M. G. Ramachandran

M. G. Ramachandran
Commemorative stamp of M. G. Ramachandran
3rd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
In office 9 June 1980 – 24 December 1987
Governor	Prabhudas Patwari Sundar Lal Khurana
Preceded by	President's rule
Succeeded by	V. N. Janaki Ramachandran
Constituency	Madurai West (1980–1985) Andipatti (1985–1987)
In office 30 June 1977 – 17 February 1980
Governor	Prabhudas Patwari
Preceded by	President's rule
Succeeded by	President's rule
Constituency	Aruppukottai
Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
In office 24 December 1984 – 24 December 1987
Chief Minister	Himself
Political Party	AIADMK
Preceded by	S. S. Rajendran
Succeeded by	P. Aasiyan
Constituency	Andipatti
In office 9 June 1980 – 15 November 1984
Chief Minister	Himself
Political Party	AIADMK
Preceded by	T. P. M. Periyaswamy
Succeeded by	Pon. Muthuramalingam
Constituency	Madurai West
In office 30 June 1977 – 17 February 1980
Chief Minister	Himself
Political Party	AIADMK
Preceded by	Sowdi Sundara Bharathi
Succeeded by	M. Pitchai
Constituency	Aruppukottai
In office 1 March 1967 – 31 January 1976
Chief Minister	C. N. Annadurai M. Karunanidhi
Political Party	DMK AIADMK
Preceded by	position established
Succeeded by	position abolished
Constituency	St. Thomas Mount
Member of the Madras State Legislative Council
In office 30 March 1962[1] – 7 July 1964
Chief Minister	K. Kamaraj (1962–1963) M. Bhaktavatsalam (1963–1964)
Succeeded by	S.R.P. Ponnuswamy Chettiar
1st General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
In office 17 October 1986 – 24 December 1987
Preceded by	S. Raghavanandam
Succeeded by	V. R. Nedunchezhiyan
In office 17 October 1974 – 22 June 1978
Preceded by	position established
Succeeded by	V. R. Nedunchezhiyan
Treasurer of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
In office 27 July 1969 – 10 October 1972
President	M. Karunanidhi
Secretary	V. R. Nedunchezhiyan
Preceded by	M. Karunanidhi
Succeeded by	K. Anbazhagan
President of the South Indian Artistes' Association
In office 1961–1963
Preceded by	R. Nagendra Rao
Succeeded by	S. S. Rajendran
In office 1957–1959
Preceded by	N. S. Krishnan
Succeeded by	Anjali Devi
Personal details
Born	Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (1917-01-17)17 January 1917 Nawalapitiya, Kandy District, British Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka)
Died	24 December 1987(1987-12-24) (aged 70) Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India
Cause of death	Heart failure
Resting place	M.G.R. and Amma Memorial
Nationality	Indian
Political party	All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (1972–1987)
Other political affiliations	Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (1953–1972) Indian National Congress (1935–1945) Non Politician (1945–1953)
Spouse	Thangamani ​ ​ (m. 1939; died 1942)​ Sadhanandavathi ​ ​ (m. 1942; died 1962)​ V. N. Janaki ​ (m. 1963)​
Relatives	M. G. Chakrapani (brother)
Residence(s)	M.G.R. Thottam, Ramapuram, Chennai, India
Profession	Actor, film producer, director, politician, philanthropist
Awards	Bharat Ratna (1988) (posthumous) Rajat Kamal (1971)
Nickname(s)	Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Thilagam Ponmana Chemmal Kodai Vallal Vaathiyar

Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 – 24 December 1987), popularly known by his initials M.G.R., was an Indian actor, politician, and philanthropist who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987. He was the founder and first general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.^[2] On 19 March 1988, Ramachandran was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. Ramachandran is regarded as one of the most influential politicians of post-independence India.^[3] Apart from politics, as a film personality he won the National Film Award, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and two Filmfare Award South.

In his youth, Ramachandran and his elder brother M. G. Chakrapani became members of a drama troupe to support their family. Influenced by Gandhian ideals, Ramachandran joined the Indian National Congress. After a few years of acting in plays, he made his film debut in the 1936 film Sathi Leelavathi in a supporting role. By the late 1940s, he had graduated to lead roles.

Ramachandran became a member of the C. N. Annadurai-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK party) and rose through its ranks, using his popularity as a film star to build a political base. In 1972, three years after Annadurai's death, he left the DMK, then led by M. Karunanidhi to form his own party—the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Five years later, Ramachandran steered an AIADMK-led alliance to victory in the 1977 election, routing the DMK in the process. He became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the first film actor to become a chief minister in India. Except for a four-month interregnum in 1980, when his government was overthrown by the Union government, he remained as chief minister till his death in 1987, leading the AIADMK to two more electoral wins in 1980^[4] and 1984.^[5]

In October 1984, Ramachandran was diagnosed with kidney failure as a result of diabetes. He died on 24 December 1987 in his Ramavaram Gardens residence in Manapakkam after a prolonged illness. His autobiography Naan Yaen Piranthaen (Why I was Born) was published in 2003.^[6]