~ SALUTE TO OUR FREEDOM FIGHTERS ~

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The Marudhu Pandiyar (Tamil: மருது பாண்டியர்) brothers (Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu) ruled Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu towards the end of the 18th century...

The Raja of Sivagangai, a principal state near Ramnad, Muthu Vaduganadhar came to know of their brave and courageous deeds and requested the Ramnad king to assign them to serve the Sivaganga state army. They were appointed as Generals of the Sivaganga military and the brothers left an indelible impression in the military history of India.

The Marudhu Pandiyars and many of their family members were captured at Cholapuram and they were infamously hanged on the English month of October 24, 1801..

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Rani Velu Nachiyar (Tamil: இராணி வேலு நாச்சியார்) was an 18th century Indian Queen from Sivaganga. Rani Velu Nachiyar is the first Queen of Tamil Origin to fight against the British in India.

She was the princess of Ramanathapuram and the daughter of Chellamuthu Sethupathy.
Her husband and his second wife were killed by a few British soldiers and the son of the Nawab of Arcot. She escaped with her daughter, lived under the protection of Hyder Ali at Virupachi near Dindigul for eight years.During this period she formed an army and sought an alliance with Gopala Nayaker and Hyder Ali with the aim of attacking the British. In 1780 Rani Velu Nachiyar fought the British with military assistance from Gopala Nayaker and Hyder Ali and won the battle. When Velu Nachiyar finds the place where the British stock their ammunition, she builds the first human bomb. A faithful follower, Kuyili douses herself in oil, lights herself and walks into the storehouse.Rani Velu Nachiyar formed a woman's army named “udaiyaal” in honour of her adopted daughter — Udaiyaal, who died detonating a British arsenal. Nachiar was one of the few rulers who regained her kingdom and ruled it for 10 more years..

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Vanchinathan : வாஞ்சிநாதன்) (1886 – June 17, 1911), popularly known as Vanchi, was an Indian Tamil independence activist. He is best remembered for having shot dead Ashe, the Collector of Thirunelveli and having later committed suicide in order to evade arrest.

On June 17, 1911, Vanchi assassinated Ashe, the district collector of Tirunelveli, who was also known as Collector Dorai. He shot Ashe at point-blank range when Ashe's train had stopped at the Maniyachi station, en route to Madras. He committed suicide thereafter. The railway station has since been renamed Vanchi Maniyachi.

He was found dead, having shot himself in the mouth. In his pocket was found the following letter:

"The mlechas of England having captured our country, tread over the sanathana dharma of the Hindus and destroy them. Every Indian is trying to drive out the English and get swarajyam and restore sanathana dharma. Our Raman, Sivaji, Krishnan, Guru Govindan, Arjuna ruled our land protecting all dharmas and in this land they are making arrangements to crown George V, a mlecha, and one who eats the flesh of cows. Three thousand Madrasees have taken a vow to kill George V as soon as he lands in our country. In order to make others know our intention, I who am the least in the company, have done this deed this day. This is what everyone in Hindustan should consider it as his duty.

The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to build a memorial in Shenkottai the birth place of this martyr.

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Tiruppur Kumaran (Tamil: திருப்பூர் குமரன்)(Birth name:OKSR Kumaraswamy Mudaliar) (1904–1932), was an Indian revolutionary who participated in the Indian independence movement. Kumaran was born in Chennimalai, a small town in the Erode District in Tamil Nadu region of south India. Kumaran died from injuries sustained from a Police assault during a protest march against the British colonial government on January 11, 1932. Kumaran died holding the flag of the Indian Nationalists, which had been banned by the British.

Kumaran was Tirupur's contribution to the Congress movement. He founded Desa Bandhu Youth Association.

He gave his life defending the Congress flag. The government has erected his statue in a park by the railway station in Tirupur.

Kumaran is revered as a martyr in Tamil Nadu and is known by the epithet Kodi Kaththa Kumaran - Kumaran who saved the Flag.

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Veerapandiya Kattabomman (Tamil: வீரபாண்டிய கட்டபொம்மன்)

His ancestors migrated to Tamil Nadu from areas in present day Andhra Pradesh during the Vijayanagar period. Also known as Kattabomma Naicker he was among the earliest to oppose British rule in these regions. He waged a war with the British six decades before the Indian War of Independence occurred in the Northern parts of India. He was captured and hanged in 1799 CE. His fort was destroyed and his wealth was looted by the British army. Today his native village Panchalankurichi in present day Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, India is a historically important site.

