R. Nallakannu, the 101-year-old veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and freedom fighter from Tamil Nadu, passed away in Chennai at 1.55 p.m. on Wednesday (February 25, 2026) following prolonged illness and age-related ailments. Body to be donatedHis body will be kept at the party’s State headquarters ‘Balan Illam’ at T. Nagar in Chennai for the public to pay homage. CPI State secretary M. Veerapandian said the body will be kept at the party headquarters from 5 p.m. on Wednesday to 3 p.m. on Thursday (February 26). As per his wish, the body will be donated to Madras Medical College for medical research. He also said as a mark of respect to the departed leader, the CPI flags will fly at half-mast across Tamil Nadu for a week

Source: The Hindu February 25, 2026 16:47 UTC