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{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1968)}}
{{Indian name|Kanimozhi|Karunanidhi}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kanimozhi Karunanidhi
| image = Kanimozhi Karunanidhi 01.jpg
| caption = Kanimozhi in 2020
| office = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| term_start = 18 June 2019
| term_end =
| predecessor = [[J. Jayasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee]]
| successor =
| constituency = [[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]]
| office1 = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]]
| term_start1 = 25 July 2007
| term_end1 = 23 May 2019
| primeminister1 = {{ubl|[[Manmohan Singh]]|[[Narendra Modi]]}}
| predecessor1 = [[S. G. Indira]]
| successor1 = [[P. Wilson]]
| constituency1 = [[List of Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu|Tamil Nadu]]
| office2 = Chairperson – Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
| term_start2 = 13 September 2022
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 = [[Prataprao Jadhav]]
| successor2 =
| office3 = Chairperson – District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee
| term_start3 = 18 June 2019
| term_end3 =
| predecessor3 = [[J. Jayasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee]]
| office4 = Chairperson – [[Tuticorin Airport]] Advisory Committee
| term_start4 = 18 June 2019
| term_end4 =
| predecessor4 = [[J. Jayasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee]]
| office5 = Chairperson – Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers
| term_start5 = 13 September 2019
| term_end5 = 12 September 2022
| predecessor5 = [[Anandrao Adsul]]
| successor5 = [[Shashi Tharoor]]
| office6 = President – The Hindu Office and National Press Employees’ Union
| term_start6 = 12 April 2017
| term_end6 =
| predecessor6 = E. Gopal
| successor6 =
| office7 = Parliamentary Chairperson of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
| term_start7 = 10 June 2024
| term_end7 =
| predecessor7 = [[T. R. Baalu]]
| office8 = Deputy Leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Lok Sabha
| term_start8 = 18 June 2019
| term_end8 = 5 June 2024
| leader8 = [[T. R. Baalu]]
| successor8 = [[Dayanidhi Maran]]
| office9 = Deputy General Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
| term_start9 = 9 October 2022
| term_end9 =
| president9 = [[M. K. Stalin]]
| 1blankname9 = General Secretary
| 1namedata9 = [[Duraimurugan]]
| predecessor9 = [[Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan]]
| successor9 =
| office10 = Women's Wing Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
| term_start10 = 9 January 2015
| term_end10 = 23 November 2022
| president10 = {{ubl|[[M. Karunanidhi]]|[[M. K. Stalin]]}}
| 1blankname10 = General Secretary
| 1namedata10 = {{ubl|[[K. Anbazhagan]]|[[Duraimurugan]]}}
| predecessor10 = ''Office Established''
| successor10 = [[J. Helen Davidson]]
| birth_name = Kanimozhi
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|01|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Madras]], [[Madras State]], [[India]] (present-day [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]])
| party = [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
| spouse = {{unbulleted list|{{marriage|Athiban Bose|1989|1997|reason=divorced}}<ref>{{cite web|title=The Big and Mighty Karuna family|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_the-big-and-mighty-karuna-family_1258972|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|access-date=1 February 2011|date=26 May 2009}}</ref>}}
{{Marriage|G. Aravindan|1997|}}
| relations = See [[Karunanidhi family]]
| children = Aditya Aravindan (Son)
| parents = Father: [[M. Karunanidhi]]<br />Mother: Rajathi Ammal
| residence = * 46/1, Prashanthi Apartments, 2nd Cross Street, CIT Colony, [[Mylapore, Chennai]] – 600004, [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
* 102F/20M, 6th Street, Kurinji Nagar, Polpettai, [[Thoothukkudi]] – 628002, Tamil Nadu, India
| education = [[Master of Economics]]
| alma_mater = [[Ethiraj College for Women]]
| profession = {{hlist|Politician|Poet|Journalist}}
| signature = Kanimozhi Signature.svg
}}
'''Kanimozhi Karunanidhi''' (born 5 January 1968) is an Indian politician, poet and journalist. She is a [[Member of Parliament]], representing [[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi constituency]] in the [[Lok Sabha]], the [[lower house]] of [[Parliament of India]]. She was also a former [[Member of Parliament|MP]] who represented [[Tamil Nadu]] in the [[Rajya Sabha]] (the [[upper house]] of [[Parliament of India|India's Parliament]]).<ref name="rajya">{{cite web|title=Detailed Profile: Smt. Kanimozhi|url=http://india.gov.in/govt/rajyasabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=2045|publisher=Govt. of India|access-date=20 December 2010|archive-date=30 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330231527/http://india.gov.in/govt/rajyasabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=2045|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kanimozhi is the daughter of the former [[Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu]] [[M. Karunanidhi]] for his third wife Rajathi Ammal.

