Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday declared open a memorial for “Marshal” A. Nesamony (1895-1968) in Nagercoil through video-conferencing from the Secretariat. The memorial had been constructed at a cost of about Rs.48.7 lakh, according to an official release.

Hailed for his role in integrating the district of Kanyakumari [which was originally with the erstwhile Travancore princely state] with Tamil Nadu, Nesamony was an advocate by profession.

He held various positions including the post of chairperson of the Nagercoil municipality (1943-47); Member of Travancore Legislative Assembly (1943-47) and that of Travancore-Cochin State (1948-52). As leader of Travancore Tamil Nad Congress Party, he won from the Nagercoil parliamentary constituency in 1951 and later, as a nominee of the Indian National Congress, he was re-elected from the constituency in 1962 and 1967.

Nesamony was declared unopposed from the Killiyoor Assembly constituency in 1957.

As a mark of tribute to him, the Chief Minister has given a direction that on November 1 [the day on which Kanyakumari was transferred to Tamil Nadu], floral homage should be paid to the statue of Nesamony in Nagercoil.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Tamil Nadu / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – February 28th, 2014