History
Freedom Fighters in Tamil Nadu | History | Freedom Movements
India got its Independence on 15th August 1947. It is not a single day effort. Many great leaders fought for our freedom! Many lost their lives to get freedom for us! Many left their home with the only ambition of getting freedom for the country! Without those great leaders, Our Independence would have been a dream. British started to conquer India in 1600 through British East India Company. Their full dominance began in the year 1858. Indians started fighting for the Independence since British started ruling India. Tamil Nadu leaders played a major role to get freedom for the country. There are many freedom Fighters from Tamil Nadu who lost their lives during the freedom movements. Here is a list of Freedom Fighters in Tamil Nadu who lend their support for the freedom of our country
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Freedom Fighters in Tamil Nadu
- V.O. Chidambaram Pillai
- Veerapandiya Kattabomman
- Puli Thevar
- Rettamalai Srinivasan
- Maruthu Pandiyar
- Dheeran Chinnamalai
- Sir S. Subramania Iyer
- G. Subramania Iyer
- V. V. S Iyer
- Subramanya Bharathy
- V. Kalyanasundaram
- Subramaniya Siva
- Sathyamurthi
- Vanchinathan
- T.Sadasivam
- Tiruppur Kumaran
- Veera Mangai Veelu Nachiar
V.O. Chidambaram Pillai
V.O. Chidambaram Pillai is popularly known as V.O.C or Kappal Ottiya Thamilan who was born on 5 September 1872 in Ottapidaram, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. He started fighting for our Nations freedom. He was arrested by British and sentenced to lifetime. He is also called as “Sekku Illutha Semmel”. His contribution to the Indian freedom is Immense. V.O.C Struggled a lot and he got arrested for his freedom movements.
Veerapandiya Kattabomman
Veerapandiya Kattabomman is known for his bravery and Courage. Veerapandiya Katta Bomman was born on January 4, 1760, and he was fondly called as Karuthaiah (The Black Prince). He was one of the earliest leaders who fought for our Independence. After a tough war, Katta Bomman was arrested and hanged in 1799 CE. British destroyed his palace and looted all his wealth. He was the one who opposed paying taxes to British. His hometown Panchalankurichi is now a tourist spot in Tuticorin district.
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Puli Thevar
Puli Thevar was called as Pogilar or Palayakarar who ruled Nerkattumseval of Sangarankovil Taluk in Tamil Nadu. He was one of the 1st Indian King who fought against British and defeated them in India. He belongs to the Maravar Community and he is one of the earliest freedom fighters of the Country. Puli Thevar is regarded as the first ruler of India who sowed the seed to remove Foreign Invasion in his native land. Government to make people know his pride has built a memorial at Nelkatumseval.
Rettamalai Srinivasan
Rettamali Srinivasan was born on 7th July 1859 in the Madras Presidency. He worked as a Translator at the South African Court where he met Gandhi who was working as a practitioner. He was the one who helped Gandhi to sign in Tamil. Rettamalai Srinivasan was a participant in Freedom Movement through his newspaper called “Paraiyan”. He was given arrest warrant and a case was filed against his newspaper for his writings. Commemorative stamps were issued in his name by the Government of India.
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Maruthu Pandiyar
Maruthu Pandiyar Brothers (Periya Maruthu and Chinna Maruthu) ruled Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu and they were the first to issue the proclamation from the British Rule from Trichy Thiruvarangam Temple on June 10, 1801. In the year 1772, British attacked the state of Kalayar Kovil where Raja Muthu Vadughanadhar lost his life. Maruthu Pandiyar along with Rani Velu Nachiyar escaped from the place and headed towards Dindugul, ruled by Hyder Ali. After that, they fought against the British winning them in few occasion and losing in battles as well.
Dheeran Chinnamalai
Dheeran Chinnamalai is an Indian revolutionist and the head of Kongu Nadu who fought against the British. He was born on April 17, 1756, at Melapalayam in Erode. He got trained in Silambam and Archery. After the death of Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan became the King. Dheeran Chinnamalai helped Tipu Sultan for his battles. After the death of Tipu Sultan, he settled at Odanilai and fought British at Cauvery, Arasalur and Odanilai. Dheeran Chinnamalai was arrested by the British and hanged to death at the Sankagiri fort on 31st July 1805.
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Sir S. Subramania Iyer
Sir S. Subramania Iyer is called as Sir Subbier Subramania Iyer. He is an Indian Lawyer, Jurist and a freedom fighter who found the Home Rule moment along with Annie Besant. Subramania Iyer was born on October 1, 1842, at Madurai of Madras Presidency. Mani Iyer Hall was built in Triplicane after his name in his memory. He died on 5th December 1924.
