KASHMIR PRINCESS -AIR INDIA 300 BOMBED DROWNED APRIL 11,1955

 

KASHMIR PRINCESS -AIR INDIA 300 

BOMBED DROWNED APRIL 11,1955

காஷ்மீர் இளவரசி, அல்லது ஏர் இந்தியா விமானம் 300,[1] என்பது ஏர் இந்தியாவுக்குச் சொந்தமான ஒரு பட்டய லாக்ஹீட் எல்-749A கான்ஸ்டலேஷன் விமானமாகும். 11 ஏப்ரல் 1955 அன்று, பாம்பே, இந்தியா மற்றும் ஹாங்காங்கில் இருந்து இந்தோனேசியாவின் ஜகார்த்தாவிற்குச் செல்லும் வழியில், அது நடுவானில் வெடிகுண்டு வெடிப்பால் சேதமடைந்தது மற்றும் தென் சீனக் கடலில் விழுந்தது.[2] கப்பலில் இருந்தவர்களில் 16 பேர் கொல்லப்பட்டனர், மூன்று பேர் உயிர் தப்பினர்.[3] இந்த வெடிப்பு, மருத்துவ அவசரநிலை காரணமாக விமானத்தைத் தவறவிட்ட சீனப் பிரீமியர் சோ என்லாய் [4] என்பவரைக் குறிவைத்து நடத்தப்பட்ட படுகொலை முயற்சியாகும். இந்த குண்டுவெடிப்புக்கு கோமிண்டாங் (KMT) தான் காரணம் என்று சீன அரசாங்கம் முடிவு செய்தது.[5]

வெடிப்பு[தொகு]

ஃபிளைட் 300 ஜகார்த்தாவில் நடைபெறும் ஆப்ரோ-ஆசிய பாண்டுங் மாநாட்டிற்கு சீன மற்றும் கிழக்கு ஐரோப்பிய பிரதிநிதிகளை, முக்கியமாக பத்திரிகையாளர்களை ஏற்றிக்கொண்டு 0425 GMT மணிக்கு ஹாங்காங் புறப்பட்டது.[3] தோராயமாக 0925 GMT இல் பணியாளர்கள் வெடிச்சத்தத்தைக் கேட்டனர்; எண். 3 (அல்லது வலது உள்பக்க) எஞ்சினுக்கு நேர் பின்னால் வலது இறக்கையில் ஏற்பட்ட தீயினால் புகை விரைவாக கேபினுக்குள் நுழைந்தது. வெடிச்சத்தம் கேட்டதும், பேக்கேஜ் பெட்டிக்கான தீ எச்சரிக்கை விளக்கு எரிவதைப் பார்த்ததும், கேப்டன் என்ஜினில் தீப்பிடித்துவிடுமோ என்று பயந்து, எண். 3 இன்ஜினை அணைத்து அதன் ப்ரொப்பல்லரை இறக்கினார். இதனால் மூன்று என்ஜின்கள் இயங்கின. ரேடியோ செயலிழக்கும் முன், நடுனா தீவுகளுக்கு மேல் தங்கள் நிலையைக் காட்டும் மூன்று பேரிடர் சிக்னல்களை குழுவினர் அனுப்பினர்.[2]

கேப்டன் விமானத்தை கடலில் தரையிறக்க முயன்றார், ஆனால் காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு அறை மற்றும் தோல்வியுற்ற சுற்றுகள் அதை சாத்தியமற்றதாக்கியது. மேலும், விமானி அறைக்குள் புகை கசிந்தது. வேறு வழியின்றி, விமானம் கீழே உள்ள கடலில் விழுந்ததால், விமானம் விரைவாக தப்பிச் செல்ல, பணியாளர்கள் லைஃப் ஜாக்கெட்டுகளை வழங்கினர் மற்றும் அவசர கதவுகளைத் திறந்தனர்.

விபத்து[தொகு]

ஸ்டார்போர்டு இறக்கை முதலில் தண்ணீரைத் தாக்கியது, விமானம் மூன்று பகுதிகளாக கிழிந்தது. விமானப் பராமரிப்புப் பொறியாளர் (தரை பொறியாளர்), நேவிகேட்டர் மற்றும் முதல் அதிகாரி ஆகியோர் தப்பிச் சென்று பின்னர் இந்தோனேசிய கடலோரக் காவல்படையினரால் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டனர். மீதமுள்ள 16 பயணிகள் மற்றும் பணியாளர்கள், கடலில் மூழ்கி இறந்தனர்.[6]

மாநாட்டில் கலந்து கொள்ள விமானத்தில் ஏறத் திட்டமிடப்பட்டிருந்த சீனப் பிரதமர் Zhou Enlai, தனது பயணத் திட்டத்தை மாற்றிக் கொண்ட சீனப் பிரதமர் Zhou Enlai என்பவரைக் கொல்ல முயன்ற கோமிண்டாங் இரகசிய முகவர் விமானத்தில் நேர வெடிகுண்டு வைத்ததால் வெடிப்பு ஏற்பட்டதாக விசாரணையாளர்கள் நம்பினர். கடைசி நிமிடம்.[3]

சோ என்லாய்[தொகு]

படுகொலை முயற்சியின் இலக்கான Zhou Enlai, காஷ்மீர் இளவரசி மீது பெய்ஜிங்கில் இருந்து ஹாங்காங்கிற்கும் பின்னர் ஜகார்த்தாவிற்கும் பறக்க திட்டமிட்டிருந்தார். அவசர அப்பென்டெக்டோமியால் அவர் ஹாங்காங்கிற்கு வருவதை தாமதப்படுத்தினார்;[7] விபத்து நடந்த மூன்று நாட்களுக்குப் பிறகு அவர் சீனாவை விட்டு வெளியேறி ரங்கூனுக்குச் சென்று இந்தியப் பிரதமர் ஜவஹர்லால் நேரு மற்றும் பர்மியப் பிரதமர் யூ நுவைச் சந்தித்து மாநாட்டில் பங்கேற்பதற்காக பாண்டுங்கிற்குச் செல்வதற்கு முன் சென்றார். 3]

