| Rettamalai Srinivasan | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 7 July 1859 Madras Presidency, India |
| Died | 18 September 1945 (aged 86) Madras Presidency, India |
| Occupation | lawyer, journalist |
Diwan Bahadur R. Srinivasan (1860–1945), also known as Rettamalai Srinivasan (Tamil: இரட்டைமலை சீனிவாசன்) was a Dalit activist, politician and freedom fighter from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He is a Dalit icon and Mahatma Gandhi’s close associate,[1] remembered today as one of the pioneers of the Dalit movement in India.[2]
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Early life [edit]
Rettamalai Srinivasaparaiyar was born in 1860 in a poor Dalit (Paraiyar) family in Madras Presidency.[3] He was a brother-in-law of the famous Dalit activist Iyothee Thass. He worked as a translator in a South African court when Gandhi was practicing there as an advocate; he was instrumental in the father of the nation putting his signature in Tamil as ‘Mo.Ka. Gandhi’ (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in Tamil).[1][4]
Srinivasan established and led the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha in 1891[5] which later became the Adi-Dravida Mahajana Sabha.[4][5] He founded a Tamil newspaper called Paraiyan in October 1893[4][6] which started selling as a monthly with four pages for the price of four annas.[7] However, Paraiyan experienced great difficulties in its early days.
Srinivasan was a participant in the freedom movement and an arrest warrant was issued against him claiming that he was fleeing the nation. In 1896, a case was filed against the newspaper and Srinivasan was dragged to the court citing a letter to the editor. The editor Srinivasan was fined Rs. 100 for his writings.[8]
Round Table Conference [edit]
Rettamalai Srinivasan represented the Dalits in the first two round table conferences happened in London(In 1930,1931) along with Dalit leader Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.[9] In 1932, Ambedkar, M. C. Rajah and Rettamalai Srinivasan joined the board of the Servants of Untouchables Society established by Mahatma Gandhi.[10] However, shortly afterwards, the three of them withdrew from the Board.[10] In 1939, with Ambedkar's support, he established the Madras Province Scheduled Castes' Federation.[9]
Memorials [edit]
Commemorative stamps have been issued in memory of Rettamalai Srinivasan by the Department of Posts of the Government of India.[11] Cadres of the Viduthalai Siruthaigal party claimed to have discovered the remains of the Dalit leader in Otteri and constructed a memorial over his mortal remains and named it Urimai Kalam.[5] On 6 July 2011, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had directed that his birth anniversary on 7 July be observed as a government function and ministers to honour him by garlanding his statue located inside Gandhi Mandapam, Chennai.[1] Chief Minister Jayalailthaa has given a direction to this effect, according to an official release stated, The birth anniversary of Dalit leader Rettamalai Srinivasan (1859-1945) will be observed every year on 7 July by the State government.[12]
His grandson B. Parameswaran became a minister in the Government of Tamil Nadu and a member of the Indian parliament.
Notes [edit]
- ^ a b c "`Govt to celebrate Rettamalai Srinivasan’s birthday'". The Hindu. July 6, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Cotextualizing Dalit Movement in South India, Pg 10
- ^ Talisman, Pg xxvi
- ^ a b c Thirumavalavan, Pg 227
- ^ a b c Thirumavalavan, Pg 44
- ^ Talisman, Pg xxvii
- ^ Rajan, Nalini (2007). 21st Century Journalism in India. p. 66. ISBN 0-7619-3561-4, 9780761935612 Check
|isbn=value (help). - ^ Rajan, Nalini (2007). 21st Century Journalism in India. p. 70. ISBN 0-7619-3561-4, 9780761935612 Check
|isbn=value (help). - ^ a b Cotextualizing Dalit Movement in South India, Pg 29
- ^ a b Ravikumar (March 2, 2006). "Re-reading Periyar". Countercurrents.org. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "`No rules violated in stamp release function'". The Hindu. August 19, 2004. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ "`Retamalai Sreenivasan birth anniversaryto be observed on July 7'". The Hindu. July 7, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
References [edit]
- Thirumavalavan, Thol; Meena Kandasamy (2003). Talisman, Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation: Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 81-85604-68-1, ISBN 978-81-85604-68-8 Check
|isbn=value (help).
- Thirumavalavan, Thol; Meena Kandasamy (2004). Uproot Hindutva: The Fiery Voice of the Liberation Panthers. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 81-85604-79-7, ISBN 978-81-85604-79-4 Check
|isbn=value (help).
- "Cotextualizing Dalit Movement in South India". Vikalp. 2005.
Further reading [edit]
- Mohan, J. (2001). History of Dalit Struggle for Freedom: Dravidian Parties and Dalit Uprise in Tamil Nadu. Dhamma Institute of Social Sciences.
- Mohan, Pullam Ethiraj (1993). Scheduled Castes, History of Elevation, Tamil Nadu, 1900-1955: History of Elevation, Tamil Nadu, 1900-1955. New Era Publications.
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