Madurai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Friday formally inaugurated the birth centenary celebrations of AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran.


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Speaking on the occasion here, he said MGR, even after his death, was living among the people and for the people.


"It was MGR who cultivated revolutionary thoughts among the people and now we will celebrate his birth centenary in the same way that late chief minister and Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader) Jayalalithaa wanted to celebrate," he said.


The chief minister said the integrated Mattuthavani bus- stand at Madurai will be named after MGR.


Besides drinking water would be brought from Periyar dam and it will quench the thirst of the Madurai people for the next sixty years, he said.


Palaniswami also inaugurated a photo exhibition organised in connection with the centenary celebrations.


He said the centenary of the former chief minister would be celebrated in all the districts in the state.


State Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal presided over the function where welfare assistance was also distributed to beneficiaries.


The chief minister also distributed prizes for those who participated in competitions held here in connection with the celebrations.


The state government has announced a six month-long celebration of the birth centenary of the AIADMK founder with Palaniswami presiding over it.


The events will culminate in a "grand celebration" scheduled in Chennai in January next year, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) had said.


A series of events had been scheduled starting June 30 to December 30, before the "grand" valedictory slated in January.


Palaniswami had earlier invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the valedictory of the birth centenary celebrations of Ramachandran, popularly known as 
MGR, a former chief minister and a Bharat Ratna recipient.


Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, leading the AIADMK's rival Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction, has also invited Modi for the birth centenary celebrations of Ramachandran, tentatively scheduled in October.