March 1, 1953: Stalin is born as Ayyadurai, the second son from Karunanidhi’s second wife Dayalu. As Karunanidhi was addressing a condolence meeting for Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, the child was named Stalin.
1967: Stalin campaigns during the 1967 elections at the age of 14.
1975: Stalin marries Durga alias Shantha.
1976: Stalin is arrested under MISA during the Emergency. He wrote his final year BA exams while in prison.
1977: Stalin is released from jail and testifies before an inquiry commission on Emergency excesses.
1980: Stalin forms the DMK youth wing.
1982: Stalin becomes DMK youth wing secretary, a post he held for more than four decades.
1984: Stalin contests the Assembly polls unsuccessfully from Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai.
1989: Stalin contests Assembly polls from Thousand Lights Constituency again, but wins this time. But the DMK government gets dismissed in 1990 before completing its full five-year term.
1991: Stalin contests for the third time from the same Assembly constituency, but loses to the AIADMK under Jayalalithaa.
1996: Stalin wins election as an MLA from the Thousand Lights constituency and is appointed mayor of Chennai. He privatises conservancy operations in the city and constructs nine flyovers and coins a pet project called Singara Chennai (Beautiful Chennai) and makes it a success.
2001: Stalin is elected again from the Thousand Lights constituency and also wins as the mayor. But Jayalalithaa brings a new 'one man, one post' rule, under which he is forced to give up the mayor post.
2003: Stalin is appointed as DMK deputy general secretary.
2006: Stalin wins again as MLA from Thousand Lights constituency and is appointed as the local administration minister in Karunanidhi’s cabinet.
2008: Stalin is appointed as DMK treasurer, a crucial post in the DMK, which was once held by Karunanidhi and later his lieutenant Arcot N. Veerasamy.
2009: Stalin is promoted to deputy chief minister.
2011: Stalin changes his constituency for the first time in his political career, moving from Thousand Lights to Kolathur constituency on the outskirts of Chennai city. But he just scrapes through.
2014: Stalin gets into the decision-making coterie in the DMK close to Karunanidhi and formulates the election strategy for the Lok Sabha polls. But the DMK is washed out in all 39 constituencies.
2015: Stalin goes on a statewide tour and undergoes a sartorial makeover, shunning the usual DMK dhoti and white shirt. He sports a trouser and a tee to inspire the youth and calls his rally namakku naamey.
2016: Stalin wins again from Kolathur constituency and is appointed as the opposition leader.
2017: Stalin is elevated as DMK working president as Karunanidhi withdraws from active politics.
2018: Karunanidhi dies and Stalin is elevated as DMK president.