S. Dharmambal

Saminathan Dharmambal (1890–1959) was an Indian social activist and women's rights activist. She is remembered for her contributions to the Tamil language and involvement in the Anti-Hindi agitation of 1937–40. In 1951, she was given the title of vira Tamil annai ("Heroic Tamil Mother").

In this Indian name, the name Saminathan is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Dharmambal.
Saminathan Dharmambal
Born1890
Karuntattankudi, Madras presidency, British India
Died20 May 1959 (aged 68–69)
MonumentsMemorial in Moolakothalam, Chennai
OccupationSocial activist, women's rights activist
Known forFounder of Manavar Mandram ("Student Forum")
Spouse(s)Munisamy Naidu
Awardsvira Tamil annai ("Heroic Tamil Mother")

Early life

Dharmambal was born in 1890 to Saminathan Chettiyar and Pappammal in Karuntattankudi (also known as Karanthai) near Thanjavur,[1] Madras Presidency. She married drama actor Munisamy Naidu and moved to Chennai.[2]

Activities

Dharmambal was the secretary of the Tamil Women's Association, which was instrumental in safeguarding women's rights and education for girls. She supported Muthulakshmi Reddi's attempt to abolish the Devadasi system through legislation.[2] She also actively participated in the Self-Respect Movement.[3] She was one of the organisers of the 1938 conference of the Progressive Women's Association, which bestowed the title of Periyar ("Respected One" or "Elder")[4] on E. V. Ramasamy.[5][6] A day after the conference, on 14 November 1938, Dharmambal and other women activists picketed a school and were arrested.[7]

Dharmambal founded the Manavar Mandram ("Student Forum") to bring education in Tamil to the youth of Chennai. She conducted Elavu varam (a week of mourning) to get equal pay for the Tamil teachers. She supported the remarriage of widows and inter-caste marriages.[8]

She was a practitioner of Siddha medicine.[1] She donated her home in Karuntattankudi to the Karanthai Tamil Sangam, a language society.[1] She helped actor N. S. Krishnan present his appeal in the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in the Lakshmikanthan murder case.[9] In a meeting in 1951, she was given the title of vira Tamil annai ("Heroic Tamil Mother") for her contributions to the Tamil language, especially for promoting Tamil education to youth through the Student Forum.[1]

Legacy

Dharmambal died on 20 May 1959. A memorial to her was erected in Moolakothalam, Chennai.[10] The Government of Tamil Nadu introduced a scheme in 1975 to provide financial assistance to widows for remarriage in her honour.[11]

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References
  1. Sumathi Ramaswamy (20 November 1997). Passions of the Tongue: Language Devotion in Tamil India, 1891–1970. University of California Press. pp. 182, 188. ISBN 978-0-520-20805-6.
  2. "வீரத் தமிழன்னை டாக்டர் எஸ்.தருமாம்பாள்". keetru.com.
  3. Vijaya Ramaswamy, Jawaharlal Nehru University (25 August 2017). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-5381-0686-0.
  4. Vijaya Ramaswamy, Jawaharlal Nehru University (22 May 2007). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Scarecrow Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-8108-6445-0.
  5. "PERIYAR - ANNA MEMORIAL, ERODE THANTHAI PERIYAR". tndipr.gov.in. The title Periyar was Awarded by Dr.Tharambal and Ramamirthammal to E.V.Ramasamy in 13.11.1938 during the Tamil Nadu Women's Conference in Chennai presided by Neelambigaiyar, daughter of Maraimalai Adigalar.
  6. "வரலாற்றுத் தடம்: அவர் ஏன் பெரியார் ஆனார்?". The Hindu (Tamil). தினந்தோறும் போராட்டமும் கைதுமாகத் தொடர்ந்தது. அதைத் தொடர்ந்துதான் தர்மாம்பாள், மீனாம்பாள் சிவராஜ், நாராயணி அம்மாள் போன்ற பெண்கள் அவருக்குப் ‘பெரியார்’ என்று பட்டம் சூட்ட முடிவெடுத்தனர். 1938 நவம்பர் 13 அன்று சென்னையில் முற்போக்குப் பெண்கள் சங்க மாநாடு நடத்தப்பட்டது.
  7. S, Anandhi (May–June 1991). "Women's Question in the Dravidian Movement c. 1925-1948". Social Scientist. 19 (5/6): 24–41. doi:10.2307/3517871. JSTOR 3517871.
  8. "பெண்களுக்கான நலத்திட்டங்களும்.... திட்டத்தை சிறப்பிக்கும் சாதனைப் பெண்களும்!". Vikatan (in Tamil). 17 March 2017.
  9. "பெரியாரிஸம் உருவாக்கிய பெண் பேராளுமைகள்! | Women leaders emerged through thoughts of Periyar". Vikatan.com. 17 September 2016. கலைவாணர் என். எஸ். கிருஷ்ணனை 'இந்து நேசன்' பத்திரிகை ஆசிரியர் லட்சுமிகாந்தன் கொலை வழக்கிலிருந்து காப்பாற்ற இலண்டன் பிரிவியூ கவுன்சில் வரை சென்று வழக்கு நடத்தி மீட்டு வந்தவர்.
  10. "Moolakothalam memorial will be protected: OPS". The Hindu. 22 March 2018.
  11. "Widows, divorcees break taboo in Tamil Nadu". Times of India. 14 March 2012.
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