M Karunanidhi is the former Chief Minister of the Indian state Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi is considered to be one of the founder members and the president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, DMK. For 5 times, he has been the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1969-71, 1971-74, 1989-91, 1996-2001 and 2006-2011). In the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections, Karunanidhi led the UPA in Tamil Nadu to win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats. M Karunanidhi has been a key figure in Tamil Nadu politics for nearly 5 decades. Karunanidhi is also a screenwriter and a playwright in Tamil movies. His supporters call him as Kalaignar.

Early Life of M Karunanidhi
On 3rd June 1924, Muthuvel Karunanidhi was born to Thiru Muthuvelar and Thirumathi Anjugam Ammaiyar at Thirukkuvalai near Tiruvarur. At the age of 14, he entered public life. He was deeply inspired listening to a speech by Alagiriswami of the Justice Party.

Political Career of M Karunanidhi
Being inspired by Alagiriswami, in 1932 and he participated in Anti-Hindi agitations. In long political career of Karunanidhi, he has been arrested several times fighting for public causes, including against price increase, Anti-Hindi Agitation, for Eelam Tamils and other political activities too. Karunanidhi led a struggle in a bid that was instrumental in the Kallakudi struggle to rename Dalmiapuram railway Station.

Annadurai had a close association with Karunanidhi. When Annadurai left the Dravid Kazhagam Party, Karunanidhi came in. In 1957, Karunanidhi was first elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly and in the year 1961, he became the DMK Treasurer. He became the deputy leader of opposition in 1962 and in 1967, when the DMK came to power; he became the Minister for Public works. After Annadurai died in 1969, Karunanidhi became the Chief Minister. Since then there was no looking back. He has never seen in public without his trademark dark glasses.

Karunanidhi has represented State Assembly in- Kulithalai: 1957-62, Thanjavur: 1962-67, Saidapet: 1967-71, Saidapet: 1971-76, Anna Nagar: 1977-80, Anna Nagar: 1980-83, Harbour: 1989-91, Harbour: 1991 (Resigned), Chepauk: 1996-2001, Chepauk: 2001-2006. He has served as the Member of Legislative Assembly Council from1984to 86, Member of Legislative Assembly / Council for more than 40 years. M Karunanidhi won in all contested Assembly Elections from 1957 to 2006. He has been the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly from 1977 to 83. When Karunanidhi in earlier time was in power, his Government has built Tidel Park. In order to bring industries to Tamil Nadu, he meets industrialists regularly. The New Tractor Manufacturing was also started by Mahindra and Nissan in Oragadam.

M Karunanidhi as a Writer
Karunanidhi has contributed a lot in Tamil literature. The contribution ranges from poem, letters, screenplays, novels, biographies, historic novels, stage plays, dialogues, songs etc.

Kuraloviam for Thirukural, Tholkaappiya Poonga, Poombukar as well as many poems, essays and books, are all skilfully crafted by him. He has written: Romapuri Pandian, Thenpandi Singam, Vellikizhamai, Nenjukku Needhi, Eniyavai Erubathu, Sanga Thamizh, Kuraloviam, Ponnar Sankar, Thirukkural Urai and many books in prose and poetry numbering more than 100. Manimagudam, Ore Ratham, Palaniappan, Thooku Medai, Kagithapoo, Naane Arivali, Vellikizhamai, Udhayasooriyan, Silapathikarum, etc are the stage plays written by him.

M Karunanidhi as a Scriptwriter
Like many other political figures in this south Indian state, Karunanidhi also has close associations with the Tamil film industry. As a scriptwriter he did start his career. M Karunanidhi went to work for Jupiter Pictures as a script writer at the age of twenty. His first film Rajakumari, gained him much popularity. It was here that his skills as a script writer were honed. He wrote more than seventy screenplays including Rajakumari, Abhimanyu, Mandiri Kumari, Marutha Naattu Ilavarasi, Manamagan, Devaki, Parasakthi, Panam, Thirumbipaar, Naam, Manohara, Ammaiappan, Malai Kallan, Rangoon Radha, Raja Rani, Puthaiyal etc.

M Karunanidhi as a Publisher
In 1942 he founded Murasoli, which, initially, was a monthly publication, then it became weekly, and now it has become a daily publication. Using his talents as a journalist and cartoonist, he bought the issues relevant to his political ideology before the public. M Karunanidhi writes daily letters addressing his party workers by name; he has been writing these for over 50 years. He also served as the Editor for Kudiyarasu and gave life to journal- Mutharam. He is also the founder of the State Governments News Reel, Arasu Studio.

Awards and Achievements of M Karunanidhi
Karunanidhi has achieved great heights through out his political and literary career and has also received a number of awards like the Raja Rajan Award by Tamil University, Thanjavur for his book Thenpandi Singam. Annamalai University also awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in 1971. His Excellency, the Governor of Tamil Nadu and the Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University, Thiru Surjit Singh Barnala conferred an honorary doctorate on 15th December 2006, to the Chief Minister on the occasion of the 40th Annual Convocation. In 2007, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham awarded the chief minister M Karunanidhi with the honour of Yaaraan-E-Millath in recognition of his yeoman services for the welfare of the Muslims. He is often referred as Kaliangar, Muththamizh kavingar.

Personal Life of M Karunanidhi
He has three wives: Mrs. Padmavathy, Mrs. Dayalu Ammal and Mrs. Rajathiammal. His sons are M.K. Stalin, M.K. Azhagiri, M.K Muthu , M.K Tamilarasu and daughters are Selvi and Kanimozhi who is a Tamil poet and a Rajya Sabha Member.

M Karunanidhi has been a great orator as well as administrator, play-writer, editor, publisher, author, parliamentarian, great poet and a great Statesman too.