Freedom Fighters from Tamil Nadu Part – 15

Freedom Fighters from Tamil Nadu Part – 15

(இதன் தமிழ் வடிவத்திற்கு இங்கே சொடுக்கவும்)

78. P.N. Srinivasan

Birth and Early Life

• Year of Birth: 1929
• Place of Birth: Ponvilaindhakulathur village, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu.
• Father: P.N. Gopalan.

Involvement in the Freedom Movement

• Gandhian Ideals:
• P.N. Srinivasan was a devoted follower of Gandhian principles, dedicated his life to nurturing and promoting Gandhian values.
• He actively participated in the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha in 1932.

Profession

• P.N. Srinivasan joined the Integral Coach Factory in Perambur and served there until his retirement in 1987.
• Editorial Work: P.N. Srinivasan was the editor of the ‘Bharata Mani’ monthly Tamil, contributing to Tamil journalism and literature.

79. N.M.R. Subbaraman

Early Life and Education

• Date of Birth: 14 August 1905.
• Place of Birth: Madurai, Madras Presidency.
• He was son of N.M. Rayalu Iyer.

Education:

• N.M.R. Subbaraman studied at Sourashtra High School, Madurai.
• He attended Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan.

Freedom Movement Involvement

• Initial Involvement: Known as ‘Madurai Gandhi,’ he was a staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi and deeply influenced by Gandhian ideals.

Key Activities:

• N.M.R. Subbaraman refused to pursue higher studies in London in 1922 to join the freedom struggle.
• He became a primary member of the Madurai District Congress Committee in 1923 and its President in 1925.
• He was an instrumental in selecting 27 youths for the Vedaranyam Salt March in 1930.
• He participated in Toddy Shop picketing and various Satyagraha Movements.
• He was imprisoned for five years, along with his wife, for his activism.

Political and Legislative Roles

• N.M.R. Subbaraman served as the Chairman of Madurai Municipality from 1935 to 1942.
• He was a member of the Madras Legislative Assembly both before and after independence.
• Additionally, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Madurai constituency from 1962 to 1967.

Social and Educational Contributions

• Harijan Welfare:
• N.M.R. Subbaraman was deeply committed to the emancipation of Harijans.
• He worked through Tamil Nadu Harijan Sevak Sangh to establish Harijan Hostels.
• He organized a temple entry conference with A. Vaidyanatha Iyer to enable the depressed classes to enter Meenakshi Amman Temple.
• Bhoodan Movement: He donated 100 acres of land to the movement initiated by Vinoba Bhave.

Gandhian Legacy:

• N.M.R. Subbaraman served as the secretary of the Gandhi Works Publications Committee, which published Gandhiji’s works in Tamil.
• He contributed to establishing the first Gandhi Museum in India in Madurai.
• He was the chairman of Gandhi Niketan Ashram at T. Kallupatti, near Madurai.
• And he was active with Gandhi Gram in Madurai.

Cultural and Academic Impact

• N.M.R. Subbaraman was a member of the First Senate of Madras University and was instrumental in introducing a course on Gandhian thoughts.
• Additionally, he helped establish the first Gandhi Memorial Museum in Madurai.

Family:

• His wife, Parvatavardhani, was also involved in the freedom struggle.

Legacy:

• Mahatma Gandhi stayed at his bungalow during a visit to Madurai.
• In 2005, the Government of India issued a stamp commemorating his 100th birthday.
• In 2007, a women’s college was named after him.

Death

• N.M.R. Subbaraman passed away on January 25, 1983, at the age of 77.

80. Immanuvel Devendrar / Immanuel Sekaran

Birth and Early Life

• Date of Birth: 9 October 1924
• Place of Birth: Sellur, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu

Involvement in the Freedom Movement

• Quit India Movement:
• Immanuvel Devendrar participated in the Quit India Movement at the age of 18 and was imprisoned for three months.

Military and Political Work

• British Indian Army:
• Immanuvel Devendrar enlisted in the British Indian Army in 1945; upon discharge, returned to Ramanathapuram district.
• Congress Work:
• Immanuvel Devendrar worked for the Indian National Congress (INC) to improve the education, rights, and representation of the Pallars, his community.
• He mobilized efforts to demand equality.

Religious Conversion and Name Change

• He was converted to Hinduism and took the name Immanuel Sekaran as part of his political strategy.

Death

• Immanuvel Devendrar passed away on September 11, 1957, at the age of 32.

81. Kovai Subri

Birth and Early Life

• Name: Subramaniam (popularly known as Kovai Subri).
• Date of Birth: 1898.
• Place of Birth: Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
• Parents: V.R. Krishna Iyer and Parvathi.

Involvement in the Freedom Movement

• Education and Early Activism:
• Subramaniam quit college to join the freedom movement, inspired by Gandhiji's ideals.
• He became the Secretary of the Town Congress Committee in 1921.

