D. Pandian
{{Short description|Indian politician (1932–2021)}}
{{For|the IAS officer and former Chief Secretary of Gujarat and the current Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank|D. J. Pandian}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = D. Pandian
தா. பாண்டியன்
| birth_name = David Pandian
| image = D. Pandian.jpg
| caption =
| office1 = Secretary, CPI Tamil Nadu State Committee
| term_start1 = 15 April 2005
| term_end1 = 30 February 2015
| predecessor1 = R. Nallakannu
| successor1 = R. Mutharasan
| otherparty = CPM
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|05|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Keelavellaimalaipatti, Usilampatti, Madras Presidency, British India
| spouse = {{marriage|LillJoyce|1956|2010|end = died}}
| residence =
| party = 20px Communist Party of India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2021|02|26|1932|05|18}}
| death_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| death_cause = Sepsis
}}
David Pandian (18 May 1932 – 26 February 2021) was an Indian Tamil politician who served as Member of Parliament elected from Tamil Nadu. He was elected to the Lok Sabha as an Indian National Congress{{En dash}}United Communist Party of India (UCPI) candidate from North Chennai constituency in 1989 and 1991 elections.[http://eci.nic.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1989/Vol_I_LS_89.pdf Volume I, 1989 Indian general election, 9th Lok Sabha] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410002759/http://eci.nic.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1989/Vol_I_LS_89.pdf |date=10 April 2009 }}[http://eci.nic.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1991/VOL_I_91.pdf Volume I, 1991 Indian general election, 10th Lok Sabha] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409234827/http://eci.nic.in/StatisticalReports/LS_1991/VOL_I_91.pdf |date=9 April 2009 }}
He was the Tamil Nadu State Secretary of the Communist Party of India for three consecutive terms from 2005 to 2015,{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/pandian-is-cpi-state-secretary-for-third-term-448277.html |title=Pandian is CPI state secretary for third term |publisher=news18|date=20 February 2012 |accessdate=20 February 2012}} when he was succeeded by R. Mutharasan.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/mutharasan-cpi-state-secretary/article6947451.ece |title=Cities / Coimbatore : Mutharasan, CPI State secretary |work=The Hindu |date=1 March 2015 |accessdate=24 November 2015}}
Early life
Pandian was born in Vellaimalaipatti, a village in Usilampatti Taluk, in modern day Madurai district on 23 September 1932.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/3357.htm|access-date=27 February 2021|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}} His father, David, and mother, Navamani, were teachers in a Christian missionary school aimed at children of the Piramalai Kallar community.{{Cite web|last=Saxena|first=Prasanth|date=26 February 2021|title=Veteran CPI leader D Pandian, injured in 1991 Rajiv assassination, passes away|url=https://thefederal.com/obituary/veteran-cpi-leader-d-pandian-injured-in-1991-rajiv-assassination-passes-away/|access-date=27 February 2021|website=The Federal|language=en-US}} He studied at the Kallar Reclamation School and later at the Usilampatti Board High School. He went on to complete to obtain a postgraduate degree in English from Alagappa college in Karaikudi.{{Cite web|last=Rajasekaran|first=Ilangovan|title=Veteran communist leader D. Pandian passes away after a prolonged illness|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/dispatches/veteran-communist-leader-d-pandian-passes-away-after-a-prolonged-illness/article33940994.ece|access-date=27 February 2021|website=Frontline|date=26 February 2021 |language=en}} During this time, he also won the students' union elections as a member of the communist party's student wing. He held a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws degree.
After completing his education, he served as a lecturer teaching English at the Alagappa Chettiar college in Karaikudi. He campaigned for the 1957 Tamil Nadu state assembly elections under a pseudonym. However, his name was published in some newspapers resulting in a demand for his resignation. However, the college's founder would encourage him further by presenting him with works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
Career
Before becoming a full-time member of the Communist Party of India, he was the first general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkiya Perumandram (Tamil Nadu Art and Literary Federation) launched by communist party leader, P. Jeevanandam. He left the CPI to join the United Communist Party of India (UCPI) led by Mohit Sen and was elected to Lok Sabha from North Chennai. He returned to CPI in 2000 and became its State secretary in 2005.[http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/on-d-pandians-80th-birthday-nallakannu-calls-for-political-unity/article3936031.ece The Hindu : States / Tamil Nadu : On D. Pandian’s 80th birthday, Nallakannu calls for political unity] He was the president of Indian Railway Labour Union.{{Cite news|date=9 October 2016|title=CPI leader Pandian's book launched|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/CPI-leader-Pandian%E2%80%99s-book-launched/article15436857.ece|access-date=15 August 2018|issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite news|date=19 January 2007|title=Bardhan for debate on judicial review order|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/Bardhan-for-debate-on-judicial-review-order/article14708051.ece|access-date=15 August 2018|issn=0971-751X}}
