Murasoli Maran extolled

Chennai, Aug 17 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Governor S S Barnala today paid glowing tributes to late Union Minister Murasoli Maran, describing him as a great thinker, even as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and his colleagues paid floral tributes on the occasion of the late leader's 73rd birth anniversary.

Addressing a programme organised by Sun Foundation here, the Governor said 'the late Mr Maran was a great thinker, a writer and an excellent Parliamentarian. He was a great ideologist and humanist who kept aloft the principles of the Dravidian movement.' 'State Autonomy' authored by Mr Maran was one of the best research books, which attracted the attention of political thinkers in Tamil Nadu and other states.

'The research work clearly explains that India can exist and function as a pluralistic society in the midst of social, lingual, cultural and traditional, ethnic and religious differences,' the Governor said.

Stating that Mr Maran led the developing countries to their first real success at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Mr Barnala said one could not easily forget his clear-sighted bargaining strategy in favour of India and other developing nations, while representing India in the WTO at Doha in 2001.

The Governor also congratulated Mr Kalanidhi Maran, son of Mr Maran for serving the nation with charity work. 'It is heartening to note that this Sun foundation is run by its own money and not by donations from outside sources,' he said.

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