V. O. Chidambaram Pillai
Encyclopedia
V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, popularly known by his initials, V.O.C. -> Vandanam. OlaganthaPillai. ChidambaramPillai - (spelt Vaa. Oo.Ce in Tamil
), was an India
n freedom fighter born on 5 September 1872 in Vandanam (A small village)is very near to Ottapidaram, Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu
State of India. He was a prominent lawyer, and a trade union
leader. He gets credit for launching the first indigenous Indian shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo with the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, competing against British ships. He was an Indian National Congress
(INC) member, later charged with sedition by the British
government and sentenced to life imprisonment; his barrister
license was stripped. He is also known as "Kappalottiya Tamilan"" (கப்பலோட்டிய தமிழன்), or The Tamil Helmsman in Tamil
.
and Paramyee in Vandanam, near Ottapidaram, Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu State in India
. After completing schooling in Ottapidaram and Tirunelveli, he worked for a few years in the Ottapidaram district administrative office. Later following his fathers footsteps he completed law.
, initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak
and Lala Lajpat Rai
of Indian National Congress (INC), were at their peak. Mahatma Gandhi was yet to land in India. They were against the British Imperial coercion of trade, which was damaging traditional Indian industries and the communities dependent on them. This is the essence of the Swadeshi movement. In Madras Presidency
the Independence movement was championed by the likes of Subramanya Siva, the poet Subramanya Bharathi, and Aurobindo Gosh later to be joined by V.O.C. He entered politics in 1905 following the partition of Bengal
, joining the Indian National Congress
and taking a hardliner stand. He also presided at the Salem District
Congress session.
On 12 November 1906, V.O.C. formed the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, by purchasing two steamships ‘S.S.Gaelia’ and ‘S.S.Lawoe’, thanks to the assistance and support of Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
and Aurobindo Ghose. The ships commenced regular service between Tuticorin and Colombo
(Srilanka), against the opposition of the British
traders and the Imperial Government. V.O.C. was thus laying the foundation for a comprehensive shipping industry in the country, more than just a commercial venture.
Until then the commerce between Tuticorin and Colombo was a monopoly enjoyed by the British India Steam Navigation Company (BISN). This was later to be merged with P&O
Lines and its Tuticorin agents, A.& F. Harvey.
The British had assumed the Indian venture would collapse like a house of cards, but soon found the Indian company to be a formidable challenge. To thwart the new Indian company they resorted to the monopolistic trade practice of reducing the fare per trip to Re.1 (16 annas) per head. Swadeshi company responded by offering a fare of Re.0.5 (8 Annas). The British company went further by offering a free trip to the passengers plus a free umbrella, which had
‘S.S.Gaelia’ and ‘S.S.Lawoe’ running nearly empty. By 1909 the company was heading towards bankruptcy.
. This brought him into increasing conflict with the British Raj. On 12 March 1908, he was arrested on charges of sedition and for two days, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin witnessed unprecedented violence, quelled only by shooting four people to death (a Muslim, a Dalit, a baker and a Hindu temple priest). Punitive police forces were brought in from neighboring districts.
.
would reduce his sentence and he was finally released on December 12, 1912.
in 1909 and his famous remark “When I went to jail the whole country was alive with the cry of Bande Mataram... when I came out of jail I listened for that cry, but there was instead a silence... a hush had fallen on the country and men seemed bewildered”.
Upon V.O.C.’s release he was not permitted to return to his Tirunelveli district. With his bar license stripped from him he moved to Chennai
with his wife and two young sons. To his dismay, the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company had already been liquidated in 1911, and the ships auctioned to their competitors. V.O.C and his family had lost all their wealth and property in his legal defence. In Madras, almost broke, he continued organising labour welfare organisations. V.O.C. attended the Calcutta Indian National Congress
in 1920. He later would quit, but rejoined later.
, and V.O.C. carried on a steady stream of correspondence between them (1915–16). They would even once meet in Chennai
, but sadly none of their correspondence was published in the 100-volume Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi
. In one of the letters Gandhi enquires whether he received the money which he had collected for V.O.C. in South Africa
. In another letter V.O.C. expresses unease over an early morning appointment to meet Gandhi, as he explains the unavailability of Tram service at that hour.
who sentenced V.O.C. later being Chief Justice
of Madras Presidency
, restored his bar license. But V.O.C. spent his last years (1930s) in Kovilpatti
heavily in debt, even selling all of his law books for daily survival. V.O.C died on the 18 November 1936 in the Indian National Congress
Office at Tuticorin as was his last wish.
