N. Sankaraiah, a senior leader of the Communist Party of the Communist Party of India and a freedom fighter, lived in New Colony, Chromepet, Chennai. He was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai due to lack of oxygen due to cold and fever. He died yesterday (Nov. 15) while the doctors were treating him but the treatment did not work.
Earlier, party’s state secretary K. Balakrishnan and political leadership committee member G. Ramakrishnan visited the hospital and met the doctors and inquired about the treatment. Sankarayya’s son Narasimhan and District Executive Committee members including South Chennai District Secretary R. Velmurugan were watching. However, his body did not cooperate with the treatment and he died.
In this case, his death has caused great sadness among the party members. 
“Sankaraiah who lived as a comrade of the working people” – N.Sankaraiah, a freedom fighter and senior leader of the Indian communal movement, was born in Kovilpatti (1922). He stayed at his grandfather’s house in Tuticorin and attended a government primary school there. Bharatiyar’s poems were a great motivation for him. He also studied the literature of the Sangam period including Purananooru, Naritainai, and Kurundogai in depth.
Student to Communist party leader
* After completing his schooling, he joined Madurai American College, studying History. Parimelagar was also elected as the joint secretary of Tamil Kazhagam. He brought many leaders including Rajaji, Sathyamurthy, Pasumbon Muthuramalingath Devar to the forum and made them speak. He joined the Communist Party as a student and participated in many protests.
* College students protested against British oppression. He was then arrested under the Detention Act. College studies also came to an end. His father’s wish for his son to become a lawyer was also not fulfilled.
* Met several leaders in jail including Kamarajar, P. Jeevanandham, MR Venkatraman. After his release, he devoted himself completely to public life. When Netaji came to Madurai in 1939, he organized a student meeting and had Netaji address it.
* Participating in the ‘vellaiyanae veliyeru’ protest, he mobilized students to demand the release of the arrested leaders. He led a life of struggle with police batons, absconding life and imprisonment.
* He was one of the prominent leaders of the Communist Party of India when it was formed. In 1938, Chennai and Annamalai Universities formed the ‘Chennai Student Union’ and were involved in the freedom struggle. Similarly in Madurai also students union was formed and he was elected as its secretary.
* Conducted many public meetings and conferences for the welfare of workers and actively engaged in field work. He used to write his opinions as articles in various magazines. He was instrumental in starting the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association. Worked as an editor in ‘Janashakti’ magazine for 3 years.
* He was elected as a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1967, 1977 and 1980 and served as a member for a total of 11 years. He has delivered many important speeches in the Legislative Assembly on many important issues.
* He lived a simple life and used to wear khatara. He held many responsibilities in the Communist Party and performed effectively in them, even after his retirement, he used to visit the party office and give advice.
* For more than 70 years in public life as a student, as a party leader, as a member of the Legislative Assembly, as the State and All India President of the Farmers’ Union, N. Sankaraiah, who was praised as a freedom fighter and a ‘comrade of Working People’, passed away yesterday (15.11.2023).
