In a touching letter to Late DMK President, M Karunanidhi, MK Stalin bid goodbye to his father, but not without a request.

“This one time, can I call you Appa, Thalaivare?” wrote Stalin, making a reference to how he always addressed his father in public, as his leader and not as his father.

“You always informed us wherever you went. Now, where have you gone this time without telling us?” he asked.

Stalin, fondly referred to as Thalapathy, has always looked up to Karunanidhi, remaining in his shadow for most of his public life. Hours after the passing away of the DMK stalwart, Stalin penned this letter as tribute to his father.

Read the full letter here:

This one time, can I call you Appa, Thalaivare?

You always informed us wherever you went. Now where have you gone this time without telling us?

My Thalaiva! You are ever present in my feelings, body, blood, thought and heart. Where have you gone?

33 years ago you decided the words to be written upon your headstone, “Here lies he who worked without any rest.” Did you leave with the satisfaction of having worked for this Tamil community?

At 95 years of age, you ran without a break for 80 years for the sake of the public. Are you now hiding and waiting, thinking “Who will cross the heights we have crossed over?”

Having celebrated your 95th in Thiruvarur on June 3, I requested for you to give me half of your strength. I beg for that strength and for the heart you borrowed from Aringar Anna. Will you give it to me, Thalaivare?

With that charity, we will win over your unfulfilled wishes and dreams.

There’s only one request from the crores of your brethren… One last time…

Please utter those lines where you call us “udanpirappugale!” That will help us function for a century with a passion for language and roots.

More than “Appa, Appa”, I’ve addressed you “Thalaivare, Thalaivare”. So this one time can I call you Appa, Thalaivare?

Tearfully,

MK Stalin