Kanimozhi belongs to the Indian political party [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (DMK), where she functions as the deputy general secretary. Her half-brothers [[M. K. Alagiri]] and [[M. K. Stalin]] are the former [[Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers|Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers of the Republic of India]] and the [[Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu]] respectively.

==Early life==
Kanimozhi was born in [[Chennai]] to [[M. Karunanidhi]], the former [[Chief Minister]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], and Rajathi Ammal. She was a student of Presentation Convent, Church Park, in Chennai, and later completed her master's degree in economics from [[Ethiraj College for Women]], [[Chennai]].<ref name="sify" />

Before her entry into politics, Kanimozhi was involved in journalism, such as subeditor for ''[[The Hindu]]'', editor in charge of ''[[Kungumam (magazine)|Kungumam]]'' (a Tamil weekly magazine), and a features editor for a Singapore-based Tamil newspaper called ''[[Tamil Murasu]]''.<ref name="sify">{{cite web|title=Kanimozhi: A poetess politician in trouble|url=http://www.sify.com/news/kanimozhi-a-poetess-politician-in-trouble-news-national-kmpuurfgihj.html|work=[[Sify]].com|access-date=20 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219015935/http://www.sify.com/news/kanimozhi-a-poetess-politician-in-trouble-news-national-kmpuurfgihj.html|archive-date=19 December 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Social works==
===Interests===
Kanimozhi has been known to support pan-Tamil issues.<ref>[http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1083461 Kanimozhi the rising daughter in Tamil Nadu?]. Dnaindia.com (7 March 2007). Retrieved on 27 March 2012.</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/why-does-god-need-gunman-protect-hundiyal-kanimozhi-s-speech-rankles-hindu-group-74554 |title = 'Why does god need gunman to protect hundiyal?': Kanimozhi's speech rankles Hindu group|date = 11 January 2018}}</ref> She takes part in organising women empowerment programs<ref>{{cite news|title=Fight against injustice, Kanimozhi tells women |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/24/stories/2007032411200400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610000736/http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/24/stories/2007032411200400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 June 2007 |work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=20 December 2010|location=Chennai, India|date=24 March 2007}}</ref> and is interested in the welfare of differently abled people and [[transgender]] people. In 2005, with Karthi Chidambaram, she founded a portal supporting free speech.<ref>[http://www.karuthu.com Karuthu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070826153837/http://www.karuthu.com/ |date=26 August 2007 }}. Karuthu. Retrieved on 27 March 2012.</ref>

===Chennai Sangamam===
In 2007, Kanimozhi conceived the idea of the [[Chennai Sangamam]], an annual open [[Tamil language|Tamil]] cultural festival, usually held during the [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] season.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

===Job fairs===
She spearheads<ref>{{cite news|last=V. Mallady |first=Shastry |title=Private companies urged to participate in rural job fairs |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/11/stories/2008111160510400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525122408/http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/11/stories/2008111160510400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 May 2011|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=20 December 2010 |location=Chennai, India |date=11 November 2008}}</ref> DMK efforts to organise job fairs, under the banner 'Kalaignar 85' across rural Tamil Nadu to facilitate employment opportunities for young people in smaller cities, towns and villages.<ref name="sify" /> She plans to conduct similar fairs all over [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2008/12/10/stories/2008121060490700.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525114029/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2008/12/10/stories/2008121060490700.htm|url-status=usurped|title=ADMK job fairs a big draw in rural areas|archive-date=25 May 2011|access-date=4 December 2019}}</ref>

==Literary works==
* Sigarangalil Uraikiradhu Kaalam<ref>{{cite news|title=Dravidian ideals will remain the central theme: Kanimozhi|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article20331.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=20 December 2010|location=Chennai, India|date=15 September 2009}}</ref>
* Agathinai
* Paarvaigal
* Karukkum Marudhaani
* Karuvarai Vaasanai

Her literary works were translated into English, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada.

