Poongothai Aladi Aruna

Poongothai Aladi Aruna Biography

Poongothai Aladi Aruna is an Indian politician from Tamil Nadu belonging to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party (DMK). She is a former cabinet minister too, in Karunanidhi’s cabinet. She served as Minister for Social Welfare and Nutritious Noon Meal Programme during 13 May 2006 – 21 May 2008, and Minister for Information Technology during 28 February 2009 – 15 May 2011. She is a practicing doctor and Gynaecologist by profession. She is the daughter of DMK leader, Aladi Aruna, who won 1967 and 1971 state assembly elections from Alangulam constituency. He was one among the early leaders of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party, and held a very influential position within state politics.

Poongothai Aladi Aruna was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in the year 1964. Aladi Aruna and Kamala are her parents. She belongs to a prominent political family, and her father Aladi Aruna was a well-known political figure and 2 times MLA and law minister associated with DMK. She is a gynaecologist by profession. She took advanced studies in gynaecology in London, before starting her medical practice in India. She married Balaji Venugopal in the late 1980's and has two daughters.

Poongothai Aladi Aruna began her political journey only in the mid-2000s after the death of her father. Till then she was fully active in her medical career. She was given a ticket to contest 2006 elections following her father’s murder, and she won it. She represented her father’s favourite Alangulam constituency. She served as Minister for Social Welfare and Nutritious Noon Meal Programme, followed by Minister of IT in Karunanidhi’s cabinet. It was for the first time a separate minister was assigned for IT department. Following Nira Radia tapes scandal, she had to resign her post.

Published: October 30, 2018

Updated: October 30, 2018