சில வரலாற்றாசிரியர்கள் படுகொலை சதி பற்றி ஜோவுக்கு முன்பே தெரிந்திருக்கலாம் என்றும் அந்த நேரத்தில் பிரதமர் குடல் அறுவை சிகிச்சைக்கு உட்படுத்தப்படவில்லை என்றும் வாதிட்டனர். ஆக்ஸ்போர்டு பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் ஸ்டீவ் சாங், தி சைனா காலாண்டு இதழின் செப்டம்பர் 1994 பதிப்பில் எழுதினார், 'சௌ இந்த சதித்திட்டத்தை முன்பே அறிந்திருந்ததாகவும், ரகசியமாக தனது பயணத் திட்டத்தை மாற்றிக்கொண்டதாகவும் தற்போது ஆதாரங்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன, இருப்பினும் அவர் தனது இடத்தைப் பெறுவதைத் தடுக்கவில்லை. '[5]

விசாரணை[தொகு]

விபத்துக்கு அடுத்த நாள், சீனாவின் வெளியுறவு அமைச்சகம் ஒரு அறிக்கையை வெளியிட்டது, இது குண்டுவெடிப்பை 'அமெரிக்கா மற்றும் சியாங் காய்-ஷேக்கின் சிறப்பு சேவை அமைப்புகளின் கொலை' என்று விவரித்தது, [8] ஹாங்காங் கவர்னர் சர் அலெக்சாண்டர் கிரந்தம் விமானத்தை பராமரித்தார். ஹாங்காங்கில் முறைகேடு செய்யப்படவில்லை. இருப்பினும், மே 26 அன்று, இந்தோனேசிய விசாரணைக் குழு பின்னர் அமெரிக்கத் தயாரிப்பான MK-7 டெட்டனேட்டருடன் கூடிய நேர வெடிகுண்டு விபத்துக்குக் காரணம் என்றும், ஹாங்காங்கில் உள்ள விமானத்தில் வெடிகுண்டு வைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கலாம் என்றும் அறிவித்தது. தேவை]

இதற்குக் காரணமானவர்களைக் கைது செய்வதற்கான தகவல்களுக்கு HK$100,000 ஐ ஹாங்காங் அதிகாரிகள் வழங்கினர். ஏர் இந்தியா விமான சேவையில் தொடர்புடைய 71 பேரிடம் விசாரணை நடத்தினர். ஹாங்காங் ஏர்கிராஃப்ட் இன்ஜினியரிங் நிறுவனத்தில் காவலாளியான சௌ ட்சே-மிங் மீது போலீசார் கவனம் செலுத்தத் தொடங்கியபோது, ​​அவர் சிஐஏ-வுக்குச் சொந்தமான சிவில் ஏர் டிரான்ஸ்போர்ட் விமானத்தில் தைவானுக்குச் சென்றார். கொலைச் சதி குற்றம் சாட்டப்பட்ட ஒரு வாரண்ட் பிறப்பிக்கப்பட்டதாக ஹாங்காங் காவல்துறை தெரிவித்தது, ஆனால் அந்த வாரண்டில் சவ் சே-மிங் என்ற பெயர் கொண்ட நபர் 18 மே 1955 இல் தைவானுக்கு பறந்துவிட்டார், மேலும் சோவ் சே-மிங்கிற்கு மூன்று மாற்றுப்பெயர்கள் இருந்தன.[9]

சாவ் என்லையைக் கொல்ல வெடிகுண்டு வைக்க கோமிண்டாங் சோவை நியமித்ததாக ஹாங்காங் காவல்துறை முடிவு செய்தது. வெளிப்படையாக, அவர் குண்டுவெடிப்பில் தனது பங்கைப் பற்றி நண்பர்களிடம் தற்பெருமை காட்டினார், மேலும் அவர் ஹாங்காங்கை விட்டு வெளியேறுவதற்கு முன்பு அதிக அளவு பணத்தையும் செலவிட்டார். ஹாங்காங் காவல்துறை சோவை நாடு கடத்த முயன்றது, ஆனால் தைவான் மறுத்து, சோ ஒரு KMT முகவர் என்பதை மறுத்தது.[சான்று தேவை]

ஸ்டீவ் சாங் பிரிட்டிஷ், தைவான், அமெரிக்க மற்றும் ஹாங்காங் காப்பகங்களில் இருந்து ஆதாரங்களை சேகரித்தார், இது விமான குண்டுவெடிப்பின் குற்றவாளிகள் என ஹாங்காங்கில் செயல்படும் KMT முகவர்களை நேரடியாக சுட்டிக்காட்டுகிறது. அவரைப் பொறுத்தவரை, KMT ஆனது படுகொலை மற்றும் நாசவேலைகளுக்குப் பொறுப்பான ஒரு சிறப்பு-செயல்பாட்டுக் குழுவை ஹாங்காங்கில் நிறுத்தியிருந்தது. மேஜர்-ஜெனரல் காங் ஹோய்-பிங்கின் கீழ் ஹாங்காங் குழுமம் நியமிக்கப்பட்டது, இது 90 முகவர்களின் நெட்வொர்க்கை இயக்கியது. மார்ச் 1955 இல், குழு சோவை படுகொலைக்கு ஆட்சேர்ப்பு செய்தது, ஏனெனில் விமான நிலையத்தில் அவரது வேலை அவருக்கு ஏர் இந்தியா விமானத்தை எளிதாக அணுகியது, மேலும் அவருக்கு HK$600,000 மற்றும் தேவைப்பட்டால் தைவானில் அடைக்கலம் கொடுத்தது.[சான்று தேவை]

2004 ஆம் ஆண்டு வெளியிடப்பட்ட சீன வெளியுறவு அமைச்சக ஆவணம், குண்டுவெடிப்புக்கு KMT ரகசிய சேவை பொறுப்பேற்றுள்ளது என்பதைக் குறிக்கிறது.[10]

குண்டுவெடிப்பில் அமெரிக்காவுக்கு தொடர்பு இருப்பதாக சீனா ஆரம்பத்தில் இருந்தே குற்றம் சாட்டியது, ஆனால் இந்த நேரத்தில் Zhou Enlai ஐ படுகொலை செய்வதற்கான திட்டத்தை சிஐஏ பரிசீலித்த போது,[11] இந்த திட்டங்கள் ஏற்கப்படவில்லை என்றும், 'கடுமையாக தணிக்கை செய்யப்பட்டது' என்றும் சர்ச் கமிட்டி தெரிவித்துள்ளது. வாஷிங்டன்.[12] 1971 ஆம் ஆண்டு பெய்ஜிங்கில் உள்ள கிரேட் ஹால் ஆஃப் தி பீப்பில் நடந்த நேருக்கு நேர் சந்திப்பில், குண்டுவெடிப்பில் அமெரிக்காவின் தொடர்பு குறித்து ஹென்றி கிஸ்ஸிங்கரிடம் ஜோ நேரடியாகக் கேட்டார். கிஸ்ஸிங்கர் பதிலளித்தார், 'கடைசி முறை நான் பிரதமரிடம் கூறியது போல், அவர் CIA வின் திறமையை மிக அதிகமாக மதிப்பிடுகிறார்'.[13]

