Murasoli Maran

Murasoli Maran was an Indian Politician and a prominent leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) party, which was headed by his maternal uncle and Mentor, M Karunanidhi. Apart from being a politician, he was also a journalist and scriptwriter for films. He was born on 17 August 1936 in Thirukuvalai Thiruvurur in Tamil Nadu. He completed his primary education in his hometown only. He moved to Madras and got a master’s degree in Arts (M.A) from Pachaiyappa’s College. He married Malika on 15 September 1963, and they had two sons, and a daughter. His elder son, Kalanithi Maran Kalanithi Maran is a famous tycoon in the world of >> Read More... , heads a popular TV network, Sun TV, and his younger son, Dayanidhi Maran, was an MP. His daughter, Anbukarasi Maran, is a Cardiologist.

As a journalist, he edited a daily newspaper in Tamil named Murasoli. He was also an editor of the weekly The Rising Sun. He published magazines named Kunguman, Muththaram, Vannathirai, and Sumangali in the Tamil language. He also served as a social worker. He was very vocal against Hindi being used in Tamil Nadu. In 1965, during Anti-Hindi Agitations, he was arrested for his articles. He was also detained for a year during an emergency under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act.   He was a Producer, Director, and a Writer of different films. He was writer of the different Tamil-Language movies such as Kula Dheivam (1957), Anbu Engey (1958), Sahodhari (1959), and many more. He was a Producer of the movie Pillaiyo Pillai, Marakka Mudiyamaa. He also directed the film Marakka Mudiyamma. He was awarded with the President’s Certificate of Merit and the Tamil Nadu Government Award for the best three feature films.

Maran served as a Member of Parliament for 36 years. He was also made Union minister in Three separate central governments. In 1999, he was elected to the thirteenth Lok Sabha for the Fifth time. He served as a member of various committees of Parliament during his tenures, such as the Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Subordinate Legislation, and Committee on the Welfare of SCs and STs. He was in charge of the Urban ministry under the V.P. Singh government, Industry under the Gowda and Gujral Government, and Commerce and Finance under the Vajpayee Government. He died on 23 November 2003, aged 63, at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. At the time of his death, he was Cabinet Minister, Government of India. Then, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and various leaders attended his funeral in Chennai.