Periyar E.V. Ramasamy (1879-1973), Biography, Contributions

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy was also known as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar. He was one of the most influential social reformers in modern India. He dedicated his life to fighting caste discrimination, social inequality, patriarchy and religious orthodoxy. He led various movements, which transformed Tamil Nadu’s social and political landscape. Periyar remained active in public life for decades and passed away on 24 December 1973 at the age of 94.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy Biography

Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy was born on 17 September 1879 in Erode to Venkatappa Naicker and Chinnathayee. He belonged to a prosperous Balija Naicker merchant family of Telugu origin and helped manage the family business after leaving school early.

• At the age of 19, he married Nagammai, who later supported many of his reform activities. The couple’s only child died in infancy in 1900. After Nagammai’s death, Periyar married Maniammai in 1948.
• Before emerging as a major reformer, he worked for social welfare in Erode. He reportedly assisted plague victims and served as chairman of the Erode municipality from 1917 to 1919, introducing the town’s first drinking water supply scheme.
• Periyar joined the Indian National Congress in 1919 and actively participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s Non Cooperation Movement. In 1921, he was imprisoned for protesting against toddy shops as part of anti liquor campaigns.
• In 1924-25, he joined the Vaikom Satyagraha in Travancore, demanding access to public roads around the Vaikom Temple for marginalized communities. He was arrested twice and spent more than 70 days in prison.
• Frustrated by what he viewed as Brahmin dominance within the Congress and the rejection of reservations for non Brahmins in education and employment, he resigned from the party in 1925.

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy Contributions

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy’s contributions reshaped social justice discourse and laid the foundation of the Dravidian movement in South India.

• Founder of Self Respect Movement: In 1925, he launched the Self Respect Movement to promote dignity, equality and self respect among lower castes and women. The movement challenged caste hierarchy and encouraged independent thinking.
• Campaign Against Caste Discrimination: Periyar strongly opposed Brahminical dominance and caste based inequalities. He argued that political freedom had little meaning without social equality and equal opportunities for all communities.
• Promotion of Women’s Rights: He advocated women’s education, property rights, widow remarriage and gender equality. He also promoted Self Respect Marriages, which rejected caste barriers and priest led rituals.
• Leadership of Non Brahmin Movement: Through the Justice Party and later Dravidar Kazhagam, he expanded the non Brahmin movement by connecting it with a broader Dravidian identity and social justice agenda.
• International Exposure: Between 1929 and 1932, Periyar toured British Malaya, Europe and the Soviet Union. These travels influenced his views on rationalism, equality and social reform.
• Anti Hindi Agitations: Periyar played a leading role in opposing compulsory Hindi education in the Madras Presidency during the late 1930s, viewing it as a threat to Tamil language and cultural identity.
• Dravidian Movement Leadership: Known as the “Father of the Dravidian Movement,” he advocated social justice, rationalism, linguistic rights and at times supported the demand for an independent Dravida Nadu.

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Challenges and Controversies faced by Periyar E.V. Ramasamy

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy’s radical ideas generated intense debates and opposition throughout his public life.

• Conflict with Religious Orthodoxy: His criticism of religious practices, idol worship and social customs attracted strong opposition from conservative groups who viewed his campaigns as attacks on tradition.
• Criticism of Brahmin Dominance: Periyar’s sharp criticism of Brahmin privilege and caste hierarchy generated significant political and social backlash from groups that disagreed with his interpretation of social inequalities.
• Ramayana and Religious Reinterpretations: He challenged traditional interpretations of the Ramayana by portraying Ravana as a symbol of Dravidian culture and criticizing narratives that he believed promoted northern dominance.
• Public Agitations and Arrests: His activism during the Vaikom Satyagraha, anti Hindi protests and other campaigns led to arrests, imprisonment and continuous confrontations with authorities and political opponents.
• Demand for Dravida Nadu: His advocacy of a separate Dravida Nadu generated controversy because many critics viewed it as a challenge to national unity and post independence political integration.
• Constitution and Political Criticism: In 1957, he attracted nationwide criticism after threatening to burn parts of the Constitution that he believed failed to adequately protect non Brahmin interests and social equality.
• Movement Split: His 1948 marriage to the much younger Maniammai contributed to divisions within the movement and was one factor behind C.N. Annadurai’s formation of the DMK in 1949.