PrepMaticTamil Nadu GK · History & heritage
Social reformers of Tamil Nadu and what each is known for
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The social reformers TNPSC asks about most are Periyar E. V. Ramasamy (Self-Respect Movement, 1925), Vallalar (Sathya Dharma Salai, Vadalur, 1867), Iyothee Thass (Sakya Buddhist Society, 1898), Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy (first woman legislator, campaign against the devadasi system) and Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar. Use the table to match each person with a movement, a place and a date; the notes below add the details examiners like to pick.
Reformers and their work
| Reformer | Life | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Vallalar (Ramalinga Adigalar) | 1823 to 1874 | Samarasa Suddha Sanmarga Sangam (1865); free-food hall Sathya Dharma Salai at Vadalur (1867); Sathya Gnana Sabai (1872); jeevakarunyam (compassion for all living beings); songs collected as Thiruvarutpa |
| Pandit Iyothee Thass | 1845 to 1914 | Sakya Buddhist Society (1898); Tamil weekly Oru Paisa Tamilan (1907); early voice for the dignity and Buddhist roots of oppressed castes |
| Rettamalai Srinivasan | 1859 to 1945 | Dalit leader; founded the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha (1891) and the journal Paraiyan; represented depressed classes at the Round Table Conferences |
| M. Singaravelar | 1860 to 1946 | First May Day celebration in India at Madras, 1923; Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan |
| Sir P. Theagaraya Chetty, Dr T. M. Nair, Dr C. Natesa Mudaliar | late 19th and early 20th centuries | Founders of the South Indian Liberal Federation (the Justice Party) in 1916 |
| Periyar E. V. Ramasamy | 1879 to 1973 | Vaikom Satyagraha (1924); Self-Respect Movement (1925); journals Kudi Arasu (1925), Revolt (1928) and Viduthalai; Dravidar Kazhagam (1944) |
| Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy | 1886 to 1968 | First woman member of a legislature in India (Madras Legislative Council, 1927); worked against the devadasi system; founded the Avvai Home (1930); the Adyar Cancer Institute (1954) |
| Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar | 1883 to 1962 | Devadasi reformer; wrote the 1936 novel Dasigal Mosavalai Athavathu Mathi Petra Minor |
| Bharathidasan | 1891 to 1964 | Poet of the Dravidian movement ("Puratchi Kavignar"); took his pen name from Subramania Bharati |
| C. N. Annadurai | 1909 to 1969 | Founded the DMK (1949); became Chief Minister in 1967; the state name "Tamil Nadu" came into force under him |
| K. Kamaraj | 1903 to 1975 | Midday meals, school expansion, "Kingmaker"; Bharat Ratna (1976, after his death) |
Notes on the most-asked items
Vallalar. He was born at Marudur in Cuddalore district. The Sathya Dharma Salai at Vadalur began free feeding in 1867, and it continues. He taught compassion for all life and opposed caste distinctions. He is also linked with the "Jyothi Darshan" light worship at Vadalur.
Periyar and the Self-Respect Movement. Periyar left the Congress in 1925 and started the movement the same year, with its weekly Kudi Arasu. The movement promoted rationalism, women's rights, widow remarriage and weddings without priests. The Hindu Marriage (Madras Amendment) Act of 1967 gave legal recognition to self-respect marriages, under the government of C. N. Annadurai. His part in the Vaikom Satyagraha earned him the title "Vaikom Veerar". The full chain of events is on the Dravidian movement timeline.
Justice Party and the Communal G.O. The South Indian Liberal Federation was formed in 1916, and its Non-Brahmin Manifesto followed in December that year. The Justice Party formed the first ministry under the 1919 reforms in 1920. A government order of 1921, the Communal G.O., set aside posts in government service for non-Brahmin communities. This is one of the starting points of the reservation system described in Tamil Nadu reservation system.
Muthulakshmi Reddy and the devadasi system. The Madras Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act came in 1947. She and Ramamirtham Ammaiyar are the two names linked with the campaign. Remember that Muthulakshmi Reddy was also the first woman to be Deputy President of the Madras Legislative Council (1927 onwards).
Iyothee Thass. Born as Kathavarayan in 1845 in the Nilgiris, he took the name Iyothee Thass and revived Buddhism in the Tamil country. He is a favourite for "who founded the Sakya Buddhist Society".
How to learn the list
- Learn one anchor fact per name: a year, a place and a journal or organisation.
- Pair reformers with movements: Vallalar with Vadalur, Periyar with Vaikom and Kudi Arasu, Iyothee Thass with the Sakya Buddhist Society, Muthulakshmi Reddy with the Avvai Home.
- Practise "match the following" questions. These mix reformers with the freedom fighters in freedom fighters of Tamil Nadu, so revise the two lists together.
Frequently asked questions
Who started the Self-Respect Movement?
Periyar E. V. Ramasamy started it in 1925, after leaving the Indian National Congress.
Who founded the Sathya Dharma Salai?
Vallalar (Ramalinga Adigalar) founded it at Vadalur in 1867 to feed the hungry irrespective of caste or creed.
Who was the first woman legislator in India?
Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy, who was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council in 1927.
Which reformer is linked with the first May Day celebration in India?
M. Singaravelar, who held it in Madras in 1923.
Where do social reformers appear in the TNPSC syllabus?
In the unit on history, culture, heritage and socio-political movements of Tamil Nadu. The TNPSC Tamil Nadu history and culture guide shows how to fit this list into that unit.
Official sources
- Tamil Nadu Government portal: official biographical and heritage notes.
- Samacheer Kalvi Social Science textbooks, Classes 9 to 12, the base text for this topic.
Dates differ slightly between sources, so use the textbook version for exams and check the current TNPSC notification for the syllabus.
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