Vai Balasundaram: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Indian politician}}

[[File:Pavalar vai.Balasundaram -apr 1970.jpg|45×35px|Center|left]]

'''Vai. Balasundaram''' (1942 – 6 December 2019)<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/ex-mayor-passes-away/article30233835.ece| title = Ex-Mayor passes away - The Hindu}} </ref> was an Indian politician who served as [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. He was [[Ambedkar Makkal IyakkamList of mayors of Chennai|Mayor of Chennai]] for the year 1969–70, and was elected to the [[Tamil Nadu legislative assembly]] as a [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] candidate from [[Acharapakkam (State Assembly Constituency)|Acharapakkam constituency]] in  [[1971 Tamil Nadu state assembly election|1971 election]].<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1971/StatReport_TN_71.pdf 1971 Tamil Nadu Election Results, Election Commission of India]</ref>

He was later described as a "veteran [[Dalit]] leader", and became President of the [[Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam]] (Ambedkar People's movement),<ref>{{cite web |author1=Muthurasa Kumar |title=How a Dalit Woman Used Education to Empower Herself and Those Around Her |url=https://thewire.in/caste/meet-the-dalit-woman-who-battled-all-odds-to-empower-with-education |website=The Wire |accessdate=5 June 2019 |date=8 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Demonstration seeking judicial probe |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/10/stories/2007011004350200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001045254/http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/10/stories/2007011004350200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 October 2007 |accessdate=5 June 2019 |website=[[The Hindu]] |date=10 January 2007}}</ref>

a [[political movement]] in [[Tamil Nadu]] working for the upliftment of Dalits.

Dr. Vai.Balasundaram entered in to the public life for the uplifitment of the dalit communities at the age of 20, became Mayor of Madras in 1969 and MLA of Tamil Nadu in 1971. After the 1975 emergency, Dr Balasundaram left his Dravidian party and realized his own autonomous space within the struggles of the Dalit community and formed "Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam" aka "Ambedkar People Movement' in 1977. After his demise Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam is led by '''Vai.Ramalingam''' as the President of the party and '''Siva Murugesan''' as the General Secretary of the party. Vai.Ba was instrumental in successful implementation of Nagarpalika in Tamil nadu with reservation to women and SC/STs and also played a key role in installation of numerous Ambedkar statues across the state. Balasundaram's outreach across political spectrum was seen when Ministers of Government of Tamil Nadu, Leader of Opposition of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, political leaders, and icons of dalit movements of the state paid homage to the veteran leader at his home.

== References ==

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