Murasoli Maran

• Name — Murasoli • Office1 — Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha • Constituency1 — Chennai Central • Term Start1 — 15 May 1996 • Term End1 — 23 November 2003 • Predecessor1 — Era Anbarasu • Successor1 — Dayanidhi Maran • Constituency2 — Chennai South • Term Start2 — 4 March 1967 • Term End2 — 23 March 1977 • Predecessor2 — C. N. Annadurai • Successor2 — R Venkatraman • Office3 — Union Minister for Commerce and Industry • Prime Minister3 — Atal Bihari Vajpayee • Term Start3 — 13 October 1999 • Term End3 — 9 November 2002 • Predecessor3 — Ramakrishna Hegde • Successor3 — Arun Shourie • Office4 — Union Minister for Industry • Prime Minister4 — H. D. Dewe Gowda I. K. Gujral • Term Start4 — 1 June 1996 • Term End4 — 19 March 1998 • Predecessor4 — Suresh Prabhu • Successor4 — Sikander Bakht • Office5 — Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha • Constituency5 — Tamil Nadu • 1blankname5 — Chairman of the House • 1namedata5 — * B. D. Jatti • Mohammad Hidayatullah • R. Venkatraman • Shankar Dayal Sharma • K. R. Narayanan • Term Start5 — 25 July 1977 • Term End5 — 25 July 1995 • Office6 — Minister for Urban Development • Prime Minister6 — V. P. Singh • Term Start6 — 2 December 1989 • Term End6 — 10 November 1990 • Predecessor6 — Mohsina Kidwai • Successor6 — Daulat Ram Saran • Birth Name — Murasoli Maran • Born — 17 August 1934 • Birthplace — Thirukuvalai, Madras Presidency, British India (present-day Tamil Nadu, India) • Died — 23 November 2003 • Place of death — Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India • Party — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam • Relatives — Karunanidhi family • Children — Kalanidhi Maran (b.1964) Dayanidhi Maran (b.1966) Anbukarasi (b.1978) • Parents — Shanmugasundari • Alma Mater — Pachaiyappa's College, Madras Law College

Murasoli Maran was born on 17 August 1934 to Shanmugasundari, the elder sister of M. Karunanidhi, in Thirukkuvalai, Madras Presidency in present-day Tamil Nadu. After completing his basic education in his hometown, he moved to Madras to get an M.A. from Pachaiyappa's College and Madras Law College. While at school, he became involved with DMK. Before joining politics, he was an editor for the Tamil daily newspaper Murasoli and the English weekly The Rising Sun. He also worked on the Tamil-language publications Kungumam, Muththaram, Vannathirai and Sumangali. Maran later worked as a social worker. He was vocal against Hindi being introduced in Tamil Nadu and was arrested during the Agitation of 1965. He was detained for a year under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act. Maran was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1967, followed by a reelection in 1971. He was a member of Rajya Sabha from 1977 to 1995, during which he was on the Committee on Public Undertakings for three terms. Other committees he took part in were the General Purposes Committee (1980–1982); the Public Accounts Committee (1980–1982, 1991-1995); the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (1982–1983, 1987-1988); and the Committee on Subordinate Legislation (1988–1989); the Joint Parliamentary Committee to enquire into irregularities in the securities and banking transactions (1992–1993). He also served as Union Cabinet Minister, first in Urban Development (1989-1990), then in Industry (1996-1998, 1999-2002). He then returned to Lok Sabha in 1996, 1998, and 1999. Prior to his death in November 2003, he was a Cabinet Minister without portfolio. Maran married Mallika on 15 September 1963 he and they had two sons, Dayanidhi and Kalanithi, and one daughter, Anbukarasi. Dayanidhi Maran previously served as an MP and Union Minister and Kalanithi owns Sun TV. Anbukarasi is a cardiologist. Maran was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital in the United States on 14 November 2002 with heart (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) and kidney issues. He later received treatment at Apollo Hospital in Chennai. In late 2003, he fell into a coma, eventually dying aged 69 on 23 November 2003. He was a Minister without portfolio when he died, with his portfolio given to Arun Shourie. Then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was among those who attended his funeral in Chennai. He was survived by his mother, uncle, wife, children, children-in-law and grandchildren.

• Position — Party — Constituency — From — To — Tenure • Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (1st Term) — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — Tamil Nadu — 25 July 1977 — 24 July 1983 — ' • Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (2nd Term) — 25 July 1983 — 24 July 1989 — ' • Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (3rd Term) — 25 July 1989 — 24 July 1995 — '

Outside of politics, Maran was involved in the Tamil-language film industry, writing screenplays for more than 20, producing five, and directing two. The Sangeet Natak Academy conferred the title Kalai-Mamani in 1975. He was awarded the President's Certificate of Merit and Tamil Nadu Government Award for three films in the category Best Feature Film. • Year — Title — Writer — Producer — Director — Notes — Refs • 1957 — Kula Dheivam • 1958 — Annaiyin Aanai • Anbu Engey • 1959 — Thalai Koduthaan Thambi • Sahodhari • Nalla Theerpu • 1966 — Marakka Mudiyumaa? • 1967 — Valiba Virunthu • 1970 — Engal Thangam • 1972 — Pillaiyo Pillai

Murasoli Maran is recorded as politician, screenwriter, journalist, film producer and film director.