THE ROLE OF ILAYANGUDI S.

RANGASAMY NAICKER AS A GANDHI OF FRENCH INDIA Abstract

Ilayangudi S.Rangasamy Naicker (1884-1948), belonged to a wealthy family in karaikal, worked for the uplift of the downtrodden people. In 1923, he started a tamil weekly, Kudiyarasu, propagated on the ideals of freedom, purity of Public life and abolition of untouchability. He issued pamphlets- Arisanam, Uyerpalli, Soundravalliammankol, Arangavarivuru etc, and published a book Erimalai by Savarkar and later banned by the British Government. Whenever the national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, visited karaikal, Rangasamy had welcome and honour them. He dressed like Gandhi, followed the Gandhian principles, served as the president of the Harijan Seva Sangh at Karaikal and the president of the Thirunallaru commune for more than 25 years. He was on the forefront of the organization such as, Mahajanasabha, National Democratic Front and French India National Congress. When the British India attained freedom on August 15, 1947, he celebrated it by hoisting the Indian National Flag on that day, at the Municpal Office at Thirunallaru. Thus, the French India Government dismissed him from the presidentship of the Thriunallaru Commune. By letters and Pamphlets, he urged the French to quit India. Before his death, he prepared Thirunallaru as a ground for freedom struggle against the French. Submitted by, C.ROUCCOUMANY Assistant Professor of History, Department of History, Tagore Arts College, Lawspet, Puducherry-8.