V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

Recently, the Prime Minister paid tribute to V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, the legendary freedom fighter on his 151st birth anniversary on 5th September 2022.

He was also known as Sekkizuththa Semmal and Kappalottiya Tamilan (The Tamil Helmsman) (scholarly gentry who suffered at the oil press).

About Chidambaram Pillai

Birth: Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai (VOC) was born on September 5, 1872, in Ottapidaram, Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district, to renowned attorney Olaganathan Pillai and Paramyee Ammai.
Early Years: Tuticorin's Caldwell College is where VOC earned his degree. He had a brief stint as a taluk office clerk before starting his legal education.
In 1900, his dispute with the judge compelled him to move to Tuticorin in search of greener pastures.
His professional and journalistic pursuits took up most of his time until 1905.
VOC first entered politics in 1905, just after Bengal was divided.
VOC visited Madras at the end of 1905 and became further involved with the Swadeshi Movement, which was started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai.
As a result of being pulled to the Ramakrishna Mission, VOC met Subramania Bharati and the Mandayam family.
The Swadeshi movement in the Tirunelveli district did not start to gain strength and momentum till the arrival of VOC at Tuticorin (current-day Thoothukudi).
Participation in the Freedom Movement: By 1906, VOC had gained the support of businessmen and manufacturers in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli for its plan to form the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, a Swadeshi merchant shipping company (SSNCo).
He founded a number of organizations, including the Desabimana Sangam, Dharmasanga Nesavu Salai, National Godown, and Swadeshi Prachar Sabha.
A number of Tirunelveli-based attorneys who formed the Swadeshi Sangam organization supported VOC and Siva in their endeavours.
The start of the Tuticorin Coral Mills strike gave the nationalist movement a supporting role (1908).
VOC championed the interests of the working class in Tamil Nadu even before Gandhiji's Champaran Satyagraha (1917), making him a precursor to Gandhiji in this regard.
On the morning of March 9, 1908, VOC and other leaders decided to organize a massive march to celebrate Bipin Chandra Pal's release from prison and to raise the Swaraj flag.
Writings include the following: Meyyaram (1914), Meyyarivu (1915), Anthology (1915), Thirukural with Literary Notes by Manakudavar (1917), Tholkappiam with Literary Notes by Ilampooranar (1928), and Autobiography (1946).
Death: On November 18, 1936, V.O.C. passed away in the Tuticorin office of the Indian National Congress.

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Source: PIB

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