Aravinda Bala Pajanor

Aravinda Bala Pajanor (pronounced “Pa-zha-noor”) the second son of Appaswamy Pajanor Udayar and Susaiammal Pajanor Udayar, was born on December 5th 1935, in Maringipetti, Tamil Nadu, India. His father was the former Mayor of Karaikal, who renounced his title and position to become the President of the Congress Party of Puducherry and a freedom fighter for the Indian Independence Movement.

Aravinda Bala Pajanor lost his father very early in life, on January 7th 1941, when he was just 6 years old. He and his four young siblings were raised by their courageous widowed mother, who passed away in 1987 and was until then his strength, inspiration and support.

On completing his elementary schooling at St.Joseph’s, Cuddalore, and high school at St.Mary’s Matriculation, Karaikal, he went on to pursue the Intermediate program at St.Joseph’s College, Cuddalore. Having showed great proficiency in public speaking, theatrics and academics all through his school years, he was the valedictorian in his graduating class.

During his collegiate years at the prestigious Loyola College in Chennai, he was elected the College President and later served as the first elected National President of the All India Catholic Union Federation (AICUF). As a college leader, Aravinda Bala Pajanor led and represented India at the United Nation’s national conferences, and was proactively involved in building the young nation. Cardinal Lourdusamy, the 4th cardinal from India and the first Curial Cardinal of Asia, outside of the Middle East, was a trainee under him at one such conference. Pursuing his ambitions, Aravinda Bala Pajanor wanted to join the Indian Administrative Services, but was denied the opportunity because he was then a French citizen, as Puducherry was part of France until 1954.

After his double Master’s degree in Economics and Statistics, Aravinda Bala Pajanor was an Economics Lecturer at the Jesuit College in Hyderabad. He then went on to do his professional degree in law at the renowned Madras Law College. He was enrolled as an attorney at the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu on January 22nd, 1963 and continued to serve the bar for the next 50 years specializing in Constitutional Law.

On January 29th 1969, he married his sweetheart Philomena Gajalakshmi Kanniah and was blessed with a daughter, Marie Bandasena Pajanor/Raj and son Appaswamy Vino Pajanor, to whom he was an exemplary father, guide, guru and confidant.

In early 1970s, Aravinda Bala Pajanor joined the famous actor/politician M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) in founding the AIADMK, the current ruling party of the State of Tamil Nadu. He was elected the Member of Parliament for the 5th and 6th Lok Sabha, representing the constituency of the Union Territory of Puducherry, and served in that position until 1980. In 1979, he became the first Union Cabinet Minister from a Dravidian and regional party of India, and paved the way for many others to follow him.

As leader of the opposition party in the Parliament, Aravinda Bala Pajanor had the privilege of actively interacting with great political leaders of India like the former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as well as former Presidents V.V. Giri, Sanjeeva Reddy, Gail Singh, and R. Venkataraman. Even the current President of India, Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, were his colleagues in the Parliament. Aravinda Bala Pajanor was considered by his peers in the Parliament of India, as an exceptional orator in English and was esteemed for his commitment to changing the existing political system.

Aravinda Bala Pajanor had the privilege of meeting the then newly elected Blessed Pope John Paul II in Rome, and during the private audience he invited the Pope for his first visit to India. The Papal office had even requested him to speak on the Vatican Radio, representing India and the Catholic community there. He also had the privilege to help the Missionaries of Charity during their trying times, for which Mother Teresa personally thanked and blessed him with a handwritten note, he treasured.

In the 1980’s Aravinda Bala Pajanor was elevated at the bar as a Senior Counsel, which is equivalent to the Queen’s Counsel in England. He represented the Catholic Bishops of Tamil Nadu, the Pro-nuncio, the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, and other religious institutions. Being considered a constitutional expert on fundamental rights, especially minority rights and religious freedom, he became the legal counsel for many minority institutions in South India. He also represented the South Indian Artists Association and many leading South Indian film stars. To ensure that his clients have dedicated and qualified representation, he had many associates working as his junior attorneys in his office. And having successfully represented before various courts, including the Supreme Court of India, some of the judgments rendered in his client’s favor are still citied in court cases.

After his children settled in the United States of America, he has been constantly travelling between India and the US, since 2001. His children not only know him as a dedicated, thoughtful and loving father, but as someone who taught them to see humanity in everything, empathy in any situation, purpose in thought and equity in action.

His passing is a great loss not only to his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends, but to all who have come to know him and have been impressed with his intellect, humility and genuineness.