S. Ramadoss (born 25 July 1939) is an Indian politician from Tamil Nadu. He is the founder and president of the Pattali Makkal Katchi. In 2025, following a months long dispute with his son, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, he formed Anaithindhiya Jananayaka Padhugappu Kazhagam, a splinter faction of the original PMK party. The dispute ended with both of them getting reunited and thereby, disbanding the splinter faction.
Early life Ramadoss was born on 25 July 1939 in Kilsiviri (also spelled Keezhsiviri) village, Villupuram, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu) to Sanjeevi Rayar Gounder and Navaneetham Ammal. They belonged to the Vanniyar community and were farmers.
Vanniyar reservation protest
In 1987, the Vanniyar Sangham under Ramadoss organized the 1987 Vanniyar reservation agitation demanding MBC status for Vanniyars. At the peak of the protests, the state was paralysed for a week when lakhs of trees were cut down, highways blocked and damaged and more than 1400 houses of the Dalit community burned down. The police under the M G Ramchandran (MGR) led AIADMK government shot down 21 protestors. Later in 1989, the DMK government under M. Karunanidhi granted them 20 percent reservation under the Most backward class. The Pattali Makkal Katchi, founded by S. Ramadoss on 16 July 1989, emerged from these protests.
Controversy
Threatening journalists S. Ramadoss is known for using foul language in press meets and public meetings. In June 2019 he stoked a controversy, saying that he would kill journalists who question him about hundreds of trees cut down by his party workers during his arrest by the J Jayalalithaa government. He said, "if we protest again we will not cut trees but hack down those who ask these questions, and throw their mangled bodies across the road." He also called the journalists "dogs" and "Kammanati pasanga", a derogatory phrase used for 'son of widow'.
Actions that can be credited to Ramadoss/PMK
Dalit representation in PMK: A Dalit leader, N. Ezhilmalai, became PMK's Union Minister of State for Health in the Vajpayee government in 1998. PMK leaders have specifically cited this as an example of giving political representation to Dalits. PMK has advocated reservation/social justice: Ramadoss has repeatedly campaigned for reservation and broader social-justice measures, although much of his major reservation activism has focused on the Vanniyar/MBC community rather than Dalits. Dalit leadership within the party: PMK has highlighted having Dalits in senior organisational positions, including its general secretary at various points. Political proposal for a Dalit CM: In 2024, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said that, if PMK came to power with SC support, the party would consider a person from the Scheduled Caste community for Chief Minister. But Don't attribute the 3.5%/special Arunthathiyar reservation to Ramadoss personally. The Tamil Nadu Arunthathiyars Special Reservation Act, 2009 was enacted by the Tamil Nadu government and provided preferential reservation within the existing 18% SC quota The PMK also faced criticism over its rhetoric around inter-caste marriages 2012
Notes
References
External links S Ramadoss Official Profile