R. M. Veerappan is an Indian politician, an early Dravidian Leader, and a movie producer from the state of Tamil Nadu. He is the founder and leader of the MGR Kazhagam party.[1] and former minister in the Tamil Nadu state of India. He has been Minister for 5 terms of varying tenure.
He is referred to as RMV or Rama Veerappan.
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R. M. Veerappan was born on September 9th 1926 at Vallathira Kottai which lies between Pudukottai & Aranthangi in Tamil Nadu. His father, Ramasamy Chettiyar, is an agriculturist and a trader, and his mother, Deivanai, had Sri Lankan ancestral roots. He was the youngest of his parents seven children.
He had donned the role of a hunter in his first stage appearance in 1939 for "Valli Thirumanam". Later he joined the TKS brothers drama company in September 1939. In 1942, he moved back to Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu and started his agency for newspapers.
RMV came into contact with Periyar at Karaikudi through Rama Subbiah, and then became a follower of his dravidian thoughts. He moved along with Periyar to Erode and was with him for some time and met many other dravidian leaders. He then joined K R Ramaswamy's Krishnan Drama Company as Supervisor. During this period, he became an admirer of Arignar Anna and also became friends with Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan. The company was closed in 1950 and R. M. V. came to Madras.
In 1953, he met MGR and joined his Drama Company as Manager later becoming an Executive Director of the Company Em.Gee.Yar Pictures. "Nadodi Mannan" was the first film under this banner which was released on August 22, 1958. The company later filmed “Adimai Penn” & “Ulagam sutrum Valiban".
RMV later started his own production house and the banner’s debut movie titled “Deiva Thai” had MGR in the lead role and was released in 1964. Director K Balachander made his debut into Tamil film industry by writing the dialogues for this movie. Following that, MGR and RMV came together in many movies under this banner, such as “Naan Anayittal”, “Kaavalkaran”, ‘Kannan En Kadhalan” & “Idhaya Kani”. “Rickshawkaran”, produced by Sathya Movies, helped MGR achieve the National award for his performance. In addition to this, the production house made films including Kadhal Parisu, Kakki Chattai, Ranuva Veeran, Moondru Mugam, Thanga magan, Oor Kavalan, Panakaran, Baasha, Mandhira Punnagai, and Puthiya Vaanam.
When MGR moved out of DMK following differences, RMV was with him and aided him in starting AIADMK party. In 1984, when MGR was unwell, K.A.K along with RMV were heading the party proceedings. Following death of MGR, he led the Janaki Fragment of AIADMK and then later reconciled with Selvi. J Jayalalitha.
He has been elected to the legislative assembly two times and legislative council two times. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly from Tirunelveli constituency as a Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate in Tamil Nadu state assembly bye election in 1986 and from Kangayam constituency Tamil Nadu state assembly bye election in 1991[2].
In 1996, his Production house released "Baasha". During his tenure as Hindu Religious Endowment Minister, more than 400 temples Kumbabhishekam were conducted. It was during this period the noon meal scheme or the annadhanam in the temples were started and the temple workers and priests salaries were regularized. He also implemented the compulsory daily pooja program across temples and also brought in a system wherein the bigger temples and revenue rich temples would share their resources with smaller temples in their areas.
He is the founder and President of Kamban Kazhagam and Azhvargal Aaiyvu Maiyam. He also runs an education trust which funds education of the oppressed.
R.M.V got married on the 12th of March, 1956 at Thiruparangundram with Shrimathi. Rajammal. The wedding was conducted in the dravidian tradition under Arignar Anna. The couple had 3 Daughters and 3 Sons. The eldest daughter Shrimathi. Selvi was married to T. G. Thyagarajan.