DMK founder C.N. Annadurai never felt threatened by second-line leadership of the party and his letters to his “younger brothers” — Thambikku Kaditham — make an illuminating reading, said A.R. Venkatachalapathy, professor, Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS).

During a conversation with former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on ‘Bharathi and other Tamil characters’ at The Hindu Lit for Life in Chennai, Mr. Venkatachalapathy recalled Annadurai’s invitation to V.R. Nedunchezhian, “Thambi Vaa, Thalamai erka vaa (Come Brother, don the mantle of leadership)” as a case in point.

Another example he cited was the way he dealt with E.V.K. Sampath, who raised a banner of revolt against his leadership.

“Sampath did not attribute any motive to Annadurai. Anna sought to defuse the tension by inviting him to watch a movie together and Sampath himself had recorded it. Maturity was at display while responding to criticism,” he said.

Appreciating Mr. Venkatachalapathy’s handling of Tamil characters, Mr. Gandhi said though there was “affection and affiliation,” he had maintained “veracity and integrity.”

Mr. Venkatachalapathy said while a historian had to maintain a distance from his subject, it was very difficult for him to analyse contemporary characters like DMK leader Karunanidhi and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, since he had lived through the times.

Mr. Gandhi quoted from Mr. Venkatachalapathy’s book, Tamil Characters: Personalities, Politics, Culture, which read: “Anna, MGR and Jayalalithaa left no heirs, and history will judge them on their own terms. It is unlikely that Karunanidhi will have the privilege. The post-Anna phase of Tamil politics will have Karunanidhi’s name indelibly etched on it. But Karunanidhi’s name will have those of his heirs, immediate and distant, scribbled all over it.”

On Chettiyar

The conversation also touched upon Avinasilingam Chettiyar, a cabinet colleague of Kamaraj, who played a pivotal role in nationalising the works of national poet Subramania Bharathi.

Mr. Venkatachalapathy said Chettiyar was instrumental in creating the first encyclopaedia in an Indian language and raising the salary of Tamil teachers on a par with other teachers.

“But he was self-effacing to a fault that he dismissed the achievements in just one line in his autobiography, saying the Congress government did it,” Mr. Venkatachalapathy said.