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Veteran Kisan Leader,CPI(M)’s K Varadarajan Passes Away in Karur

Neelambaran A |
KV,who quit government service to join the party, led various farmer struggles in Lalgudi, Thiruverumbur and Jayankondamin Tamil Nadu.
K Varadarajan Passes Away in Karur

File Photo.

Chennai: Veteran kisan leader and former general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha, K Varadarajan, 73, passed away on Saturday in Karur, Tamil Nadu. He is survived by a son and daughter. His wife passed away six years ago.

A former member of the polit bureau and central secretariat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Varadarajan or KV, as he was known among his comrades, was an able organiser, committed communist and an easily accessible person.

Born in a traditional family in Srirangam, Trichy district, KVwas a diploma holder in civil engineering. He quit government service to be a full time worker of the CPI(M) in 1968. As a farmer leader, he led successful struggles in Lalgudi, Thiruverumbur and Jayankondam areas in Tamil Nadu.

After being elected as general secretary of All India KisanSabha, KV moved to Delhi and was subsequently elected to the party’s central committee and polit bureau. From 1998 to 2015, he played a crucial role in building a joint platform of kisan organisations when the agrarian crisis was at its peak.

KV was also instrumental in bringing into existence the Dalit Soshan Mukthi Manch (DSMM).

“A great organiser, planner, disciplined communist and a team builder”, said CPI(M) leader T K Rangarajan, recalling that “during the Emergency, KV carried out party work assigned to him while remaining underground for two years. He never projected himself during his tenure as secretary of CPI(M)’sTrichy district committee and encouraged youth to occupy higher positions (in the party)”.

“I have lost a good comrade who maintained a good relationship with party cadres, young and old. We, including KV, were fortunate to work under leaders, such as P Umanath, AnandanNambiar,; P Ramachandran and PappaUmanath, who hailed from Trichy”, Rangarajan added.

A good writer and singer, a fact not known by many in CPI(M) circles, KV has written many songs for the political campaign of the party. He was fluent in Tamil, Malayalam, English, Sanskrit and Hindi.

CPI(M) leader and central committee member A K Padmanabhan recalled: “After joining government service, KV got in touch with party leaders. He decided to quit the service and became a full time party worker. He inspired many youth to join the party ever since he became secretary of the party’s Trichy district committee

Varadarajan’s entire family is associated with the CPI(M), including the next generation. His elder brother, K Lakshmanan, was a leader of All India Insurance Employees Association and has translated many works into Tamil. K Anantharajan, his younger brother, worked as general manager of the Trichy edition of Theekkathir, the daily organ of Tamil Nadu CPI(M).;

Of late, KV was staying in the Tamil Nadu state committee office of the party in Chennai after being relieved from central responsibilities of AIKS. He regularly interacted and guided his younger comrades and was popular among all for his sense of humour and easy socialising with people from all age groups.

The veteran CPI(M) leader’s last rites will be performed at his ancestral home in Sri rangam on May 17.

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