Veteran leader of Marxist Communist Party and towering politician Sankaraiah has passed away on Wednesday - November 15 at the age of 102 due to age-related ailments. He was hospitalized in Chennai and has breathed his last amidst loggerheads between the Tamil Nadu government and Governor RN Ravi over conferring him a honorary doctorate. 

While the Governor has received a proposal to award honorary doctorate for Sankaraiah from Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU), he, as the Chancellor of the varsity, refused to give his consent for the proposal despite repeated requests. Governor Ravi's conduct had sparked a fresh friction between him and the state government with Higher Education Minister Ponmudy boycotting MKU's convocation earlier this month to condemn the Governor for not approving the doctorate proposal to Sankaraiah.

When the proposal was made public, the state's sentiment was that Sankaraiah should be awarded with the doctorate as his contribution in freedom fighting and in uplifting people should be honoured. However, Governor RN Ravi delayed giving his approval and Sankaraiah has now passed away, leaving an unparalleled legacy as a towering politician. 

Earlier this week, Sankaraiah was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Greams Road, Chennai with complaints of fever and cold and he also experienced a drop in oxygen saturation levels. Marxist Communist Party's Tamil Nadu secretary K Balakrishnan said Sankaraiah was being given the best treatment and he also asked the partymen not to visit him in the hospital. However, he had developed health complications and breathed his last at around 10 am on Wednesday - November 15. 

A freedom fighter and veteran Marxist Communist Party leader, Sankaraiah is regarded and celebrated as one of the architects behind establishing Communist Party in Tamil Nadu. Sankaraiah has a long political career spanning over seven decades and he was also incarcerated for eight years. 

Later, when the Communist Party was bifurcated, Sankaraiah has become one of the founder members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and he was the central committee member of the party. Sankaraiah had also served as a Tamil Nadu MLA thrice - representing the Madurai West constituency in 1967 and from the Madurai East constituency in 1977 and in 1980. 

Sankaraiah had also served as Tamil Nadu's Secretary of Marxist Communist Party from 1995 to 2002. Born in 1921 in Kovilpatti, Sankaraiah began his public service during his college days in Madurai and as a student, he participated in the freedom struggle of India. He was one of the founders of Madras Students organization and was elected Secretary of Madurai Students Union. 

Sankaraiah has two sons - Chandrasekar and Narasimman and they are also the functionaries of Marxist Communist Party. In July 2021, he turned 100 and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and senior leaders met him and conveyed their wishes. After learning that Sankaraiah has passed away, political leaders and fraternities of Communist party are expressing condolences to the bereaving family. Sankaraiah's mortal remains will be kept at his residence in Chrompet, Chennai and later at the Marxist Communist Party's office in Chennai for public view to pay homage.