S. P. Adithanar
Encyclopedia
Si. Balasubramania Adithan a.K.a Si. Ba. Adithan ( (1905–1981), popularly called as Adithanar, was a Tamil
lawyer, politician, minister and founder of the Tamil
daily newspaper Dina Thanthi
. He was the founder of the We Tamils party and served as the member of the Madras Legislative Council
for two terms and as the member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for four terms. He was the Speaker of the Assembly during 1967-68 and Tamil Nadu's minister for Cooperation in the M. Karunanidhi
cabinets of 1969 and 1971. In his memory, two Tamil literary awards have been created and are awarded annually by his son, Sivanthi Adithan
(the present Director of the Dina Thanthi group).
in Tuticorin district to Sivanthi Adithanar Nadar and Kanagam Ammayar as the heir of the Adityans, the highest aristocratic family among the Nelamaikkarars
. His father Sivanthi Adithanar was a lawyer. He completed his schooling at Srivaikuntam
and joined the St. Joseph's College, Trichy. After obtaining a M. A
, he went to Middle Temple
, London
to study law. He became a Barrister
in 1933 and practiced in Singapore
(during 1933-42) and later in his home town Srivaikuntam. He married Govindammal in 1933.
to the Japanese. He established a Tamil weekly Magazine Tamizhan and a daily newspaper Thanthi in November 1942. He set out to found a Tamil daily along the lines of English tabloid Daily Mirror, inspired by the Mirrors reach of a large audience. He established Dina Thanthi (lit. The Daily Telegraph) and it went on to become the flagship of his newspaper business. He expanded operations by opening additional editions in Tirunelveli
, Madras, Salem and Tiruchirapalli
in 1940s. By bringing out local editions, Dina Thanthi helped deliver news on the same day to the people in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, who till then had to read one day old newspapers printed in Madras The paper was popular and it was said that people learned to read the Tamil language
in order to read the newspaper. The simplified language introduced by the paper helped it gain new readership. Other publications from Adithan's Dina Thanthi group include the evening daily Maalai Murasu (lit. The Evening Drum), the weekly magazine Rani and the monthly novel imprint Rani Muthu.
. He contested and won the 1952 election from Tiruchendur
as a candidate of T. Prakasam's Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party
. He was elected as an independent candidate in the 1957 election
from Sathankulam
.
's Dravidar Kazhagam
. It wanted the creation of a homogeneous Tamil state incorporating Tamil speaking areas of India and Sri Lanka
. The party’s headquarters was named as Tamiḻaṉ Illam (lit. The Home of the Tamilian). In 1960, the party organized statewide protests for the secession of Madras and the establishment of a sovereign Tamil Nadu. The protests were marked by the burning of maps of India (with Tamil Nadu left out). Adithanar was arrested for organizing them. The party along with M. P. Sivagnanam's Tamil Arasu Kazhagam
was also involved in the movement to change the name of the state from Madras State
to Tamil Nadu
. Adithan lost the 1962 election from Tiruchendur and got himself elected to the Legislative Council in 1964. The WT contested the 1967 election as an ally of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(DMK) under the DMK's "Rising Sun" symbol. It elected four members to the Assembly, including Adithan, who won from Srivaikuntam
. The party merged with the DMK in 1967.
candidate K. S. Kothandaramiah, by 153 votes to 21. While he was the speaker he attended the DMK political conference held at Tanjore in 1968 and also took part in political activities in his constituency. Due to these activities, the opposition parties accused him of partisanship. He defended himself as:
Due to this controversy, Adithan resigned as speaker on 12 August 1968.
cabinet, which took power in February 1969. He was reelected from Srivaikuntam in the 1971 elections and continued as the Minister for Cooperation.
forming the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK). Adithan supported the ADMK. He contested and lost the 1977 election
as an ADMK supported independent from Sathankulam
. He also lost the 1980 election
from Srivaikuntam.
. A road in Chennai
, connecting Egmore
to Anna Salai
has been named "Adithanar Salai" in his memory.
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
lawyer, politician, minister and founder of the 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...
daily newspaper Dina Thanthi
Dina Thanthi
Dina Thanthi a.K.a "Daily Thanthi" is a reputed daily Tamil newspaper in Tirunelveli, Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Erode, Dindigul, Trichy, Salem, Nagercoil, Cuddalore, Vellore, Pondicherry and Thanjavur. It is owned by Mr.B. Sivanthi Aditanar. It was founded by S. P...
