Rettamalai Srinivasan
Born	1860 Madras Presidency, India
Died	1945 Madras Presidency, India
Occupation	lawyer, journalist

Diwan Bahadur R. Srinivasan (1860–1945), also known as Rettamalai Srinivasan (Tamil: இரட்டைமலை சீனிவாசன்) was a Dalit activist, politician and freedom fighter from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He is remembered today as one of the pioneers of the Dalit movement in India.^[1]

[edit] Early Life

Rettamalai Srinivasan was born in 1860 in a poor Dalit(Paraiyar) family in Madras Presidency.^[2] He was a brother-in-law of the famous Dalit activist Iyothee Thass.^[3] Rettamalai Srinivasan established and led the Paraiyar Mahajana Sabha in 1891 ^[4]which later became the Adi-Dravida Mahajana Sabha^[4][3] He also founded a Tamil newspaper called Paraiyan in October 1893^[3][5] which started selling as a monthly with four pages for the price of four annas.^[6]However, Paraiyan experienced great difficulties in its early days. Rettamalai Srinivasan was a participant in the freedom movement and an arrest warrant was issued against him claiming that he was fleeing the nation. In 1896, a case was filed against the newspaper and Srinivasan was dragged to the court citing a letter to the editor. The editor Srinivasan was fined Rs. 100 for his writings.^[7]

Frontpage of the Tamil magazine Paraiyan launched by Rettamalai Srinivasan in 1893

[edit] Round Table Conference

In 1930, Rettamalai Srinivasan represented the Dalits at the Second Round Table Conference in London along with Dalit leader Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.^[8]In 1932, Ambedkar, M. C. Rajah and Rettamalai Srinivasan joined the board of the Servants of Untouchables Society established by Mahatma Gandhi.^[9] However, shortly afterwards, the three of them withdrew from the Board.^[9] In 1939, with Ambedkar's support, he established the Madras Province Scheduled Castes' Federation.^[8]

[edit] Memorials

Rettamalai Srinivasan had been largely forgotten with the passage of time. Recently, commemorative stamps have been issued in memory of the Dalit leader by the Department of Posts of the Government of India.^[10] Cadres of the Viduthalai Siruthaigal party claimed to have discovered the remains of the Dalit leader in Otteri and constructed a memorial over his mortal remains and named it Urimai Kalam. ^[4] In early 2006, a manimandapam for the late leader was conceived within the premises of Gandhi Mandapam in Chennai at the cost of Rs. 19 lakhs. On Jul 8, 2009 Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin opened a memorial and a statue of Dalit leader Erattamalai Srinivasan at Gandhi Mandapam.^[11] Work has begun for the construction of the Manimandapam which is presently being built.^[12][13]

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Thirumavalavan, Thol; Meena Kandasamy (2003). Talisman, Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation: Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 8185604681, ISBN 9788185604688. 

• Thirumavalavan, Thol; Meena Kandasamy (2004). Uproot Hindutva: The Fiery Voice of the Liberation Panthers. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 8185604797, ISBN 9788185604794. 

• "Cotextualizing Dalit Movement in South India". Vikalp. 2005. http://vakindia.org/archives/Vikalp-Aug2005.pdf. 

[edit] Further reading

• Mohan, J. (2001). History of Dalit Struggle for Freedom: Dravidian Parties and Dalit Uprise in Tamil Nadu. Dhamma Institute of Social Sciences. 
• Mohan, Pullam Ethiraj (1993). Scheduled Castes, History of Elevation, Tamil Nadu, 1900-1955: History of Elevation, Tamil Nadu, 1900-1955. New Era Publications.