Madurai: Senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Minister PTR Palanivel Rajan died at a private hospital in Dindigul early on Saturday.
He suffered a massive heart attack while travelling in a train to his hometown.
Seventy-four-year-old Palanivel Rajan had been sworn-in as Minister exactly a week ago after being elected from the Madurai Central constituency.
He is survived by his wife Rukmani and a son.
Palanivelrajan was born on February 22, 1932 and hailed from Uthamapalyam village in Theni.
He was the son of PT Rajan, a well-known leader of the erstwhile Justice Party and a Minister in the Madras Presidency.
PT Rajan was instrumental in rebuilding the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Kerala which was gutted in a forest fire about a century ago.
When Palanivel Rajan had been the Assembly speaker from 1996 to 2001, he won accolades from all quarters for the way he conducted the house.
Palanivel Rajan was tipped to become the Speaker for the second time, but he declined Party supremo M Karunanidhi's offer and became a minister.
As a minister, one of the first things he did was to issue an order enabling all Hindus, irrespective of caste or creed, to become temple priests.
The funeral will take place tomorrow. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi, who condoled the death, would be going to Madurai to pay homage to PTR.
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