R. Nallakannu

Born on 26 December 1924, in Srivaikuntam, Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, R. Nallakannu was the third of ten children to his parents, Ramasamy and Karupai. Although born into an affluent agricultural family, he was drawn to public service from a young age. His activism began in the 1930s during the Harvey Mills strike, where he helped distribute rice to striking workers' families. At the age of twelve, he was already campaigning for the Indian National Congress in the 1937 provincial polls.

Influenced by socialist writings and his teachers, he became a communist and joined the Communist Party of India at the age of seventeen in 1943. He worked for Janashakti, the CPI's party organ, but preferred grassroots work with farmers, becoming instrumental in building farmers' unions across the state.

During a period when the Communist Party was banned in independent India, Nallakannu was arrested on 20 December 1949, and implicated in the Nellai Conspiracy Case. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and endured severe torture, including having his moustache burned with cigarettes. He was released in 1956 after serving seven years in Madurai Central Prison.

He married Ranjitham Ammal on 5 June 1958. His marriage was inter-religious, reflecting his lifelong advocacy for inter-caste and inter-religious unions and his fight against caste oppression. His wife, a retired government teacher and headmistress, took care of the family financially as Nallakannu remained a full-time party worker with a minimal allowance.

Throughout his career, Nallakannu has championed various social causes. He led the CPI's Odukkapattor Vazhvurimai Iyakkam (Oppressed People's Movement for Right to Live) and undertook a padayatra to restore peace during caste riots in southern Tamil Nadu, even after his father-in-law was murdered during the unrest. His efforts also led to a court ban on sand mining in the Thamirabarani River. He served as the State Secretary of the Communist Party of India in Tamil Nadu for thirteen years from 1992 to 2005. Nallakannu is also a prolific writer, with more than ten books to his credit. His life is marked by extraordinary austerity; he famously returned cash awards, including ₹1 crore collected for his eightieth birthday and the ₹15 lakh prize from the 'Thagaisaal Tamilar' award, donating them back to the party or public relief funds. He consistently lived in rented accommodations, embodying his ideology of selflessness and dedication to the common good.