G. Subramania Iyer
G. Subramania Iyer (Ganapathy Dikshitar Subramania Iyer) was born on 19 January 1855 at Tanjore of Madras Presidency. He was a leading Journalist, Social reformer and A freedom fighter who found “The Hindu” newspaper on 20 September 1878. He was the editor, proprietor and Managing Director of The Hindu form 1878 to 1898. They started The Hindu newspaper to support their voice for Sir T Muthuswamy Iyer. He died on 18 April 1916 at Madras Presidency.
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V. V. S Iyer
V.V.S Iyer or V.V.S Aiyar or Varahaneri Venkatesa Subramaniam Aiyar was born on 2 April 1881, Trichinopoly, Madras Presidency. He was an Indian revolutionary from Tamil Nadu who fought against the British Province in India. His contemporaries include Subramanya Bharathi and V.O. Chidambaram Pillai. He subscribed to the militant form of resistance against the British. His militant activities attracted a warrant against him. He was drowned at the Papanasam falls while helping his daughter drowning on 3rd June 1925.
Subramanya Bharathy
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar was born on December 11, 1982, at Ettayapuram. From a very young age, he learnt music and learnt songs at his 11th grade. He was initially named as Subbaya and later was given the title Bharathi. Bharathi was arrested when he entered British India near Cuddalore. He was imprisoned. Later, he was struck by an elephant at the Parthasarathy temple. He survived the incident but in few months (11 September 1921) he died. He was an outstanding freedom fighter, great poet and a nationalist but only 11 people attended his funeral.
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V. Kalyanasundaram
Thiru V. Kalyanasundaram is famously called as Thiru V. Ka (Thiruvarur Virudhachala Kalyanasundaram Mudaliar). He was born on August 26, 1883. He is a Tamil scholar, Activist and an essayist. He had worked along with V.O. Chidambaram Pillai. Throughout his lifetime, Thiru V Ka remained active in Politics and the Indian Independence Struggle. He was one of the three pillars of Indian National Congress in Tamil Nadu. He died on 19 September 1953 at the age of 71.
Subramaniya Siva
Subramaniya Siva is an Indian Freedom Fighter who was born on 4th October 1884. He fought for the countries freedom and spent most of the time in Prison. He chooses Papparapatti village for his activities. He was the first Political prisoner in the Madras Jail. He died on 23rd July 1925 and his body is cemetery is located at Papparapatti Village. The Dindugul Collector office is named after his name.
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Sathyamurthi
Sundara Sastri Satyamurti was born on 19 August 1887 at Thirumayam. He is an Independent activist and a politician. Sathyamurti was one of the leading Politician who headed Indian National Congress for the Madras presidency. He was the mentor of K.Kamaraj. He became the Mayor of Madras when the second world war started in the year 1939. He was actively involved in Swadeshi Moment and was arrested in the year 1942.
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Vanchinathan
Vanchinathan, also called Vanchi, was born in 1886. He is an Indian Tamil Independence Activist. He shot the head of Ashe, Tax Collector of Tirunelveli. He was born in Shenkottai and his real name is Shankaran. On June 17, 1911, Vanchi killed Ashe by shooting him on his head and he committed suicide immediately after assassinating him as he didn’t want to get arrested. He was just 25 when he committed this.
T.Sadasivam
“Kalki” Thiagaraja Sadasivam was born on 4 September 1902 was a leading freedom fighter, singer, journalist and a film producer who was the founder of Tamil Magazine Kalki. Inspired by great speeches of great leaders he started to join freedom movement at an early age. Later on Mahatma Gandhi’s speech, he adopted to Non-Violence. He died on 22 November 1997 at the age of 95 at Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Tiruppur Kumaran
Kumaran also called Tirupur Kumaran or Kodi Kaatha Kumaran was born on 04th October 1904 at Chennimalai of Erode Presidency. He is a revolutionist who participated in Indian Freedom Movement. He was brutally attacked in the shores of Noyal River in Tirupur by Police. At the time of death, he was holding the Indian National Flag which was banned by the British Government. This gave him the name Kodi Kaatha Kumaran. He died on 11 January 1932.
Veera Mangai Velu Nachiar
Veera Mangai Velu Nachiar is the queen of Sivaganga estate from 1760 to 1790. She was the first queen to fight against British colony in India. She was born on 3 January 1730, at Ramanathapuram of Tamil Nadu. She is celebrated by Tamil people as “Brave Women” “Veera Mangai“. She granted the powers to Maruthu Brothers to administrate the country in the year 1780. She died on 25 December 1796.
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