K. Kamaraj was one of the most respected political leaders of Tamil Nadu and an important figure in modern Indian political history.
I first met Kamaraj in 1961 at the headquarters of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. That first meeting was followed by other encounters with him over the years, which gave me an opportunity to observe and know something of this remarkable leader from South India.
In looking back on those meetings, I would like to share some of my personal memories and impressions of Kamaraj — the man, the political leader, and the qualities that made him such an important figure in the public life of his time.
These are my recollections of Kamaraj as I encountered him during an important period in India’s political history.