P.Kakkan – Unsung Leader
After reading about Mr.P.Kakkan in an article in The Hindu (here) today, I thought of writing something which I had heard from my father. But a brief search gave me what I intended to write (here).
It is said, he didn’t have the money to pay for a special ward and was lying in the veranda of the Govt Hospital, Madurai. Dr.M.G.Ramachandran was on a visit as Chief Minister, he noticed Kakkan and helped him.
Some time back, I visited Thirumogur (an old temple near othakadai). It was late in the evening, a convoy of SUVs made a halt opposite to the temple. The lead car had two dobermans ( no pun intended!) enjoying the view of the road; for a second I thought it could be some minister. But the person was just a ward head of some ‘local’ party.
Mr.Kakkan was really a great man. The sad part is, in contemporary terms, people would call him “pozhaika theriyadha manushan”.
If I have to give a word of advice to the current politicians, I would quote from the Tamil movie Roja Kootam, Raghuvaran’s advice to Srikanth; But, who am I to advice them? 
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Hi da,
The problem here is that you are comparing leaders(assuming the current day people are also leaders) of entirely different generations. In the days of Kakkan, most of the leaders were like that, simple and humble. For eg. the former CM Kamarajar. Their actions spoke and they didn’t have to show off. These days, it is about earning more money and only about that.(Earning is too respectable a for that, though)
Ha..ha..
There is a Kakkanstatue in his home town(Melur).Every year for his birthday,Politicians (from all the parties )used to come and honour him.The funny thing was ” with maximum no of tata sumos and big cars with their party flags(even the ward counsellor):)
If I have to give a word of advice to the current politicians, I would quote from the Tamil movie Roja Kootam, Raghuvaran’s advice to Srikanth; But, who am I to advice them?
Excellent Comment:))))))