Periyar E. V. Ramasamy

Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (revered as Thanthai Periyar) was born on 17 September 1879 in Erode, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu). Born into a prosperous merchant family, his early encounters with ritual orthodoxy and caste exclusion in Varanasi and throughout South India galvanized his commitment to challenging hierarchical social structures.

In 1924, Periyar gained nationwide prominence by leading the Vaikom Satyagraha in the princely state of Travancore (now Kerala). He protested against untouchability and fought for the fundamental civic right of oppressed castes to walk on the public roads surrounding the Vaikom temple. For his indomitable courage and leadership during multiple imprisonments, he was acclaimed as 'Vaikom Veerar' (Hero of Vaikom).

Disillusioned by caste prejudices within established political organizations, Periyar severed his ties and founded the Self-Respect Movement (Suyamariyadhai Iyakkam) in 1925. The movement advocated a revolutionary social vision: the eradication of caste hierarchy, the promotion of scientific rationalism, the dismantling of superstitious ritualism, and the absolute equality of women.

Periyar was an uncompromising champion of gender justice, advocating for equal property rights for women, access to contraception, and the legal institutionalization of 'Self-Respect Marriages'—unions conducted without priestly rituals, dowry, or caste boundaries. In 1944, he founded the Dravidar Kazhagam, dedicating the remainder of his life to mass mobilization for social justice, linguistic pride, and backward-class representation, culminating in India's First Constitutional Amendment (1951) to safeguard affirmative action. His birthday, 17 September, is officially commemorated as Social Justice Day.