The appointment of V Maitreyan First Brahmin DMK Leader to an organisational role marks a rare and historic moment in Dravidian politics. Dr. V. Maitreyan now serves as vice-president of the DMK’s Educators’ Wing, becoming the V Maitreyan First Brahmin DMK figure to hold such responsibility within the party. His entry into the DMK in August this year surprised many political observers, given the party’s long association with rationalist and anti-Brahmin movements.
Maitreyan belongs to a very small group of Brahmin leaders who chose to associate with a Dravidian party. His presence signals a shift in the party’s openness as it expands its ideological and social reach. Political analysts believe the move shows the DMK’s strategy to broaden its appeal, especially among educated and urban sections.
The last prominent Brahmin with ties to the DMK was V.P. Raman, a respected legal figure who served as Advocate-General of Tamil Nadu during the AIADMK regime under M.G. Ramachandran. Raman had been a DMK member for four years starting in 1957, but he never held an organisational post within the party.
Maitreyan’s appointment reflects both his political experience and the DMK’s evolving identity. The development adds a new layer to Tamil Nadu’s dynamic political narrative.
