Dravidian Movement

Caldwell's Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian languages

With his Comparative Grammar, Robert Caldwell showed that the Dravidian languages make up a separate language family.

Robert Caldwell consecrated Bishop of Tirunelveli

Missionary and Dravidian scholar Robert Caldwell, based at Idaiyangudi, was consecrated as a bishop for the Tirunelveli mission.

Birth of E. V. Ramasamy (Periyar)

E. V. Ramasamy, later known as Periyar, founder of the Self-Respect Movement and the Dravidar Kazhagam, was born at Erode.

Iyothee Thass founds the Dravida Mahajana Sabha

Iyothee Thass founded the Dravida Mahajana Sabha and urged Dalits to record themselves in the census as casteless Dravidians rather than Hindus.

Madras Dravidian Association formed

The Madras United League, founded by C. Natesa Mudaliar in 1912, was renamed the Madras Dravidian Association, an early non-Brahmin political body.

Maraimalai Adigal starts the Pure Tamil movement

Maraimalai Adigal pledged to use Tamil free of Sanskrit loanwords, starting the Tanittamil Iyakkam (Pure Tamil movement).

South Indian Liberal Federation (Justice Party) founded

Non-Brahmin leaders including C. Natesa Mudaliar, T. M. Nair and P. Theagaraya Chetty founded the South Indian Liberal Federation, later known as the Justice Party.

Non-Brahmin Manifesto published

The new non-Brahmin federation issued a manifesto criticising Brahmin dominance in public services and politics, drawing sharp criticism from The Hindu.

Madras Presidency Association formed

The Madras Presidency Association was set up by non-Brahmin Congressmen to press for non-Brahmin representation inside the national movement.

Periyar joins the Indian National Congress

E. V. Ramasamy of Erode, later known as Periyar, joined the Indian National Congress, beginning a political career that later led to the Self-Respect Movement.

Justice Party wins first Madras Legislative Council election

The Justice Party won the first election held under the Montagu-Chelmsford dyarchy reforms in the Madras Presidency.

A. Subbarayalu Reddiar becomes first Premier of Madras

A. Subbarayalu Reddiar of the Justice Party took office as the first Chief Minister (Premier) of the Madras Presidency.

First Communal Government Order on reservation

The Justice Party government issued the first Communal Government Order, reserving government posts for different communities.

Raja of Panagal becomes Premier

Panaganti Ramarayaningar, the Raja of Panagal, succeeded Subbarayalu Reddiar and led two Justice Party ministries until 1926.

Justice Party wins second council election

The Justice Party retained power in the 1923 Madras Legislative Council election despite internal dissent.

Cheranmadevi Gurukulam controversy

Separate dining for Brahmin and non-Brahmin students at a Congress-funded gurukulam at Cheranmadevi caused a major controversy.

Periyar leaves Congress and starts the Self-Respect Movement

After his resolution on communal representation was not allowed at the Kanchipuram conference, E. V. Ramasamy left the Congress and began the Self-Respect Movement.

Death of P. Theagaraya Chetty

P. Theagaraya Chetty, a founder and leader of the Justice Party and of the non-Brahmin movement, died in Madras.

Periyar launches Kudi Arasu

E. V. Ramasamy began publishing the Tamil weekly Kudi Arasu, which became the main voice of the Self-Respect Movement.

Death of the Raja of Panagal

Panaganti Ramarayaningar, the Raja of Panagal and Justice Party First Minister from 1921 to 1926, died in Madras.

First Provincial Self-Respect Conference at Chengalpattu

The first provincial conference of the Self-Respect Movement at Chengalpattu passed resolutions against caste and for women's rights.

Justice Party returns to power under B. Munuswamy Naidu

The Justice Party won the 1930 election, boycotted by the Congress, and B. Munuswamy Naidu became Premier.

Periyar tours Europe and the Soviet Union

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy toured Europe and spent three months in the Soviet Union, an experience that shaped his later politics.

