Does the man possess writing talent?
Does he know literature?
Could he speak a few words in English, let alone with fluency?
But,
Courage, honesty, and unprecedented integrity—these words and phrases find their true beauty and depth in the way this man lived. He was the honorable K. Kamaraj.
Kamaraj's formal education ended at the 6th standard. Poverty forced him into the workforce at an early age. Yet, he grew into a man of extraordinary vision and influence, earning the title *Kaala Gandhi*—"The Gandhi with black skin"—from the people. His actions invited such a title. For years, he would start his day at 6 AM, engaging with the people of British India, walking tirelessly until 10 or 11 PM, seeking new avenues to connect and inspire. Prison walls never confined his soul.
In post-independence India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, there was a movement to restrict education based on caste. If you were a weaver, your children would be limited to learning only the craft of weaving. This would have institutionalized a new form of slavery by the state, if not for Kamaraj's courageous intervention.
In a time when many struggled to find food, with no footwear and often missing two meals a day, sending children to school was an impossible luxury. The practical man that he was, Kamaraj introduced the midday meal scheme, ensuring that children were served healthy lunches at school. This compassionate initiative encouraged parents to send their children to school, understanding that feeding them was as essential as educating them. As a result, the literacy rate in Tamil Nadu rose from a mere 7% in British India to 37%.
Kamaraj introduced many reforms, including the vital principle that the older generation should relinquish power to allow the younger generation to assume leadership and thrive.
He was known as the *Kingmaker of India,* even by those who did not share a common language with him.
For Kamaraj, true work itself was a language. He needed nothing else. His legacy is one of profound gratitude, honor, and love—a legacy that transcends words and lives on in the hearts of those he touched.
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