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Puli Thevar (Tamil: புலித் தேவர்) was a poligar (or palayakarar) who ruled Nerkattumseval situated in the Sankarankoil taluk of Tamil Nadu.[1] Puli Thevar who belongs to the warrior Maravar community was one of the earliest freedom fighters. He is one of the first indian kings to have fought and defeated the british in india.

He is one of the earliest opponents of the British rule in South India. He was involved in a vendetta with the Nawab of Arcot who was supported by the British. Thevar's prominent exploits were his confrontations with Marudhanayagam, who later rebelled against the British in the late 1750s and early 1760s.

Puli Thevan War

First Siege of Nelkattumseval, 1755
Battle & Siege of Kalakadu, 1755
Second Siege of Nelkattumseval, 1755-1756
Second Battle of Kalakadu, 1755
Retreat of Mahfuz Khan, 1756
Siege of Srivilliputtur, 1756
Battle of Tirunelveli, 1756
Capture of Tirunelveli, 1756
Siege of Palamkotta, 1756
Battle of Gangai Konda [1756]
Second Capture of Tirunelveli, 1756
Stand At Settur & Aftermath, 1759
Second Struggle with Yusuf Khan
Siege of Vasdevanellur, 1759–1760

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Dheeran Chinnamalai Dheeran Chinnamalai (Tamil: மாவீரன் தீரன் சின்னமலை born as Theerthagiri Sarkkarai Mandraadiyaar [Sarkkarai Mandraadiyaar Refers Payiran Kulam] or Theerthagiri Gounder on April 17, 1756) was a Kongu chieftain and Palayakkarar from Tamil Nadu who rose up in revolt against the British East India Company in the Kongu Nadu, Southern India. He was born in Melapalayam, near Erode in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

He was one of the main leaders in the Polygar Wars and commanded a vast army, notably during the Second Polygar War that took place in 1801–1802. A thousand-strong army under him took French Military training in modern warfare alongside Tipu's Mysore forces to fight against the British East India company. They helped Tipu Sultan in his war against the British and were instrumental in victories at Chitheswaram, Mazahavalli and Srirangapatna. After Tipu's death, Chinnamalai settled down at Odanilai in Kongu Nadu and constructed a fort there and defeated the British in battles at Cauvery in 1801, Odanilai in 1802 and Arachalur in 1804. Later, Chinnamalai left his fort to avoid cannon attack and engaged in guerrilla warfare while he was stationed at Karumalai in the Palani region. He was captured by the British who hanged him at Sankagiri Fort on 31 July 1805 (Adiperukku day).

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V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, (Tamil: வ. உ. சிதம்பரம் பிள்ளை). He gets credit for launching the first indigenous Indian shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo with the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company.

 He is also known as "Kappalottiya Tamilan"" (கப்பலோட்டிய தமிழன்)
On 12 November 1906, V.O.C. formed the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, by purchasing two steamships ‘S.S.Gaelia’ and ‘S.S.Lawoe’, thanks to the assistance and support of Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Aurobindo Ghose. The ships commenced regular service between Tuticorin and Colombo (Srilanka), against the opposition of the British traders and the Imperial Government.

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Subramaniya Siva (4 October 1884 - 23 July 1925) was an Indian freedom fighter and prolific writer He was arrested many times between 1908 and 1922 for his anti-imperialist activities. While serving his last prison term, he was afflicted by leprosy to which he succumbed in 1925Subramanya Siva was a firebrand revolutionary independence fighter from Tamil Nadu. He closely worked with V.O. Chidambaram Pillai and Subramanya Bharathy and inspired many young men to join the freedom movement. Siva was the first political prisoner in the Madras Presidency. Siva had described his jail experience in a small book "Jail Life". He The Freedom Movement made him an orator and the jail life made him an author. He published "Gnana Bhanu", a collection of poems. He was an admirer of Swami Vivekananda and his religious master Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa. Siva disagreed many things with Gandhian Philosophy. He believed in violence for violent methods would arise when constitutional methods had failed. Subramanya Siva died on Jul 23, 1925. At the time of his death he was survived by his son Sabhapathi Sharma.

To honour this great person, Dindugal district collector office is named after him : Thiagi Subramania Siva Malihai. Thiagi is a Tamil word. it means A PERSON WHO SACRIFICED HIMSELF. vathalagundu Bus stand also is named after him. A memorial for him will be established in Papparapatti of Pennagaram taluk in Dharmapuri.

