About

Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, popularly known as M. K. Stalin, was born on March 1, 1953, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to M. Karunanidhi, one of the tallest Dravidian leaders and five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and Dayalu Ammal, his second wife. He was originally to be named Ayyadurai, but when Soviet leader Joseph Stalin died just days after his birth, Karunanidhi named his son “Stalin” in tribute.

Growing up in a family steeped in literature, cinema, and politics, Stalin was exposed early to Dravidian ideology and public life. He studied at Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School and later at Presidency College, Chennai, where he completed a degree. His first major political experience came during the Emergency (1975–77), when he was arrested and imprisoned for several months for his opposition to Indira Gandhi’s government. Stalin even completed part of his studies while in jail.

By 1966, as a teenager, he had already organized the Gopalapuram Youth Wing of the DMK, and by 1980, he had formally established the youth wing of the DMK, which he led until 2017.

Personal Life

In 1975, Stalin married Durga (also known as Durgavathi or Shantha). The couple has a son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is currently an MLA and a minister in the Tamil Nadu government, and a daughter, Senthamarai Sabareesan, who manages educational institutions and charitable initiatives.

Stalin is also known for his interest in literature and public speaking, much like his father. In 2022, he published the first volume of his autobiography, Ungalil Oruvan (“One Among You”), which was later translated into English.

Political Career

Stalin’s political career has been shaped both by his father’s towering influence and his own perseverance. He entered electoral politics in the 1980s, contesting several times before finally winning as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Thousand Lights constituency in 1989. His first term was short-lived, as the DMK government was dismissed in 1991.

He returned to the assembly in 1996, and in the same year, he was elected Mayor of Chennai, serving until 2002. As mayor, he launched the Singara Chennai (Beautiful Chennai) project, focused on urban beautification, infrastructure, parks, and garbage management. Despite his popularity, he was forced to resign in 2002 after Jayalalithaa’s government passed a law preventing politicians from holding two posts, widely seen as a move targeted at him.

In the 2006 state elections, Stalin was re-elected as MLA, and when the DMK formed the government, his father appointed him as Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development. Two years later, he was elevated to DMK Treasurer, cementing his position as Karunanidhi’s political heir.

Following his father’s declining health, Stalin steadily took on greater responsibilities within the party and became Working President of the DMK in 2017. After Karunanidhi’s death in 2018, Stalin was unanimously elected as DMK President.

In 2021, Stalin led the DMK alliance to a sweeping victory in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, securing 133 of 234 seats. On May 7, 2021, he was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. His tenure has been marked by welfare initiatives such as the free breakfast scheme for schoolchildren, tuition assistance for students, and free bus passes for women.

Despite ideological differences with the BJP-led central government, Stalin has worked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration on issues vital to Tamil Nadu, including funding for Chennai’s Metro and opposing the imposition of Hindi in schools.

Today, Stalin stands as one of the most prominent Dravidian leaders, carrying forward the legacy of his father while charting his own course in Tamil Nadu politics.