===Silappathikaram===
Kanimozhi has worked on a production titled ''[[Silappatikaram|Silappadikaram]], A woman of Substance'' based on a Tamil [[Silappatikaram|epic of the same name]] with [[Bombay Jayashri]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110525132436/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2004033100740100.htm&date=2004%2F03%2F31%2F&prd=mp& Classic in a new idiom]}}. Hinduonnet.com (31 March 2004). Retrieved on 27 March 2012.</ref>

==Personal life==
Kanimozhi has been married twice; firstly in 1989 to Athiban Bose, a businessman from [[Sivakasi]] (since divorced), and then to G. Aravindan, a [[Singapore]]-based Tamil writer, in 1997. She has a son named Aditya Aravindan.<ref>{{Citation | title = A Wedding In The Family ..... | url = http://www.rediff.com/news/aug/28dmk.htm | journal = Rediff News | access-date = 9 December 2010}}</ref>

== Political career ==
===As a Rajya Sabha MP===
In May 2007, the DMK nominated Kanimozhi as one of the party's candidates for the [[Rajya Sabha]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/Kanimozhi-Tiruchi-N.-Siva-DMK-nominees-for-Rajya-Sabha-polls/article14769275.ece|title=Kanimozhi, Tiruchi N. Siva, DMK nominees for Rajya Sabha polls|work=The Hindu|access-date=15 May 2017|language=en}}</ref> She became a Rajya Sabha member for the second time in 2013. Kanimozhi was the chief whip of the DMK in the house and was the leader of DMK in the Upper house.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

===As a Lok Sabha MP===
She was elected from [[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]] as the first female MP of that constituency for the [[17th Lok Sabha]], which was held in the year 2019, and was elected as the DMK's deputy leader of the Lok Sabha. As of September 2019 and September 2022, Kanimozhi works as the chairperson of the [[Standing committee (India)|Parliament Standing Committee]] on Chemicals and Fertilizers<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/bjp-mps-head-most-panels-outnumber-opposition-in-committees/articleshow/71142878.cms|title=BJP MPs head most panels, outnumber opposition in committees|date=16 September 2019 |website= Economic Times|access-date=4 December 2019|language=en}}</ref> and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, respectively.

===As a trade union leader===
She is the president of The Hindu National Press employees union. She is the first woman to be elected to that post.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kanimozhi-is-the-hindu-staff-union-president/article17936630.ece |title = Kanimozhi is the Hindu staff union president|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 12 April 2017}}</ref>

===Women's Wing Secretary of the DMK===
She was the women's wing secretary of the DMK party and encourages women to enter politics. She has organised training camps for the district-level office-bearers of the women's wing. She also organised a rally in Delhi, demanding that the women's reservation bill be passed by the parliament.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/dmk-holds-rally-in-delhi-to-demand-early-passage-of-womens-bill/article9592649.ece |title = DMK holds rally in Delhi to demand early passage of Women's Bill| date=20 March 2017 }}</ref>

===Deputy General Secretary of the DMK===
On 9 October 2022, the [[chief minister of Tamil Nadu]] and the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|DMK]] president [[M. K. Stalin]], announced and appointed Kanimozhi as the deputy general secretary of the DMK party in the presence of the party's general secretary [[Duraimurugan]] at the general council meeting held in [[Chennai]].

Following the [[Operation SINDOOR|Operation Sindoor]], She led an all-party delegation to Russia, reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion that India would make no distinction between terrorists and their sponsors should the nation face further attacks.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-24 |title=Will call spade a spade: In Russia, DMK's Kanimozhi warns Pakistan on terror |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dmk-mp-kanimozhi-all-party-delegation-russia-pakistan-terrorism-operation-sindoor-2729957-2025-05-24 |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

==Controversies==
===2G spectrum scam===
{{main|2G Spectrum case}}
As per the chargesheet filed by CBI, Kanimozhi has 20% stake in her family owned [[Kalaignar TV]], her step-mother Dayalu Ammal owns 60% stake in the same channel.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} CBI alleged that Kanimozhi was an "active brain" behind the channel's operations and she worked along with former telecom minister [[Andimuthu Raja|A. Raja]] to get DB Realty promoter [[Shahid Balwa]] to circuitously route 2 billion (US$36.2 million) to Kalaignar TV. According to CBI, Kanimozhi was in regular touch with A. Raja regarding launching of Kalaignar TV channel and its other pending works. A. Kanimozhi had spent 190 days in Tihar Jail in 2011 after the CBI named her an "active brain" behind the functioning and setting up of Kalaignar TV.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/for-dmks-kanimozhi-an-ed-chargesheet-could-mean-being-sent-to-jail-again/1090549/ | work=Indian Express | title=Report about Kanamozhi on 2G case}}</ref>
Raja was further pursuing the cause of Kalaignar TV not only for getting registration of the company from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting but also for getting it in the DTH operator TATA Sky's bouquet. She was also summoned by the Income Tax Department, Chennai for alleged tax evasion charges.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

On 3 July 2012, briefing the joint parliamentary committee probing the scam, ED claimed that it has enough evidence to convict DMK chief Karunanidhi's wife and daughter Kanimozhi.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

