K. A. P. Viswanatham

K. A. P. Viswanatham Pillai (10 November 1899 – 19 December 1994)[1] was a Tamil scholar, orator and social activist. Despite having no formal education he developed an interest towards the Tamil literature and Siddha medicine and learned them by himself.[1] His father Periyanna and his elder brother Krishnan and Arumugam living as a joint family. They also doing a joint venture business (tobacco) with the name of K.A.P. That precedes Viswanathan as K.A.P Viswanathan. He also took part in politics and was an active member of Justice Party. He became the first General Secretary of the party,[2] a position which he continued to hold till 1940 after which C. N. Annadurai took over.[3][4] He also took part in the Anti-Hindi agitation of 1937–40 and was imprisoned.[5] Viswanatham was also instrumental in launching the Tamil University at Thanjavur.[1]

K. A. P. Viswanatham
Viswnatham on a 2010 stamp of India
Born(1899-11-10)10 November 1899
Trichinopoly, Madras Presidency, British India
Died19 December 1994(1994-12-19) (aged 95)
OccupationWriter, activist, orator

Biography

K. A. P. Viswanatham was born in 1899 in Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirappalli), Madras Presidency, British India to Periyanna Pillai and Subbammal.[6] As a child, he did not attend any school but developed an interest towards Tamil literature.[6] At the age of five, he began learning the language and would go on to become an established scholar.[6] He was also passionate about Siddha medicine. He entered politics and joined the Justice Party and was made the General secretary, a position he would serve till 1940. He resigned as the secretary due to the differences of opinion that he had with the party leader Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, after which C. N. Annadurai succeeded him.[7] Viswanatham died on 19 December 1994 at the age of 95.[6]

Legacy

References
  1. "Stamp News" (PDF). South India Philatelists' Association. p. 2. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  2. "Anbazhagan calls for urgent action to help Sri Lankan Tamils". The Hindu. 24 November 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  3. Kannan 2010, p. 8.
  4. Vēṅkaṭācalapati 2006, p. 120.
  5. "Against Hindi Imposition". DMK. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  6. "K.A.P. Viswanatham". General Post Office. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  7. Kaṇēcan 2003, p. 19.
  8. Syed Muthahar Saqaf (14 September 2007). "K.A.P. Viswanatham Higher Secondary School". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  9. "New set of students at KAP College vow to serve in rural areas". The Times of India. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.

Cited sources


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