Veteran DMK Parliamentarian and Former Union Commerce and Industries Minister in the A.B. Vajpayee Cabinet, late Thiru Murasoli Maran, had carved a niche for himself, both as the DMK's perhaps most visible face in New Delhi since Perarignar Anna had nominated him to contest the South Madras Lok Sabha seat in 1967 after Anna had resigned his MP seat and assumed office as the first DMK Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Murasoli Maran had defied the Emergency, was arrested under MISA and had evolved into an eloquent spokesperson of 'State Autonomy' and more powers to the States. A close confidante and 'conscience keeper' of Kalaignar M Karunanidhi, Maran was hailed as 'brains trust' of the DMK Patriarch till the end, until his premature demise on November 23, 2003, snatched him away from his revered uncle. Here is a small tribute to the memory of late Murasoli Maran, who was also primarily instrumental in launching the party journal in English, 'The Rising Sun', on his 18th death anniversary on November 23, 2021. Murasoli Maran's foremost contribution as Union Commerce and Industries Minister was the astounding way he singularly and unflinchingly defended the interests of the Developing Countries at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference at Doha in November 2001. It was much appreciated by the then Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, with Murasoli Maran making India proud at Doha. At the Plenary Session of the India Economic Summit in New Delhi shortly later that year on December 4, 2001, Murasoli Maran brilliantly summed up what he had spoken and about India's position at Doha, as reported in the Newsletter of the Union Commerce Ministry then. "It gives me great pleasure to participate in the India Economic Summit 2001 and to speak on WTO: A New Beginning after Doha which would help us to evaluate the work programme evolved therein. At the outset, I would say in a nutshell that the success would largely be determined by the commitment from developed countries to satisfy the demands of the developing countries; for most developing countries, the Uruguay Round has done little for economic growth, while poverty levels and income gaps have worsened. Globalisation has constrained developing countries in mobilising public resources for poverty alleviation. This is why public support for the globalisation regime has vanished in developing countries. This is also why we have argued strongly that implementation issues should first be resolved before we try to widen the WTO agenda further. Permit me to revisit some of the salient decisions of Doha Ministerial Conference: The Honourable Prime Minister of India, during his speech in the UN General Assembly on November 10, 2001, has stated that: Our public is unwilling to accept another post-dated cheque, when an earlier one has bounced. These words formed the very foundation of our stand at Doha. "....