CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has unveiled the memorial for Swami Sahajananda, who worked for the uplift of the oppressed sections of the society, raised at Chidambaram at a cost of `1.41 crore. The memorial has come up on 2.05 acres of land and the CM inaugurated it through the video-conferencing facility at the secretariat on Friday.
Swami Sahajananda founded Nandanar Arakkattalai at Chidambaram for educating the downtrodden people and he had also served as a member of the Legislative Council of Tamil Nadu Assembly. He was instrumental in enacting the legislation which ensured entry of people from all castes into temples, an official release here said.
Meanwhile, the CM opened a hostel building for the doctorate and research students of International Institute of Tamil Studies at Taramani, which has been constructed at a cost of `75 lakh. Palaniswami also presented a stipend of `3,000 each to 18 research and students.
Palaniswami also inaugurated administrative and other buildings for a constituent college of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University at Nagalapuram in Thoothukudi district, constructed at a cost of `7.25 crore. Besides, he opened new buildings for the Higher Education department built at a total cost of `20.94 crore located at Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Chennai, Dindigul and Tiruchy.
CM, others pay homage to Annadurai on death anniversary
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, State ministers, AIADMK functionaries, and DMK working president M K Stalin were among those who paid floral tributes at the memorial of the late leader, C N Annadurai, on his 49th death anniversary on Saturday.
Stalin led a silent procession to the memorial at the Marina beach and DMK leaders including its general secretary K Anbazhagan paid homage to the late leader.
Meanwhile, Palaniswami, Panneerselvam and ministers took part in public feasts held at various temples across the State to mark Anna’s death anniversary.