A man who once handed a newspaper to a farmer who had never read one — and then built a daily that millions would reach for every morning. On his birth anniversary, the Chief Minister's Office of Tamil Nadu paid tribute on Sunday, 27 September 2026, to C.P. Adithanar, founder of Dina Thanthi, pioneer of plain-Tamil journalism, and former Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, honouring him as 'Thamizhar Thanthai' — 'Father of Tamils'.

The man who made Tamil readable — and democratic

Before Adithanar reimagined the Tamil newspaper, the press spoke in ornate, high-register prose that kept ordinary readers at arm's length. His intervention was radical in its simplicity: strip the language down, make every sentence feel spoken, and let the last person in the last village feel addressed. The result was Dina Thanthi, founded in 1942, which grew into one of the most widely circulated Tamil dailies in history.

The CMO's tribute captured this precisely, noting that Adithanar 'introduced a living, simple Tamil style in journalism, built the habit of reading newspapers even among the most remote citizens of Tamil Nadu, and stood as a pioneer in generating political and social awareness.' That is not a ceremonial phrase — it describes a measurable shift in who held information and who did not.

A Thirukkural a day: Adithanar's mark on the Assembly floor

His legacy did not end at the press. As Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Adithanar introduced one of the most quietly enduring customs in the state's parliamentary life: beginning every session with the recitation of a single verse from the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil ethical text. One couplet, every sitting, before the business of governance began. It was a gesture that braided Tamil literary heritage into the rhythm of democratic procedure — and it has lasted.

Adithanar also served as a state minister, holding multiple senior positions across his public life, making him one of the rare figures who shaped Tamil society simultaneously through journalism, legislature, and executive power.

Why the state keeps remembering

Tamil Nadu governments across administrations have maintained a consistent practice of publicly honouring 20th-century figures who advanced Tamil language, print culture, and institutional customs. Adithanar fits that pattern precisely — but he also transcends it. His work sits at the intersection of media democratisation, classical language preservation, and legislative reform, three currents that remain live political concerns in the state today.

The tribute closed with a line that will resonate with Tamil readers: the glory of 'Thamizhar Thanthai' C.P. Adithanar, who laboured his entire life for the advancement of the Tamil language and Tamil people, 'will remain forever in our soil.' A state remembering — deliberately, publicly, and on the record.