On 21 May 1991, Pandian was seriously injured{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19910615-a-detailed-account-of-the-assassination-of-rajiv-gandhi-814454-1991-06-15|title=A detailed account of the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi|website=India Today|date=15 June 1991 |language=en|access-date=15 August 2018}} while accompanying the then Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, when the latter was assassinated in a suicide bomb attack. Pandian was scheduled to translate the prime minister's speech for the local audience.{{cite web|url=http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/3357.htm|title=Members Bioprofile|date=|publisher=164.100.47.132|accessdate=26 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129165817/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/3357.htm|archive-date=29 January 2016|url-status=dead}} Though opposed to LTTE, he was a critic of the Sri Lankan government's approach to the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils and called for peaceful political solutions.{{Cite web|title=Sandeshaya {{!}} CPI to protest Lanka violence|url=https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2008/09/080929_cpi_lanka|access-date=27 February 2021|website=www.bbc.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/jayalalithaa-should-be-rallying-point-for-sl-tamils-cpi-500576.html|title=Jayalalithaa should be rallying point for SL Tamils: CPI|work=News18|access-date=15 August 2018}} Speaking later about the incident he would say that he still carried pieces of shrapnel in his body. He was also amongst the first victims to call for the release of the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, writing to the then Tamil Nadu Governor, Banwarilal Purohit, asking for their release on humanitarian grounds.{{Cite web|date=26 February 2021|title=Veteran CPI leader D Pandian dies in Chennai at 88|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/veteran-cpi-leader-d-pandian-dies-chennai-88-144218|access-date=27 February 2021|website=The News Minute|language=en}}
Pandian supported the construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.{{cite web|url=http://www.countercurrents.org/muthukrishnan260312.htm|title=Indian Left And The Nuclear Hypocrisy|accessdate=11 October 2012}} But his later statements indicated a change in his thinking and he has mentioned that exempting Russians from their liability was unacceptable.{{cite web|url=http://www.dianuke.org/exempting-russians-from-n-liability-unacceptable-cpi-new-york-daily-news/|title=Exempting Russians from n-liability unacceptable: CPI – New York Daily News|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922141521/http://www.dianuke.org/exempting-russians-from-n-liability-unacceptable-cpi-new-york-daily-news/|archivedate=22 September 2012|url-status=dead|accessdate=11 October 2012}}{{Cite news|last=Kolappan|first=B.|date=26 February 2021|title=Veteran CPI leader D. Pandian no more|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/veteran-communist-leader-d-pandian-no-more/article33939074.ece|access-date=27 February 2021|issn=0971-751X}} Some of the other causes advanced by Pandian during his career included speaking for social justice, eradication of superstitions, and promoting science education.{{Cite web|date=26 February 2021|title=Veteran CPI leader D Pandian no more; TN leaders condole death|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/veteran-cpi-leader-d-pandian-no-more-tn-leaders-condole-death-7206378/|access-date=27 February 2021|website=The Indian Express|language=en}} He had also served as a trade union leader with the Railway and Port unions.
As an author, he had written over 30 books in Tamil and English, spanning topics across economics, social justice, philosophy, and history.{{Cite web|date=27 February 2021|first=M. K.|last=Ananth|title=CPI stalwart D Pandian dies at 88 in Chennai|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/cpi-stalwart-d-pandian-dies-at-88-in-chennai/articleshow/81238521.cms|access-date=27 February 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}} His most recent book, Medai Pechhu ({{Translation|Public speaking}}) was a retrospective on his political career and a narrative on the political history of Tamil Nadu.{{Cite news|date=9 October 2016|title=CPI leader Pandian's book launched|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/CPI-leader-Pandian%E2%80%99s-book-launched/article15436857.ece|access-date=27 February 2021|issn=0971-751X}} He was also the editor of Jana Sakthi, a Tamil daily run by CPI.{{Cite news|title=CPI (M) launches Tamil daily, to focus on people's issues|language=en|work=oneindia.com|url=https://www.oneindia.com/2007/01/18/cpi-m-launches-tamil-daily-to-focus-on-peoples-issues-1169191950.html|access-date=15 August 2018}}
Personal life
Pandian had two daughters and a son, David Jawahar. His wife Joyce Pandian died at the age of 76 in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/india/20101117/1632663.html|title=CPI leader Pandian's wife Joyce passes away|website=news.webindia123.com|access-date=15 August 2018|archive-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815201010/https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/india/20101117/1632663.html|url-status=dead}} His son David Jawahar is a former registrar of the University of Madras, Tamil Nadu, and was a professor at the Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchi.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/TamilNadu/2017/08/12021050/1041558/Madras-University-exregistrars-room-ransacked-in-Tiruchy.vpf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815201049/https://www.dtnext.in/News/TamilNadu/2017/08/12021050/1041558/Madras-University-exregistrars-room-ransacked-in-Tiruchy.vpf|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 August 2018|title=Madras University ex-registrar's room ransacked in Tiruchy|date=12 August 2017|work=dtNext.in|access-date=15 August 2018|language=en-US}}
Pandian died from sepsis at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai on 26 February 2021, at age 88.{{cite news|url = https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/veteran-communist-leader-d-pandian-no-more/article33939074.ece|title = Veteran CPI leader D. Pandian no more|last = Koppalan|first = B.|date = 26 February 2021|accessdate = 26 February 2021|work = The Hindu}}
Published works
References
{{Reflist}}
{{9th LS members from Tamil Nadu}}
{{10th LS members from Tamil Nadu}}
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Category:Communist Party of India politicians from Tamil Nadu
Category:Deaths from sepsis in India
Category:Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu
Category:People from Madurai district
Category:Politicians from Chennai
Category:Producers who won the Best Film on Other Social Issues National Film Award