CM Pays Tribute to Former CM Kamarajar on His 124th Birth Anniversary

Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru. C. Joseph Vijay garlanded the statue of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar and paid floral tributes on his 124th birth anniversary. The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. C. Joseph Vijay, today (15.7.2026) paid floral tributes at the decorated portrait placed near the statue of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar on Anna Salai, opposite Valluvar Illam, Chennai, to mark his 124th birth anniversary. Perunthalaivar Kamarajar was born on 15.7.1903 to Kumaraswamy and Sivakami at Virudhunagar. He participated in various freedom struggles from 1919 onwards. He took part in the Salt Satyagraha movement in 1930 and was imprisoned. He subsequently devoted himself fully to various political activities. He served as General Secretary of the Madras Provincial Congress Committee in 1936, and as its President from 1940 to 1954. Kamarajar also served the people as Chairman of the Virudhunagar Municipality, was elected as an MLA on several occasions, and served as a Member of Parliament. Having been elected as MLA from Kudiyattam constituency in 1954, Perunthalaivar Kamarajar took charge as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. During his 9-year tenure, he played a major role in laying a strong foundation for the State's development in education, industry, irrigation and infrastructure. With the lofty aim that no village in Tamil Nadu should be without a school, he started schools across villages and brought about a renaissance in education. To enable poor students to study in schools, he introduced the Free Mid-Day Meal Scheme in 1956. During his tenure, Perunthalaivar Kamarajar built several dams, including the Manimuthar Dam, Vaigai Dam, Amaravathi Dam, Keezhvani Dam, Sathanur Dam, Krishnagiri Dam, Parambikulam Dam, Aranyaru Dam, Pullambadi Dam and Vedur Dam, which served as vital support for irrigation and agricultural development. Kamarajar was also instrumental in bringing public sector enterprises to Tamil Nadu, including Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in Tiruchirappalli, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) which manufactures railway coaches in Perambur, Chennai, and the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Avadi. Having taken charge as President of the All India Congress Committee in 1964, Perunthalaivar Kamarajar played a key role in the selection of India's Prime Minister on two occasions following the demise of Nehru, earning him the title "Kingmaker." An active participant in India's freedom struggle, Perunthalaivar Kamarajar spent 9 years of his life in prison. Notably, following his demise, he was posthumously honoured with India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1976, and a commemorative postage stamp was also released in his memory. The event was attended by the Hon'ble Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Thiru. J.C.D. Prakasar, Hon'ble Minister for Rural Development and Water Resources Thiru. N. Anand, Hon'ble Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Thiru. Adav Arjuna, Hon'ble Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Dr. Ko.Ka. Arunraj, Hon'ble Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management Thiru. K.A. Sengottaiyan, Hon'ble Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Thiru. P. Sengodarajan, Hon'ble Minister for School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity Thiru. Rajmohan, Hon'ble Minister for Minorities Welfare Thiru. A.M. Shah Khan, Hon'ble Minister for Finance, Planning and Development Thiru. Santha Maria Wilson, Hon'ble Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Digital Services Dr. Ra. Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP Thiru. Praveen Chakravarthy, MLAs, Secretary, Tamil Development and Information Department Thiru. Pe. Ramaraman, IAS, Director of Information and Public Relations Dr. A. Arunthambu Raj, IAS, and senior government officials. Issued by: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9