| Name(s) |
PERIYAR ERODE
VENKATA (E.V.) RAMASAMY |
| Date of
Birth |
September 17, 1879 |
| Date of
Death |
December 24, 1973 |
|
Identity |
Indian social
activist, freedom fighter and politician |
|
Other Events &
Developments |
- He is commonly known as Periyar also referred as E. V.
R..
- He joined the Indian National Congress in 1919,
but resigned in 1925 when he felt that the party was only
serving the interests of the Brahmins.
- In 1939, he became the head of the Justice Party, and in
1944, he changed its name to Dravidar Kazhagam. The party
later split and one group led by C. N. Annadurai formed the
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1949.
- He also advocated for an independent Dravida Nadu
(Dravidistan).
- EVR propagated the principles of rationalism,
self-respect, women’s rights and eradication of caste.
- He opposed the exploitation and marginalisation of the
non-Brahmin Dravidian people of South India and the
imposition of what he considered Indo-Aryan India.
- His work has greatly revolutionised the Tamil society
and has significantly removed caste-based discrimination.
- He is also responsible for bringing new changes to the
Tamil alphabet.
- Some regarded him as the prophet of the new age, the
Socrates of South East Asia and the father of social reform
movement.
|
|