The Kashmir Princess, or Air India Flight 300,^[1] was a chartered Lockheed L-749A Constellation flight owned by Air India. On 11 April 1955, it was damaged in midair by a bomb explosion and crashed into the South China Sea while en route from Bombay, India, and Hong Kong to Jakarta, Indonesia.^[2] Sixteen of those on board were killed, while three survived.^[3] The explosion was an assassination attempt targeting Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai,^[4] who missed the flight due to a medical emergency and was not on board. The Chinese government concluded that the Kuomintang (KMT) were responsible for the bombing.^[5]

Explosion[edit]

Flight 300 departed Hong Kong at 0425 GMT carrying Chinese and Eastern European delegates, mainly journalists, to the Afro-Asian Bandung Conference in Jakarta.^[3] At approximately 0925 GMT the crew heard an explosion; smoke quickly entered the cabin from a fire on the right wing directly behind the No. 3 (or right inboard) engine. Upon hearing the explosion and seeing the fire-warning light for the baggage compartment come on, the captain shut off the No. 3 engine and feathered its propeller, fearing the engine would catch fire. This left three engines running. The crew sent out three distress signals giving their position over the Natuna Islands before the radio went dead.^[2]

The captain tried to land the plane on the sea, but the depressurising cabin and the failing circuits made that impossible. Additionally, smoke was seeping into the cockpit. Left with no other option, the crew issued life jackets and opened the emergency doors to ensure a quick escape as the plane plunged into the sea below.

Crash[edit]

The starboard wing struck water first, tearing the plane into three parts. The aircraft maintenance engineer (ground engineer), navigator and first officer escaped and were later found by the Indonesian Coast Guard. The remaining 16 passengers and crew members, however, drowned at sea.^[6]

Investigators believed that the explosion had been caused by a time bomb placed aboard the aircraft by a Kuomintang secret agent who was attempting to assassinate Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, who had been scheduled to board the plane to attend the conference but had changed his travel plans at the last minute.^[3]

Zhou Enlai[edit]

The target of the assassination attempt, Zhou Enlai, had planned to fly from Beijing to Hong Kong and then on to Jakarta on Kashmir Princess. An emergency appendectomy delayed his arrival in Hong Kong;^[7] he left China three days after the crash and flew to Rangoon to meet with Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Burmese Prime Minister U Nu before continuing on to Bandung to attend the conference.^[3]

Some historians have argued that Zhou may have known about the assassination plot beforehand and that the premier did not undergo an appendectomy at the time. Steve Tsang of Oxford University wrote in the September 1994 edition of The China Quarterly, "Evidence now suggests that Zhou knew of the plot beforehand and secretly changed his travel plans, though he did not stop a decoy delegation of lesser cadres from taking his place."^[5]

Investigation[edit]

The day after the crash, China's Foreign Ministry issued a statement that described the bombing as "a murder by the special service organizations of the United States and Chiang Kai-shek",^[8] while Hong Kong Governor Sir Alexander Grantham maintained that the plane was not tampered with in Hong Kong. However, on 26 May, an Indonesian board of inquiry later announced that a time bomb with an American-made MK-7 detonator was responsible for the crash and it was highly probable that the bomb was placed on the plane in Hong Kong.^{[citation needed]}

The Hong Kong authorities offered HK$100,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. They questioned 71 people connected with the servicing of the Air India flight. When police began to focus on Chow Tse-ming, a janitor for Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co., he stowed away to Taiwan on a CIA-owned Civil Air Transport aircraft. The Hong Kong police reported that a warrant charging a murder conspiracy was issued, but the man with the name Chow Tse-ming in the warrant had flown to Taiwan on 18 May 1955, and Chow Tse-ming had three aliases.^[9]

The Hong Kong police concluded that the Kuomintang had recruited Chow to plant the bomb to kill Zhou Enlai. Apparently, he had bragged to friends about his role in the bombing, and had also spent large amounts of money before he left Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Police tried to extradite Chow, but Taiwan refused and denied that Chow was a KMT agent.^{[citation needed]}

Steve Tsang collected evidence from British, Taiwanese, American and Hong Kong archives that points directly to KMT agents operating in Hong Kong as the perpetrators of the aircraft bombing. According to him, the KMT had a special-operations group stationed in Hong Kong responsible for assassination and sabotage. Designated the Hong Kong Group under Major-General Kong Hoi-ping, it operated a network of 90 agents. In March 1955, the group recruited Chow for the assassination because his job at the airport gave him easy access to the Air India plane, and offered him HK$600,000 and refuge in Taiwan, if necessary.^{[citation needed]}

A Chinese Foreign Ministry document declassified in 2004 also indicates that the KMT secret service was responsible for the bombing.^[10]

China had from the outset accused the United States of involvement in the bombing, but while the CIA had considered a plan to assassinate Zhou Enlai at this time,^[11] the Church Committee reported that these plans were disapproved of and "strongly censured" by Washington.^[12] In a 1971 face-to-face meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Zhou directly asked Henry Kissinger about US involvement in the bombing. Kissinger responded, "As I told the Prime Minister the last time, he vastly overestimates the competence of the CIA."^[13]

On This Day — “Target Zhou Enlai” : The Bombing of the Kashmir Princess (April 11 1955)

Posted on April 11, 2018 by L

“As I told the Prime Minister the last time, he vastly overestimates the competence of the CIA.”

Henri Kissinger — Answer to Zhou Enlai about the US involvement in the bombing of the Kashmir Princess

“Evidence now suggests that Zhou knew of the plot beforehand and secretly changed his travel plans, though he did not stop a decoy delegation of lesser cadres from taking his place.”

