Congress veteran Kumari Ananthan, crusader for use of Tamil in Parliament passes away at 92

Chennai: Veteran Congress leader Kumari Ananthan, a Gandhian and renowned orator whose deep love for Tamil led him to successfully fight for the right to address Parliament in his mother tongue, passed away here on Wednesday due to age-related illness.

He was 92 and is survived by a son and four daughters, including Tamilisai Soundararajan, a senior BJP leader and former Telangana Governor. Ananthan, who is also the elder brother of late entrepreneur and politician H Vasanthakumar of Vasanth and Co, breathed his last at around 12.15 am.

With an unblemished political career, Kumari Ananthan was one of the last veterans closely associated with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, having joined the Congress in 1954. He was then associated with Congress (O) and joined the Janata Party, besides twice breaking away from the Congress to form his own outfits only to merge them back into the parent party eventually.

His passion for Tamil shone through in his exceptional oratory skills, dedicating his life to celebrating the glory of one of the world’s oldest languages.

A committed Gandhian, Ananthan undertook numerous padayatras across Tamil Nadu over seven decades of public life, advocating for total prohibition. Born in the Kanyakumari district, he added "Kumari" to his name to express his deep connection to his birthplace.

Elected to the Lok Sabha in 1977 from the Nagercoil constituency (now Kanyakumari), he fought for and secured the right to speak in Tamil in Parliament.

Ananthan also served as Tamil Nadu Congress chief from 1995 to 1997, a period marked by a vertical split in the party. This followed then-Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s decision to ally with the AIADMK for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls, prompting G K Moopanar to leave and form the Tamil Maanila Congress.

Despite resignations from leaders like P. Chidambaram and M. Arunachalam from Rao’s cabinet, Ananthan stood by the Congress and supported the AIADMK alliance, earning condemnation from some party members.

An accomplished orator, Ananthan was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly four times—in 1980, 1984, 1989, and 1991—representing Tiruvottiyur and Sathankulam. Known for his simple lifestyle, he consistently sought treatment at government hospitals throughout much of his life.

In recognition of his contributions to the Tamil language and Tamil Nadu, the DMK government honoured him in August 2024 with the "Thagaisal Tamizhar" (Eminent Tamil) award, accompanied by a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.

Chief Minister M K Stalin, who condoled Ananthan’s death, announced that the late Congress leader will be cremated with state honours.