Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
1879 – 1973
Social reformer who led the Self-Respect Movement, became president of the Justice Party in 1938 and transformed it into the Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944.
Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 1879 – 24 December 1973), known as Periyar, joined the Indian National Congress in 1919 and was imprisoned twice during the Vaikom Satyagraha. He left the Congress in 1925, accusing it of serving Brahmin interests, and led the Self-Respect Movement, founding the Tamil weekly Kudi Arasu on 2 May 1925.
He campaigned for Justice candidates in 1926 and 1930. During the 1937–40 anti-Hindi agitation, which he led, the party came under his control, and he was elected its president on 29 December 1938 while in prison. At Salem on 27 August 1944 he transformed it into the Dravidar Kazhagam and withdrew it from electoral politics.
Periyar promoted rationalism, self-respect, women's rights and the eradication of caste, and his campaigns frequently targeted Brahmins directly. Since 2021 Tamil Nadu has marked his birth anniversary as Social Justice Day.
Key contributions
- Led the Self-Respect Movement from 1925
- Founded the weekly Kudi Arasu, 1925
- Led the 1937–40 anti-Hindi agitation
- President of the Justice Party from 1938; founded the Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944