Muthuvel Karunanidhi, popularly known as M. Karunanidhi was the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi is considered to be one of the founder members and the president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He has been the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for five times from 1969-71, 1971-74, 1989-91, 1996-2001 and 2006-2011. M. Karunanidhi has been a key figure in Tamil Nadu politics for nearly five decades. He was also a screenwriter and a playwright inTamil movies. His supporters called him as "Kalaignar".

Early Life of M. Karunanidhi
On 3rd June 1924, Muthuvel Karunanidhi was born to Thiru Muthuvelar and Thirumathi Anjugam Ammaiyar at Thirukkuvalai near Tiruvarur. At the age of 14 years, he entered public life. He was deeply inspired listening to a speech by Alagiriswami of the Justice Party.

Political Career of M. Karunanidhi
Being inspired by Alagiriswami, in 1932 he participated in Anti-Hindi agitations. In long political career of Karunanidhi, he has been arrested several times fighting for public causes, including against price increase, Anti-Hindi Agitation, for Eelam Tamils and other political activities too. Karunanidhi led a struggle in a bid that was instrumental in the Kallakudi struggle to rename Dalmiapuram Railway Station.

Annadurai had a close association with Karunanidhi. When Annadurai left the Dravid Kazhagam Party, Karunanidhi came in. In 1957, Karunanidhi was first elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly and in the year 1961 he became the DMK Treasurer. He became the deputy leader of opposition in 1962 and in 1967, when the DMK came to power; he became the Minister for Public works. After Annadurai died in 1969, Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister. Since then there was no looking back.

M. Karunanidhi has served as the Member of Legislative Assembly Council for more than 40 years. M Karunanidhi won in all contested Assembly Elections from 1957 to 2006. He has been the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly from 1977 to 83. In the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections, Karunanidhi led the UPA in Tamil Nadu to win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats.

M. Karunanidhi as a Writer
M. Karunanidhi has contributed a lot in Tamil literature. The contribution ranges from poem, letters, screenplays, novels, biographies, historic novels, stage plays, dialogues, songs, etc. He also had close associations with the Tamil film industry. As a scriptwriter he did started his career and went to work for Jupiter Pictures as a script writer at the age of 20. His first film "Rajakumari", gained him much popularity. It was here that his skills as a script writer were honed. He wrote more than 70 screenplays.

M. Karunanidhi as a Publisher
In 1942, he founded "Murasoli", which initially was a monthly publication, then it became weekly, and now it has become a daily publication. Using his talents as a journalist and cartoonist, he bought the issues relevant to his political ideology before the public. M. Karunanidhi wrote daily letters addressing his party workers for over 50 years. He also served as the Editor for "Kudiyarasu" and gave life to journal "Mutharam". He is also the founder of the State Governments News Reel, "Arasu Studio".

Awards and Achievements of M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi has achieved great heights throughout his political and literary career and has also received a number of awards like the "Raja Rajan Award" by Tamil University, Thanjavur for his book "Thenpandi Singam". Annamalai University also awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in 1971. His Excellency, the Governor of Tamil Nadu and the Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University, Thiru Surjit Singh Barnala conferred an honorary doctorate on 15th December 2006, to the Chief Minister on the occasion of the 40th Annual Convocation. In 2007, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham awarded the chief minister M. Karunanidhi with the honour of "Yaaraan-E-Millath" in recognition of his yeoman services for the welfare of the Muslims.

Personal Life of M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi had three wives; Mrs. Padmavathy, Mrs. Dayalu Ammal and Mrs. Rajathiammal. His sons are M.K. Stalin, M.K. Azhagiri, M.K. Muthu, M.K. Tamilarasu and daughters are Selvi and Kanimozhi. Kanimozhi is a Tamil poet and a Rajya Sabha Member.

Death of M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi passed away at the age of 94 on August 7, 2018, at Kauvery Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu after prolonged, age-related illness. The 94-year-old leader was admitted to Kauvery Hospital on July 28 after he contracted urinary tract infection and developed a high fever.

M. Karunanidhi was a mass leader and a senior most leader of India. He was a great orator as well as administrator, play-writer, editor, publisher, author, parliamentarian, great poet and a great Statesman too.