). V.O.C.’s third son, Subramaniam, worked for many years in Dinamani (Indian Express group), later in the American Embassy in Chennai
. His fourth son, Walleswaren, (referring to the Englishman E.H. Wallace, who first committed his case to the session's court but was instrumental in getting his sanad back) retired working from the Labour welfare department and settled in Dindigul
Now settled in Madurai(2009) still alive. All of his daughters were married and several of his descendants live around various places in Chennai.
’s books. He authored a few novels, as well.
His life is a story of resistance, strife, struggle, suffering and sacrifice for the cause to which he was committed.
The Tuticorin port has been renamed as "VOC port" to honor the great man.
The Indian Posts & Telegraphs
department of India issued a special postage stamp
on 5 September 1972, on the occasion of his birth centenary.
A college in Tuticorin is named after V.O.C.
Sivaji Ganesan
played the lead role in the 1961 Tamil movie “Kappal’ottiya Thamizlan ’.
The Public park and the meeting grounds of Coimbatore
is named V.O.C. Park (Vaa. Vu.Ce Poonga) and V.O.C. Grounds (Vaa. Vu.Ce Thidal).
The Central Prison in Coimbatore has built a commemorative monument, preserving his Yoke
and Oil
Grinding stone.
The Bridge connecting Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai
over the river Tamaraparani is named V.O.C. Bridge.
he has his current son, grandson,and great grandson also.. his current son is is nagamalai , grandson and great grandson in madurai
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...
), was an India
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 freedom fighter born on 5 September 1872 in Vandanam (A small village)is very near to Ottapidaram, Tuticorin district of 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...
State of India. He was a prominent lawyer, and a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. He gets credit for launching the first indigenous Indian shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo with the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, competing against British ships. He was an Indian National Congress
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...
(INC) member, later charged with sedition by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government and sentenced to life imprisonment; his barrister
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...
license was stripped. He is also known as "Kappalottiya Tamilan"" (கப்பலோட்டிய தமிழன்), or The Tamil Helmsman in 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...
.
Early days
Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai or else V.O.C. was born on 5 September 1872 to an eminent lawyer olaganathan PillaiTirunelveli Saiva Pillai
Tirunelveli Saiva Pillai or Saiva Pillai is a caste from Tirunelveli District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are a landowning upper caste, feudal community. They have been the original land lords of South Pandya Country and their major source of income used to come from agriculture...
and Paramyee in Vandanam, near Ottapidaram, Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu State in India
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...
. After completing schooling in Ottapidaram and Tirunelveli, he worked for a few years in the Ottapidaram district administrative office. Later following his fathers footsteps he completed law.
Days as a lawyer
As a lawyer he often pleaded for the poor, at times appearing against his father, who appeared for the affluent. Among his notable cases, he proved corruption charges on three sub-magistrates. In the Kulasekaranallur Asari case he proved innocence for the accused.Background
In the 1890s and 1900s India’s independence movement and the Swadeshi movementSwadeshi movement
The Swadeshi movement, part of the Indian independence movement, was an economic strategy aimed at removing the British Empire from power and improving economic conditions in India by following the principles of swadeshi , which had some success...
, initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Lokmanya Tilak –, was an Indian nationalist, teacher, social reformer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The British colonial authorities derogatorily called the great leader "Father of the Indian unrest"...
and Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai was an Indian author, freedom fighter and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for freedom from the British Raj. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari or Sher-e-Punjab meaning the samem and was part of the Lal Bal Pal trio...
of Indian National Congress (INC), were at their peak. Mahatma Gandhi was yet to land in India. They were against the British Imperial coercion of trade, which was damaging traditional Indian industries and the communities dependent on them. This is the essence of the Swadeshi movement. In Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
the Independence movement was championed by the likes of Subramanya Siva, the poet Subramanya Bharathi, and Aurobindo Gosh later to be joined by V.O.C. He entered politics in 1905 following the partition of Bengal
Partition of Bengal
Partition of Bengal may refer to the partition of the Bengal region during two separate occasions:*Partition of Bengal *Partition of Bengal...
, joining the Indian National Congress
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...
and taking a hardliner stand. He also presided at the Salem District
Salem District
Salem District is a district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Salem is the district headquarters. Other major towns in the district are Mettur, Omalur and Attur...
Congress session.
Shipping company
V.O.C., drawing inspiration from Ramakrishnananda, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, resorted to Swadeshi work. Following requests by local citizens, he initiated steps to break the monopoly of British shipping in the coastal trade with Ceylon.On 12 November 1906, V.O.C. formed the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, by purchasing two steamships ‘S.S.Gaelia’ and ‘S.S.Lawoe’, thanks to the assistance and support of Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Lokmanya Tilak –, was an Indian nationalist, teacher, social reformer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The British colonial authorities derogatorily called the great leader "Father of the Indian unrest"...
and Aurobindo Ghose. The ships commenced regular service between Tuticorin and Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
(Srilanka), against the opposition of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
traders and the Imperial Government. V.O.C. was thus laying the foundation for a comprehensive shipping industry in the country, more than just a commercial venture.
