Woothampatti Punnaivana Ayya Soundarapandian[1] (15 September 1893 – 22 February 1953) was a leading figure in Nadar Mahajana Sangam and became the first Nadar member of the Madras Legislative Council upon a recommendation by P.T. Rajan in 1920. Nadar's family had previously supported and worked for the electoral victory of P.T.Rajan.[2] He is known for his effort to associate the Nadar community with the Self-Respect Movement founded by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy.[3] He was known as the uncrowned king of the Nadar community.[4]
W. P. A Soundarapandian
Statue of W. P. A. Soundrapandian Nadar at the entrance to Theagaraya Road, Chennai.
Nadar came from a prominent coffee planter family that owned estates near Kodaikanal. He was the principal leader of the Nadars from the 1920s to 1930's.
Painting of Ayya Nadar (Father of W.P.A. Soundarapandian Nadar) by Gnanaratnam Pillai in 1919. Family Collection
Careeredit
Nadar served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1920 to 1937.[4] He represented the interests of the Nadar community in the Justice Party as well as the council.[4] He also served as the President of the Ramnad District board from 1928 to 1930 and Madura District Board from 1943 to 1947.[4]
Social activismedit
Invoking the ideologies of Periyar, he urged Nadars to advocate Self-Respect marriages and inter-caste dining. He was selected by Periyar as the president of the first self-respect conference held in 1929.[5] It is also rumoured that he had provided financial support for the Anti-Hindi agitation of 1937-40.[citation needed] Acknowledging the agitation's popular support, Lord Erskine, the then Governor of Madras wrote to Viceroy Linlithgow in July 1938 that "Compulsory Hindi has been the cause of great trouble in this province and is certainly contrary to the wishes of the bulk of the population..."[citation needed]
Social Reformedit
Nadar also worked for the upliftment of Dalits, Tiyyas and for other social causes. He succeeded in putting an end to the Kamudi punitive tax.
Later lifeedit
The Justice Party government of the Raja of Bobbili (1932–36) was infamous throughout the province for its corruption and misgovernance[citation needed]. Hence, by the mid-1930s, despite Soundarapandian's personal charisma, the influence of the Justice Party began to wane. Moreover, the social reform measures such as the Temple Entry Authorization and Indemnity Act of 1939 introduced by the Indian National Congress government of C. Rajagopalachari and the rise of the Indian National Congress leader K. Kamaraj within the ranks of the Nadar community triggered Soundarapandian Nadar's political decline. By the time, Kamaraj became the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in the early 1940s, most of the Nadar community leaders had shifted their allegiance to the Indian National Congress and supported the Indian Independence Movement. [[File:
WPA Soundarapandian
|thumb|Picture of W P A Soundarapandian Nadar]]
Commemorationedit
Pondy Bazaar, Chennai's principal shopping district is believed to have been named after Soundarapandian Nadar. A statue of the leader has been erected at the entrance of the bazaar and recently, a signboard was set up with the bazaar's name mentioned as "Soundarapandian Angadi". The bronze statue was sculpted by Nagappa Jagannathan and unvailed by Government of Kalaignar Karunanidhi in presence of Thiru Sivandi Adathinar.He was also active in setting up schools etc. for the Nadar community in his home town, kayamozhi. He is also referred to as 'The Uncrowned King of the Nadar Community'[6] in many books and papers related to the Self Respect Movement. He was also instrumental in setting up the coffee co operative curing works in Pattiveeranpatti. His descendants continue to live in Pattiveeranpatti.
Notesedit
^"W.P.A. SOUNDARA PANDIAN HR.SEC.SCHOOL". soundarapandianschool.com. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^Lloyd I. Rudolph; Susanne Hoeber Rudolph (1984). The Modernity of Tradition: Political Development in India. University of Chicago. p. 48. ISBN978-0-226-73137-7.
