Leaders condole Tamil teacher Nannan’s demise

Author of several Tamil books and professor at erstwhile Government Arts College for Men (now Quaid-e-Millath College for Women) and Presidency College, Nannan was the recipient of Tamil Nadu government’s Periyar, Anna and Thiru Vi Ka awards. Hailing from Cuddalore district, the 1924 born Periyar follower later joined the DMK. An active participant in the anti-Hindi agitation of 1965, he had also held the office of deputy director of Tamil Development department. Several state leaders, including Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Leader of Opposition MK Stalin, have condoled his death. 

In his condolence message, Palaniswami said that Nannan, who started as a primary school teacher and later became a professor and deputy director of Tamil Development department, owns the distinction of creating “Nannan method” in teaching. Author of around 70 books, including “Yellorukkum Tamizh” (Tamil for all) and Thavarindri Tamil Eluthuvom (Let us write error-free Tamil), he greatly loved Tamil, Palaniswami said, describing his demise as a great loss to Tamil literary world. 

Condoling his demise, Stalin said the death of eminent scholar Nannan, who lived by Dravidian ideals would be a great loss to the ethnicity and Dravidian 

movement. 

In his “dying declaration,” as told to Dravidar Kazhagam leader Kavignar Kali Poogundran over phone on August 27, Nannan said that he had returned from the jaws of death and death would not approach him that soon. Remarking that death was insignificant to a rationalist and atheist like him, Nannan asserted that he was an ardent follower of Periyar and lived by the principles of the DK without even the slightest compromise.