M. G. Ramachandran

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Maruthur Gopala Ramachandran Menon
Puratchi Thalaivar, (Tamil: Revolutionary Leader),
Born	January 17, 1917(1917-01-17) Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka
Died	December 24, 1987 (aged 70) Tamil Nadu
Occupation	Actor, Politician
Spouse	Thangamani, Sathanandavathi & V.N.Janaki
Children	None

In this Indian name, the name "Maruthur Gopala" is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, "Ramachandran". The abbreviations "s/o" or "d/o", if used, mean "son of" or "daughter of" respectively.

Maruthur Gopala Ramachandran Menon (Tamil: மருதூர் கோபால இராமச்சந்திரன்) (January 17, 1917–December 24, 1987), popularly known as MGR (Tamil: எம்.ஜி.ஆர்), or Puratchi Thalaivar (Tamil: Revolutionary Leader), was a leading actor in Tamil films and Chief Minister of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death.

[edit] Early life

MGR was born in Hewaheta near Kandy, Sri Lanka, to Maruthur Gopala Menon and Satyabhama. His family was originally from Palakkad, Kerala, but his grandfather had migrated with his family to Sri Lanka.^[1][2]

After his father's death, he could not pursue his studies beyond the primary stage due to poverty and joined a drama troupe called Original Boys. Gaining considerable experience on stage, he entered the world of cinema, and gradually rose to enviable positions by persistent efforts and endurance. He became an actor, with a huge mass appeal. He was also a very good director and producer, and was also known to be an expert movie editor. MGR married Bargavi also known as Thangamani a villager who died early due to illness. He later married Sathanandavathi who also died soon due to Tuberculosis. His third wife was V.N.Janaki, a former actress. She divorced her husband Ganapati Bhat, to marry him. He did not have any biological children, only a stepson from V.N Janaki's prior marraige to Ganapati Bhat, his name is Janaki Surendran.^[3]

Temple built for MGR's Mother by MGR. MGR considered his mother as his God and role model.

[edit] Tamil cinema

Making his film debut in 1935, in the film Sati Leelavathi^[4], directed by Ellis Dungan, an American born film director [2], MGR did not attain great popularity until he got his big breakthrough in the 1947 film Rajakumari which was a super hit making him a top hero in Kollywood and one of the most successful in Indian Cinema history, the script for Rajakumari was written by Karunanidhi. He rose to stardom by playing characters that portrayed him as the saviour of the poor. His movies were the medium of communication for the Dravidian movement. For the next twenty-five years he remained one of the biggest celebrity in Tamil cinema and one of the most famous and worshiped man in Tamil nadu. Movies like Madurai Veeran, a champion of the Tamil Devars. His star power did not diminish even after he was shot by fellow actor M. R. Radha (Mohan R. Radha), affecting his ability to speak clearly. Even then he undauntedly carried on only to give box-office hit after hits, later paving way for his entry into politics. He won the national award in the best actor category for the film Rickshakaran His Movie "Nadodi Mannan" (produced & directed by MGR and first released in 1956) released in 2006 ran house full shows in Tamil Nadu for 14 weeks. ^[5]

[edit] Political career

MGR with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

MGR was a member of the Congress Party till 1953 and he used to wear kathar and wear vibhuti on his forehead. In 1953 MGR joined the DMK. He became a vocal Tamil and Dravidian nationalist and prominent member of the DMK (Dravidian Progressive Federation). He added glamour to the Dravidian movement which was sweeping Tamil Nadu. He became a member of the state Legislative Council in 1962. He was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1967. After the death of his mentor, Annadurai, MGR became the treasurer of DMK in 1969 after Karunanidhi became the chief minister.

In 1967, he was shot in the neck by fellow actor and political aspirant M.R. Radha. The bullet was permanently lodged in his neck and his voice damaged. He wanted the financial details of the party to be publicised which enraged the leadership of DMK and in 1972, MGR was expelled from the party. MGR then floated a new party named Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) which was later renamed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the only powerful opponent of the DMK. He became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1977, and remained in office till his death in 1987. In 1979, Members of his party Satyavani Muthu and Aravinda Bala Pajanor, became the first dravidian and non-congress party from Tamil Nadu to become ministers in the Union Cabinet. It is to be noted that the AIADMK won every state assembly election as long as MGR was alive. He was the first film actor to be a Chief Minister in India.

[edit] Chief Ministership

MGR

MGR placed great emphasis on social development, especially education. One of MGR's most successful policies was the re-introduction of the "Mid-day Meal Scheme" in the Government-run and aided schools in Tamil Nadu, which encouraged underprivileged children to attend schools.

He founded the Tamil University, The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University and the Women's University in Tamil Nadu.