 Professor Steve Tsang of Oxford University — The China Quarterly (September 1994)

On April 11 1955, the Kashmir Princess — a chartered Lockheed L-749A Constellation aircraft owned by Air India — was damaged in midair by a bomb explosion. The plane crashed into the South China Sea while en route from Hong Kong to Jakarta, Indonesia. Sixteen of those on board were killed, while three survived. The target of the assassination was the Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

Zhou Enlai was expected to be on board. He had planned to fly from Beijing to Hong Kong and then to Jakarta on the ‘Kashmir Princess’ but an emergency appendectomy delayed his arrival in Hong Kong by several days.

From the outset, China accused the United States of involvement in the bombing. The day after the crash, China’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement that described the bombing as “a murder by the special service organizations of the United States and Chiang Kai-shek”

On the same day, Hong Kong Governor Sir Alexander Grantham stated that the plane had not been not tampered with in Hong Kong.

However, on May 26 1955, an Indonesian board of inquiry announced that a time bomb — with an American-made MK-7 detonator — was responsible for the crash.

The investigators concluded that it was highly probable that the bomb had been placed on the plane in Hong Kong.

The Mystery of Chow Tse-Ming

“As investigators and police chased leads about Chow Tse-Ming, they began to unravel a mystery.  Apparently, Chow Tse-Ming was an alias; in fact, two other aliases for the same man were also uncovered.

As well, in the days leading up to the bombing and crash of the plane, they learned that Chow Tse-Ming had been spending a lot of money around Hong Kong, as if living it up based on income or savings that an airport janitor shouldn’t reasonably have.

Perhaps he had been paid to plant the bomb?  Finally, his disappearance from Hong Kong was traced to him having departed quietly on a Civil Air Transport (CAT) flight to Taiwan.

As the Chinese knew all too well, CAT was a frequent CIA contract air carrier, though it also flew other airline operations and cargo flights around the region.

Fingers began pointing at the Central Intelligence Agency as the possible culprit, though a competing theory soon emerged when others considered that the CAT flight had delivered Chow Tse-Ming to Taiwan.

Indonesian investigators reported that amidst the wreckage, they had identified an American-made MK-7 detonator device, adding fuel to the fire.

The British-run Hong Kong police surmised that it seemed likely that the man was an agent of the Kuomintang’s intelligence operations arm, a theory which the Chinese also felt had validity. Undoubtedly, the CIA had supplied MK-7 triggers to Taiwan.”  [Flights Stories]

CIA plans were disapproved

While the CIA had considered a plan to assassinate Zhou Enlai at this time, the Church Committee reported that these plans were disapproved of and “strongly censured” by Washington.

In a 1971 face-to-face meeting in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Zhou directly asked Henry Kissinger about the alleged US involvement in the bombing. Kissinger responded:

“As I told the Prime Minister the last time, he vastly overestimates the competence of the CIA.”

Post-Scriptum

The succesful investigation of the ‘Kashmir Princess’ crime and the  identification of its culprits was possible because of the recovery of some part of the detonator device.

That story was not lost on the CIA and other American spooks. In the late 80s, the US Intelligence Community identified twice Libya as the culprit of airliner bombings thanks to the investigation of a tiny part of the detonators: a Swiss timer — known as the MST-13 — in the case of Pan Am 103 (December 21, 1988) and a Taiwanese timer in the UTA 772 bombing (September 19, 1989).

In both cases, these timers were ‘unambiguously’ linked to Libya’s Gaddafi. In both case, the identification was made by the same FBI investigator who was later discredited for altering official reports. And by the way, this FBI agent had not scientific qualifications whatsoever.

“It is striking to note the similarity of the ‘scientific’ evidence discovered by the FBI’s Tom Thurman in both the Lockerbie and UTA cases.

Of the tens of thousands of pieces of debris collected at each disaster site, one lone piece of printed circuit was found and, miracle of miracles, in each case the fragment bore markings that allowed for positive identification: MEBO in the Lockerbie case and TY in the case of UTA Flight 772.

Despite the common findings of the DCPJ, the DST and the Prefecture of Police crime laboratory, Juge Bruguière chose to believe Thurman, the expert in fabricating evidence,” wrote journalist Pierre Péan in his book “African Manipulations”.

One of Thurman’s student and ‘protégé’ investigated the crash of Avianca 203 (November 27, 1989) and concluded that the Colombian plane had been destroyed by a bomb on the order of Pablo Escobar. A recent investigation concluded that the crash was due to mechanical failure. Again, that agent had not scientific qualifications.

After several years of inquiry, the US DOJ ordered these two agents, as well as any other individual without proper scientific qualifications, out of the FBI explosion Unit. Never too late… 

MADURAI ,VAIDYANATHA IYER FREEDOM FIGHTER BORN 1890 MAY 16 -FEBRUARY 23,1955

 

MADURAI ,VAIDYANATHA IYER FREEDOM FIGHTER  BORN 1890 MAY 16 -FEBRUARY 23,1955

பெரியார் தன்னுடைய  தோல்வியை ஒப்புக்கொண்ட தருணம் எது 

பெரியார்பவுண்டேஷன் பூமி பூஜைக்கு சாஸ்திர முறைப்படி சமஸ்கருத்த்துடன் வேத விற்பன்னர்களை கொண்டு துவங்கி வைக்கப்பட்ட போது.என்ன ஒரு மாய்மாலம்… வெட்கக்கேடு…

ஊரெல்லாம் தாலி அறுத்த, ராமசாமி சொத்தான 20000 கோடியை அனுபவக்கும், வீரமணி, தன் பேத்திக்கு தாலி கட்டி அழகு பார்த்த போது

தனியாக சாஸ்திர முறைப்படி சமஸ்கிருத மந்திரங்களுடன் தாலி கட்டி கொண்டதாக கேள்வி பட்டேன்

ராமசாமியின் தோல்விக்கு வேறென்ன காரணம் வேண்டும்?

பாம்பைக் கண்டால் விடு பாப்பானைக் கண்டால் அடி' என்று துவேஷப் பிரச்சாரம் செய்தும், பிராமணர்களை எதிர்த்தும் அவமதித்தும் பேசிவந்த ராமசாமி நாயக்கர் பிராமணராலேயே காப்பற்றப்பட்ட சம்பவத்தைப் பார்க்கலாம்.

'மதுரை வைத்தியநாத ஐயர்' - இந்த பெயரை எங்கோ கேள்விப்பட்டது போல் இருந்தால் உங்களுக்கு பாராட்டுக்கள். இல்லை என்றால் மேலே படிக்கவும்.

தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டம் விஷ்ணாம்பேட்டையில் அருணாசலம் அய்யர்-லட்சுமி அம்மாள் மகனாகப் பிறந்த வைத்தியநாதய்யர் மதுரை சேதுபதி உயர்நிலைப் பள்ளியிலும், மதுரைக் கல்லூரி மற்றும் சென்னை மாநிலக் கல்லூரியில் படித்தார். இவர் பின்னர் வழக்கறிஞராக மாறினார்.

வேதாரண்யத்தில் நடந்த உப்புச்சத்தியாக் கிரகத்தின் போது ராஜாஜி கைதான பிரகு அங்கு நடந்த கூட்டத்தில் வைத்தியநாதய்யர் தடையை மீறிப் பேசினார். அப்போது "புளியமர விளாரால்' அய்யரை ஆங்கிலேயர் தாக்கினர். மற்றும் வைத்தியநாதையரை சுமார் அரைகிலோ மீட்டர் தூரம் தரையில் இழுத்துச் சென்று சித்திரவதை செய்து உடலெங்கும் காயத்துடன் சிறையிலும் அடைத்தனர்.

இவர் கள்ளுக்கடை மறியல், சட்டமறுப்பு இயக்கம் போன்ற விடுதலைப் போராட்டங்களில் ஈடுபட்டதால் ஆங்கிலேயரால் கடுமையாகத் தாக்கப்பட்டு பலதடவை சிறைச்சாலைக்கு அனுப்பப்பட்டார். வைத்தியநாத ஐயர் விடுதலைப் போராட்டத்திற்கான செலவிற்காக தனது மனைவியின் நகைகளையும், வீட்டுப் பொருள்களையும் அடகுவைத்தும், விற்றும் பணம் அளித்தவர் ஆவார். நீதிமன்ற அபராதத்துக்காக ஆங்கிலேய அரசு அவரது கார் மற்றும் சட்டப்புத்தகங்களை ஜப்தி செய்துள்ளது.

தமிழ்நாட்டின் மறக்கப்பட்ட அல்லது மறக்கடிக்கப்பட்ட சுதந்திரப் போராட்ட தியாகிகளில் ஒருவர் எனலாம்.ஹரிஜனங்களின் தந்தை என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டவர். தியாகி 'கக்கன்' இவருடைய சீடர். 1935 முதல் 1955 வரை தமிழ்நாடு ஹரிஜன சேவா சங்கத்தலைவர். இவர் வாழ்க்கையில் நடந்த இரண்டு முக்கிய நிகழ்வுகளை பார்ப்போம்..

1939 ஜூலை 8 அன்று மதுரை மீனாட்சி அம்மன் கோவில் ஹரிஜன ஆலயப்பிரவேசம் நடைபெற்றது. இந்த போராட்டத்தை நடத்திக்காட்டியவர் மதுரை வைத்யனாதய்யர். இன்றைக்கு தாழ்த்தப்பட்டவர்களுக்காக வக்காலத்து வாங்கிப் பேசும் பலரும் பிராமணர்களுக்கெதிரான வசைகளையே முன்னிறுத்தி பேசுவார்கள். அதே தாழ்த்தப்பட்டவர்கள் என அழைக்கப்பட்ட மக்களை ஆலங்களுக்குள் அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும் என போராட்டம் நடத்தி அதற்கு தலைமை தாங்கியவர் இந்த பிராமணர் என்பதை எங்குமே பேசமாட்டார்கள்.

ஆனால் பாருங்க தமிழகத்தில் ஒரு கோவில் உள்ளே கூட நுழையாத அதுவும் வைக்கத்தில் யாரோ போராடியதற்க்கு இவர் பெயர் வாங்கிய ராமசாமியை தூக்கி வைத்து கொண்டாடுபவர்கள் மதுரை வைத்தியநாதய்யரை மறந்துவிடுவதை..

இங்கே இன்னொரு சுவாரஸ்யமான சம்பவம் பற்றியும் பார்ப்போம். '

1946 ம் ஆண்டு வைகை வடகரையில் தி.க மாநாடு நடந்தது. தி.க தொண்டர்கள் மீனாட்சி கோயிலுக்கு சென்று கிண்டலும் கேலியும் செய்துள்ளனர். மதுரை மக்கள் தி.க தொண்டர்களை விரட்டி, மாநாட்டுப் பந்தலுக்கு தீ வைத்துள்ளனர். ஷெனாய் நகரில் இருந்த ஈ.வே.ரா வை மக்கள் சூழ்ந்து விட்டனர். போலீஸாரால் தடுக்க முடியவில்லை. இதனைக் கேள்விப்பட்ட வைத்தியநாத ஐயர் அங்கு சென்று மக்களை அமைதிப்படுத்தி ஈ வெ ரா உட்பட அனைவரையும் ஊருக்கு பத்திரமாக அனுப்பினார்.

ஆக பிராமணரை அடி என்று கூறிய ராமசாமி நாயக்கருக்கு பிராமணரான வைத்தியநாத ஐயர் பாதுகாப்பளித்த சம்பவம் இன்றும் அழியாத வரலாறாக இருக்கிறது. ஆனால் என்ன நடந்தாலும் மீசையில் மண் ஒட்டவில்லை என வெட்கமில்லாமல் திரியிம் திராவிடக்காரர்கள் இந்தச் சம்பவங்களை வஞ்சகமாக மறைத்து ராமசாமி நாயக்கருக்கு குருட்டுத்தனமான பக்தர்கள் உருவாக பெரிதும் பாடுபட்டனர்.

மதுரை வைத்தியநாத ஐயர் தான் இறக்கும் வரை (1955) ஹரிஜன சேவா சங்க தலைவராக இருந்தார். ஹரிஜன சேவா சங்கம் இவரை பாராட்டி ஹரிஜனங்களின் தந்தை என்று அழைத்தனர்.

சுதந்திரப் போராட்ட தியாகியை ஹரிஜனங்களின் வாழ்க்கை முன்னேற்றத்திற்காக பாடுபட்ட பின்னர் வஞ்சகமாக மறக்கடிக்கப்பட்ட இந்த மாமனிதரை நெஞ்சினில் நிறுத்திடுவோம்

Early Life and Education

A. Vaidyanatha Iyer was born on 16 May 1890 at Vishnampettai village, Thanjavur district, in then Madras Presidency as the second of eight children in a Tamil brahmin family to Arunachalam Iyer and Lakshmi Ammal.

