Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu), Jul 13 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Saturday said that former Chief Minister K Kamaraj who laid the foundation for a prosperous and beautiful Tamil Nadu ensured development by persuading the Centre and not through confrontation.

Also, he regretted that the successors of Kamaraj could not take forward the pace of development that the former chief minister achieved in a short span of nine years in diverse spheres, including launching midday meals for school children, social justice and industrialisation.

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"He was a person who could command respect at every level... he did all these by persuading the Central government and not by fighting or quarreling. You don't get anything by fighting or quarreling because people will suffer," Ravi said while speaking at the 122nd birth anniversary of Kamaraj at the Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology, here.

If Tamil Nadu was an advanced state in terms of gross enrollment ratio and literacy, then the primary credit should go to Kamaraj, he claimed. Kamaraj was a pioneer who built dams that were still intact and served the purpose, Ravi said.

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"I don't think we have done much thereafter.... We wish we had another Kamaraj with us in subsequent decades," Ravi said.

Referring to the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy that claimed over 60 lives, the Governor said had Kamaraj been alive he would not have allowed it to happen.

Ravi sought a detailed portrayal of the life and achievements of Kamaraj in the school texts to serve as inspiration to students on how to lead a life for others.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)