Language National and Dravidian movements

Compulsory Hindi order and first anti-Hindi agitation

11 Aug 1937 to 21 Feb 1940 · Chennai

The Rajaji government's move to make Hindi compulsory in schools triggered a large anti-Hindi agitation led by Periyar, the Justice Party and Tamil scholars.

In August 1937 the Rajagopalachari ministry announced plans to introduce compulsory Hindi instruction, and on 21 April 1938 it issued an order making Hindi compulsory in 125 secondary schools. The move was opposed by E. V. Ramasamy, the Justice Party under A. T. Panneerselvam, and Tamil scholars such as Maraimalai Adigal and Somasundara Bharathiar. The agitation involved anti-Hindi conferences, fasts, processions, black flag demonstrations and picketing of schools and government offices, and around 1,200 people were imprisoned. It was the first of the anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu and strengthened Tamil identity politics.

Related events

1938

29 Dec 1938ChennaiPolitics
Periyar jailed and elected Justice Party president
E. V. Ramasamy was imprisoned for his role in the anti-Hindi agitation and was elected president of the Justice Party while in jail.
1 Aug 1938 to 11 Sep 1938TiruchirappalliProtest
Tamilar Padai march from Tiruchi to Madras
Known as the Tamilar Padai, anti-Hindi protesters marched from Tiruchirappalli to Madras, addressing meetings in towns and villages en route.
13 Nov 1938ChennaiProtest
Tamil Nadu Women's Conference backs anti-Hindi agitation
To display women's backing for the protests against compulsory Hindi, a Tamil Nadu Women's Conference met in Madras.

1939

15 Jan 1939 to 11 Mar 1939ChennaiProtest
Deaths of Natarajan and Thalamuthu in custody
Anti-Hindi protesters L. Natarajan and Thalamuthu died after being jailed, and were claimed as the first martyrs of the anti-Hindi movement.

1940

21 Feb 1940ChennaiLanguage
Compulsory Hindi order withdrawn
The Governor of Madras, Lord Erskine, withdrew the order making Hindi compulsory in schools, ending the first anti-Hindi agitation.

1986

17 Nov 1986ChennaiProtest
DMK agitation against Navodaya schools
The DMK protested the National Policy on Education's Navodaya schools, seen as a route for Hindi imposition; the schools were not opened in Tamil Nadu.