R. Nallakannu

R. Nallakannu
Secretary, CPI Tamil Nadu State Committee
In office
7 March 1992 – 15 April 2005
Preceded byP. Manickam
Succeeded byTha. Pandian
Personal details
Born(1924-12-26)26 December 1924
Tiruvaikuntam,
Tirunelveli district, Madras Presidency, British India
(now Srivaikuntam, Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India)
Died25 February 2026(2026-02-25) (aged 101)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Party Communist Party of India
SpouseRanjitham Ammal
Parents
  • Ramasamy (father)
  • Karuppayi Ammal (mother)
OccupationPolitician, social activist

Ramasamy Nallakannu (26 December 1924 – 25 February 2026) was an Indian politician. He was a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI), who served as the State Secretary of the Communist Party of India of Tamil Nadu from 1992 to 2005.[1]

Career

In 2018, Nallakannu individually fought a court case in Madurai, and won at the High Court. The court ordered a ban on digging sands from the Thamirabarani River of his native place. On 2 December 2010, the court banned the taking of sand from the river for 5 years.[2] He undertook many hunger strikes, some lasting more than 20 days. He was honoured by the Vice President of the People's Republic of China during his visit to Beijing.[3]

In 1999, Nallakannu stood for Coimbatore constituency on parliamentary election. He secured 43.21% of total votes, and was defeated by CP Radhakrishnan.[4]

Personal life and death

Nallakannu married Ranjitham Ammal, a retired school headmistress from Srivaikuntam in Tuticorin district, with whom he had two daughters. Ranjitham died in Chennai in 2016, aged 82.[5]

Nallakannu died from multiple organ failure on 25 February 2026, at the age of 101.[6][7]

Recognition

  • Sahayogi Puraskar Award from Governor Surjit Singh Barnala of Tamil Nadu (14 August 2007)[8]
  • Ambedkar Award for Contribution to Public Life (2007)[9]
  • Gandhian Award for Social Service from All India Mahatma Gandhi Social Welfare Forum (3 October 2008)[10]
  • Jeeva Award from District Writers Association (21 January 2009)[11]

Electoral history

Lok Sabha elections

Elections Assembly Constituency Political party Result Vote percentage Opposition
Candidate Political party Vote percentage
1999 13th Coimbatore CPI Lost 43.02% C. P. Radhakrishnan BJP 49.21%

Tamil Nadu Assembly elections

Elections Assembly Constituency Political party Result Vote percentage Opposition
Candidate Political party Vote percentage
1967 4th Ambasamudram CPI Lost 11.10% G. Gomathisankara Dikshidar INC 46.35%
1977 6th Ambasamudram CPI Lost 32.63% Eswaramoorthy Alias Soranam CPI(M) 35.33%

References

  1. ^ "Fronts and challenges". Hindu.com. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  2. ^ Thaamiraparani vazhakkil R.N.K;NCBH publication;January 2013;page 25
  3. ^ "Quaide Milleth Trust". www.quaidemillethtrust.com. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  4. ^ "STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1999 TO THE THIRTEENTH LOK SABHA" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  5. ^ Sivakumar, B. (1 December 2016). "CPI leader Nallakannu's wife Ranjitham dead". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  6. ^ "R. Nallakannu, veteran communist leader from Tamil Nadu, passes away". The Hindu. 25 February 2026. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  7. ^ Veteran CPI leader R. Nallakannu passes away at 101 following multi-organ failure in Chennai
  8. ^ "Tamil Nadu News : Gandhi represented vitality of Indian culture, history, says Barnala". The Hindu. 15 August 2007. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  9. ^ "Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Ambedkar Award for Nallakannu". The Hindu. 10 January 2008. Archived from the original on 13 January 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Tamil Nadu News : "Spread Gandhian ideals"". The Hindu. 4 October 2008. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Jeeva Award conferred on R. Nallakannu". The Hindu. 22 January 2009. Archived from the original on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2012.