N. Sankaraiah was born on July 15, 1921, in Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu, India. He was an Indian Communist Party politician and independence activist. After completing Matriculation, Sankaraiah enrolled in American College, Madurai in 1937 to study History. He was one of the founders of the Madras Students organization and was elected Secretary of the Madurai Students Union.
During this time, he participated in the freedom struggle of India. In 1941, when he was a final year student at the American college, Madurai, he was arrested for the first time. His long political career, spanning over seven decades, included nearly eight years in jail.
Sankaraiah was one among the many communists who were released a day before India attained Independence in August 1947. He campaigned for communist candidates in the first general elections. He was one of the 32 National Council members who walked out of a Communist Party of India National Council meeting held on April 11, 1964, in protest, accusing Party Chairman S.A. Dange and his followers of “anti-unity and anti-Communist policies”.
Later, he became one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a central committee member of the party. He was part of the leadership of the All India Kisan Sabha. From 1996 to 2001, he served as the CPI (M) Tamil Nadu State Secretary. He was elected twice to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly, once from the Madurai West constituency in 1967 and once from the Madurai East constituency in 1977 and 1980.
He unsuccessfully contested the 1957 and 1962 elections from the Madurai East constituency. His two sons, Chandrasekar and Narasimman, are also party leaders. Sankaraiah was married to Navamani. He turned 100 in July 2021.
N. Sankaraiah
(1921 – ★) – (Tamilnadu)
N. Sankaraiah was born on July 15, 1921, in Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu, India. He was an Indian Communist Party politician and independence activist. After completing Matriculation, Sankaraiah enrolled in American College, Madurai in 1937 to study History. He was one of the founders of the Madras Students organization and was elected Secretary of the Madurai Students Union.
During this time, he participated in the freedom struggle of India. In 1941, when he was a final year student at the American college, Madurai, he was arrested for the first time. His long political career, spanning over seven decades, included nearly eight years in jail.
Sankaraiah was one among the many communists who were released a day before India attained Independence in August 1947. He campaigned for communist candidates in the first general elections. He was one of the 32 National Council members who walked out of a Communist Party of India National Council meeting held on April 11, 1964, in protest, accusing Party Chairman S.A. Dange and his followers of “anti-unity and anti-Communist policies”.
Later, he became one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a central committee member of the party. He was part of the leadership of the All India Kisan Sabha. From 1996 to 2001, he served as the CPI (M) Tamil Nadu State Secretary. He was elected twice to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly, once from the Madurai West constituency in 1967 and once from the Madurai East constituency in 1977 and 1980.
He unsuccessfully contested the 1957 and 1962 elections from the Madurai East constituency. His two sons, Chandrasekar and Narasimman, are also party leaders. Sankaraiah was married to Navamani. He turned 100 in July 2021.
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