Reddiar

Reddiar
Total population
	45,00,000
Regions with significant populations
	Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry
Languages
	Tamil
Religion
	Hinduism, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
	Reddy

Reddiar (also spelt as Reddiyar) is a Telugu and Tamil speaking intermediate agriculture, farming and retail trading social group in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Sri Lanka.

Reddiars, Reddy, Reddappa are considered and believed to come from the same origins and they spread across the lands of Southern and Central India. Political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot notes that Reddiyars are land-owning caste which originated from the Telugu country[1] and said they are the patrons/financial supporters of local temples in Tamil Region. The names have been believed to be derived according to the regions they are spread across. Reddy in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Reddiar (Reddy + ar) in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Kerala. Reddy, Reddappa (Reddy + appa- signifying respect) in Karnataka.

The Panta Reddiars moved from the Andhra region in search of rich soil for cultivation and settled in Pondicherry and the northern districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai and Chengalpet in Tamil Nadu during Vijayanagar Empire. (In People of India/Indian Communities, Oxford University Press).

The migration of the Reddys/Reddiars to Tamil Nadu is assumed to have occurred during the Reddy dynasty expansion till Kanchipuram areas.[2]

Following are the districts that have significant Reddiar Population. Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Vellore, Thirupattur, Thiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Puducherry, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Karur, Perambalur, Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli

Origins

Anavota Reddy (1335-1364 CE) of Reddy dynasty extended the dominion of the kingdom to Rajahmundry on the north, Kanchi on the south and Srisailam on the west. In a battle at Vallioor, Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore army in the 14th century.[3] In an information Board at the entrance of the Vallioor Murugan Temple it is stated that 14th century vallioor War - Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore Army at vallioor Battle. After this war Reddiars settled at Samugarengapuram, Seelathikulam and all over Tirunelveli Region in the 14th century.

A mural at the Tiruppudaimaruthur temple in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, shows the emissaries of the Vijayanagara king Achyutadeva Raya serving an ultimatum to the Travancore ruler Bhoothala Veera Udaya Marthanda Varma to pay tributes to him and return the Pandya territory to Sri Vallabhan. It also depicts the battle between the armies of Achyutadeva Raya and Bhoothala Varma.|They are believed moved into Tamil Nadu with the Vijayanagara Emperor Kumara Kampana to liberate Madurai [Madura Vijayam] from Islamic rule and expansion of Vijayanagar empire along with other Telugu and Kannada origin social groups.

Amongst the Tamil diaspora

Water colour painting - Kondavidu fort, Reddy Kingdom.

Through emigration, there are now many Reddiars in the Tamil communities of United States, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom. The title does not generally mark the person as a Telugu but as an ethnic Tamil along with Naidu or Naicker, Raju or Raja, Pillai, Gounder and Chetty as surnames used in the Tamil diaspora. Many Reddiars were brought to South Africa during british colonial era to work on the sugarcane farms as indentured labourers. The descendants of such Reddiars can still be found in South Africa today.

Reddy versus Reddiars

Reddys predominantly Telugu and follow Telugu cultural like Ugadi, Dussehra and Sankranthi and follow all other Andhra norms. Whereas Reddiars who came from Andhra to the Tamil region speak both Tamil and Telugu follow both Tamil and Telugu cultural norms. They also celebrate Thai Pongal, Tamil New Year and Ugadi. For survival and to maintain their Dravidian lineage, they are active in supporting local Temple societies and local political aspirations. Some have represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language.

Prominent Reddiars

A. Subbarayalu Reddiar - First Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - Dec 1920 - June 1921
V. Venkatasubha Reddiar - Former Chief Minister of Puducherry and a prominent Puducherry freedom fighter[4]
Muthulakshmi Reddi, First Indian woman doctor and legislator, Padma Bhushan awardee
O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar - Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - 1947-1949
V. Vaithilingam - Chief Minister of Puducherry - July 4, 1991 to May 13, 1996 (first term), September 4, 2008 – April 13, 2011
M. D. R. Ramachandran - Chief Minister of Puducherry - 16 January 1980 to 23 June 1983 and 8 March 1990 – 3 March 1991
K. S. Venkatakrishna Reddiar - Politician, President of Congress Reform Committee
M. R. Lakshmi Narayanan - Member of Parliament, Tindivanam from 15 March 1971 to 18 January 1977 and 23 March 1977 to 22 August 1979
K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran - Former Co-operation, PWD minister in MGR cabinet.
K. N. Nehru - Former Milk, food minister in DMK cabinet(1996–2000), Transport minister in DMK cabinet (2006–2011)
Napoleon - Actor and MP of Perambalur Constituency Central Minister Of State for Social Justice and Empowerment
R. Radhakrishnan - Member of Parliament, Puducherry 2014 to 2019
Jayarama Reddiar - Member of legislative assembly from Aruppukottai constituency in 1952
M.S.Radhakrishnan - DMK MLA of thandarambattu constituency in the year 1971.
A. Pappasundaram - Former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu from Kulithalai constituency.
T. Venkatapathi Reddiar, Horticulturist, Padma Shri awardee
C. V. Sridhar, Film director
Annamalai Reddiyar - Tamil poet
G. R. Vaishnav - Indian volleyball player
G.Vijayakumar Reddiyar - Renowned Advocate
A.Muthukrishna Reddiyar - Founder,Vasanta Bhavan Group of Hotels
Chengalvarayan Padmanaban - Writer, researcher and Deputy Controller of Examinations at Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, 20th century Indian mathematician, Indian philanthropist
Arun Pandi Reddiar - MLA from Sattur constituency- July 13, 1997 to till date (first term)
Veeriah Reddiar - Founder Sematti Group , Kerala .
T.K Perumal Reddiar - Prominent Merchant , Based on Kollam,Kerala.
R. K. Perumal - Prominent MLA of vilathikulam constituency, Tuticorin in the year 1977 and 1980 elections

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References

Jaffrelot, Christophe; Kumar, Sanjay (4 May 2012). Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies. Routledge. ISBN 9781136516610.
Sheldon I. Pollock (2003). Literary cultures in history: reconstructions from South Asia. University of California Press. pp. 385–. ISBN 978-0-520-22821-4. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
Shungoonny Menon, P (1998). History of Travancore from the earliest times. Madras: Asian Educational Services. p. 523. ISBN 9788120601697.
"The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Venkatasubba Reddiar remembered". www.hinduonnet.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

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[1] Jaffrelot, Christophe; Kumar, Sanjay (4 May 2012). Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies. Routledge. ISBN 9781136516610.

[Pollock2003-2] Sheldon I. Pollock (2003). Literary cultures in history: reconstructions from South Asia. University of California Press. pp. 385–. ISBN 978-0-520-22821-4. Retrieved 8 July 2011.

[-page_94_History_of_Travancore_from_the_earliest_times-3] Shungoonny Menon, P (1998). History of Travancore from the earliest times. Madras: Asian Educational Services. p. 523. ISBN 9788120601697.

[4] "The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Venkatasubba Reddiar remembered". www.hinduonnet.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.