V. R. Nedunchezhiyan
Encyclopedia
V.R. Nedunchezhiyan (July 11, 1920 – January 12, 2000) was a former finance minister
of the state of Tamil Nadu
, India
. He was also the acting chief minister of Tamil Nadu in two tenures (3 February 1969 – 10 February 1969 and 24 December 1987 – 7 January 1988).
He was born at Thirukkannapuram in a Hindu Mudaliar
family . He died of a heart attack at a private hospital on January 12, 2000. He is survived by his wife Visalakshi and a son. His grandson, Jeevan Neduncheziyan is a Tennis
player in India.
He was initiated into politics during his days at the Annamalai University
. He joined the Dravidar Kazhagam
party in 1944, but, along with C. N. Annadurai
, moved over to form the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(DMK) in 1949.
However, after the dismissal of the DMK government, he quit the DMK and formed his own party, the Makkal DMK, along with another senior DMK leader, Sathyavani Muthu
. But, a year after the AIADMK came to power in 1977, he merged the Makkal DMK with the AIADMK.
In the MGR cabinet he served as the Finance Minister from 1980 to 1987. During the period of MGR's hospitalisation in 1984-85, Nedunchezhiyan presided over State Cabinet meetings. After MGR died in 1987, he was made the acting chief minister. He lost out to MGR's widow, Janaki Ramachandran, in the race for the chief ministership.
He remained in the Jayalalitha faction of the AIADMK for some time, but following differences with the leadership, he was expelled in August in 1988. He contested the 1989 Assembly election as part of a Group of Four. However, he returned to the unified AIADMK under Ms. Jayalalitha in October 1989.
From 1991 to 1996, he was the Finance Minister in the Jayalalitha government holding, once again, the number two position in the Cabinet. Despite a split in the party in 1998, he remained a Jayalalitha loyalist for the rest of his life.
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
of the state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was also the acting chief minister of Tamil Nadu in two tenures (3 February 1969 – 10 February 1969 and 24 December 1987 – 7 January 1988).
He was born at Thirukkannapuram in a Hindu Mudaliar
Mudaliar
Mudaliar also Mudali, Moodley is a title used in Tamil diaspora. It is derived from the honorary title Mudali meaning a person of first rank in the Tamil language which was bestowed upon top-ranking bureaucratic officials and army commanders in medieval South India...
family . He died of a heart attack at a private hospital on January 12, 2000. He is survived by his wife Visalakshi and a son. His grandson, Jeevan Neduncheziyan is a Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player in India.
He was initiated into politics during his days at the Annamalai University
Annamalai University
Annamalai University is a Public University located in Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The university offers courses of higher education in arts, sciences and engineering.The university also provides around 380 courses under distance mode...
. He joined the Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam or Dravida Kazhagam was the first fully Dravidian party in India. It was a radical party formed by E. V. Ramaswamy, also called Thanthai Periyar of erstwhile Madras Presidency...
party in 1944, but, along with C. N. Annadurai
C. N. Annadurai
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai , popularly called Anna , or Arignar Anna was a former Chief Minister of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
, moved over to form the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
(DMK) in 1949.
However, after the dismissal of the DMK government, he quit the DMK and formed his own party, the Makkal DMK, along with another senior DMK leader, Sathyavani Muthu
Sathyavani Muthu
Sathyavani Muthu was an Indian politician and an influential dalit leader. She was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu, Rajya Sabha member and Union Minister...
. But, a year after the AIADMK came to power in 1977, he merged the Makkal DMK with the AIADMK.
In the MGR cabinet he served as the Finance Minister from 1980 to 1987. During the period of MGR's hospitalisation in 1984-85, Nedunchezhiyan presided over State Cabinet meetings. After MGR died in 1987, he was made the acting chief minister. He lost out to MGR's widow, Janaki Ramachandran, in the race for the chief ministership.
He remained in the Jayalalitha faction of the AIADMK for some time, but following differences with the leadership, he was expelled in August in 1988. He contested the 1989 Assembly election as part of a Group of Four. However, he returned to the unified AIADMK under Ms. Jayalalitha in October 1989.
From 1991 to 1996, he was the Finance Minister in the Jayalalitha government holding, once again, the number two position in the Cabinet. Despite a split in the party in 1998, he remained a Jayalalitha loyalist for the rest of his life.