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1869 - born in Porbunder, India on October 2
he belonged to a family of the Hindu merchant class or Vaishya and he was brought up in an Orthodox belief system
1883 - he got married at the age of 13 with Kasturba Makhanji
1888 - Gandhi went to University College London to become a lawyer
- his lifestyle in London was bounded by the vow he made to his mother with a Jain monk Becharji; the vow included abstinence from alcohol, meat, and promiscuity
1915 - Mahatma Gandhi went back to India
1917 - He led a protest in July condemning the exploitation of the Indigo laborers in Champaran
1919 - He initiated the Rowlatt Satyagraha, an activity combining prayer and fasting, hartals, and breaking of a few civic laws on April 6.
1920 - got elected as president of All India Home Rule League
1921 - emphasized the wearing of loin cloth only for the propagation of the homespun cotton
1922 - committed to a five-day fast at Bardoli after suspending the mass disobendience at Chawri Chawra
- he was charged of sedition for his writings in the publication Young India; he got sentenced for six years of imprisonment in Yeravada
1924 - After he got released from jail, he spread khadi and advocated for removal of the untouchability
1929 - Gandhi got arrested again after he burned the foreign cloth in Calcutta
1930 - In January, he started his campaign for a National Independence day and the 3rd all-India Satyagraha
- In April, he broke the Salt Law at Dandi
- In May, he got arrested and detained to Yeravada jail without going through court trial
1931 - In January, they released him along with 30 other leaders of the Congress
- In August, he sailed to London for the Second Round Table Conference
1932 - he got detained again on January at Yeravada jail with Sardar Patel
- he engaged into a 'fast unto death' beginning on September 20 to protest against the act of British government in providing a separate electorate to untouchables
- he ended this fast on September 26 when the government accepted the 'Yervada Pact'
1933 - he started the Harijan, a weekly publication taking the place of Young India
- In November, he embarked on a ten-month tour of India to advocate the removal of untouchability
1934 - Three cases of attempts to kill him took place
1942 - August 9, Gandhi got arrested along with Congress leaders, they were imprisoned in Aga Khan Palace
1943 - He fasted again on February 10 to put an end in the deadlock between Indian
and Viceroy leaders
1947 - he had a tour in Bihar in order for the Hindu-Muslim tensions to be lessened he opposed the decision of the Congress to accept the splitting of India and Pakistan on May
1948 - On January 13, he began fasting for five days for unity among the areas in India
On the 30th, a Hindu fanatic Nathuram Godse shot him while he was holding a prayer meeting at Birla House, Delhi

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Mangal Pandey

A STORY OF A HERO

At Barrackpore on the afternoon of March 29, 1857, Lieutenant Baugh, Adjutant of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI), was informed that several men of his regiment were in an excited state. Further, it was reported to him that one of them, Mangal Pandey, was pacing in front of the regiment's guard room by the parade ground, armed with a loaded musket, calling upon the men to rebel and threatening to shoot the first European he set his eyes on. Baugh immediately buckled on his sword, placed loaded pistols in his holsters, mounted his horse, and galloped to the lines. Pandey took position behind the station gun, which was in front of the quarter-guard of the 34th, took aim at Baugh and fired. He missed Baugh, but the bullet struck his horse in the flank, and horse and rider were brought down. Baugh quickly disentangled himself and, seizing one of his pistols, advanced towards Pandey and fired. He missed. Before Baugh could draw his sword, Pandey attacked him with a talwar (a heavy Indian sword) and closing with the adjutant, slashed him on the shoulder and neck and brought him to the ground. It was then that another sepoy, Shaikh Paltu, intervened and tried to restrain Pandey even as he tried to reload his musket.

English Sergeant-Major Hewson, had arrived on the ground, summoned by a native officer, before Baugh. He had ordered Jemadar Ishwari Prasad, the Indian officer in command of the quarter-guard, to arrest Mangal Pandey. To this, the jemadar expostulated that his NCOs had gone for help and that he could not take Pandey by himself.At this, Hewson ordered Ishwari Prasad to fall in his guard with loaded weapons. In the meantime, Baugh had arrived on the field shouting 'Where is he? Where is he?' Hewson called out to Baugh, 'Ride to the right, Sir, for your life. The sepoy will fire at you!'At that point Pandey fired.