The highest Award of honour by the State government of Tamil Nadu is Tamil – Excellence Award (Thagaisal Thamizhar Award). The Award was instituted by Dravidian Model government, formed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 2021, headed by the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. For the year 2023 , announcement of the Award was made to honour Asiriyar Dr.K. Veeramani, President – Dravidar Kazhagam and Patron. The Rationalists’ Forum. Having attained the age of 90, Asiriyar has got a unique distinction of 80 years of public life, starting addressing public meeting at the age of 10. His student days and organisational association of Self Respect Movement founded by Periyar grew together. After post graduation, and Law graduation he became a practising advocate. Within a year as lawyer Veeramani, Periyar entrusted him with the responsibility of ‘Viduthalai’ (Liberation) daily as its Editor. From then on Asiriyar that means Editor in Tamil, served the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) under the ideal nurture of Periyar.
After Thanthai Periyar and Annai E.V.R. Maniammaiar who succeeded Periyar as the President of the DK, he was assigned by the Cadres to assume the mantle of the movement. He became the editor of ‘Unmai’ (Truth), a Tamil fortnightly, ‘The Modern Rationalist’, an English monthly and founder- editor of ‘Periyar Pinju’ (Periyar – Tots) a Children’s monthly in Tamil. He is following meticulously the foot prints of Periyar. He has taken Periyar Philosophy to further heights and extended it globally. The announced Award carried a citation along with a cash Award of Rs.10 lakh. On the eve of the Award day Asiriyar met the two former Awardees, the communist stalwarts Com. S. Sankariah (Age 102) and Com. R. Nallakannu (Age 96) at their respective residences and greeted them.
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Honouring with Award
On 15th August 2023, the Hon’ble Chief Minister Respectful M.K. Stalin conferred the Tamil Excellence Award on Asiriyar Dr. K. Veeramani at St.George Fort on the occasion of Independence Day celebration. The Awardee – Asiriyar donated the cash Award of Rs.10 lakh to the monumental project, of ‘Periyar World’, that comes up at Siruganur, near Trichy. Besides, Asiriyar acknowledged the Honour with the expression, that the Award is conferred in fact on Periyar and the multitude of Black shirt cadres of Periyar Movement.
