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| V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, freedom fighter you tube,.google.com |
The 148th birth anniversary of great freedom fighter and patriot from Tamil Nadu V.O. Chidambaram Pillai came up on the 5th September. Because of Corona pandemic, his birthday celebration was a low-key affair. Though it is a belated post, let us, with gratitude, remember this great soul of India, the first Indian to run a shipping company during the British Raj. This month also marks the birth anniversary of yet another freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh (from Punjab) who was put to death at the young age of 23 by the British rulers.
Born on September 5, 1872 V.O Chidambaram Pillai, a lawyer by profession was a distinguished freedom fighter from Tamil Nadu who was constantly in touch with the National leaders across India. He was first one in India to have launched a shipping company called Swadesi Steam Navigation Company in 1906 to get rid of British monopoly. Cargo and Passenger shipping business was dominated by the British shipping companies in India and there were no Indian companies. A & F Harvey Co. which also had textile mills in the southern India ran the shipping services between Thoothukoodi and Colombo. VOC's company had two ships that operated between Tuticorin (Thoothukudi) and Colombo and as the fare was competitive, the people preferred his shipping services. Obviously, VOC got the appellation ‘Kappalottiya Tamilan’. Thus VOC gave an early start of Swadesi Movement in India proposed by three highly spirited national leaders Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal
Being service-minded, Chidambaram was more inclined to serve the poor and took the cases of the poor for free and took up labor union cases. .The companies owned by the British treated the employees poorly and never took safety precautions for those who handled heavy machinery. He had a row with the Coral Textile Company's ( (a part of Madura Coats under A& F Harvey Co) management over labor issues. In 1908 he led a major strike against the company for poor wages and poor working conditions for the employees. The company management that was controlled by A & F Harvey company, in collusion with Tirunelveli District Collector Ashe, gave him frequent troubles. |
| Old oil press pulled by a bull sampspeak.in |
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| Patriot V.O. Chidambaram ilavaluthy.blogspot.com |
A rich and reputed lawyer underwent untold miseries losing everything he had to free India from the foreign power. When released in 1912, his life was ruined and he managed to survive with meager
income; he moved over to different places and did odd jobs He got the licence to practice in 1927 at Kovilpatti, TN and in 1932 he moved back to Thoothukoodi and spent much of his time writing books, etc. His disillusionment with the INC led him to keep away from politics. He died on November 18, 1936 unsung in the twilight of his life as the British warned the Indian leaders not to deal with him while in exile as part of punishment issued by the court.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._O._Chidambaram_Pillai
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