History Of Freedom Fighters

[ramana]

From Hindu, 15 Aug., 2008
Link:

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/15/stories/...620500.htm


<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Va. Ve. Su. Iyer, the face of Tiruchi in the struggle for freedom


— Photo: R. Ashok

In Memory: Va. Ve. Su. Iyer memorial in Tiruchi.

Tiruchi district’s share in India’s freedom struggle was personified by Va. Ve. Su. Iyer, the leader who attracted international attention, and the ‘never say die’ attitude of several other inspiring leaders like T. S. S. Rajan, N. Halasyam, P. Rathinavelu Thevar, T. S. Arunachalam, T. V. Swaminatha Sastri, Nana Saheb, P. Sanglia Pillai and Ladapuram Guruswamy.

They stood in the forefront of freedom struggle giving it tough to the British regime. A staunch nationalist, revolutionary, scholar and above all a litterateur, Va. Ve. Su. Iyer (Varahaneri Venkatesa Subrahmanya Iyer) was Born on April 2, 1881 in Varahaneri in Tiruchi city. Selfless and dedicated, he joined hands with those great patriots Maha Kavi Bharathiyar and Aravinder of Puducherry in the freedom struggle and helped to spread patriotic fervour among people.

He initially studied and practiced law. Later, he went to practice in Rangoon (now Yangoon) and from there to London, where he qualified as a barrister. Late Iyer knew many languages including Tamil, English, Sanskrit, Latin and French.

<b>While in England, he met Gandhiji for the first time and spoke to him vehemently about the revolutionary creed as the only means of winning Independence for the country. </b>

<b>While undergoing Barrister course in London, late Iyer developed close contacts with Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a revolutionary, who was sentenced to 50 years of imprisonment by the British regime and lodged in the cellular jail in Andaman Islands. </b>

Revolutionary activities of the time in London, Mumbai, Pune and Nasik were traced back to the guidance of Veer Savarkar in London. Finally Veer Savarkar with his associates like Va. Ve. Su. Iyer were arrested and sent back to India for trial in 1910 by a ship. <b>Savarkar and his friends like Va. Ve. Su. Iyer attempted a brave escape from the ship at Marseilles Port in France in 1910. </b>This heroic act became a glorious and legendary chapter in the history of our freedom movement.

Unfortunately for Savarkar, the French Police on Guard captured him and handed him over to the British Authorities.<b> Va. Ve. Su. Iyer managed to swim across the English Channel to elude the British police. Iyer, on his return to India, set up a Gurukula at Chernamahadevi in Tirunelveli district, designed to prepare our young men in the spirit of hoary ancient culture of India, to become true servants of their motherland.</b>

<b>He arrived in Puducherry in 1916 and imparted training to youths in using firearms and preached violence and prescribed political assassination as a means to national freedom. He made special arrangements for the revolutionary activities. He remained in Puducherry till 1920 and then went to Chennai where he continued his nationalistic activities. </b>

Late Iyer edited ‘Desapakthan’ for some time and later started a Tamil literary magazine ‘Bala Bharathi’. He also rendered translation of Thirukkural and Kamba Ramayanam into English. <b>He died at the age of 44 on June 3, 1925.</b>

The State Government, as a mark of respect to this great revolutionary, constructed a memorial at Saraganeri Agraharam in Tiruchi city in 1999. His life history and photographs are displayed and a library is also functioning here.

SYED MUTHAHAR SAQAF

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What an eventful life!