The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday announced that K. Thirunavukkarasu, a historian documenting the Dravidian movement, and the retired Madras High Court judge, K. Chandru, would be honoured with the Thanthai Periyar Award for Social Justice and the Dr. Ambedkar Award for 2021 respectively.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has issued an order to increase the cash prize for both awards to ₹5 lakh, an official release said. The awards comprise the cash prize, gold medal and citation.
Mr. Thirunavukkarasu’s work, Needhi Katchi Varalaru, documents in two volumes the history of the Justice Party since its founding in 1916 until it was named Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944. He has also been commended for his works, Dravida Iyakka Vergal and Dravida Iyakka Thoongal. He was a recipient of the Tamil Nadu government’s Thiru.Vi.Ka. Award. He received it from former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in 2006.
Mr. Chandru has delivered judgments in over 96,000 cases during his service. When he was an advocate, he was the voice of the poor and workers in the Madras High Court. Many of his judgments favoured the oppressed, and he earned a reputation for delivering judgments against caste discrimination and denial of rights to the oppressed and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the release said.
His works, My Judgments in the Light of Ambedkar and Listen to My Case! When Women Approach the Courts of Tamil Nadu, were widely appreciated. He has travelled widely in the State to understand the challenges faced by the marginalised communities.
The Tamil Nadu government has every year been honouring those who has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of social justice with the Thanthai Periyar Award. The Ambedkar Award is given to an eminent personality who has contributed to the socio-economic and educational development of the Adi Dravidar community.