. He was the founder of the We Tamils party and served as the member of the Madras Legislative Council
Madras Legislative Council
Tamil Nadu Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It began its existence as Madras Legislative Council, the first provincial legislature for Madras Presidency. It was initially created as an advisory body in 1861, by the British...
for two terms and as the member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for four terms. He was the Speaker of the Assembly during 1967-68 and Tamil Nadu's minister for Cooperation in the M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
cabinets of 1969 and 1971. In his memory, two Tamil literary awards have been created and are awarded annually by his son, Sivanthi Adithan
Sivanthi adithan
Sivanthi Adithan is the owner of Tamil newspapers Dina Thanthi and Maalaimalar.The Government of India has awarded him Padmashri in the year 2008. He is the son of late S. P. Adithanar, founder of Dina Thanthi....
(the present Director of the Dina Thanthi group).
Early life
Adithan was born on 27 September 1905 at KayamozhiKayamozhi
Kayamozhi is a village which is situated 9 km in west of Thiruchendur in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu, India. The history of this Village goes back to 16th century AD as a capital of the old vadapattu region.-Demographics:...
in Tuticorin district to Sivanthi Adithanar Nadar and Kanagam Ammayar as the heir of the Adityans, the highest aristocratic family among the Nelamaikkarars
Nadan (Nadar subcaste)
Nadans are a small endogamanous group of aristocratic Nadars from the regions south of the Thamirabarani River. They were used to be invested as tax gatherers by the Nayaks and by the Pandyans before them. They also served as petty lords under the poligars...
. His father Sivanthi Adithanar was a lawyer. He completed his schooling at Srivaikuntam
Srivaikuntam
Srivaikuntam is a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the river Thamirabarani.-Geography:...
and joined the St. Joseph's College, Trichy. After obtaining a M. A
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, he went to Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to study law. He became a Barrister
Barristers in England and Wales
Barristers in England and Wales are one of the two main categories of lawyer in England and Wales, the other being solicitors. -Origin of the profession:The work of senior legal professionals in England and Wales...
in 1933 and practiced in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
(during 1933-42) and later in his home town Srivaikuntam. He married Govindammal in 1933.
Publishing career
Adithan returned to India in 1942 when Singapore fellJapanese Occupation of Singapore
The Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II occurred between about 1942 and 1945 after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan occupied Singapore after defeating the combined Australian, British, Indian and Malayan garrison in the Battle of Singapore...
to the Japanese. He established a Tamil weekly Magazine Tamizhan and a daily newspaper Thanthi in November 1942. He set out to found a Tamil daily along the lines of English tabloid Daily Mirror, inspired by the Mirrors reach of a large audience. He established Dina Thanthi (lit. The Daily Telegraph) and it went on to become the flagship of his newspaper business. He expanded operations by opening additional editions in 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...
, Madras, Salem and Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirappalli ) , also called Tiruchi or Trichy , is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli District. It is the fourth largest municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu and also the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state...
in 1940s. By bringing out local editions, Dina Thanthi helped deliver news on the same day to the people in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, who till then had to read one day old newspapers printed in Madras The paper was popular and it was said that people learned to read the Tamil language
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...
in order to read the newspaper. The simplified language introduced by the paper helped it gain new readership. Other publications from Adithan's Dina Thanthi group include the evening daily Maalai Murasu (lit. The Evening Drum), the weekly magazine Rani and the monthly novel imprint Rani Muthu.
Political career
Adithan started the "Tamil Rajyam" party in 1942. During 1947-52, he was a member of the Madras Legislative CouncilMadras Legislative Council
Tamil Nadu Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It began its existence as Madras Legislative Council, the first provincial legislature for Madras Presidency. It was initially created as an advisory body in 1861, by the British...
. He contested and won the 1952 election from Tiruchendur
Tiruchendur (State Assembly Constituency)
Tiruchendur assembly constituency is part of Tiruchendur till 2009. Later from May 2009,after dissolution of Tiruchendur Loksabha constituency this constituency was aligned with Tuticorin Loksabha constituency.- Madras State assembly:...
as a candidate of T. Prakasam's Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party
Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party
The Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party was a socialist political party of India. Although the party is now defunct and doesn't contest election anymore, it is logged with the Election Commission of India as having contested the very first parliamentary elections in 1951 in India...
