Chennai, August 16

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Sunday paid tribute to former Nagaland Governor La. Ganesan at a memorial meeting in Chennai marking his first death anniversary. He also inaugurated the Ala. Ila Trust, established to preserve the late leader’s legacy and advance his ideals.

Addressing the gathering, Radhakrishnan described Ganesan as a tireless public servant whose life was characterised by perseverance, discipline and unwavering dedication. He welcomed the Trust’s initiative to offer educational scholarships, saying that supporting young people was an appropriate tribute to a leader committed to public welfare and nation-building.

Recalling Ganesan’s resistance to the Emergency of 1975-77, the Vice-President said he had remained underground for nearly a year while opposing the suspension of democratic freedoms. His courage and organisational work during the period were extraordinary, he said.

Born in Thanjavur in 1945, Ganesan initially worked in the Revenue Department. After nine years of government service, he resigned in 1970 to become a full-time Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak. He remained unmarried and devoted his life to organisational and social work across Tamil Nadu.

Ganesan subsequently played an important role in building the Bharatiya Janata Party’s organisational base in the State. He held several senior positions, including Tamil Nadu BJP president, State organising secretary, national secretary and national vice-president.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in 2016. Ganesan became Governor of Manipur in August 2021 and briefly held additional charge of West Bengal in 2022. He assumed office as Nagaland Governor in February 2023 and remained in the post until his death in Chennai on August 15, 2025, aged 80.

Ganesan was also an advocate of Tamil language and literature. He founded Pottramarai to encourage Tamil scholars and literary engagement. Speakers remembered him as a simple, disciplined leader who maintained cordial relationships across political and regional divisions.