The Man of Steel:

Date of Birth : 01-03-1953 Parents : Dr. Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi - Dhayalu Ammayar Education : Bachelor of Arts (Political Science)

The leader of the Dravidian movement Periyar E.V.Ramaswamy was greatly fascinated by the communist ideals after his visit to the Soviet Union. It soon caught on in Tamil Nadu and people started naming their children after the great leaders of the Soviet Union. The most popular were Lenin and Stalin and the communism wave even led to children, being named after Moscow and Russia. Consequently, the leader of the DMK party Dr.Kalaignar bestowed the name Stalin to his son oblivious to the fact that this political connotation would also ultimately lead to a political career.

Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi, once explained the rationale in naming his sons. He said that he named his eldest son as Muthu in fond memory of his father Muthuvelar, second son as Azhagiri in tribute to a stalwart of the Dravidian Movement Pattukottai Azhagirisamy third son as ‘Stalin’ after the communist leader of Soviet Union Joseph Stalin who believed in the ideology of communism and whose name also translated as ‘The Man of Steel’ and his last son as Tamilarasu to express his affinity for Tamil language.

The name ‘Stalin’ had not always been easy for him. While seeking admission in a reputed institution, Church Park convent in Anna Salai, Chennai, the authorities shuddered at the name of the revolutionary and insisted that the name of the boy be changed in order to be admitted in the school. Undeterred by this, his father Kalaignar simply stated that he’ll rather change the school than his son’s name. Eventually Stalin for admission in Madras Christian College school in Chetpet. Stalin in Russian language means ‘Man of Steel’, and M.K.Stalin has since been living up to his name, earning yet another title - The Lieutenant (Thalapathi) of the Dravidian movement!

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