TIRUCHY: It is a Monday and Kannan N Ramakrishnan is at his usual spot, the Tiruchy collectorate. A familiar face at the weekly grievance meetings, this 69-year-old man has made writing his life’s purpose, relying on the power of the mighty pen.
In elegant handwriting, he pens petitions in Tamil and English and mails them to government officials to pursue public causes. The assistance, offered free of cost for the last three decades, has worked to the benefit of numerous people in articulating their problems in formal writing, so far.
Born in 1958 to Gnanambal and Natarajan at Ayyampalayam near Musiri, Ramakrishnan completed his BSc in Physics at Thanthai Periyar College in Tiruchy. He subsequently worked as a teacher at a tutorial college, spent a brief period as a journalist and later joined the All India Radio, where he served as a member of the technical staff from 1995 to 2023. His years at the organisation shaped the courteous and measured language that has since become a hallmark of his petitions.
In a world where a few taps on a smartphone or a post on X can easily bring an issue to public attention, Ramakrishnan believes that a carefully worded letter can still make a difference. However, his commitment comes at a personal cost as he has to spend around Rs 300 every day from his pocket for photocopying his handwritten petitions. For him, the money spent is part of a larger commitment — to ensure that grievances reach the authorities concerned.
Ramakrishnan’s journey into public service began after he met social worker NL Raman at a grievance meeting in Tiruchy in 1994. Raman encouraged him and a group of like-minded people to approach government authorities through written petitions. One of Ramakrishnan’s earliest efforts was to seek the cleaning of the Uyyakondan canal in the district.
Over the years, he has taken up a wide range of issues, from heritage conservation to welfare benefits for the needy. One of the most gratifying outcomes, he recalls, was the conversion of a portion of the historic Town Hall building into a museum. After petitioning for its preservation, he explained its heritage significance to the then collector, K Rajaraman, who personally visited the site. The museum, however, now remains closed for renovation.
For Ramakrishnan, such outcomes make every effort worthwhile. He was also among those who initially sought the construction of a dedicated ramp at the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple.
Beyond public infrastructure and heritage conservation, his work often concerns people whose difficulties might otherwise go unnoticed. For Vairakannu Baskaran, another social worker from Tiruchy, Ramakrishnan’s assistance has been instrumental in his own journey of public service.
Baskaran first met Ramakrishnan in 2009, when he visited the collectorate to seek a bus stop at Senthaneerpuram. Ramakrishnan helped him draft a petition and the interaction marked the beginning of a long association. Over the years, Baskaran has witnessed Ramakrishnan help numerous people pursue their grievances, ranging from civic concerns to pension claims. His willingness to guide people through the process of approaching government authorities, Baskaran says, has made him a valuable ally for those seeking solutions to their problems.
In 2004, Ramakrishnan began submitting petitions under the banner of MGR Nalpani Mandram. “Government officials and journalists suggested that working under an organisation’s name could lend greater credibility to my initiatives,” he said. Though the group initially had 12 members, age-related ailments of many members have reduced its active strength to just two.
A devoted admirer of former CM MG Ramachandran, Ramakrishnan believes that everyone should devote at least some part of their life to society. Having remained unmarried, he has dedicated much of his time to this pursuit. He estimates that he submits around 200 petitions every year and has sent over 5,000 since 1995. He also files RTI applications, often obtaining information that helps him strengthen his representations.
However, not every petition produces the desired result and rejection has never been enough to discourage him from taking up another cause. “I don’t allow the lack of impact of some petitions to dampen my energy. I get joy from writing to the authorities about an issue itself. When something changes for society because of a petition, the happiness is immense,” he says.
For Ramakrishnan, the quality of language matters as much as the cause. A petition written clearly, politely and authentically, he says, is more likely to attract an official’s attention. “The way a petition is written can itself make an official read it. Social media has certainly improved the way issues reach authorities. But a properly worded petition also has its value,” he says.
In a world increasingly accustomed to instant communication, Ramakrishnan’s handwritten petitions stand as a reminder that civic action need not always be loud or immediate. For him, the pen remains not merely an instrument of writing, but a lifelong means of serving society.
(Edited by Arya AJ)
