Murasoli Maran

Murasoli Maran
Personal details
Born	August 17, 1934(1934-08-17) Thirukkuvalai, Tamil Nadu
Died	November 23, 2003(2003-11-23) (aged 69) Chennai
Political party	DMK
Spouse(s)	Mallika Maran
Children	Kalanidhi Maran
Residence	Chennai
Religion	Hindu
As of November 23, 2003 Source: [1]

Murasoli Maran (Tamil: முரசொலி மாறன்) (August 17, 1934- November 23, 2003) was a prominent Tamil politician in India, and an important leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party which is headed by his maternal uncle and mentor, M. Karunanidhi. A Member of Parliament for 36 years, he was made a Union Minister in three separate central governments, in charge of Urban Development in the V.P. Singh government, Industry in the Gowda and Gujral governments, and finally Commerce and Industry under Vajpayee.^[1] Apart from being a politician, Maran was a journalist and scriptwriter for films too.^[2]

Early life

Murasoli Maran born on August 16, 1934 was son of Shanmuga Sundaram. He was born at Thirukkuvalai Village Thiruvarur-At Panneerselvam in Tamil Nadu. After completing his basic education in his hometown he headed to Madras to get a Master's degree in Arts (M.A) from Pachaiyappa's College and Law College, Madras. Before joining politics Mr. Maran worked as a Journalist and later served as a social worker. Since his student life at Madras he was closely associated with the DMK. On 15 September 1963 he married Mallika and has two sons and a daughter. His younger son Dayanidhi Maran is a (Union Minister) and his elder son Kalanithi Maran heads and owns the popular TV Network Sun TV. His daughter Anbukarasi Maran is a Cardiologist.

He was very vocal against Hindi being introduced in Tamil Nadu and for this he was arrested in 1965 during anti-Hindi agitations for his articles. He was detained for a year under Maintenance of Internal Security Act during emergency .^[3]

Career as Journalist

Murasoli Maran edited a daily newspaper in Tamil Murasoli published from Chennai. He was also an editor of The Rising Sun, a weekly in English. The Rising Sun can be accessed at www.therisingsun.in. He published Kunguman, Muththaram, Vannathirai and Sumangali in Tamil language.

Films

Murasoli Maran provided screen play and dialogues for more than twenty films in Tamil. He has produced five and directed two films in Tamil

The Sangeet Natak Academy conferred the title Kalai-Mamani in 1975. He was awarded the President's Certificate of Merit and Tamil Nadu Government Award for three best feature films.

Major contribution in Doha

One of the major contributions by Maran was the consolidation of all developing nations into a single front in Doha rounds of WTO to stand up against G7 developed nations imposition of WTO rules. These WTO rules were meant to benefit the developed countries and further impoverish developing nations. Maran successfully and forcefully built a single united front of developing nations and successfully prevented the G7 from imposing any conditions.^{[citation needed]}

Positions held

• 1967: Elected to Lok Sabha
• 1971: Re-elected to Lok Sabha
• 1977-1995: Member, Rajya Sabha
• 1977-1995: As a Member of Rajya Sabha he was on The Committee on Public Undertakings for three terms as a Member
• 1980-1982: Member, General Purposes Committee
• 1980-1982 and 1991-1995: Member, Public Accounts Committee
• 1982-1983 and 1987-1988: Member, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
• 1988-1989: Member, Committee on Subordinate Legislation
• 1989-1990: Union Cabinet Minister, Urban Development
• 1992-1993: Member, Joint Parliamentary Committee to enquire into irregularities in the securities and banking transactions
• 1996: Elected to Lok Sabha (Eleventh) for the third time
• 1996-1998: Union Cabinet Minister, Industry
• 1998: Elected to Lok Sabha (Twelfth) for the fourth time
• 1999: Elected to Lok Sabha (Thirteenth) for the fifth time
• 1999-2002: Union Cabinet Minister, Industry

As a Member of Parliament his qualification would read as M.A., M.P. The MA was his Arts degree at the Pachayappas Collage. The MP signified his being the Member of Parliament.

Death

Murasoli Maran died on November 23, 2003 at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. He was in coma for many weeks. Before treatment at Apollo Hospital, on November 14, 2002, he was admitted to the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, for ailments related to heart (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy=HTCM=HCM) and kidney. At the time of his death he was a Cabinet Minister, Government of India, without any portfolio.^[4] Prime Minister Vajpayee, and an array of leaders attended his funeral in Chennai.

See also

• Political Families of India
• Political Families of The World

References

1. ^ "An Obituary titled 'A man of many parts' by T. S. Subramanian for Frontline Magazine". http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2025/stories/20031219003709700.htm. Retrieved 2006-09-09. 
2. ^ "Editorial from the Hindu newspaper on 25'th November, 2003". http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/11/25/stories/2003112500951000.htm. Retrieved 2006-09-09. 
3. ^ Minister Profile
4. ^ Murasoli Maran dies after prolonged illness

External links

• [www.therisingsun.in The Rising Sun]

Persondata
Name	Maran, Murasoli
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	August 17, 1934
Place of birth	Thirukkuvalai, Tamil Nadu
Date of death	November 23, 2003
Place of death	Chennai