Thalikottai Rajuthevar Baalu is an important leader of the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party. He is mostly known for his political loyalty as he is in the party since 1957. With an engineering background in addition, he is a Political as well as social worker.
T R Baalu was born on 15the June 1941 to father Raju Thevar at Thalikottai, Distt. Thiruvarur (
Tamil Nadu). He is married to Smt. T.R.B. Porkodi and the couple has three sons and two daughters. His political career started at a very tender age of sixteen when he joined the DMK. He educated at New College, Madras University, Chennai and Central Polytechnic,
Chennai, (Tamil Nadu) and obtains B.Sc., L.C.E. T R Baalu was jailed under MISA for protesting against emergency for a year. In that juncture he came to limelight. In 1982, he became the Secretary, DMK of Chennai city District unit.
In the year 1986, T R Baalu was first elected to
Parliament as a member of
Rajya Sabha. He
served his full term till 1992. In the year 1996, when he was elected to the
Lok Sabha, was given the ministry of state for petroleum, natural gas and non-conventional energy sources. In 1998, 1999 and 2004 he was re-elected from the same constituency, the Chennai South. From 1999 to 2003 he served as cabinet minister for environment and forests. Throughout his political career for participating in the agitations and demonstrations for public cause he has been jailed over 15 times. T R Baalu was arrested for protesting against the arrest of
Karunanidhi midnight arrest on June 30 2001. He is presently served as the cabinet minister in Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways.
The positions T R Baalu held are
1986-1992 : was elected as a Member, Rajya Sabha
1996:Elected to Lok Sabha (Eleventh) for the first time
1996-1998:Minister of State, Petroleum , Natural Gas and Non-Conventional Energy Sources
1998:Elected to Lok Sabha (Twelfth) for the second time
1999:Elected to Lok Sabha (Thirteenth) for the third time
1999-2003:Cabinet Minister, Environment and Forests
2004:Elected to Lok Sabha (Fourteenth) for the fourth time
2004: T R Baalu is currently the Cabinet minister for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways.
