Tamil Nadu Timeline

Social ReformBritish Crown rule

Rettamalai Srinivasan founds the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha

· Chennai

Rettamalai Srinivasan founds the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha
India Post, Government of India, GODL-India · Wikimedia Commons

Rettamalai Srinivasan set up the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha, an early Dalit body, and launched the Tamil paper Paraiyan in 1893.

In 1891 Rettamalai Srinivasan founded the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha and headed it; the body was later renamed the Adi Dravida Mahajana Sabha. He started a Tamil newspaper, Paraiyan, in October 1893 to fight untouchability and press for the rights of the Paraiyar community. Through petitions to the colonial government, the Sabha sought access to schooling, public places and government jobs. Later on, Srinivasan spoke for the depressed classes at the Round Table Conferences held in London.

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  2. 1893

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  5. 1922

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