[edit] Death

MGR's Tomb on the Marina

In October 1984, MGR was diagnosed with kidney failure and was rushed to the U.S. for treatment,and his neice M.G.C.Leelavathy donated kidney to him. Mass hysteria gripped Tamil Nadu and over 100 people attempted self-immolation. MGR died December 24, 1987 after his prolonged illness. His death sparked off an inexplicable frenzy of looting and rioting all over the state of Tamil Nadu. Shops, movie theaters, buses and other public and private property became the target of wanton violence let loose all over the state. The situation became so hopeless that the police had to resort issuing shoot-at-sight orders, something seldom seen or heard of in democratic India.^{[citation needed]} The violence during the funeral alone left 29 people dead and 47 police personnel badly wounded. [3],[4] This state of affairs continued for almost a month all over the state of Tamil Nadu, bringing normal life to a grinding halt and causing untold misery to millions. Around one million[5] persons followed his remains, around 30 followers committed suicide and lakhs of people had their heads tonsured. Some people in southern region of Tamil nadu still worship him as god. After his death, his political party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, split between his wife Janaki Ramachandran and his political protégé, J. Jayalalitha and later merged in 1988. In 1989 Dr. MGR Home & Higher Secondary School for the Speech & Hearing Impaired was established in the erstwhile Ramavaram Gardens Residence as per his will dated 17 January 1986.

[edit] Awards

The Bharat Ratna Citation, the certificate conferred to MGR. Critics wonder if MGR would have accepted it as - it has citation written in Hindi

• MGR was nominated for Padmashree award from the Government of India but MGR refused to accept as the wording was in Hindi in 1960
• National Award for the Best Actor for the film Rickshakaran in 1972
• Bharat Ratna was conferred by the Government of India posthumously.
  

  

  MGR with Grandson Kumar Rajendran

[edit] Doctorate received from

• University of Madras
• The World University (Arizona)

[edit] Social Work and Charity

MGR was always the first to personally offer relief in disasters and calamities like fire, flood, drought, and cyclones, he was the first donor during the war with China in 1962, donating Rs. 75,000 to the war fund. He was the founder and editor of THAI weekly magazine and ANNA daily newspaper in Tamil. He was the owner of Sathya Studios and Emgeeyar Pictures which produced many of the films he acted in. He also founded the MGR Schools in Kodambakkam giving free education and food for the film workers children in 1953. He was the president of Nadigar Sangam - South India Film Artists Association for four terms. He willed all his property for the welfare of the poor and hearing impaired people of Tamil Nadu.

[edit] MGR's filmography

[edit] Produced movies

• 1958 - Nadodi Mannan - Directed by MGR, a movie that seeded a change in Tamilnadu’s political history
• 1969 - Adimai Pen - unusual plot set in a fictional medieval European kingdom
• 1973 - Ulagam Sutrum Valiban - MGR's second venture as Director, Shot mostly in Foreign location

[edit] Notes

1. ^ MGR
2. ^ L. R., Jegatheesan. "ஆளும் அரிதாரம்", BBC. Retrieved on 2006-11-08. (Tamil) 
3. ^ Tamil magazine Tamil news,poem,story,movie & song reviews
4. ^ M. G. Ramachandran Summary
5. ^ [1]

[edit] References

• M.G. Ramchandran: Jewel of the Masses
• The Hindu - Politics and Suicides in TN

[edit] External links

• வள்ளல் எம்.ஜி. ஆர். வாழ்க்கை வரலாறு
• 'கண்டிக் கர்ணன்' எம்.ஜி.ஆர் - யாழ் சுதாகர்
• மக்கள் திலகம் எம்.ஜி.ஆர் நடித்த பாடல் காட்சிகளில் இருந்து எடுக்கப்பட்ட வசீகரமான புகைப் படங்களின் தொகுப்பு
• Website Dedicated to Puratchithalaivar Dr MGR
• MGR - One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century
• A Chronicle about Tamil Heroes
• M.G. Ramachandran at the Internet Movie Database

Dravidian political parties
Dravidian movement  · Periyar E. V. Ramasamy  · Anti-Hindi agitations
Former Dravidian parties Justice party · Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani  · Thayga Marumalarchi Kazhagam
Contemporary Dravidian parties Dravidar Kazhagam  · Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam  · All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam  · Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam  · Pattali Makkal Katchi  · Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam  · All India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam  · more
Chief Ministers from Dravidian parties C. N. Annadurai · V. R. Nedunchezhiyan  · M. Karunanidhi · M. G. Ramachandran · Janaki Ramachandran · J. Jayalalithaa · O. Panneerselvam This box: view • talk • edit