Today is the 108th birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C.N.Annadurai. He is fondly remembered by his cadre and the people as 'Anna' (Elder Brother) or 'Arignar Anna'.

Anna was born in Kancheepuram in the year 1909 in a middle class family. He joined the Justice Party in 1935 when Periyar E.V.Ramasamy was its President. He was drawn towards the ideals of Periyar and remained  one of the strong leaders of the Dravidian Movement founded by Periyar. Over  difference of opinion on various issues, including the decision to take part in electoral politics, Anna parted ways with Periyar and started the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the year 1949. But the party still considers Periyar as its ideological mentor. 

In 1967 elections the DMK achieved an emphatic victory and Annadurai became the first first Chief Minister to have emerged from the Dravidian Movement. However it was the ill fate of Tamil Nadu that the leader considered as an epitome of democratic values, tireless hard work for people and a strong voice for federalism passed away within two years after assuming power to rule the state.  

After Anna's death, Karunanidhi became the CM and he continued the good deeds and social welfare schemes propounded by the party's founder. On the other hand MGR was so devoted to Anna that he spread the latter's ideals in his films and also started his party with the leader's name (Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam). When MGR flouted ADMK in 1972, he said 'Annaism' will be the ideology of his party. 

Late Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha who entered politics more than a decade after the death of Anna, continued to rule the nation in his footsteps. Both Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha have introduced so many social welfare schemes that has benefited crores of downtrodden people of Tamil Nadu and they could do this mainly because they were inspired by Anna to always think and work for the economically weaker sections of the society. 

Anna is easily one of the greatest politicians of Independent India and an exemplary leader of Tamil Nadu. He was a torchbearer of democracy and federalism the two founding principles of Indian constitution. He played a solid role in stopping the imposition of Hindi on non-Hindi states by making it as the sole official language of India. He was the main reason why Tamil Nadu till date remains a land where the state's rights guaranteed by the constitution cannot be easily breached by people ruling at the centre. 

Anna was also a decent and dignified politician. His opposition to political opponents was limited to politics and he never personally ill-treated or disrespected the members of other parties. Though his political fight was against the Congress party he had great respect for the First Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former TN Chief Ministers C.Rajagopalachari and  K.Kamaraj. Anna's proficiency in English language is internationally acclaimed. He has edited English as well as Tamil Newspapers to spread the Dravidian ideals. 

Five Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu have emerged from Tamil cinema and Anna is one among them. He wrote story and dialogues for stage plays and Tamil films such as 'Nallathambi', 'Velaikakri', 'Or Iravu', 'Rangoon Radha' and a few others. He also acted in some stage plays. 

IndiaGlitz is proud to remember the great leader of Tamil Nadu whose contributions are imperative to uphold the democratic fabric and federal structure of India.