K. Veeramani

K.Veeramani
Born (1933-12-02) December 2, 1933
Cuddalore, India
Occupation Lawyer, Social Worker
Spouse(s) Mohana
Website http://www.periyar.org/html/dk_veeramani_eng.asp

Krishnasamy Veeramani (Tamil: கி.வீரமணி) was born on December 2, 1933 in Cuddalore, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu. He is referred as Aasiriyar K.Veeramani. He is the Chancellor of Periyar Maniammai University.[1] He is the President of the Dravidar Kazhagam, an Indian organization centered in Tamil Nadu, opposed to the caste system and dedicated to the welfare of socially disadvantaged. He is the third President of the Dravidar Kazhagam and Chancellor of Periyar Maniammai University.

Personal

Veeramani was born in a middle-class Mudaliar family in Cuddalore, South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu. He had his primary education at Cuddalore and entered Annamalai University for higher education. He obtained his master's degree in economics in 1956 with a Gold medal for being the top scorer in his class. He received his Bachelor of Law degree from Madras University in 1960. He married his wife Mohana in 1958 and has two sons and two daughters. The fact that Mohana is not from his caste is considered by his followers as a symbol of caste denial. And an additional information is Mrs.Mohana's parents were inter caste marriaged pair (caste denial marriage).

Public life

K.Veeramani came into limelight when as a boy of just 10 he was allowed address the gathering in the Justice Party Salem conference in 1944.He was introduced as activist by Annadurai.[2] Apart from one year in which he practiced as a lawyer in Cuddalore, his career has been as a social worker. He began working with Periyar in 1956, and assisted Periyar in editing Viduthalai, the rationalist daily of Dravidar Kazhagam. In 1962 he was made the Executive Editor of Viduthalai and since 1978 has been the Editor. He was active in the social campaigns and agitations launched by Periyar for support of "socially discriminated people", and was incarcerated forty times for his activities. He was jailed under MISA for a year in 1976 for opposing the Emergency. He was again jailed in 1978 for showing Black flags against Indira Gandhi for imposing Emergency while in power. His father C. S. Krishnasamy died while he was in jail.[3]

Awards

Alagappa University conferred the Doctor of Law on him (Honoris Causa) on April 4, 2003. Periyar International Inc., (USA) gives an annual award for outstanding contributions to Social Justice, which is named his honor. Mr. V. P. Singh, former Prime Minister of India, was the first recipient of the award. K.Veeramani is an Honorary Associate of Rationalist International.

List of K. Veeramani Awardees for Social Justice

References

  1. ↑ http://www.pmu.edu/chandetails.html
  2. ↑ Periyar Life
  3. ↑ Profile of Veeramani at the Wayback Machine (archived October 27, 2009)
  4. ↑ Periyar International

External links

Magazines

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