A Candid Autobiography of a Chief Minister | Joydip Ghosal

BOOK REVIEW

One Among You - Vol 1 The Autobiography of M.K Stalin

(Translated by A.S Panneerselvan)

Penguin Viking

2023 | 152 pages

ISBN-9780670098361

‘One Among You’, The Autobiography of M.K. Stalin is about the first twenty- three years of his life. In the introduction the author says that it is always a pleasure to reflect on the path one has travelled and recollect the past. Everyone’s face glows when we delve deeper into those bygone days. Like everyone his past also has had its own share of comfort and pain coupled with bitterness. He also had to carry the burden when he traversed the diverse trajectories in the realm of politics. But that did not alter the path he undertook. This book is a translation of Stalin’s autobiography ‘Ungalil Oruvan’.While Rahul Gandhi released the autobiography he lashed at the centre for ‘snatching’ Jammu Kashmir’s powers and reducing it to a Union Territory. Indian Express reported that he charged that it had led to bureaucrats from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat ruling it now. This book also reflects the author’s strong belief on the basic tenets of cultural pluralism. This book is a testament to his deep- rooted conviction on the ethos of federalism.

M.K Stalin is the chief minister of Tamil Nadu since May 2021. Since 2018, he is the president of DMK which is one of the oldest political parties in our country. In 1973 he was elected to the general council of the party. He made his legislative debut in 1989. He was elected from the Thousands Lights constituency in Chennai.

He launched the Gopalapuram Youth Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 1966. He did not even dream that he would one day become the president of DMK. He did not contemplate that one day he would sit on the chair of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. That seat was adorned by Kalaignar. He declares unequivocally that Kalaignar has been many things to him: father, mother, life, spirit. He had been a campaigner for federal balance. He also strives to achieve social justice. His grandmother Anjugam also holds a special space in his heart. Candidly he declares that he was scared of his father but doted on by his mother Dayalu Ammal.

Kalaignar used to call the publication Murasoli his eldest child. Stalin’s reports and compilations were published under the headline ‘Dina Palan.†The reciprocal and symbiotic role of movies and politics also occupies a large part of the book. He also presents before the readers the subtle nuances of Dravidian politics which holds aloft the role of regional identity politics. He also discusses threadbare the role of prominent personalities like Annadurai, MG Ramchandran, Periyar and their influence upon the different trajectories of his life.

He took a clear decision to determine his goal . DMK is his realm of endeavor. He tries to uphold the Dravidian ethos. It is his life- affirming principle. “From my young days, I was certain that my day- to – day engagement would be to work for the betterment of Tamil Nadu and I have lived my life accordingly.†In 1996 when he was elected mayor of Chennai, a reporter asked him what he would have been if he had not forayed into politics. He replied without any hesitation that he could only have been in politics. This book is testimony of that assertion.

Translator A.S. Panneerselvan is the fellow at Roja Muthiah Research Library, Chennai and head of its Centre for Study in Public Sphere. He writes regularly as a columnist. He is associated with eminent Asian College of Journalism, Chennai as an adjunct faculty member. In 2022 he was conferred the G.U Pope Award. For his journalistic and literary contributions Tamil Nadu Governmet gave him this prestigious award. He was also the head of Jury for the 2022 JCB Prize for literature.

This book also gets us acquainted with political history of post- independence Tamil Nadu. In 1953 the DMK launched three- pronged agitation against Rajah’s government. It protested against the Modified Scheme of elementary Education. It was introduced by C. Rajagopalachari in 1953. It introduced to propose two sessions in elementary schools. First session consisted of regular teaching and second session comprised of return to home to learn the occupations of pupils’ parents. DMK protested against that because it would aim at perpetuating caste hierarchy. It also protested against the insensitive remarks of Nehru against Tamils. Ramkrishna Dalmia set up Dalmia Cement Factory in Kallakudi and the town had been renamed Dalmiapuram. DMK launched a vehement protest against that move also.

In this book Stalin by taking recourse to candid chronological narrative brings to the fore the great legacy of his family. Family had played huge influence upon his political career. This book is an enjoyable reading and the translator deftly captures the essence of the Tamil version in his impeccable writing style. We get an intimate glimpse into the world that oriented and molded the M.K Stalin.

(Review author: Joydip Ghosal)