From teen volunteer to chief minister: the rise of MK Stalin | 5 key facts about the leader

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, popularly known as “Thalapathy”, is the incumbent Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the President of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party. Born on March 1, 1953, he was named after the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin by his father, M Karunanidhi, who received news of the leader's death just days before his son's birth. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin addresses the gathering during a campaign in support of party candidates in Madurai. (PTI)ALSO READ | Stalin cites support, track record, says DMK-led alliance would return to power Stalin assumed office as Chief Minister on May 7, 2021, leading the Secular Progressive Alliance to a landslide victory in the state assembly elections. His political ascent spans over five decades, beginning as a teenage volunteer and culminating in his current role as the primary architect of the DMK's grassroots expansion. During the 1975-1977 Emergency, Stalin was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and spent over a year in prison, where he was reportedly subjected to physical torture while protecting fellow party members, stated the DMK website. Despite these conditions, he remained committed to his education, completing his final year undergraduate exams while still in custody. ALSO READ | MK Stalin accuses centre of weaponizing women’s reservation against opposition Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More