Immanuvel Devendrar Explained

Party: Tamil Nadu Youth Congress
Birth Date:9 October 1924
Birth Place:Sellur (of Mudukulathur), Ramnad District,
Madras Presidency,
British India
(now in Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India)
Death Place:Mudukulathur, Ramanathapuram District, Madras State (now Tamil Nadu), India
Citizenship:Indian
Nationality:Tamil
Parents:Vedhanayagam (father)
Allegiance:British Indian Army
Serviceyears:c.1945
Rank:Havildar

Immanuvel Devendrar (9 October 1924 – 11 September 1957), who later took the name Immanuel Sekaran, was a freedom fighter, civil rights activist, former soldier and a party worker for the Indian National Congress in Tamil Nadu, India.

Early life

Immanuvel Devendrar was born in Sellur, Mudukulathur, Tamil Nadu on 9 October 1924 to Vedhanayagam, a school teacher and founder of Devendra Kula Velalar Sangam.[1]

Politics

He took part in the Quit India movement from the age of 18 and was imprisoned for three months because of it. In 1945, he enlisted in the British Indian Army and, upon his discharge, he returned to his native Ramanathapuram district to work for the Indian National Congress party (INC).[2] His time in the army had caused him to question the oppression of the Pallar caste in his district, which was particularly alarming.[3] [4]

Devendrar worked to improve the education, rights and representation of the Pallars. He tried to mobilise them to demand equality. The INC saw him as a useful opposition to Pasumpon Mutharamalingam Thevar, who had defected from the party to join the Forward Bloc.[3] The party thought that he might be a worthy future member of the Legislative Assembly and groomed him for that end. It was for this reason that he converted to the Hindu religion and took the name Immanuel Sekaranar.[4]

Assassination

Background

The Pallars were often in dispute with the Thevar caste and the relationship between the communities became fraught following a by-election in 1957.[5]

Incident

Devandrar was ambushed and murdered by a group of Thevars for his activity on 11 September 1957.

Aftermath

Dravidian parties accused that Thevar himself had some responsibility for the death. Thevar was in fact arrested but later released without charge.

The 1957 Ramnad riots, in which 42 Pallars were killed, occurred as a consequence of Devendrar's murder,[4] but approx. 20 supporters of U. Muthuramalingam Thevar and 30 Pallars died according to 1957 Ramnad riots data, not counting the injured personnel.

Legacy

The anniversary of Devendrar's death is celebrated annually as Devendrar Jayanti by Devendra Kula community people in Tamil Nadu.[6] [7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2016-09-01 . Remembering Immanuel Sekaran: Brave Dalit leader who lost his life to savarna brutality . 2022-10-18 . The News Minute . en . 2 September 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160902134508/http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/remembering-immanuel-sekaran-brave-dalit-leader-who-lost-his-life-savarna-brutality-49168 . live .
  2. Web site: Remembering Immanuel Sekaran: Brave freedom fighter. Azadika Amrit Mahastoav. 2023-07-13.
  3. News: Freedom fighter, Dalit icon: Remembering Tamil Nadu's Immanuel Sekaran. 11 September 2016. Hindustan Times. 2017-07-20.
  4. News: The Hindu . Immanuel Sekaran in the vanguard of Dalit struggle . D. . Karthikeyan . 11 September 2011 . 2017-07-20 . 16 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016031429/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/immanuel-sekaran-in-the-vanguard-of-dalit-struggle/article2443838.ece . live .
  5. Web site: 2016-09-01. Remembering Immanuel Sekaran: Brave Dalit leader who lost his life to savarna brutality. 2021-10-31. The News Minute. en. 2 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160902134508/http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/remembering-immanuel-sekaran-brave-dalit-leader-who-lost-his-life-savarna-brutality-49168. live.
  6. Web site: Floral tributes paid to Tamil Nadu state leader Emmanuel Sekaran . 8 February 2011 . 14 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180614121723/https://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20100911/1585318.html . dead .
  7. News: 12 May 2005 . Tribute paid to Emmanuel Sekaran . https://web.archive.org/web/20060906024113/http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/12/stories/2005091208200300.htm . dead . 6 September 2006 . . 2017-07-20.