pic: Internet
Tribute to V O Chidambaram Pillai one of the greatest Stalwarts of Freedom struggle in Today’s Tamilnadu.
Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai popularly known as VOC was born on 5th September 1872 in Ottapidaram at then Tirunelveli district at Madras presidency. His father was a rich advocate and built a school for him to study in his childhood. Later he studied in CEOA, Caldwell high school in Thoothukudi and Hindu College high school at Tirunelveli. He got Pleader’s license from Trichy and became a Pleader in court.
He met Swami Ramakrishnananda and Subramanya Bharathi thus began his journey as a freedom fighter. He supported Lal-Bal-Pal wing of then Congress party. Where by in 1905 he supported Swadeshi movement. He with the help of Lokmanya Tilak ji and Shri Aurobindo ji he started contacted French Ship builders along with capital from Pandithurai Thevar Zamindar of Palavantham started Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company as a direct competitor to British Indian Steam Navigation Company in 1906. The service was from Tuticorin to Colombo. British tried many methods for sabotaging the company.
In 1908 Coral mill strike by its workers began for better working condition and wages. VOC and Subramanya Siva supported the movement. Thus management agreed to the demand. Later many mills went on strike. His nationalist activity drew British attention and later he was arrested along with Subramanya Siva on sedition charge. He was jailed in Coimbatore prison and was treated like life imprisonment inmate where he was forced to work on oil press. Though many condemned his arrest it was finally Privy council reduced his sentence and was reduced and released in 1912. Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company was liquidated and his legal license was seized also barred from entering Tirunelveli district.
Later he ran Provision store and kerosene store in Chennai and moved to Coimbatore to work as a bank manager. Later he got his legal license back and began practicing law. After 1930s his life was focused on writing Tamil Literature. He died of poverty in 1936.
He was known by epithet Kappalotiya Tamizhan(கப்பலோட்டிய தமிழன்)and Sekkezhutha Semmal(செக்கிழுத்த செம்மல்). He was regarded as Tilak of South India by his followers.Vanchinathan of Senkottai then Travancore state killed collector Robert Ashe for his involvement in arrest of VOC and dissolution of Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company. Thoothukudi port was named after him. Thus let’s remember the sacrifice of the Freedom fighter who lost everything for Nation’s freedom.
-Tribute by Srikaanth Sridhar
Srikaanth Sridhar
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