Ondiveeran Pagadai (or Ondi Veeran) (died 20 August 1771)[1] was an Indian commander-in-chief who fought against the British East India Company in Tamil Nadu.[2]

Ondiveeran Pagadai
Born
Ondiveeran Pagadai

Died20 August 1771
NationalityIndian
OccupationFreedom fighter

Ondiveeran came from the Arunthathiyar community and is viewed by them as a hero. Pressure from the Arunthathiyars led the Government of Tamil Nadu to build a memorial to him in Tirunelveli district.[3] The foundation stone for the memorial was laid in 2011.[4]

Commemorative postage stamp edit

India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp of denomination 5 featuring Ondiveeran on 28 August 2020.[citation needed]

Memorial edit

In the mid-2000s, the Dalit community of Tamil Nadu petitioned the government to establish a memorial to Ondiveeran. This petitioning included public protests.[5] The foundation stone for the memorial, costing ₹4,900,000, was laid in 2011 by Minister for Information and Public Relations Parithi Ilamvazhuthi.

References edit

  1. ^ "Ondiveeran remembered". The Hindu. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  2. ^ "'Garden of Classical Tamil' work to be taken up soon". The Hindu.
  3. ^ Rajendran, S. P. (2012). The Fire Against Untouchability. Bharathi Puthakalayam. ISBN 9789381908471.
  4. ^ Staff Reporter (18 January 2011). "Foundation stone laid for memorial". The Hindu.
  5. ^ "CPM activists block road". The Hindu. 2 November 2007.