Thread by @HappySi79054951

Paying tribute to Diwan Bahadur Rettamalai Srinivasan, a forgotten Tamil Dalit activist, politician and close associate of Baba Sahab Ambedkar on his 162 birth anniversary.He was a pioneer of Dalit emancipation movement in Madras Presidency that later inspired Dravidian movement.

Tamil Dalits and NOT Tamil OBCs were pioneer of anti Brahmin political movements in Madras Presidency having herelded many anti caste organizations, publications &movements and yet their absence in narrative creation of evolution of Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu is perplexing.

Rettamalai Srinivasan was highly educated Dalit man, who not only pioneered non Brahmin political and social movement in British India but also coined a term "Adi Dravidar" to describe real "sons of soil" with their own distinct and proud culture different from Hindus & Brahmins.

Using Paraiyar Dalit community, one of most marginalized Dalits as symbol of his activism, he formed Paraiyar Mahajan Sabha for pushing Dalit (called Depressed Class) emancipation activities.His work was recognized by British govt., when he was invited for Round Table Conference.

It was in Round Table Conference, he bonded with Baba Sahab, a friendship that lasted for ever.
Congress appropriates his association with Gandhi as his support for party, but that was not correct. He considered Congress a Brahmin party interested only in welfare of Upper Castes

Lastly his only disagreement with Baba Sahab was regarding conversion of Dalits. He felt that there is no need for conversion of Dalits as they are not Hindus, so why bother.His belief that Dalits have cultural identity separate from Brahminism helped shape Dravidian ideology.

"Remembering Rettamalai Srinivasan, the Lasting Emblem of Dalit Political Aspiration" m.thewire.in/article/caste/…