Imprisonments:

• Subramaniam imprisoned for one year in 1923 for participating in the Flag Satyagraha under Sardar Vallabhai Patel at Nagpur.
• He spent over five years in prison on various occasions, during which he composed songs compiled into a book titled Desiya Geethangal.

Khadi Movement:

• Subramaniam started a Khadi center at Padiyur near Uthukuli, praised by Gandhiji in Young India.
• Role as Translator:
• Subramaniam served as Gandhiji's translator during Gandhiji’s tours of Coimbatore and Nilgiris, affectionately called a ‘loudspeaker’ by Gandhiji.
• Political Career
• Subramaniam served as Municipal Chairman of Coimbatore from 1938 to 1942.

Legislative Career:

• Subramaniam was elected as Coimbatore City MLA between 1947 and 1952.
• His wife Kamala was imprisoned with her six-month-old daughter for participating in the Salt Satyagraha of 1930 and again in 1932.

Death

• Subramaniam passed away in 1993.

82. Gomathi Sankara Dikshitar  

Birth and Early Life

• Date of Birth: March 1889.
• Place of Birth: Sutthamalli village, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.
• Parents: Ganapathi Rama Dikshitar and Meenakshi Ammal.

Education

• Gomathi Sankara Dikshitar had attended schools from George Millar Middle School, Kallidaikurichi and Thirtha Bharathi High School, Ambasamudram.

Involvement in the Freedom Movement

• Early Activism:
• Gomathi Sankara Dikshitar joined the Indian national movement during the turmoil caused by the partition of Bengal in 1905.
• He participated in the Vande Mataram movement, boycott of foreign goods, and promoted the use of Swadeshi materials.

Khadi and Swadeshi Movement:

• Gomathi Sankara Dikshitar promoted Khadar materials, invested in power looms, and trained weavers.

Role in the Freedom Struggle:

• Gomathi Sankara Dikshitar was the custodian of Vanchinathan and others who killed Collector Ashe.
• He met Gandhiji and shifted to moderate methods, following ahimsa.
• He started a school at Kallidaikurichi named after Tilak and worked as a teacher.

Imprisonments:

• He was imprisoned for one year for his activities during the Salt Satyagraha, Prohibition movement, and other protests between 1930 and 1932.
• He was imprisoned for 18 months during the Quit India Movement in 1942.

Post-Independence

• Legislative Career:
• Gomathi Sankara dikshitar served in the legislature three times as a member after independence.

Death

• Gomathi Sankara dikshitar passed away in 1972.

83. E. Krishna Iyer

Early Life and Education

• Date of Birth: 9 August 1897
• Place of Birth: Kallidaikurichi, Madras Presidency.

Education:

• Krishna Iyer did his schooling at Ambasamudram High School.
• He graduated from Madras Christian College.
• He studied law at Madras Law College.
• He practiced as a lawyer at the Madras High Court until 1943.

Involvement in the Freedom Movement

• Krishna Iyer joined the Indian National Congress in the 1930s.
• He actively participated in the independence movement.
• He was imprisoned multiple times for his activism.
• He promoted the nationalist songs of Subrahmanya Bharathi.

Association with Art

• Theatrical Career: Krishna Iyer joined a drama troupe and performed female roles.
• Interest in Classical Arts: He developed a keen interest in classical arts and carnatic music.

Bharatanatyam Revival Movement

• Early Work: Krishna Iyer joined Suguna Vilasa Sabha and learned Sadir (a precursor to Bharatanatyam).
• Madras Music Academy: He co-founded with Rukmini Devi Arundale to revive and preserve Bharatanatyam.
• Dance Form Rebranding: He proposed renaming Sadir to Bharatanatyam to dissociate it from the devadasi system and to give it respect.
• Efforts: He worked to remove sexually explicit expressions from the dance and encouraged Brahmin girls to learn Bharatanatyam.

Political and Civic Engagement

• Congress Committee: Krishna Iyer was a member of the Congress Committee.
• He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) from Mylapore in 1938.
• He contributed to the establishment of the Sathyamurthy Sagar (Poondi Reservoir).

Cultural Contributions

• Bharatanatyam: Krishna Iyer promoted Bharatanatyam as an art form independent of its devadasi origins.
• He organized Bharatanatyam performances and supported the dance form’s survival.
• Music Academy: He served as a secretary of the Madras Music Academy.
• Art Critic: He wrote for the Indian Express, Dinamani, and Kalki.

Awards and Honors

• Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India in 1966 for his contributions to dance and music.
• Krishna Iyer received Sangeetha Kala sikhamani from The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai in 1957.

Death

• Krishna Iyer passed away on January 3, 1968, at the age of 71.

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