Arunachalam Iyer served as Mathematics teacher in Pudukkottai Maharaja’s school. After retirement he settled down in Madurai with his family.

AV Iyer studied in Madurai Sethupathi High School, where he was dear to all teachers. He had an unblemished track record as a distinguished student throughout his education. In the year 1909, AV Iyer completed his SSLC, standing second in the state for overall performance and topping in mathematics. For these he was awarded a gold medal by the school.

Later, AV Iyer completed his FA in Madura College, again topping in mathematics and securing the fourth rank at the state level. He was awarded the prestigious Neelakanda Sastri gold medal along as well as the Fisher gold medal by the college.

At the age of 18, right after his FA examinations, Iyer’s parents conducted his marriage with 9 year old Akilandam, who remained a perfect partner to him throughout his life.

Iyer completed his BA with first class in the year 1914 from Madras Presidency College.

He served as a teacher for a year at Bishop Heber Higher Secondary School in Trichy and for a year at Masoolipattinam Hindu Higher Secondary School, before qualifying himself in law and acquiring the status of Pleader.

 

Advocate Vaidyanatha Iyer

AV Iyer started his practice as a Junior under Mr. Natesa Iyer, a well-known lawyer in Madurai. Within a year Natesa Iyer realized AV Iyer’s abilities and encouraged him to start his own law practice. Natesa Iyer treated AV Iyer like his own son and wished him well and they continued to be in constant touch.

AV Iyer started his practice and appeared for cases in the courts of Madurai, Pudukottai and Tirunelveli. He took on only genuine cases and was sensitive to people’s needs. He saw to it that the client’s money and time were spent meaningfully. Very soon he gained a good reputation in his own circle as well as with the public.

The points of law raised by Iyer and his arguments often astounded even the judges and received their praise. Iyer’s fame spread and cases started piling up. His earnings multiplied. He selflessly took care to train his juniors to make them more competent. As the saying goes, ‘a true leader makes more leaders’. Iyer also treated his juniors with affection and as members of his own family.

 

Active Participation in Freedom Struggle

While studying in Madras Presidency College, Iyer was inspired by the widespread patriotism in the nation. Motivated by the articles and speeches of national leaders, Iyer involved himself directly in the freedom struggle.

One day Iyer attended a public speech by national leader Bipin Chander Pal at Chennai beach. When this news reached the Principal of the college, who was British, Iyer was punished by being made to stand up on a bench from morning till evening for two weeks. Iyer went through the punishment with calmness and great resolve.

Mahatma Gandhi visited Madurai for the first time in 1919. During his second visit on 22 September 1921, Gandhiji dramatically connected with the local farmers by draping a small dhoti around his waist just like them. His address to the public inspired numerous young attendees who later became leaders and social activists. Iyer was one among them.

In 1920, when Gandhiji announced the Non-Cooperation Movement, Iyer wanted to leave his lucrative practice as a lawyer and join the Indian National Congress as a full-time worker. Chittaranjan Das, who was touring South India with Gandhiji, suggested to Iyer that he could continue his legal practice and also involve himself part time in the Indian National Congress, inspiring the youth and more volunteers to join the party. From that day onwards, Iyer managed the twin challenges of being an advocate as well as a political and social activist.

Following the Non-Cooperation Movement, Gandhiji requested volunteers to take part in activities like Khadi promotion, Hindu-Muslim cooperation, Dalit empowerment and the abolishment of alcohol. Volunteers started promoting Khadi cloth in Madurai and Iyer introduced the hand-spinning wheel for making handspun Khadi cloth in Madurai and the villages nearby.

Iyer visited numerous villages, talked to the villagers about Khadi and guided them in the production of Khadi cloth. With the help of young volunteers, he carried Khadi clothes on his own shoulders to boost the sale of Khadi.As a result, in 1924, Madurai district topped the entire state in Khadi manufacture and sales. Despite several hurdles and problems, Iyer carried on the Khadi movement tirelessly.

The then Tamil Nadu Congress leader Dr. S. Varadarajalu Naidu presented the prestigious silver hand-spinning wheel to Madurai district for standing first in the manufacture of Khadi. The credit for this goes mainly to Iyer.

Parallel to the Khadi movement, Iyer spread education and strove to abolish untouchability in Madurai and its neighbouring villages. Iyer fought for the cause even before the formation of the Harijan Sevak Sangh and other such social reformist Institutions.

In December 1929, the annual Indian National Congress Conference was held in Lahore, presided over by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. At this conference, it was decided that attaining complete independence was the primary objective of the party. Following this, talks started between Gandhiji and the British government. Gandhiji requested the British to withdraw the salt laws. The British government rejected his pleas. Hence, Gandhiji decided to conduct the Salt March from Sabarmathi Ashram to Dandi.

Rajaji met Iyer in Madurai to discuss how to implement this decision on the Salt March in the southern region. At the end of the discussion, it was decided that in South India, the march would start from Tiruchirappalli and end at Vedaranyam. It was planned that the preparation of salt would take place at Vedaranyam. The details of the march were planned and finalized by Iyer.

At the end of the Dandi March, Gandhiji was arrested by the British government for breaking the salt law and imprisoned for six years. Despite the hurdles caused by British government, the march in South India started on 13 April 1930 at Tiruchi and ended 15 days later at Vedaranyam. Rajaji, who made salt there, was arrested and put in jail. The British government enforced Section 144 all over India.

As instructed by Rajaji, Iyer did not participate in the procession. Instead, he went along with Rajaji as an observer. After Rajaji’s arrest Iyer and other leaders continued the Salt March ignoring the ban orders (Sec. 144).

While Iyer was addressing a public meeting, the police suddenly entered the place and tried to disperse the crowd. They attacked the crowd with flogger batons. They also attacked Iyer, pushed him off the stage and dragged him for nearly a furlong (about 200 m) on the ground. A little later, those arrested were taken to Tiruchirappalli by lorry and imprisoned for six months. Iyer was released from prison only after the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in 1931.

In 1932, Gandhiji re-started the civil disobedience movement. Following this, Iyer led the anti-liquor campaign and the boycott of foreign goods in Madurai. Iyer bore the expenses incurred for these campaigns out of his own personal earnings.

