Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai, popularly known as “Perarignar (Elder Brother) Anna,” was Chief Minister of Madras and Tamil Nadu for less than two years between 1967 and 1969, but arguably influenced the state’s politics more than any other Tamil politician before or since. He first came to prominence in British Madras as a member of the Justice Party and the social movement Dravidar Kazhagam, which was led by “Periyar” E.V. Ramaswamy. Periyar strove for caste equity through self-respect and the independence of southern India as Dravida Nadu. After Indian independence, Annadurai…