Until then the commerce between Tuticorin and Colombo was a monopoly enjoyed by the British India Steam Navigation Company (BISN). This was later to be merged with P&O
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
Lines and its Tuticorin agents, A.& F. Harvey.
The British had assumed the Indian venture would collapse like a house of cards, but soon found the Indian company to be a formidable challenge. To thwart the new Indian company they resorted to the monopolistic trade practice of reducing the fare per trip to Re.1 (16 annas) per head. Swadeshi company responded by offering a fare of Re.0.5 (8 Annas). The British company went further by offering a free trip to the passengers plus a free umbrella, which had
‘S.S.Gaelia’ and ‘S.S.Lawoe’ running nearly empty. By 1909 the company was heading towards bankruptcy.
Conflict with the British
To widen the swadeshi base and to create awareness of British Imperialism V.O.C.became instrumental in mobilising the workers of Coral Mills (also managed by A. & F. Harvey) (now part of Madura Coats) in TirunelveliTirunelveli
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...
. This brought him into increasing conflict with the British Raj. On 12 March 1908, he was arrested on charges of sedition and for two days, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin witnessed unprecedented violence, quelled only by shooting four people to death (a Muslim, a Dalit, a baker and a Hindu temple priest). Punitive police forces were brought in from neighboring districts.
The press
But newspapers had taken note of V.O.C. urobindo Ghosh|Sri Aurobindo's] now his samathi @ Pondicherry, well know as "Annai Samathi"] nationalist Bengali newspaper Bande Mataram (spelt and pronounced as Bônde Matôrom in the Bengali language) acclaimed him (March 27, 1908) with "Well Done, Chidambaram". Apart from the Madras press, Anand Bazaar Patrika from Kolkata (Calcutta) carried reports of his prosecution every day. Funds were raised for his defence not only in India but also by the Indians in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Trial
Poet Subramanya Bharathi and Subramanya Siva too appeared in the court for questioning for the case instituted against V.O.C. He was charged with sedition and a sentence of two life imprisonments (in effect 40 years) was imposed. He was confined in the Central Prison, Coimbatore (from 9 July 1908 to 1 December 1910).Court sentence may be seen as a reflection of the fear the British had of V.O.C. and their need to contain the rebellion and be sure that others would not follow in Chidambaram Pillai's footsteps.thisConfinement in prison
It is to be noted that Chidambaram Pillai was not treated as a 'political prisoner’, nor was the sentence 'simple imprisonment’, he was rather treated as a convict sentenced to life imprisonment and required to do hard labour. V.O.C. was in fact subjected to inhumane torture, which took a heavy toll on his health. The noted historian and Tamil scholar, R. A. Padmanabhan, would later note in his works "yoked (in place of Bulls) to the oil press like an animal and made to work it in the cruel hot sun....” Even from prison VOC continued a clandestine correspondence, maintaining a steady stream of petitions going into legal niceties. Later the High CourtMadras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
would reduce his sentence and he was finally released on December 12, 1912.
After his release
The huge crowds present during his arrest were obviously absent, reminding him of Aurobindo's similar fate upon his release from UttarparaUttarpara
Uttarpara is a small town of Hooghly District, West Bengal, India. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority.It is a town of historical importance. Uttarpara is home to some of the biggest industrial setups in the state...
in 1909 and his famous remark “When I went to jail the whole country was alive with the cry of Bande Mataram... when I came out of jail I listened for that cry, but there was instead a silence... a hush had fallen on the country and men seemed bewildered”.
Upon V.O.C.’s release he was not permitted to return to his Tirunelveli district. With his bar license stripped from him he moved to 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...
with his wife and two young sons. To his dismay, the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company had already been liquidated in 1911, and the ships auctioned to their competitors. V.O.C and his family had lost all their wealth and property in his legal defence. In Madras, almost broke, he continued organising labour welfare organisations. V.O.C. attended the Calcutta Indian National Congress
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...
in 1920. He later would quit, but rejoined later.
V.O.C. and Mahatma Gandhi
M.K. Gandhi in 1910s was yet to be known as MahatmaMahatma
Mahatma is Sanskrit for "Great Soul". It is similar in usage to the modern Christian term saint. This epithet is commonly applied to prominent people like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Jyotirao Phule and Branch Rickey...
, and V.O.C. carried on a steady stream of correspondence between them (1915–16). They would even once meet 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...
, but sadly none of their correspondence was published in the 100-volume Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. In one of the letters Gandhi enquires whether he received the money which he had collected for V.O.C. in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In another letter V.O.C. expresses unease over an early morning appointment to meet Gandhi, as he explains the unavailability of Tram service at that hour.
