The Hindu : Front Page : N.P. Ramajayam passes away

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 15, 2007
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N.P. Ramajayam passes away

Special Correspondent

N.P. Ramajayam

CHENNAI: N.P. Ramajayam, general secretary, The Hindu Office and National Press Employees’ Union, died at a private hospital here on Friday after a brief illness. He was 70 and recently underwent a coronary bypass surgery.

Mr. Ramajayam, who was a Foreman in the Composing Department of The Hindu, served as general secretary of the union for 32 years. Born on August 1, 1937, he joined the organisation in 1956 as a Packer’s Assistant. He became joint secretary of the union in 1964, before being elected general secretary in 1975.

He worked as Lino corrector, Imposer and Makeup-man, before being promoted as Foreman in 1993.

Mr. Ramajayam was a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and elected a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, representing the Mylapore constituency, from 1996 to 2001.

He is survived by his wife Janaki and two sons Arun and Senthil, who are both working in The Hindu.

Describing his sudden passing as “a big loss to the institution, the trade union and to me personally,” N. Murali, Managing Director, The Hindu, said: “He was an outstanding and responsible trade union leader, who maintained harmonious industrial relations in the institution. With his gentle persuasion and tactful dealing, he was able to secure more benefits for the employees than aggressive union leaders would ever have got.”

He said Mr. Ramajayam was one of the very few employees who had put in 50 years of service in the institution and was presented the award for meritorious service in January last. “He was very much attached to the newspaper, and though belonging to a political party, he never tried to bring in politics into the organisation or influence its editorial coverage. He considered the management, the union and the newspaper as a larger family.”

Mr. Ramajayam considered it an honour to be the general secretary of The Hindu Office and National Press Employees’ Union, especially in its golden jubilee year 2006. In his 51st annual report to the union, he wrote: “As long as there is memory, there will be a sense of gratitude in my heart.” He vividly remembered his joining the organisation, serving stalwarts such as Kasturi Srinivasan, Kasturi Gopalan, G. Narasimhan, S. Parthasarathy, S. Rangarajan and Mr. G. Kasturi, as well as the current Board of Directors and also the successive Personnel Managers of the company.

Mr. Ramajayam’s body was brought to his residence at Raja Annamalaipuram in the afternoon. DMK general secretary and State Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan, Union Minister T.R. Baalu, State Information Minister Paruthi Ilamvazhuthi and scores of party functionaries and cadre and employees of The Hindu paid homage at his residence.

The cremation will take place at Besant Nagar at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

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