a good orator. Jeevanandham was the founder of Thamara, a Tamil literary magazine. The Communist Tamil newspaper Jana Sakthi was also begun with his commitment. Periyar encouraged Jeeva to translate Bhagat Singh’s classic essay "Why I am an Atheist" in 1933. He translated it into Tamil, which was probably its first-ever translation. It was published by Periyar's publication. Later years Jeeva led a busy and hectic life: teaching classes on Marxism for party workers, advising students to equip themselves to meet the nascent republic’s development needs, addressing literary fora on topics such as the greatness of the poet Bharati, explaining the flaws in the government’s language policy at meetings of intellectuals, and addressing factory gate meetings in support of workers on strike. In between, he wrote editorials for the party daily or discussed strategies for resolving industrial disputes. In 1962, his health suffered a setback. Later in the year he visited the Soviet Union. He took treatment there and returned by the end of the year. However, his health worsened weeks later. On 18 January 1963, he died at his modest home at Tambaram, near Chennai. About two lakh (200,000) people attended his funeral and paid their last respects to one who had toiled all his life for the common man, who symbolised the simplicity of Gandhism and who had a Periyar-like zest for social equality and the Marxist spirit to fight exploitation. Legacy The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation(TNSTC), Erode Division is named the Jeeva Transport Corporation in modern days. The railway station at Vyasarpadi in Chennai is named Vyasarpadi Jeeva, as he lived in the area for a period. A commemorative stamp on him was issued on 21-August-2010. Jeevanandam Government Higher Secondary School, Puducherry, is named after him. Jeevanandam Government Girls High School, Bhoothapandy, Kanyakumari district, is named after him Reputation Even his political adversaries respected him. He led a justified and honest life. No one could criticize his personal life. DMK leader C. N. Annadurai saw Jeeva walking down a road, and offered him a ride in his car. Jeeva thanked Annadurai but humbly refused his help. When Communists were proscribed and subject to arrest, Jeeva took refuge in the home of N.S. Krishnan, a notable stage and cinema actor. Kalaignar Karunanidhi came to the house, and saw a sannyasi (Hindu renunciate) with a shaved head. He was suspicious of the sannyasi, trying to remember the well