Veteran Communist leader R. Nallakannu passed away on Wednesday at the age of 101 while undergoing treatment at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai. He breathed his last at 1:55 pm, hospital authorities said.
Nallakannu had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit on February 1 due to age-related ailments. According to an official statement from the hospital, his health fluctuated despite continuous monitoring and intensive care by a multidisciplinary medical team. His condition deteriorated on Wednesday morning and, despite sustained medical intervention, all vital organs eventually failed.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin announced that the veteran leader would be accorded full state honours. Paying tribute, Stalin described him as an uncompromising freedom fighter who believed Communist and Dravidian ideologies should work together for social progress. He recalled conferring the ‘Thagaisal Thamizhar’ award on Nallakannu and praised his lifelong dedication to the working class.
Former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had earlier honoured him with the Ambedkar Award.
In a message on social media, Stalin hailed Nallakannu as a steadfast leader who combined ideological conviction with humility and simplicity.
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Widely respected for his long public life and unwavering political commitment, Nallakannu was among the senior-most leaders of the Communist Party of India. Arrangements are being made to keep his body at the party’s headquarters in Thyagaraya Nagar, Chennai, to enable cadres, leaders and members of the public to pay their last respects.
Born on December 25, 1925, in Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi district, Nallakannu joined the CPI at the age of 18 after initially engaging with the Congress movement. He actively participated in the freedom struggle and later dedicated himself to championing the rights of farmers and labourers.
During British rule, when the Communist Party was banned, he was arrested and spent seven years in prison. After his release, he devoted his life to the welfare of the poor and marginalised.
Known for his simplicity and integrity, Nallakannu returned ₹1 crore collected during his 80th birthday celebrations to the party and donated prize money received from the Tamil Nadu government and other institutions to public causes. Although he contested elections, including the 1999 Lok Sabha polls from Coimbatore, he never secured an electoral victory but remained a widely respected mass leader throughout his life.
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