Quiet birthday celebration for 91-year-old comrade

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He turned 91 on Sunday. Unlike the pompous birthday celebrations various political party leaders like to indulge in, senior Communist party leader N. Sankaraiah’s birthday was celebrated in a simple manner at his house in Chromepet. The day was marked by giving sweets to cadres who visited him and sharing his thoughts with them.

The central committee member of CPI(M) keeps himself occupied reading newspapers and discussing the day-to-day activities of his party.

Looking back, Sankaraiah, who comes from a middle class family in Madurai, involved himself in the freedom struggle when in his teens and was jailed for nine years in the pre-Independence era.

Encouraging young people like him to enter politics and working for public causes are his ideals. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Madurai West constituency in 1967 and twice from Madurai East constituency in 1977 and 1980.

He contested from the East constituency in 1962 and 1957 also. A. Kumaresan of CPI(M) said, “Sankaraiah would entertain the crowd with interesting speeches loaded with facts in simple language.
He has a sharp memory and can recall the names and places of important events from decades ago.”