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Dravidian movement timeline: Justice Party, Self-Respect Movement, DMK and AIADMK
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The Dravidian movement ran from the Justice Party (the South Indian Liberal Federation, 1916) through Periyar's Self-Respect Movement (1925) and the Dravidar Kazhagam (1944) to the Dravidian Munnetra Kazhagam (1949) and the AIADMK (1972). The timeline below gives each step with its date, so you can answer "which came first" and "who founded it" questions without confusion.
Timeline
| Year | Event | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| 1912 | Madras Dravidian Association formed | Early forum for non-Brahmin education and jobs; Dr C. Natesa Mudaliar was a key organiser |
| 1916 | South Indian Liberal Federation (Justice Party) founded | By Dr T. M. Nair, Sir P. Theagaraya Chetty and Dr C. Natesa Mudaliar; the Non-Brahmin Manifesto followed in December |
| 1917 | Newspapers launched | Justice (English), Dravidan (Tamil) and Andhra Prakasika (Telugu) |
| 1920 | Justice Party forms the first ministry in Madras Presidency | Under the 1919 reforms (dyarchy), with A. Subbarayalu Reddiar as the first Chief Minister |
| 1921 | The Communal G.O. | Reserved government posts for non-Brahmin communities |
| 1924 | Vaikom Satyagraha | Periyar joins the Kerala movement for temple-road entry |
| 1925 | Self-Respect Movement | Periyar leaves the Congress; Kudi Arasu launched |
| 1937 to 1940 | First anti-Hindi agitation | Against compulsory Hindi in schools under the Rajaji ministry; Natarajan and Thalamuthu died in custody |
| 1938 | Periyar elected leader of the Justice Party | While in prison |
| 1944 | Justice Party renamed Dravidar Kazhagam | Salem conference; the name was proposed by C. N. Annadurai |
| 1949 | DMK founded | C. N. Annadurai, 17 September, Chennai |
| 1965 | Second anti-Hindi agitation | Student-led; Chinnasamy's self-immolation at Tiruchirappalli in January |
| 1967 | DMK wins the election | Annadurai becomes Chief Minister; end of continuous Congress rule |
| 1968 | Two-language policy | Tamil and English; Hindi not taught as a compulsory subject |
| 1969 | Name "Tamil Nadu" in force | 14 January; Annadurai dies on 3 February; M. Karunanidhi succeeds him |
| 1972 | AIADMK formed | M. G. Ramachandran, after leaving the DMK, in October |
| 1989 | Most Backward Classes quota created | See Tamil Nadu reservation system |
What each phase stood for
Justice Party (1916 to 1944). The party argued for a fair share of education and government jobs for non-Brahmin communities. Its 1920 ministry and the 1921 Communal G.O. mark the start of reservation in India's south. It also introduced a midday meal in Madras corporation schools in the 1920s.
Self-Respect Movement (1925 onward). Periyar's focus was on rationalism, caste abolition, women's rights and ending the priest-led marriage. Kudi Arasu (1925), Revolt (1928) and later Viduthalai were the movement's journals. Self-respect marriages were given legal status by an amendment to the Hindu Marriage Act in Madras State in 1967.
Dravidar Kazhagam (1944). The 1944 Salem conference turned the Justice Party into a social movement that stayed out of elections. A section led by Annadurai left in 1949 and formed the DMK to contest elections, which is the clearest dividing line in the story.
DMK and AIADMK. The DMK first won the Assembly election in 1967, and the AIADMK formed the government for the first time in 1977 under M. G. Ramachandran. Full lists are on Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu.
Language agitations
The anti-Hindi agitations of 1937 to 1940 and 1965 are among the biggest mass movements in the state's history. After 1965, the two-language formula (Tamil and English) became a settled policy in Tamil Nadu schools. The same period saw the formal change of the state's name, covered on formation of Tamil Nadu.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded the Dravidian Munnetra Kazhagam?
C. N. Annadurai, on 17 September 1949 in Chennai, after breaking away from the Dravidar Kazhagam.
When was the Justice Party renamed Dravidar Kazhagam?
At the Salem conference in 1944.
Who started the Self-Respect Movement?
Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, in 1925.
Who founded the AIADMK?
M. G. Ramachandran, in October 1972.
Where does this fit in the TNPSC syllabus?
Under the socio-political movements of Tamil Nadu in the history and culture unit. The TNPSC Tamil Nadu history and culture guide lists the topics under the unit and how to study them.
Official sources
- Tamil Nadu Government portal: state history and policy documents.
- Election Commission of India: election results since 1952.
- Samacheer Kalvi Social Science textbooks, Classes 10 to 12.
Where two sources give different dates for the early associations, use the textbook date.
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