Content: E. V. Ramasamy, popularly addressed as Periyar or ‘The Great One’, laid the ideological foundations of modern Tamil politics and social life

1909: Born to the couple of Natarajan-Bangaru Ammal in a weaver family in Kancheepuram town on September 15.

1914: Joined the Pachaiyappa’s school, Kancheepuram.

1927: Worked as a clerk in the Kancheepuram municipality for a few months

1930: Joined B.A. (Hons) in Pachaiyappa’s College and received scholarship with the help of the then principal of the College. Married Rani Ammal in Kancheepuram.

1931: His maiden article, “Mahilar Kottam” published in “Tamilarasu” run by Masilamani Mudaliar, a doctor.

1934: Met E.V. Ramasamy, popularly known as EVR and Periyar, at Tirupur and accepted him as his leader

1936: Contested in the Chennai Corporation election as a candidate of Justice Party and lost in Pedhunaickenpettai.

1938: Became associate editor in “Viduthalai,” and “Kudiarasu,” both Tamil journals, and “Justice,” an English journal. Imprisoned for four months during the first anti-Hindi agitation, held under EVR’s leadership.

1939: Elected general secretary of the Justice Party

1940: Functioned as a translator during the meeting of B R Ambedkar and EVR.

1944: On a resolution proposed by CNA, the Dravidar Kazhagam was born at the Salem conference of the Justice Party.

1947: When E.V.R. called Independence Day (August 15) a day of mourning, CNA, in his article in “Dravida Nadu,” wanted the day to be celebrated for the removal of colonial rule.

1949: Left the DK to establish Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam at a meeting on Robinson Park, Royapuram, on September 17, a couple of months after the wedding of EVR and Maniyammai.

1950: Imprisoned for six months for authoring a book, “Arya Mayai.”

1952: DMK did not choose to participate in the first general elections

1956: At its conference in Tiruchi in May, DMK decided to take part in general elections due in 1957.

1957: Second general elections. DMK won 15 seats in the Assembly and CNA won from Kancheepuram constituency.

1958: Arrested in January as he planned to organise a black flag demonstration during the visit of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Chennai.

1962: Defeated in the Kancheepuram constituency in the third general elections. Later, elected to Rajya Sabha.

1963: In January, CNA announced suspension of DMK’s demand for “Dravida Nadu.”

1965: Went to jail in January as he described Republic Day as a black day to protest against the recommendation of a parliamentary panel that Hindi be made the country’s official language.

In July, visited Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Japan.

1967: Became Chief Minister in March following the DMK’s victory in the general elections to the Assembly.

Sworn in as a Member of the Legislative Council in April. The scheme of rice at Re.1 a measure was launched in May and CNA inaugurated it in suburbs of Chennai in August. Responsible for the adoption of a resolution unanimously by the Assembly in July to rename the Madras State as Tamil Nadu. Inaugurated the Cooum Improvement Scheme in September.

1968: World Tamil Conference in January in Chennai. Sanctioned Rs. 9 lakh for Tirukkural research in universities of the State. In April and May, went to United States at the invitation of the US government. Visited Japan too. Was conferred the honorary doctorate degree by the Annamalai University in September.

On September 10, left for New York for treatment. On September 16, Theodore Miller, surgeon in the Manhattan Memorial Hospital, New York, operated upon CNA for cancer in the gullet. Returned to Chennai on November 6.

Against the medical advice, CNA addressed a function on December 1 to mark the renaming of the State.

1969: Unveiled the statue of Tamil film artist ‘Kalaivanar’ N.S. Krishnan in T. Nagar in Chennai on Pongal day (January 14), which was his last public function.

On January 25, Dr. Miller again performed surgery on CNA at the Cancer Institute, Chennai.

February 3: Breathed his last at 12-22 a.m.

February 4: Was given State funeral and buried on the Marina beach.