Chennai, 16 August (H.S.) : La Ganesan, a distinguished Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, former journalist, and former Governor of Manipur and Nagaland, passed away on August 15, 2025, at 6:23 p.m. in Chennai’s Apollo Hospital. He was 80. Ganesan’s death followed a severe head injury sustained from a fall at his T Nagar residence on August 8, 2025, leading to an intracerebral hemorrhage. Despite surgical intervention and intensive care, he could not be saved. His passing marks a profound loss for Tamil Nadu’s political and cultural spheres, where he was a towering figure in nationalist advocacy.
Born on February 16, 1945, in Thanjavur, Ganesan grew up in an orthodox Brahmin family with strong Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ties. Orphaned at nine after losing his father, Lakshmi Raghava Iyer, a businessman, he completed his SSLC and worked as a Revenue Settlement Inspector before resigning to become an RSS pracharak. During the 1975 Emergency, he was instrumental in Tamil Nadu’s efforts to restore democracy. Ganesan also tackled social issues, addressing religious conversions in Meenakshipuram, communal unrest in Mandaikkadu, and caste tensions in Puliangudi and Ramanathapuram.
In 1991, Ganesan joined the BJP to strengthen its Tamil Nadu presence, serving as organizing secretary, national secretary, all-India vice-president, and state unit president. Elected to the Rajya Sabha from Bhopal, he served as an MP for 18 months and later joined the BJP National Executive. A versatile figure, he edited the BJP’s Tamil mouthpiece, Ore Naadu, and launched Pottramarai, a magazine honoring Tamil scholars, musicians, and artists. Fluent in Hindi, Tamil, English, Telugu, and Malayalam, Ganesan was celebrated for his oratory and patriotic compositions.
His journalistic career fostered strong media relations, marked by accessibility and forthrightness. Appointed Governor of Manipur in August 2021, he later held additional charge of West Bengal (July–November 2022) and served as Nagaland’s Governor from February 2023.
Today, August 16, 2025, Ganesan’s mortal remains are placed at his T Nagar residence for public homage, with thousands, including Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, and BJP leaders like Nainar Nagendran and Vanathi Srinivasan, paying their respects. The funeral procession is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m., proceeding to Besant Nagar crematorium, where his last rites are set for 5:00 p.m.
Tributes from leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlight Ganesan’s enduring contributions to nation-building and Tamil culture.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary
