From Silence to Struggle: The Journey of Social Justice in Tamil Nadu and the Legacy of Rettamalai Srinivasan

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✍️ By Kathir RS

 Originally written on 7 July 2020
️ Categories: Social Justice, Dravidian History, Dalit Voices, Tamil Nadu Politics

Tamil Nadu’s voice for social justice carries a legacy of many centuries.
But it was only during British rule that this voice began to be heard — at the least level.
It was then that those who had been oppressed for generations began to gain access — here and there — to education and employment.

Even then, schools and workplaces were far from inclusive.

Even today, when the government announces any benefit for students from marginalized communities, there are class teachers who throw announcements like:
“SC students, get up!”
Mocking and demeaning them in front of the whole classroom.

If you project this situation back 100 years, you can imagine how intense, violent, and dangerous the environment must have been.

Kalaignar’s idea of offering reservation to students from rural backgrounds came from that deep social understanding.

When even dominant caste students from villages had to struggle to access education,
how unimaginably hard would it have been for a Dalit student to pursue studies?

There was a time when even just walking down the street, or simply sitting inside a classroom (not even studying) was as difficult as climbing Mount Everest for a student from an oppressed background.

Those who dared to step into such spaces were humiliated in every possible way —
by upper caste students, teachers, and staff.

Their self-respect and dignity were not just attacked —
They were ripped apart, and in some cases, even beaten with sticks, until they were forced to drop out and leave the school on their own.

Yet, some withstood all of this —
They stumbled out from under those hundred trampling feet…
They not only found their own identity but also worked tirelessly for the liberation of their entire community.

What a Himalayan achievement that is.

Leaders who emerged through such brutal paths are very rare — not just in Tamil Nadu, but across India.

One of the most important among them is Thiru Rettamalai Srinivasan.

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Today is his birth anniversary.

Let us remember him — not just in memory, but in action, resistance, and solidarity.