Chennai: In a mark of respect and to attend the last rites of former DMK president and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s long-time personal secretary K Shanmuganathan who passed away here Tuesday due to age-related ailments, Chief Minister M K Stalin has cancelled all his programmes today.
The 80-year-old Shanmuganathan was admitted to Kauvery hospital a few days ago. He suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed his last at around 4.30 pm last evening.
He had been the personal secretary to Karunanidhi for more than 50 years and knew every aspect of the late Chief Minister and stayed with him till his death.
Shanmuganathan, who started his career as a stenographer in the police department, became Karunanidhi’s secretary when the late Chief Minister became a Minister in the first DMK government headed by C N Annadurai in the 1960s.
Shanmuganathan was spotted by Karunanidhi for his skills in stenography and eventually drafted him as his personal secretary.
He remained with Karunanidhi for several decades meticulously jotting down notes of his speech both at official and public functions and election meetings and came to be known as the DMK leader’s ‘shadow’.
Stalin, who was also associated with him for several years, expressed shock over his death and penned a tearful condolence message to Shanmuganathan. Stalin, accompanied by his Cabinet Ministers, also visited the residence of Shanmuganathan and paid homage to his body.
The Chief Minister was moved to tears on seeing his body and offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved family members.