V. R. Nedunchezhiyan

Nedunchezhiyan was born at Thirukannapuram on 11 July 1920. He graduated with a master's degree and a doctorate in Tamil literature from Annamalai University. He became involved in politics while at the university and joined the Dravidar Kazhagam party in 1944. In 1949, C. N. Annadurai formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and Nedunchezhiyen joined the party, acting as deputy general secretary until 1955. He was general secretary between 1955 and 1960 and then chairman of the party's general council until 1969. Nedunchezhiyan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu in 1962. In 1967, he became the Minister of Education when the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam took power. He was briefly acting Chief Minister for the state following C. N. Annadurai's death in 1969, taking the role until M. Karunanidhi was appointed.He then continued as a cabinet minister in the Karunanidhi cabinet until the DMK government was dissolved in 1976. Together with K. Rajaram, Nedunchezhiyan left the DMK to form a new political party called the Makkal Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, but it did not last long. The party merged with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which was in power by then, in 1978 and from 1980 Nedunchezhiyan served as a Minister of Finance under the leadership of AIADMK's M. G. Ramachandran, until 1987. Nedunchezhiyan was a deputy general secretary of the AIADMK from 1977 and 1989, and became a general secretary in 1989. He became acting Chief Minister in 1988 when Ramachandran died. Nedunchezhiyan briefly aligned himself with the J. Jayalalithaa-led faction within the AIADMK but was expelled from the party in 1988 after disputes with its leaders. He contested the 1989 state elections and later that year rejoined the party fold after Jayalalithaa had successfully reunified it. He then served as Minister of Finance again between 1991 and 1996. Later, he served as General Council Leader Of the AIADMK from 1996 until his death. ==Personal life==

He married his wife, Visalakshi (died 2016) (AIADMK Spokesperson), in 1950, and they had one son. Indian tennis player Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan is his grandson. == Death ==

He died of heart failure at Apollo Hospital on 12 January 2000. Nedunchezhiyan's body was cremated at Besant Nagar cemetery. == In popular culture ==

The character Madhivanan, played by Rajesh, in the 1997 film Iruvar is loosely based on Nedunchezhiyan. ==Books published==

Nedunchezhiyan was a prolific writer in Tamil literature, authoring numerous books and booklets on politics, culture, and social issues. His notable works include: Political and Social Commentary • Mozhi Poraattam (Language Struggle) (1948) - A book on the anti-Hindi agitation • History of the Dravidian Movement (Part I) (1996) • War of Social Justice (1996) Literary and Cultural Works • Ezhuchi Murasu (Rising Drum) • Puthiya Paathai (New Path) • Purananooru Katchikal (Scenes from Purananooru) • Kalithohai Kanda Kathal Kaatchigal (Love scenes from Kalithohai) • Thirukkural - Novel Clarification (1991) - A commentary on the classic Tamil text Thirukkural Historical and Philosophical Works • Pandaiya Greykkam (Ancient Greece) (1953) - Inspired by the social and political conditions of ancient Greece • Religion and Superstition (1955) Biographies • Biography of Revolutionary Bharatidasan (1994) • Vadakkalathur Raja Gopalanar Biography (1991) Autobiography • Vaazhvil Naan Kandathum Kettathum (What I Saw and Heard in Life) (2000) - His autobiography Nedunchezhiyan also ran a Tamil journal called Mandram with his younger sibling Chezhiyan during his early career. His works contributed significantly to Tamil literature and the intellectual discourse of the Dravidian movement. ==Electoral career==

Legislative Assembly Elections Contested == See also ==