Gandhiji was arrested and imprisoned. Protesting Gandhiji’s arrest, a public meeting was organized in Madurai. As Iyer was speaking at the meeting, police entered and read out Section 144. Iyer was arrested for condemning the act of the police. The court ordered one year’s imprisonment in Vellore jail and a fine of Rs 500 for Iyer. The police decided to auction his car to recover the fine amount. But nobody from the public came forward to buy Iyer’s car when it was put on auction. This incident is a clear indication of the public’s love and respect for Iyer.

Coming to know that the Congress Committee of Madurai did not have enough funds to continue the civil disobedience protests, Iyer, before leaving for Vellore jail, made arrangements through one of his trustworthy men to sell some of his family jewels to raise funds and continue the protests. But instead of being sold, they were pawned for Rs 7000/-. They were later recovered with Iyer’s personal income.

The economy was bad during the Second World War and it impacted the manufacture of handmade Khadi. Families involved in the business languished in poverty. Iyer used his personal earnings and arranged for food and medical help for the affected families. Iyer continued helping them until their business came back to normalcy.

At the same time, clashes started between Hindus and Muslims in various parts of the country, following the call given by Mohammed Ali Jinnah and his supporters demanding a separate nation for Muslims.

Iyer’s contribution towards Hindu–Muslim unity was extraordinary.

In 1940, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was arrested and jailed in Kashmir. The people of Madurai protested and closed their shops in protest. At that time, due to some rumours spread by mischief-mongers, Hindus and Muslims gathered with weapons at the junction of South Masi Street and West Masi Street. On hearing this, Iyer immediately went to the spot and pleaded with both sides to calm down by falling on the ground with folded hands. The angry crowd slowly calmed down and dispersed. Thus, a major clash was averted by the brave, timely and Gandhian intervention of Iyer.

During the Congress Committee meeting at Pune in 1940, Gandhiji called for individuals to take part in Satyagraha. Iyer led the Satyagraha in Madurai. He selected the volunteers for the Satyagraha and sent them to participate in the protest.

Iyer’s wife Akilandam Ammal too was sent as volunteer. She was arrested and imprisoned for three months in Vellore Jail. On 8 August 1942, Gandhiji announced the ‘Quit India’ Movement at the Indian National Congress public meeting in Bombay. The British government was enraged and jailed Gandhiji and several other leaders. Curfew was imposed all over India.

On hearing this, an incensed Iyer organized a public meeting at Thilakar Ground in Madurai, breaking the curfew. Police lathi-charged and fired at the people. Several lost their lives. Many more were injured. Iyer was arrested for breaking the curfew and for instigating people to protest against the British government. He was sent to the Alipore Jail.

While Iyer was still in jail, his eldest son died. The news reached Iyer two weeks later. Iyer came out on parole and performed the last rites for his eldest son. Before the end of his parole period, Iyer had his elder daughter Sulochana married.

After six months, Iyer was released from Alipore Jail. But he was arrested at the entrance of the jail and taken to Thanjavur Jail and later moved to Vellore Jail. In 1945, as part of a general amnesty, Iyer was released from jail and he continued his occupation as an advocate.

Iyer continuously strove for cooperation between Hindus and Muslims in Madurai district. Like Gandihiji Iyer too did not like the formation of a separate country called Pakistan. However, the country was split into two – India and Pakistan. India attained independence on 15 August 1947. Though the whole country celebrated the occasion, the joy of leaders like Gandhiji and Iyer was tinged with sorrow at the division of the country.

 

Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple Entry

Apart from Iyer’s involvement in the freedom struggle, the temple entry movement conducted by Iyer was the epitome of his contributions towards social harmony and the rights of Dalits.

In 1932, Gandhiji and Dr. Ambedkar signed the Pune Pact. As per the pact, conferences and public meetings were conducted all over the country for the rights of Dalits. At the same time, the King of Travancore wanted to abolish untouchability and he announced that from 12 November 1935 onwards, every Dalit would be able to enter all Hindu temples within his kingdom. Following this, Dalits entered the temples without fear and worshipped God. On hearing the news that untouchability had been abolished in Travancore, Iyer felt happy and motivated. He started conducting many public meetings and conferences for temple entry all over Tamil Nadu.

Along with Iyer, M.N.R. Subburaman, Dr. G. Ramachandran, Somasundarabharathy, Manakkal Pattabiramaiyer, Cholavandan Chinnasamy Pillai and Mattaparai Venkatrama Iyer, among others, worked hard for the temple entry movement in Madurai.

In June 1939, during the temple entry conference held in Madurai, Iyer announced that temple entry would definitely happen. After that, conferences were conducted for and against temple entry all over Madurai for a whole month. The members of the Meenakshi Amman Temple Trust and its chairman R.S. Naidu supported this reform.

On 8 July 8 1939 a historic event took place. On that day, Iyer went to Meenakshi Amman temple with a group of Dalits and members of other castes. At the entrance to the temple, they were honored by R. S. Naidu, who had made proper arrangements for them to worship the main deity of the temple. After this, Iyer announced that temple entry for Dalits had happened successfully.

On hearing the news, the Brahmin community, under the leadership of Natesa Iyer, announced that Iyer and his family were no longer part of their community. Natesa Iyer also announced that Goddess Meenakshi was no longer in the temple. He placed an idol of Meenakshi Amman in front of his house for public worship.

Rajaji was then the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He thought that the temple entry movement would create a revolution in society. In September 1939, he had the bill for temple entry passed in the Legislative Assembly and it became law.

Following the Meenakshi Amman temple, temple entry took place in the Azhagar temple and the Thiruparankuntram, Thiruvarangam, Pazhani and Srivilliputhoor temples before December 1939. Rajaji supported Iyer to a great extent to make the temple entry movement a great success.

Temple entry movement was one of the great reforms instrumental in abolishing untouchability, and Iyer’s contribution towards this is highly laudable as he fought against several odds to achieve this.

 

Contribution as Member of TN Legislative Assembly

In 1946, due to compulsion from Gandhiji, Sardar Patel and Rajaji, Iyer contested and won the Legislative Assembly election from Madurai – Melur constituency. Iyer was not fond of political posts; he later refused an offer to become a minister in the Tamil Nadu government.

Iyer’s speeches in the Legislative Assembly were keenly noted for the appropriate legal points he referred to. His brilliant and excellent thoughts on the temple entry movement, welfare of Dalits, new government policies, education and women’s welfare and constitution bills reflected his honesty and his interest in people’s welfare. His amendments to various bills were very often accepted in the Legislative Assembly.