. He was elected as an independent candidate in the 1957 election
Madras State legislative assembly election, 1957
The second legislative assembly election to the Madras state was held on 31 March 1957. This was the first election held after the linguistic reorganisation of Madras state in 1954. Indian National Congress and its leader K. Kamaraj won the election, and defeated its rival Dravida Munnetra...
from Sathankulam
Sathankulam (State Assembly Constituency)
Sathankulam is an assembly constituency located in Tiruchendur Lok Sabha Constituency in Tamil Nadu.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:...
.
We Tamils party
In 1958, Adithan founded the "We Tamils" (WT) party with the platform of forming a sovereign Tamil state. The party's stand was more radical than the Dravida Nadu demand of Periyar E. V. RamasamyPeriyar E. V. Ramasamy
Erode Venkata Ramasamy , affectionately called by his followers as Periyar , Thanthai Periyar or E. V...
's Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam or Dravida Kazhagam was the first fully Dravidian party in India. It was a radical party formed by E. V. Ramaswamy, also called Thanthai Periyar of erstwhile Madras Presidency...
. It wanted the creation of a homogeneous Tamil state incorporating Tamil speaking areas of India and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The party’s headquarters was named as Tamiḻaṉ Illam (lit. The Home of the Tamilian). In 1960, the party organized statewide protests for the secession of Madras and the establishment of a sovereign Tamil Nadu. The protests were marked by the burning of maps of India (with Tamil Nadu left out). Adithanar was arrested for organizing them. The party along with M. P. Sivagnanam's Tamil Arasu Kazhagam
Tamil Arasu Kazhagam
Tamil Arasu Kazhagam was an Indian political party founded by M. P. Sivagnanam in Tamil Nadu. It was established as an association in 1946...
was also involved in the movement to change the name of the state from Madras State
Madras State
Madras State was the name by which the Indian districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Northern Kerala, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada were collectively known as from 1950 to 1953....
to 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...
. Adithan lost the 1962 election from Tiruchendur and got himself elected to the Legislative Council in 1964. The WT contested the 1967 election as an ally of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
(DMK) under the DMK's "Rising Sun" symbol. It elected four members to the Assembly, including Adithan, who won from Srivaikuntam
Srivaikuntam (State Assembly Constituency)
Srivaikuntam is a legislative assembly constituency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The constituency is in existence since 1957 election.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:- References :...
. The party merged with the DMK in 1967.
As Speaker of Legislative Assembly
On 17 March 1967, Adithan became the speaker of the assembly defeating the Swatantra PartySwatantra Party
The Swatantra Party was a classical liberal political party in India founded by Chakravarti Rajagopalachari and N. G. Ranga in August 1959. The party opposed the Nehruvian socialist outlook of the Congress Party by advocating free enterprise and free trade, and opposing the licence-permit Raj...
candidate K. S. Kothandaramiah, by 153 votes to 21. While he was the speaker he attended the DMK political conference held at Tanjore in 1968 and also took part in political activities in his constituency. Due to these activities, the opposition parties accused him of partisanship. He defended himself as:
Due to this controversy, Adithan resigned as speaker on 12 August 1968.
As minister
Adithan became the Minister for Cooperation in the M. KarunanidhiM. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
cabinet, which took power in February 1969. He was reelected from Srivaikuntam in the 1971 elections and continued as the Minister for Cooperation.
Later political life
The (DMK) split in 1972, with M. G. RamachandranM. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
forming the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK). Adithan supported the ADMK. He contested and lost the 1977 election
Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1977
The sixth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on June 10, 1977. Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the election defeating its rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam . M. G. Ramachandran was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time. The election was a four cornered contest between...
as an ADMK supported independent from Sathankulam
Sathankulam (State Assembly Constituency)
Sathankulam is an assembly constituency located in Tiruchendur Lok Sabha Constituency in Tamil Nadu.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:...
. He also lost the 1980 election
Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1980
The seventh legislative assembly election to Tamil Nadu was held on May 28, 1980. Election was held two years before the end of the term of M. G. Ramachandran administration as it was dissolved by the then President of India Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam allied with the Indian...
from Srivaikuntam.
