CHENNAI: Veteran CPM leader N Sankaraiah will be conferred with an honorary doctorate from Madurai Kamaraj University in recognition of his contributions to freedom struggle, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Saturday. Stalin made this announcement on the occasion of Sankaraiah’s 102nd birthday and also greeted the veteran leader. In a statement here, Stalin recalled that Sankaraiah was imprisoned during freedom struggle when he was studying in American College in Madurai.
As a result, he could not take his college examination and was released just 15 hours before India got Independence. “There have been requests from various quarters that Sankaraiah be conferred with an honorary doctorate in appreciation of his contributions to the poor and downtrodden and the freedom struggle. That is being fulfilled now,” Stalin said. Senior leaders of CPM led by the party’s state secretary K Balakrishnan called on Sankaraiah and greeted him. On behalf of the government, MSME Minister TM Anbarasan greeted Sankaraiah. DK president K Veeramani and VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan also greeted the veteran leader.