Iyer did much good work as the chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Harijan Sevak Sangh. His speeches on the report submitted by the Harijan Upliftment Committee drew the attention of everyone.

The commendable speeches made by Iyer in the Madras Legislative Assembly were compiled by Professor P. S. Chandraprabu and released as a book titled “Voice of a Great Soul” by Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai.

 

Hospitality and Helpful Attitude

In those days, with no proper guesthouses, whenever Congress leaders visited Madurai, they would stay in Vaidyanatha Iyer’s house.

Leaders like Babu Rajendra Prasad, Vallabhbhai Patel, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, Madan Mohan Malaviya and Jamanlal Bajaj used to stay at his home during their visits to Madurai.

When the freedom fighter barrister George Joseph was released from prison, there was no one to welcome him. On hearing this, Vaidyanatha Iyer rushed to welcome him and brought him home. He gave him Khadi clothes to wear and also arranged for his travel to Kerala.

When Durgabai (later Durgabai Deshmukh) was released from prison, Iyer welcomed her home and took good care of her. He gave her Khadi clothes and helped her to travel to her native place.

During floods in Vaigai River and when fire broke out in Thaikal, Iyer and his volunteers rushed to the spot and undertook all necessary relief measures.

When a Nationalist volunteer named Karupaiyaa Bharathi was murdered, Iyer collected funds from the villagers and bought a house for Karupaiyaa’s mother and for his brother’s family.

Iyer protected EVR Periyar

Dravidar Kazhagam conducted a conference on the northern bank of the River Vaigai in 1946. Some followers of Dravidar Kazhagam entered Meenakshi Amman temple and made negative remarks about the idols there. This provoked the people of Madurai and they chased away the Dravidar Kazhagam volunteers up to the entrance of the conference and set fire to the thatched venue. They also surrounded the Dravidar Kazhagam leader EVR Periyar at Shenoy Nagar, where he was stationed. The situation became tense, and the police could not control the angry mob. On hearing this, Iyer rushed to the spot, pacified the public and arranged for the safe travel of EVR Periyar and other Dravidar Kazhagam leaders.

 

Touching People’s Lives

Iyer was married at the age of 18. His wife Akilandam was 9 years old then. The couple did not have children for 12 years. Young Iyer, who was thriving professionally at that time, was put under pressure by several people to re-marry. Some relatives offered their daughters in marriage. But Iyer was clear in his stance: “After marriage, the only support for a woman is her husband. Whatever the problem be, it is the duty of the husband not to abandon his wife till the end”.

By the grace of the God, they later had three sons named Sundarrajan, Sankaran and Sadasivam and two daughters named Sulochana and Savithri.

Iyer always thought that disagreements between parents and children disturb the harmonious life of young couples. He believed that patience is a virtue and eventually, when children / grandchildren arrived, the bonding would happen.

Vaidyanatha Iyer used to give advice with examples and provide guidelines to couples to lead a life without disputes. He helped o several families through his able counselling.

As soon as Iyer started earning, he made arrangements to provide educational help, especially books, to poor students. He often tearfully acknowledged the pain and helplessness of the bright and eager students who could not afford to go to school.

Khadi was a passion with Iyer. If people expressed their desire to wear Khadi clothes but could not afford it, Iyer would send a slip to the Khadi Shop to provide them with clothes at his expense.

Service to the people of his constituency

From 1946 till 1951, Vaidyanatha Iyer served the people as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Melur constituency. He fulfilled the basic needs of the people and established several Public Health Centres to combat the frequent occurrences of plague and cholera. He built educational institutions in several villages. He also had wells dug to deal with the water scarcity problem all over his constituency.

When Melur constituency was hit by a severe drought, Iyer deployed several huge water pumps to bring in water from Thekkady Dam to the Vaigai river. He thus saved thousands of acres of agricultural crops and the lives of thousands of cattle. These incidents earned him the love and respect of the people of his constituency.

Iyer heard the grievances of the people and resolved them as soon as possible. Whenever Iyer had time, he would visit villages to understand the grievances of the people. He was a simple man and got along well with people. Due to this, Iyer had great influence over the common people.

In Melur constituency, Iyer’s words were treated as final. Iyer’s thoughts on all kinds of issues were accepted unanimously. The people of the constituency worshipped him for his social service.

 

Last Days

Iyer devoted himself entirely to the freedom movement and served socially depressed people and the people of his constituency to his fullest without caring for his own health. He did not contest in the next election conducted in 1952 due to his deteriorating health. But ignoring his physical debility he continued his hectic public life. Hence, in his last days, even the best of medical intervention could not save him.

Iyer passed away on February 23rd of 1955.

After Iyer, socially depressed classes of Madurai became directionless about their future. Unable to bear the loss of Iyer, his best friends like Rajaji and other Congress leaders shed tears. The people of Madurai and also other parts of Tamil Nadu were dismayed by the news and congregated in Madurai to attend the funeral. Shops were closed, public transport was stopped and the whole city mourned his death.

Vaidyanatha Iyer served society in many dimensions as a selfless martyr, a braveheart, a humanitarian gentleman, a very great patriot, a true Gandhian, a protector of socially depressed classes and a reformer of Indian Society. He was a role model to the youth as a leader who served selflessly and enriched the lives of other people.

 

Homage to Vaidyanatha Iyer

A postage stamp was released by the Government of India on 9 December 1999 in memory of his active participation in the Indian Independence Movement, his involvement in empowering Dalits and his service to society.

The Tamil Nadu Harijan Sevak Sangh published the biography of Vaidyanatha Iyer as a book titled “Harijana Thanthai Amarar Vaidyanatha Iyerin Vazhkai Varalaaru (Biography of the Immortal Vaidyanatha Iyer, Father to all Harijans)”. The book was written by Professor P. S. Chandraprabhu in 1991. A new edition of the book has been brought out in March 2012.

A Street in Madurai is named after Vaidyanatha Iyer, so that he will remain forever in the hearts of the people of Madurai.

Every year, on Iyer’s death anniversary (February 23), people pay their respect to him by garlanding his statue. Every year on the anniversary day, respects are paid to his memory at Chennai Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya School and Madurai ‘Sevalayam’, which was started by Iyer in 1932 to serve Harijans.