soundarapandian, nadar, woothampatti, punnaivana, ayya, soundarapandian, september, 1893, february, 1953, leading, figure, nadar, mahajana, sangam, became, first, nadar, member, madras, legislative, council, upon, recommendation, rajan, 1920, nadar, family, pr. Woothampatti Punnaivana Ayya Soundarapandian 1 15 September 1893 22 February 1953 was a leading figure in Nadar Mahajana Sangam and became the first Nadar member of the Madras Legislative Council upon a recommendation by P T Rajan in 1920 Nadar s family had previously supported and worked for the electoral victory of P T Rajan 2 He is known for his effort to associate the Nadar community with the Self Respect Movement founded by Periyar E V Ramasamy 3 He was known as the uncrowned king of the Nadar community 4 W P A SoundarapandianStatue of W P A Soundrapandian Nadar at the entrance to Theagaraya Road Chennai Born15 September 1893PattiveeranpattiDied22 February 1953 1953 02 22 aged 59 Occupation s Leader of Nadar Mahajan Sangam and Member of Madras Legislative Council Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 Social activism 4 Social Reform 5 Later life 6 Commemoration 7 Notes 8 ReferencesBackground editNadar came from a prominent coffee planter family that owned estates near Kodaikanal He was the principal leader of the Nadars from the 1920s to 1930 s nbsp Painting of Ayya Nadar Father of W P A Soundarapandian Nadar by Gnanaratnam Pillai in 1919 Family CollectionCareer editNadar served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1920 to 1937 4 He represented the interests of the Nadar community in the Justice Party as well as the council 4 He also served as the President of the Ramnad District board from 1928 to 1930 and Madura District Board from 1943 to 1947 4 Social activism editInvoking the ideologies of Periyar he urged Nadars to advocate Self Respect marriages and inter caste dining He was selected by Periyar as the president of the first self respect conference held in 1929 5 It is also rumoured that he had provided financial support for the Anti Hindi agitation of 1937 40 citation needed Acknowledging the agitation s popular support Lord Erskine the then Governor of Madras wrote to Viceroy Linlithgow in July 1938 that Compulsory Hindi has been the cause of great trouble in this province and is certainly contrary to the wishes of the bulk of the population citation needed Social Reform editNadar also worked for the upliftment of Dalits Tiyyas and for other social causes He succeeded in putting an end to the Kamudi punitive tax Later life editThe Justice Party government of the Raja of Bobbili 1932 36 was infamous throughout the province for its corruption and misgovernance citation needed Hence by the mid 1930s despite Soundarapandian s personal charisma the influence of the Justice Party began to wane Moreover the social reform measures such as the Temple Entry Authorization and Indemnity Act of 1939 introduced by the Indian National Congress government of C Rajagopalachari and the rise of the Indian National Congress leader K Kamaraj within the ranks of the Nadar community triggered Soundarapandian Nadar s political decline By the time Kamaraj became the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in the early 1940s most of the Nadar community leaders had shifted their allegiance to the Indian National Congress and supported the Indian Independence Movement File nbsp WPA Soundarapandian thumb Picture of W P A Soundarapandian Nadar Commemoration editPondy Bazaar Chennai s principal shopping district is believed to have been named after Soundarapandian Nadar A statue of the leader has been erected at the entrance of the bazaar and recently a signboard was set up with the bazaar s name mentioned as Soundarapandian Angadi The bronze statue was sculpted by Nagappa Jagannathan and unvailed by Government of Kalaignar Karunanidhi in presence of Thiru Sivandi Adathinar He was also active in setting up schools etc for the Nadar community in his home town kayamozhi He is also referred to as The Uncrowned King of the Nadar Community 6 in many books and papers related to the Self Respect Movement He was also instrumental in setting up the coffee co operative curing works in Pattiveeranpatti His descendants continue to live in Pattiveeranpatti Notes edit W P A SOUNDARA PANDIAN HR SEC SCHOOL soundarapandianschool com Retrieved 4 June 2021 Nadars of Tamilnad pp 176 Lloyd I Rudolph Susanne Hoeber Rudolph 1984 The Modernity of Tradition Political Development in India University of Chicago p 48 ISBN 978 0 226 73137 7 a b c d Nadars of Tamilnad pp 177 Christophe Jaffrelot 1984 India s Silent Revolution The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India Hurst amp Co p 167 ISBN 978 1 85065 670 8 Robert Hardgrave 1969 The Nadars of Tamilnad University of California Press p 319 ISBN 81 7304 701 4 References editThe Nadars of Tamilnad University of California Press 1969 Ramaswamy Sumathy 1997 Passions of the tongue language devotion in Tamil India 1891 1970 University of Chicago Press ISBN 978 0 520 20805 6 OCLC 36084635 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title W P A Soundarapandian Nadar amp oldid 1173399416, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