Kanimozhi has defended herself by arguing that she is only a 20% shareholder in the company, who has no involvement in the financial aspects or the liability of a director.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/I-am-not-involved-in-day-to-day-running-of-Kalaignar-TV-Kani/articleshow/8183180.cms | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103112443/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-07/india/29519916_1_kalaignar-tv-mere-shareholder-kanimozhi | url-status=live | archive-date=3 January 2013 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=I am not involved in day-to-day running of Kalaignar TV}}</ref>

During the course of the trial, Kanimozhi's name was cleared by at least one witness who deposed that she had no involvement in the day-to-day affairs of Kalaignar TV and that she was initially reluctant to join the management of the channel.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}} It was also admitted in court that Kanimozhi resigned from Kalaignar board after only two weeks to become a Member of Parliament. In an extraordinary twist, on 21 December 2017 a special CBI court acquitted her along with 19 others accused including A. Raja in 2G spectrum allocation cases. The Court said that the prosecution had failed to prove any of its charge. Thus all accused were acquitted.{{citation needed|date= September 2022}}

== Positions in Parliament of the Republic of India ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" |Elections
! rowspan="2" |Position
! rowspan="2" |Constituency
! colspan="3" |Term in office
|-
!Assumed office
!Left office
!Time in office
|-
|[[2007 Indian Rajya Sabha elections|2007]]
|[[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]]
|[[List of Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu|Tamil Nadu]]
|25 July 2007
|29 May 2019
|11 years, 308 days
|-
|[[2019 Indian general election|2019]]
|[[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
|[[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]]
|18 June 2019
|5 June 2024
|4 years, 353 days
|-
|[[2024 Indian general election|2024]]
|[[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
|[[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]]
|25 June 2024
|''Incumbent''
|{{age in years and days|2024|06|25}}
|}

== Electoral performance ==
Kanimozhi has been elected as [[Member of Parliament|M.P.]] of Lok Sabha from [[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]] constituency. This was her first direct electoral performance.
She resigned her Rajya Sabha MP post on 29 May 2019 after being elected to [[17th Lok Sabha]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 May 2019 |title=Amit Shah, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Kanimozhi resign as Rajya Sabha members after being elected to 17th Lok Sabha |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-amit-shah-ravi-shankar-prasad-kanimozhi-resign-as-rajya-sabha-members-after-being-elected-to-17th-lok-sabha-2754842 |access-date=29 May 2019 |website=DNA India |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Elections
! rowspan="2" |Constituency
! rowspan="2" |Party
! rowspan="2" |Result
! rowspan="2" |Vote %
! colspan="3" |Opposition
|-
!Candidate
!Party
!Vote %
|-
|[[2019 Indian general election]]
|[[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]]
|[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|DMK]]
|{{Won}}
|56.77
|[[Tamilisai Soundararajan]]
|[[BJP]]
|21.77
|-
|[[2024 Indian general election]]
|[[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]]
|[[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|DMK]]
|{{Won}}
|55.26
|R. Sivasamy Velumani
|[[AIADMK]]
|15.12
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://loksabha.nic.in/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=4960 Official biographical sketch in Lok Sabha website]
* {{facebook|KanimozhiDMKpage}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=[[J. Jayasingh Thiyagaraj Natterjee]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|Member of Parliament]] from [[Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency|Thoothukkudi]]|years=18 June 2019}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-break}}
{{S-par|in-upr}}
{{s-bef|before=[[S. G. Indira]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament]] from [[Tamil Nadu]]|years=25 July 2007 – 23 May 2019}}
{{s-aft|after=[[P. Wilson]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Deputy General Secretary of the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]|years=9 October 2022}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-bef|before=''Office established''}}
{{s-ttl|title=Women's Wing Secretary of the [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]|years=9 January 2015 – 23 November 2022}}
{{s-aft|after=[[J. Helen Davidson]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{17th LS members from Tamil Nadu}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanimozhi}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Politicians from Chennai]]
[[Category:Women in Tamil Nadu politics]]
[[Category:Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:India MPs 2019–2024]]
[[Category:Indian Tamil people]]
[[Category:Karunanidhi family]]
[[Category:Indian atheists]]
[[Category:Women members of the Rajya Sabha]]
[[Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha]]
[[Category:Women writers from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian women journalists]]
[[Category:Indian women editors]]
[[Category:Poets from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tamil poets]]
[[Category:Tamil journalists]]
[[Category:The Hindu Group]]
[[Category:2G spectrum case]]
[[Category:Indian prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Inmates of Tihar Jail]]
[[Category:Ethiraj College for Women alumni]]
[[Category:University of Madras alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:India MPs 2024–2029]]
[[Category:Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance candidates in 2024 Indian general election]]

Kanimozhi - Revision history

ChaseBruns at 21:39, 1 February 2026