker, Muthuvel Karunanidhi was an inspiration to so many and he continues to be. Although he had or has many people that would disagree with his way of politics or governance, no one can deny the amount he has done for the state, for its culture, for its tradition. With no doubt in anyone’s mind, one could state with most certainty, Kalaignar Muthuvel Karunanidhi elevated the position of Tamil Nadu on the political map of India and that is the position of greatness.

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