E. S. S. Raman

Ekiri Sanjeevi Subramanya Raman (born 1 July 1954) is an Indian politician with the Tamil Maanila Congress(M) and was former MLA of Pallipattu constituency. He is a well renowned diabetologist in his home town Pothatturpettai. He represented Pallipattu in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 1996–2001 and 2006–2011.

Raman was born to E. S. Subramaniam and Saradha in Pothatturpettai in Thiruvallur district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. His grandfather Sanjeeviyar was the district board member during 1937 for the Chittoor district and the president of the local panchayat (unopposed). His father, a rationalist close to veteran Dravidian movement leaders Periyar E. V. Ramasamy and C. N. Annadurai, was a candidate of behalf of the Tamil people party in the first post independence elections in 1952, in which he lost to his nearest rival by 1,021 votes. He was instrumental in getting his younger brother Thyagarajan elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in 1971.

Raman is the only son in his family; he has ten sisters. His family interests covered farming, textile and educational institutions.

After graduating in 1978 from Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai, Raman was hired by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission as Medical Officer at the government primary health center in his home town. He headed the primary health center from 1978 to 1988, after which he joined Madras Medical College for his post graduate studies. Later he joined the faculty of Stanley Medical College and resigned his government job to partake in politics actively.

During his tenure, he implemented a low cost sanitary latrine program known as RCAP. In his jurisdiction, he successfully completed 500 such RCAP latrines without requesting any financial help from the government. For his unique achievement, the government of Tamil Nadu nominated Raman for a WHO award in the amount of $US 5,000. He was the first person recommended for said award.

Raman was district co-convener of the medical wing of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee from 1989 to 1996. He was a strong and loyal follower of G K Moopanar, political heir of K. Kamaraj. After breaking away from Congress in 1996, G. K. Moopanar formed a separate political party named 'Tamil Maanila Congress', an outfit with a regional interest with national fervor. Raman followed his mentor Moopanar and was fielded as the new party candidate for Pallipattu Assembly Constituency by Moopanar in 1996. Raman came out successfully with a margin of 58,492 votes, making all his opponents lose their deposits.

Moopanar nominated Raman as the District President of his party (1998–2001). After the demise of Moopanar, his natural, legal and political heir G. K. Vasan, the present Union Minister of Shipping, merged Tamil Maanila Congress with its parent organisation 'Indian National Congress' under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi in 2002. As a follower of Vasan, Raman was appointed the State Organizing Secretary for Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (2002 to till date).

Raman served as the District Election Officer for Salem District and Election Observer for Coimbatore and Erode Districts (organizational Elections) of Tamil Manila Congress. Later after the merger of TMC with Indian National Congress, Raman was granted the opportunity to serve as the High Command Observer for Thanjavur District, native district of his mentors Moopanar and Vasan, by All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Raman was selected for the second time to contest for Tamil Nadu State Assembly General Elections (2006) by AICC and he won again representing Pallipattu Constituency for the second time in the Tamil Nadu Legislation. In 2009, Raman was appointed the All India Congress Observer (Pre-Poll −2009) for Andhra Pradesh by Sonia Gandhi for three parliamentary constituencies and 21 assembly constituencies (Nandyal, Anantapur and Kurnool parliament constituencies); his observations proved nearly 100% successful and he was lauded for the same.

Raman had always been a great supporter of former union minister of shipping Mr.G.K.Vasan. Raman moved out of congress and joined TAMIL MAANILA CONGRESS (Moopanar), when former Union minister of Shipping G.K.Vasan floated new party in Nov 2014. Raman has been appointed as STATE VICE PRESIDENT of Tamil Maanila Congress(M) in 2015.

Raman was instrumental in bringing a mini-bus scheme to Tamil Nadu. There was much growth in Pallipat constituency; fundamental facilities like the Taluk Office, fire stations, civil court, Petrol Bunk, gas supply stations, many higher secondary schools, new sub-division for highways Dept, 24x7 three-phase electricity supply, and new electricity sub-stations were established through his efforts as M.L.A. (1996–2001) and (2006–2011).

Raman has written many books in Tamil, namely Isaipada vazhvom, Paalvinai Noigal, Neeryizhivu Noyalikku Vazhakai Muraigal, Naalvar Sutriya Naangu Nadugal, Maruthuvathin Maru Pakkam, and Padhivugal. His book on diabetes won him the first prize from the government of Tamil Nadu for the best medical Tamil book, for which he was given a cash reward and citation by the then Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran. The same book was released as an audio cassette, a novel venture at that time, by popular AVM Studios (1983) for the benefit of patients who can listen better than reading. Raman also wrote a book on the life history of Moopanar in the form of poems with rare photographs of the leader.

Raman has contributed many articles to popular Tamil dailies and other periodicals including Dinamani, Daily Thanthi, Kalki, Manavam, Manavarism, Desiya Murasu and All India Radio. He was a regular scribe for Junior Vikatan and Kumudam Reporter, the popular bi-weekly magazines of Tamil Nadu, on Tamil Nadu Assembly proceedings (as a critic) for three successive years (2006–2009). Raman has also worked as a cover artist and illustrator for many magazines including Alai Osai, Manavam, Manarism, Murasoli and Vanoli. As a broadcaster he had a rare opportunity to broadcast tributes to the great Congress leader Kamaraj on the day of his demise.

Raman has travelled widely in and out of India. He undertook a tour to various countries including Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore in 1984 and wrote a travelogue on the same. He visited Malaysia and Singapore many other times. He visited the United States in 2011 and participated in the inauguration of a new Joslin Diabetes Center at Pontiac, Illinois.

Following the example of his ancestors, Raman has established educational institutions in his home town in memory of his father (1909–1977). ESSM Teacher Training Institute, ESSM College of Education, and ESSM College of Arts and Science serve the needs of the locality and particularly benefit the education of women.