Periyar and Anna: the facts TNPSC repeats
Thanthai Periyar (1879–1973) and Perarignar Anna (1909–1969), person by person
Thanthai Periyar (E. V. Ramasamy, 1879–1973)
- Chairman, Erode Municipal Council 1918–1919; later President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (Non-Cooperation days)
- 1921, Erode toddy-shop picketing: Nagammai and Kannammal, first women arrested for it in Tamil Nadu
- 1924 Vaikom Satyagraha (Travancore) → 'Vaikom Veerar' (Hero of Vaikom); won the right to use the temple streets
- Quit Congress over separate dining for non-Brahmin boys at the Cheranmadevi Gurukulam (run by V. V. S. Aiyar)
- 1925: founded the Self-Respect Movement (Kanchipuram, per TNPSC key)
- Journals: Kudi Arasu 1925 (official organ) → Revolt 1928 (English) → Puratchi 1933 → Paguththarivu 1934 → Viduthalai 1935
- Pen name for his columns: Chitraputtiran
- 1929 First Self-Respect Conference, Chengalpattu: resolution for women's equal property rights
- 1932 USSR visit → built 'Stalin Hall' at Coimbatore; Erode Plan with Singaravelar
- 13 Nov 1938, Tamil Nadu Women's Conference, Madras (chair: Neelambikai Ammaiyar) gave him the title 'Periyar'
- Elected President of the Justice Party while still in jail
- 1939: Dravida Nadu conference, demand for a separate Dravida Nadu
- 1944 Salem conference: Justice Party renamed Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) — Salem, not Erode
- Titles: Rousseau of Tamil Nadu, Vaikom Veerar, Pagutharivu Pagalavan, Ven Thaadi Vendhar, Erode Lion
- Book: Penn Yen Adimaiyanal (Why Woman Was Enslaved)
Perarignar Anna (C. N. Annadurai, 1909–1969)
- Born 15 Sep 1909, Conjeevaram (Kanchipuram); died 3 Feb 1969
- Journalism: sub-editor of 'Justice', editor of 'Viduthalai'; started 'Dravida Nadu' and 'Malai Mani'
- 'Arignar' title given by Bharathidasan — not by Periyar
- 1949: founded the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)
- Plays: Velaikari, Oor Iravu, Needhi Devan Mayakkam, Nallathambi
- Lost the 1962 election in Kanchipuram
- 1967: first non-Congress Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
- Legalised Self-Respect marriages (Hindu Marriage Act amended)
- 1969: Madras State renamed Tamil Nadu
- 'Satyameva Jayate' → 'Vaimaye Vellum'; 'Tamilaga Arasu Thalaimai Seyalagam' board at Fort St. George; Kural on buses
- Discontinued the teaching of Hindi in government schools
- Policies: Tamil identity, State autonomy, co-operative federalism, scientific socialism
- 'Padiyarisi' cheap-rice scheme
- Called 'Dravidian Mao'; Chubb Fellowship at Yale, first non-American to receive it
Remember
- Two titles, two givers: 'Periyar' came from the Women's Conference of 1938; 'Arignar' came from Bharathidasan. TNPSC offers 'Periyar gave Anna the Arignar title' as a false statement.
- Periyar's journals in order: Kudi Arasu, Revolt, Puratchi, Paguththarivu, Viduthalai (1925, 28, 33, 34, 35). Kudi Arasu, not Revolt, was the official organ.
- Places: Vaikom (Kerala) for the hero title, Chengalpattu 1929 for the first conference, Salem 1944 for the DK, Coimbatore for Stalin Hall.
Asked in TNPSC
- Why did E.V. Ramaswamy Periyar quit from the congress party? (2023, LIBGS/2023)
- National motto "Satyameva Jayate" hence forth appears as "Vaimaye Vellum" in Tamil was announced by (2016, GRFT3)
- Who is popularly referred as 'Dravidian Mao'? (2023, JROGS/2023)
- E.V. Ramasamy Naicker after a trip to Soviet Union in 1932 built a 'Stalin Hall' in ________ (2023, IOFGS/2023)
- Who is called as Rousseau of Tamil Nadu? (2023, VASGS/2023)
Built from: Samacheer Class 10 Social Science, lesson 10 (Social Transformation in Tamil Nadu); Samacheer Class 11 Political Science, lessons 14–15; Samacheer Class 12 Political Science, lessons 1, 5, 7; Samacheer Class 11 English (Tamil medium), lesson 1 (Annadurai profile); Samacheer Class 9 Tamil, lesson 7; Class 11 Ethics (Tamil), lesson 10; TNPSC past papers (U6)
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