Vai Balasundaram

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Vai.balasundaram.jpg

Vai. Balasundaram (13 April 1942 – 6 December 2019)[1] was an Indian politician who served as Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. He was 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 constituency in 1971 election.[2]

He was later described as a "veteran Dalit leader", and became President of the Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam (Ambedkar People's movement),[3][4] a political movement in Tamil Nadu working for the upliftment of SC/ST.

Dr. Vai. Balasundaram popularly known as "Father of SC/ST Movements of South India".He entered into the public life for the upliftment of the deprived communities at the age of 20, became Mayor of Madras in 1969 at the age of 24 and served as MLA of Tamil Nadu in 1971-77.

After the 1975 emergency, Dr Vai. Balasundaram left his Dravidian party and realized his own autonomous space within the struggles of the underprivileged communities and formed ‘Ambedkar People Movement’ in 1977 in ceremony held at Rajaji Hall, Chennai, in the esteemed presence of Mr. Prabhudas Patwari, Hon’ble then Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Notably, Dr Vai. Balasundaram was instrumental in implementation of ‘Nagarpalika Act’ in the whole country with reservation to women and SC/STs; since then he has been remembered for SC/ST’s reservation in local bodies in the country, while Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is already known for that in legislative bodies.

He also played a key role in installation of numerous Ambedkar statues across the state. His 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 disadvantaged section movements of the state paid homage to the veteran leader at his home on 6 December 2019[5].

Hon'ble former Chief Minister Ms. J.Jayalalitha felicitated Vai.Ba with Ambedkar Award in 2001

Received Honorary Doctorate by Arizona State University, USA in 1985

References[edit]

  1. "Ex-Mayor passes away". The Hindu. 7 December 2019.
  2. 1971 Tamil Nadu Election Results, Election Commission of India
  3. Muthurasa Kumar (8 April 2018). "How a Dalit Woman Used Education to Empower Herself and Those Around Her". The Wire. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  4. "Demonstration seeking judicial probe". The Hindu. 10 January 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  5. "காலச்சுவடு | நெடுவழி விளக்குகள்". www.kalachuvadu.com. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
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