V. V. S. Aiyar
Encyclopedia
Varahaneri Venkatesa Subramaniam Aiyar (April 2, 1881 – June 3, 1925), also known as V.V.S. Aiyar, was an India
n revolutionary from Tamil Nadu
who fought against the British
occupation of India. His contemporaries include Subramanya Bharathi and V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, who subscribed to the militant form of resistance against the British. He went into exile in Pondicherry, then under French
rule, when his militant activities attracted a warrant for his arrest from the British colonial government.
V.V.S. Aiyar was also a Tamil
writer and is considered as the father of modern Tamil short story. He also translated the Ramavatharam of Kambar
and Tirukkural
into English. V.V.S Aiyar is mentor of Vanchinathan
.
family in the suburb of Varahaneri
in Tiruchi. After his early education, he studied for the Law profession and passed the Pleader (junior lawyer) examination from the Madras University in 1902. He then practised as the pleader in the District courts of Tiruchi. Aiyar then moved to Rangoon in 1906 and started practising as a junior in the Chambers of an English Barrister. From Rangoon, he left for London in 1907 and enrolled in Lincoln's Inn
aiming to becoming a Barrister at Law
. While in London, V.V.S. Aiyar came into contact with Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
, an Indian revolutionary, at the India House
. Under Savarkar's influence Aiyar began to take an active role in the militant struggle for Indian independence
.
. Although he wished to remain in Paris as a political exile, he had to return to India. Aiyar landed in Pondicherry on December 4, 1910 disguised as a muslim
to escape arrest and remained there as exile. Aiyar remained in Pondicherry for over ten years. While in Pondicherry, Aiyar met with fellow revolutionaries Subramanya Bharathi and Aurobindo. In Pondicherry, Aiyar was involved in the plot to assassinate Mr. Ashe, the Collector of Tirunelveli
. One of his students, Vanchinathan
assassinated General Ashe. Thus more trouble arose for V.V.S. Aiyar and his companion Subramanya Bharathi.
On 22 September 1914 the German cruiser entered the Madras harbour and bombed the city. The British colonial government blamed this on the activities of the exiles in Pondicherry, and urged the French Governor to deport V.V.S. Aiyar and his companions to Africa. The French police brought several charges against the revolutionaries, but failed to convict them. During this period Aiyar translated the Tirukkural
into English. He later revealed that he wanted to leave a legacy behind if he were forced to leave the country.
Aiyar returned to Madras after World War I
and worked as the editor of the newspaper Desabhaktan (Patriot). He was arrested in 1921 on sedition
charges and spent nine months in prison. While in prison Aiyar wrote the book A Study of Kamba Ramayana.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n revolutionary from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
who fought against the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
occupation of India. His contemporaries include Subramanya Bharathi and V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, who subscribed to the militant form of resistance against the British. He went into exile in Pondicherry, then under French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rule, when his militant activities attracted a warrant for his arrest from the British colonial government.
V.V.S. Aiyar was also a Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
writer and is considered as the father of modern Tamil short story. He also translated the Ramavatharam of Kambar
Kambar
Kambar was a medieval Tamil poet and the author of the Tamil Ramayanam known as Kambaramayanam, the Tamil version of Ramayana. Kambar also authored other literary works in Tamil such as Erezhupathu,Silaiezhupathu, Kangai Puranam and Sarasvati Anthati.-Life:Kambar belonged to the Ochchan or Occhan...
and Tirukkural
Tirukkuṛaḷ
Tirukkuṛaḷ , sometimes spelt 'Thirukkural, is a classic of couplets or Kurals or aphorisms celebrated by Tamils. It was authored by Thiruvalluvar, a poet who is said to have lived anytime between the 2nd and 6th centuries AD. Although the exact period of its composition is still disputed,...
into English. V.V.S Aiyar is mentor of Vanchinathan
Vanchinathan
Vanchinathan , popularly known as Vanchi, was an Indian Tamil independence activist.He is best remembered for having shot dead Ashe, the Collector of Thirunelveli and having later committed suicide in order to evade arrest....
.
Early life
Venkatesa Subramaniam Aiyar was born on April 2, 1881 in a middle class BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family in the suburb of Varahaneri
Varahaneri
Varahaneri is a suburb of the Indian city of Tiruchirappalli. It is the birthplace of the Indian independence activist V. V. S. Aiyar. The Holy Redeemers Church is situated here....
in Tiruchi. After his early education, he studied for the Law profession and passed the Pleader (junior lawyer) examination from the Madras University in 1902. He then practised as the pleader in the District courts of Tiruchi. Aiyar then moved to Rangoon in 1906 and started practising as a junior in the Chambers of an English Barrister. From Rangoon, he left for London in 1907 and enrolled in Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
aiming to becoming a Barrister at Law
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
. While in London, V.V.S. Aiyar came into contact with Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Vināyak Dāmodar Sāvarkar was an Indian freedom fighter, revolutionary and politician. He was the proponent of liberty as the ultimate ideal. Savarkar was a poet, writer and playwright...
, an Indian revolutionary, at the India House
India House
India House was an informal Indian nationalist organisation based in London between 1905 and 1910. With the patronage of Shyamji Krishna Varma, its home in a student residence in Highgate, North London was launched to promote nationalist views among Indian students in Britain...
. Under Savarkar's influence Aiyar began to take an active role in the militant struggle for Indian independence
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
.
Political activities
Aiyar's militant attitude prompted the British Government in 1910 to issue a warrant for his arrest for his alleged involvement in an anarchist conspiracy in London and Paris. Aiyar resigned from the Lincoln's Inn and escaped to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Although he wished to remain in Paris as a political exile, he had to return to India. Aiyar landed in Pondicherry on December 4, 1910 disguised as a muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
to escape arrest and remained there as exile. Aiyar remained in Pondicherry for over ten years. While in Pondicherry, Aiyar met with fellow revolutionaries Subramanya Bharathi and Aurobindo. In Pondicherry, Aiyar was involved in the plot to assassinate Mr. Ashe, the Collector of Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
. One of his students, Vanchinathan
Vanchinathan
Vanchinathan , popularly known as Vanchi, was an Indian Tamil independence activist.He is best remembered for having shot dead Ashe, the Collector of Thirunelveli and having later committed suicide in order to evade arrest....
assassinated General Ashe. Thus more trouble arose for V.V.S. Aiyar and his companion Subramanya Bharathi.
On 22 September 1914 the German cruiser entered the Madras harbour and bombed the city. The British colonial government blamed this on the activities of the exiles in Pondicherry, and urged the French Governor to deport V.V.S. Aiyar and his companions to Africa. The French police brought several charges against the revolutionaries, but failed to convict them. During this period Aiyar translated the Tirukkural
Tirukkuṛaḷ
Tirukkuṛaḷ , sometimes spelt 'Thirukkural, is a classic of couplets or Kurals or aphorisms celebrated by Tamils. It was authored by Thiruvalluvar, a poet who is said to have lived anytime between the 2nd and 6th centuries AD. Although the exact period of its composition is still disputed,...
into English. He later revealed that he wanted to leave a legacy behind if he were forced to leave the country.
Aiyar returned to Madras after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and worked as the editor of the newspaper Desabhaktan (Patriot). He was arrested in 1921 on sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
charges and spent nine months in prison. While in prison Aiyar wrote the book A Study of Kamba Ramayana.