Last days
On hearing V.O.C.’s destitute condition Justice Wallace, the judgeJudge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
who sentenced V.O.C. later being Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
, restored his bar license. But V.O.C. spent his last years (1930s) in Kovilpatti
Kovilpatti
Kovilpatti , also known as Covilpatti, is a special grade municipality in Thoothukudi District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Belongs to Kovilpatti constituency...
heavily in debt, even selling all of his law books for daily survival. V.O.C died on the 18 November 1936 in the Indian National Congress
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...
Office at Tuticorin as was his last wish.
Family then and now
V.O.C. married Valliammai in 1895, who died in 1901 due to complications in delivery. Later he married Meenakshi Ammiar. The couple would have four sons and four daughters. The eldest son Ulaganathan died in childhood. The second son, Arumugam Pillai, contested Ottapidaram in the 1967 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, but lost (as did many other Congress members, including K. KamarajK. Kamaraj
Kumarasami Kamaraj better known as K. Kamaraj was an Indian politician from Tamil Nadu widely acknowledged as the "Kingmaker" in Indian politics during the 1960s. He was the chief minister of Tamil Nadu during 1954-1963 and a Member of Parliament during 1952-1954 and 1969-1975...
). V.O.C.’s third son, Subramaniam, worked for many years in Dinamani (Indian Express group), later in the American Embassy 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...
. His fourth son, Walleswaren, (referring to the Englishman E.H. Wallace, who first committed his case to the session's court but was instrumental in getting his sanad back) retired working from the Labour welfare department and settled in Dindigul
Dindigul
Dindigul is a town and municipality in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. The name Dindigul comes from the Portmanteau of “Thindu” meaning pillow and “kal” meaning Rock and refers to the bare hill dominating the city’s both land and skyscape...
Now settled in Madurai(2009) still alive. All of his daughters were married and several of his descendants live around various places in Chennai.
Scholarly works
Apart from the above, V.O.C. was an erudite scholar. The autobiography in Tamil verse which he started in prison was completed upon his release in 1912. He also wrote a commentary on the Thirukural and compiled ancient works of Tamil grammar, Tolkappiam. He showed ingenuity in his works of "Meyyaram" and "Meyyarivu”, praised for spontaneous style, and earned an indisputable reputation for translations of James AllenJames Allen (author)
James Allen was a British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and poetry and as a pioneer of the self-help movement. His best known work, As a Man Thinketh, has been mass produced since its publication in 1903...
’s books. He authored a few novels, as well.
Impact today
V.O.C. was one of the colourful figures in Indian political life. V.O.C. showed the way for organized effort and sacrifice. He finished his major political work by 1908, but died in late 1936, the passion for freedom still raging in his mind till the last moment. He was an erudite scholar in Tamil, a prolific writer, a fiery speaker, a trade union leader of unique calibre and a dauntless freedom fighter.His life is a story of resistance, strife, struggle, suffering and sacrifice for the cause to which he was committed.
Post independence honours
Today his name among people in Tamil Nadu evokes his sufferings in jail and his shipping company. He is aptly called as “Kappal’ottiya Thamizlan ’ –- the Tamil who drove the ship, and as "Chekkiluththa Chemmal" -- a great man who pulled the oil press in jail for the sake of his people.The Tuticorin port has been renamed as "VOC port" to honor the great man.
The Indian Posts & Telegraphs
Indian Postal Service
The Department of Posts functioning under the brand name India Post , is a government operated postal system in India; it is generally referred to within India as "the post office"....
department of India issued a special postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
on 5 September 1972, on the occasion of his birth centenary.
A college in Tuticorin is named after V.O.C.
Sivaji Ganesan
Sivaji Ganesan
Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
played the lead role in the 1961 Tamil movie “Kappal’ottiya Thamizlan ’.
The Public park and the meeting grounds of Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
is named V.O.C. Park (Vaa. Vu.Ce Poonga) and V.O.C. Grounds (Vaa. Vu.Ce Thidal).
The Central Prison in Coimbatore has built a commemorative monument, preserving his Yoke
Yoke
A yoke is a wooden beam, normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, used in different cultures, and for different types of oxen...
and Oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
Grinding stone.
The Bridge connecting Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai
Palayamkottai
Palayamkottai , known as the "Oxford of South India", is a town in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. It is part of the Tirunelveli city corporation. It is on the eastern bank of the Thamirabarani river, while its twin city Tirunelveli is on the western bank.-Etymology:The archaic word Palayam...
over the river Tamaraparani is named V.O.C. Bridge.
he has his current son, grandson,and great grandson also.. his current son is is nagamalai , grandson and great grandson in madurai