Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Minister P T R Palanivelrajan suffered a massive heart attack while traveling on a train and died at a private hospital in Dindigul early on Saturday.

Seventy-four-year-old Palanivelrajan, who was sworn-in as Minister exactly a week back after being elected from Madurai Central constituency, was survived by his wife and a son.

Son of P T Rajan, a well-known leader of the erstwhile Justice Party and a minister in the Madras Presidency, Palanivelrajan was tipped to become the speaker for the second time, but he declined party chief M Karunanidhi's offer and became a minister.

One of the first acts he did as minister was to issue an order enabling all Hindus, irrespective of caste or creed, to become temple priests.

Palanivelrajan, who was the Assembly speaker from 1996 and 2001, had then won accolades from all quarters for the way he conducted the house.

A pious and renowned educationist, PTR, as he was affectionately called, hailed from Uthamapalyam village in Theni. His father was instrumental in rebuilding the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in Kerala [Images], which was gutted in a forest fire about a century ago.

He was going to his hometown for the first time after becoming minister when he developed the cardiac problem.

The funeral will take place tomorrow.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who condoled the death, will be going to Madurai to pay homage to PTR.