Karunanidhi donates his residence for hospital project

Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi today donated to a trust his Gopalapuram residence here for converting into a hi-tech hospital for the poor after his and his wife's death.

As per his announcement last year, Karunanidhi prepared the deed and donated the property to a trust named after his mother Anjugam at a simple function held at his house.

Karunanidhi, on the eve of his 87th birthday, had signed the documents and registered the property in the name of the Annai Anjugam Trust, for establishing the 'Kalaignar Karunanidhi Hospital'.

"If I were a believer in God I would have said it gives my soul satisfaction. Since I am a non-believer, I will say it gives me great satisfaction," he told reporters when asked how he felt about the decision.

Asked which was the most memorable event that had occurred  in his house, he said, "Today's event is the most memorable one."

According to a party release, Karunanidhi had bought the house in 1955 from Sarabeswara Iyer out of his earnings from writing scripts for films. Later, in 1968, he registered the property in the names of his sons MK Azhagiri, MK Stalin, and MK Tamizharasu.

But after he announced his decision to convert the house into a hospital, the three returned the property to him last year to enable him to fulfil his wish.