Electoral performance in Assembly elections
| Year | Status | Constituency | Party | Votes | Runner-up/Winner | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Winner | Sathankulam Sathankulam (State Assembly Constituency) Sathankulam is an assembly constituency located in Tiruchendur Lok Sabha Constituency in Tamil Nadu.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:... |
IND | 33,636 | S. Kandasamy | INC Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian... |
22,429 |
| 1962 Madras legislative assembly election, 1962 The third legislative assembly election to the Madras state was held on 21 February 1962. The Indian National Congress party, led by K. Kamaraj, won the election. This was the last time that Congress won an election in Tamil Nadu... |
2nd | Tiruchendur Tiruchendur (State Assembly Constituency) Tiruchendur assembly constituency is part of Tiruchendur till 2009. Later from May 2009,after dissolution of Tiruchendur Loksabha constituency this constituency was aligned with Tuticorin Loksabha constituency.- Madras State assembly:... |
We Tamils (WT) | 27,994 | M. S. Selvarajan | INC Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian... |
39,994 |
| 1967 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1967 The fourth legislative assembly election of Madras State was held in February 1967. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led coalition under the leadership of C.N. Annadurai won the election defeating the Indian National Congress . Anti-Hindi agitations, the rising prices of essential commodities and a... |
Winner | Srivaikuntam Srivaikuntam (State Assembly Constituency) Srivaikuntam is a legislative assembly constituency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The constituency is in existence since 1957 election.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:- References :... |
DMK Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar... |
41,828 | R. Nadar | INC Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian... |
22,767 |
| 1971 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1971 The fifth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held in March 1971. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was re-elected, after its first victory under the leadership of C N Annadurai in 1967. This was the first time M. Karunanidhi, contested as the leader of DMK party won the election, since he... |
Winner | Srivaikuntam Srivaikuntam (State Assembly Constituency) Srivaikuntam is a legislative assembly constituency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The constituency is in existence since 1957 election.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:- References :... |
DMK Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar... |
37,329 | R. A. R. Annamalai | NCO Indian National Congress (Organisation) The Indian National Congress or Congress was a political party in India formed when Indira Gandhi broke away from the leadership of the Congress Party... |
27,724 |
| 1977 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1977 The sixth legislative assembly election of Tamil Nadu was held on June 10, 1977. Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the election defeating its rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam . M. G. Ramachandran was sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time. The election was a four cornered contest between... |
2nd | Sathankulam Sathankulam (State Assembly Constituency) Sathankulam is an assembly constituency located in Tiruchendur Lok Sabha Constituency in Tamil Nadu.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:... |
IND | 17,507 | R. Jebamani | JNP Janata Party The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress... |
18,362 |
| 1980 Tamil Nadu state assembly election, 1980 The seventh legislative assembly election to Tamil Nadu was held on May 28, 1980. Election was held two years before the end of the term of M. G. Ramachandran administration as it was dissolved by the then President of India Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam allied with the Indian... |
3rd | Srivaikuntam Srivaikuntam (State Assembly Constituency) Srivaikuntam is a legislative assembly constituency in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The constituency is in existence since 1957 election.- Madras State assembly:- Tamil Nadu assembly:- References :... |
IND | 12,119 | E. Ramasubramanian | ADMK | 26,502 |
Death and legacy
Adithan died on 24 May 1981. In 2005, the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J. Jayalalitha announced that his home in Srivaikuntam, built in 1928, will be converted into a memorial. On his birthday every year, the S. P. Adithanar Senior Tamil Scholar Award of Rs. 1.5 lakhs (~ US $3000) and the S. P. Adithanar Literary Prize of Rs. 1 lakh (~ US $2000) are awarded to Tamil scholars and people who excel in literature by Adithanar's son and the current director of Dina Thanthi group, Sivanthi AdithanSivanthi adithan
Sivanthi Adithan is the owner of Tamil newspapers Dina Thanthi and Maalaimalar.The Government of India has awarded him Padmashri in the year 2008. He is the son of late S. P. Adithanar, founder of Dina Thanthi....
. A road in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, connecting Egmore
Egmore
-Main places:* Chennai Egmore railway station.* Office of the commissioner of Greater Chennai Police department.* Government Museum, Chennai.* Connemara Public Library, one of the biggest libraries in India.* National Art Gallery...
to Anna Salai
Anna Salai
Anna Salai , formerly known as Mount Road, an abbreviated form of St. Thomas Mount Road, is an arterial road in Chennai, India. It starts at the Cooum Creek, south of Fort St George and ends at the Kathipara Junction in Guindy...
has been named "Adithanar Salai" in his memory.