CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Text Book and Educational Services Corporation (TNTB & ESC) has introduced a chapter on former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for Class 8 students. Those in Classes 9 and 10 are already studying a chapter on the late DMK patriarch.
The new three-page chapter has been introduced in the Social Science textbook for Class 8 students, across Tamil and English mediums.
In the chapter, Kalaignar Karunanidhi's efforts and contributions regarding the enactment of the Hindu Succession (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act 1989, among other achievements, has been highlighted.
The chapter on the late former DMK president has been introduced by the DMK government as part of their celebrations for Kalaignar's centenary, which was kicked off on June 5 last year. In connection with this, a year-long series of events was being held across the state.
Subsequently, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi had announced in the state assembly last year that a lesson on the life and contributions of the late DMK stalwart would be added in the Class 9 Tamil textbook. A chapter on the leader has been added in the Class 8 textbook, too.
This is not the first time that the leader has been included in the state school syllabus. In April 2011, the newly-introduced 'Samacheer Kalvi' textbooks had additional reading material about Kalaignar Karunanidhi.