Raja of Bobbili becomes Premier

The Raja of Bobbili, a zamindar, replaced B. Munuswamy Naidu as Premier and led the last Justice Party ministry before 1937.

Viduthalai newspaper launched

Viduthalai began as a Justice Party bi-weekly and became a daily under Periyar in 1937.

P. T. Rajan becomes First Minister

For a few months, while the Raja of Bobbili was on leave, Justice Party leader P. T. Rajan was First Minister of the Madras Presidency.

Compulsory Hindi order and first anti-Hindi agitation

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.

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.

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.

Periyar raises 'Dravida Nadu for Dravidians'

Periyar swapped the slogan 'Tamil Nadu for Tamils' for 'Dravida Nadu for Dravidians', setting the Justice Party on a separatist course.

Karunanidhi starts Murasoli at Tiruvarur

An 18-year-old M. Karunanidhi started Murasoli at Tiruvarur as handwritten notices; it later became the DMK's newspaper.

Justice Party becomes Dravidar Kazhagam at Salem

Meeting at Salem, the Justice Party, now led by Periyar, took the name Dravidar Kazhagam and gave up contesting elections.

Periyar calls Independence Day a day of mourning

Periyar called for 15 August 1947 to be kept as a day of mourning, a stand Annadurai rejected, deepening the rift between them.

India becomes independent; Madras Province

India gained independence and the Madras Presidency became Madras Province of the Dominion of India; Periyar called it a day of mourning.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam founded

Breaking away from Periyar's Dravidar Kazhagam, C. N. Annadurai and his associates formed the DMK in Madras.

First Amendment enables reservation for backward classes

Parliament passed the First Amendment, allowing special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes.

Parasakthi released

The film Parasakthi, written by M. Karunanidhi and marking Sivaji Ganesan's debut, was released and sparked controversy.

DMK contests its first election

Won by Kamaraj's Congress, the 1957 Assembly election was the first in which the DMK took part after its founding.

MGR's Nadodi Mannan released

M. G. Ramachandran directed, produced and starred in Nadodi Mannan, a major hit that boosted his popularity and DMK symbolism.

E. V. K. Sampath leaves the DMK and forms the Tamil National Party

E. V. K. Sampath split from the DMK and founded the Tamil National Party with the poet Kannadasan.

Annadurai demands self-determination in the Rajya Sabha

In his Rajya Sabha speeches, C. N. Annadurai stated the DMK case for the right of self-determination for the Dravidian south.

DMK drops demand for a separate Dravida Nadu

After the Sino-Indian War and the anti-secession Sixteenth Amendment, the DMK abandoned its demand for an independent Dravida Nadu.

DMK wins the 1967 Assembly election

A DMK-led alliance defeated the Congress, ending Congress rule in Madras State; Kamaraj lost his own seat.

C. N. Annadurai becomes Chief Minister

C. N. Annadurai was sworn in as the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Madras State since independence, heading a DMK government.

Self-Respect marriages given legal validity

The Hindu Marriage (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 1967 became law, legalising marriages performed without priests or Vedic rituals.

Madras State renamed Tamil Nadu

With the Madras State (Alteration of Name) Act, 1968 in force, the state officially took the name Tamil Nadu.

Death of C. N. Annadurai

Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai died of cancer; his funeral was recorded as one of the largest ever attended.

M. Karunanidhi becomes Chief Minister

M. Karunanidhi succeeded Annadurai as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and later became president of the DMK.

Death of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, founder of the Self-Respect Movement and leader of the Dravidar Kazhagam, died in Vellore aged 94.

AIADMK wins assembly election, M. G. Ramachandran becomes Chief Minister

The AIADMK-led alliance won the 1977 assembly election and M. G. Ramachandran was sworn in as Chief Minister.

Vaiko founds the MDMK after split from DMK

Expelled from the DMK, Vaiko founded the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).

Vijayakanth founds the DMDK

Actor Vijayakanth launched the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam at Madurai.

Tamil New Year moved to the first day of Thai

A DMK government law moved Tamil New Year to the first day of the Tamil month of Thai; the change was revoked in 2011.