Despite almost botching up his final interview, Naik was hired. ”I”ve sacked thirty-eight engineers-don”t be number thirty-nine” is what Naik”s boss T. Baker told him on his first day at work.

In 1967, C.N. Annadurai became the chief minister of Madras state, when his party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), swept to power for the first time. In this definitive biography, R. Kannan traces the growth of Annadurai from a young protégé of the radical thinker Periyar E.V. Ramasamy into a revered leader known as Anna or elder brother.