Birth of Tamil theatre pioneer Sankaradas Swamigal
Tuticorin was the birthplace of Sankaradas Swamigal, the playwright whose boys' drama companies trained many Tamil stage and screen artists.
Born on 7 September 1867 in Tuticorin, Sankaradas Swamigal learned Tamil first from his father and afterwards from Palani Dandapani Swamigal. For a while he earned his living as an accountant at a salt factory. He went on to write, act, compose songs and produce plays. Performers including S. G. Kittappa, K. B. Sundarambal, M. R. Radha and S. V. Venkataraman began their careers in his boys' drama company. Along with Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar, he is counted among the pioneers of modern Tamil theatre.
