Kamaraj
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K. Kamaraj (July 15, 1903–1975) was an Indian politician widely known as a kingmaker in Indian politics. He was instrumental in bringing to power two Prime Ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1964 and Indira Gandhi in 1966. He was involved in the Indian independence movement and was a close ally of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
He was born to Kumarasamy and Sivakami Ammal at Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu. His was from a poor family belonging to the Nadar caste (a mercantile caste) and retained a spartan life style and bachelorhood throughout his lifetime. Despite dropping out of school in the seventh grade he rose to political prominence joining the struggle for Indian independence at the age of sixteen.
Kamaraj became Chief Minister of Madras Presidency in 1954 after the resignation of Rajaji. (Rajaji aka CR aka Sri C. Rajagopalchari, is better remembered as the First Indian Governor General. Rajaji was past his prime; he was already grooming Kamaraj and C.Subramaniam for the leadership of the state. Rajaji suddenly discovered a conspiracy, hatched by his subordinates, to get rid of him unceremoniously. He resigned soon after. After this event, it is doubtful if CR ever communicated with Kamaraj again). Kamaraj ruled the state for thirteen years. He was also made the president of the Indian National Congress for five years at Nehru's insistence. The price (as confessed by Kamaraj himself, in his later years) was to ensure Indira (Nehru's daughter) for succession as PM. That opportunity was to arrive quickly with Lal Bahadur Shastri's death in Tashkent. Since the circumstances of Shastri's death are suspect, Kamaraj's role in the affair is also unclear. As Chief Minister, he initiated massive reforms in the educational and the social sectors of the state. He introduced the Mid-day meal scheme in Tamil Nadu, which was later popularised by M. G. Ramachandran and this scheme is being considered by the Government of India to be introduced in all public schools in the country. It was his government, which built most of the existing dams in Tamil Nadu; but the state made little progress on other fronts.
He is known for his honesty, integrity and simplicity. He denied any special treatments extended to him or his mother just because he was the chief minister. He lived in a rented house and had a possession of only 120 rupees and 6 dhothis when he died--a hard gesture from a Chief Minister of Indian history.
He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award posthumously in 1976.
Anecdotes
When Kavignar Kannadasan (the poet Laureate) of Tamil Nadu had some misunderstanding with Kamaraj, he penned a song in a film (Kannadasan was writing lyrics for movies at that time) The song goes like this: "Antha Sivakami mahanidam seithi solladi, yennae serum naal parka solladi" ("Tell the message to Sivakami's son and ask him to fix a date to meet me.")