Era Sezhiyan

Born on 28 April, 1923 at Thirukkannapuram, Thanjavur District of Madras Province (present Tamilnadu), in a middle class family of Rajagopal-Meenakshisundram. He was gold medalist in 1939 SSLC and topped the 1944 B.Sc. Hons. (Mathematics) graduates of Annamalai University.

After graduation, Sezhiyan became an ardent follower and highly trusted assistant of C.N.Annadurai (affectionately called 'Anna') who founded in 1949 the political party DMK. Sezhiyan was in Parliament from 1962-84 to be a distinguished authority of Parliamentary Procedures and Constitutional Conventions. His subtle objections often embarrassed the treasury benches and scuttled four Budgets. On a constitutional issue, he won his case in 1974 in Madras High Court against the Government. As Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (1971-73), he presented a record number of 96 Reports.

Jaiprakash Narayan nominated him in 1974 to the National Coordination Committee which formed the base of Jan Morcha to struggle successfully against the autocratic 1975-77 Emergency. Evading the arrest warrant of Delhi Police, Sezhiyan became, the focal point of the Opposition; on nomination by JP, he was the Convener of National Committee for Review of the Constitution and of People's Union for Civil Liberties. After the 1977 Election, he was a Founder-Member of Janata Party and served in its National Working Committee and Parliamentary Board. He was its leader in Rajya Sabha for some time. He retired from active party politics in 2001, but continues to write articles and participate in seminars of public importance. He is a senior Fellow of Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi.

He resides in Chennai.

E-mail: erasezhiyan[at]gmail[dot]com