History – Page 2 – Global Records India

O7 Nov – Indian Army’s first air-land battle that saved the Kashmir Valley

Seventy-five years ago on this day, the newly-Independent India’s army fought its first big, combined arms battle, aided by air power, which not only thwarted for good the Pakistan-backed tribal invaders’ threat to Srinagar, but secured almost the entire Kashmir Valley from their danger.

Behind this victory was not only a canny commander, who braved his superiors’ ire in taking a major gamble, but feats of many other intrepid soldiers too.

A fortnight after the tribal invasion of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, the situation was still fluid. The brave rearguard action of the state forces’ Chief of Staff, Brig Rajinder Singh Jamwal, and his small band had delayed the raiders’ advance and bought time for the long-delayed accession, and Lt Col Dewan Rajit Rai, who led the first Indian Army formation into the Valley, not only secured the Badgam airstrip but by an intrepid advance, spooked the enemy and stopped his advance for the time being.

Then, as more Indian soldiers began pouring in, Major Somnath Sharma on November 3 showed exemplary courage in beating back a bigger enemy force, seeking to take control over the airstrip.

All the three soldiers made the supreme sacrifice in their endeavours – but the enemy was still present in strength in the Kashmir Valley, while areas in Jammu region and Ladakh were also under threat.

It was early in November, when (then) Brig Lionel Protip ‘Bogey’ Sen, who had taken over control of the 161 Brigade, that small skirmishes against the dispersed raiders would only dissipate his limited strength and they had to be brought to a decisive battle.

What he wanted to do was to bring them together and his hunch was that this would only happen once a tempting lure was dangled in front of them – an open road to Srinagar so they could roll in as a motorised convoy, which was all the better for the loot they sought. For this, he had to withdraw the redoubtable 1 Sikh – the late Lt Col Rai’s battalion – which was ensconced at Patan on the Srinagar-Baramula road.

However, this decision created a storm, as Brig Sen recalled in his memoirs (“Slender Was the Thread”). Not only did his commanding officer, the capable and irascible Maj Gen Kulwant Singh (Datta), storm in the very next day (November 5) and raised hell – ordering him to furnish three copies of a statement that he had taken the decision on his own authority, D.P. Dhar of the National Conference was also sent to Delhi to convince Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to replace him.

However, Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel, who had gone to Srinagar, was briefed by Brig Sen, and given him a clear order to save Srinagar at all costs, stood against this and ensured he stayed in command.

Brig Sen noted that his plan seemed to be working. Following the withdrawal of 1 Sikh to the outskirts of Srinagar, the penny packets of the raiders started to head back to Baramulla to regroup and mount a concerted attack. Meanwhile, fortune smiled on the Indian commander.

As he was planning the disposition of his meagre forces, basically three battalions (1 Sikh, 1 Punjab and 1 Kumaon, out of which 1 Punjab could not be removed from its defensive position), augmented by some National Conference workers, who carried out intelligence and reconnaissance operations at the risk of their lives, an Armoured Corps officer suddenly walked into his operation room.

Maj Inderjit Rikhye said that he had been leading the reinforcement convoy coming by road from Jammu with his squadron of armoured cars from 7 Cavalry but as the condition of the bridge at Ramban was tricky, he had left his force to reinforce it, while he made haste to come to Srinagar with just one troop (four armoured cars) and one rifle troop.

This was a godsend – and though just two of the armoured cars were working, with the other two needing refurbishment, they and the rifle troop were planned to be sent behind the enemy lines – as the battle planned for November 10 too had to be advanced due to the tribals’ regathering and movement.

This step was not easy – Lt Noel David, who was commanding the detachment, reported that at one place the only way to cross a stream was by means of a narrow wooden bridge, which didn’t appear to be able to support the cars’ weight. However, in five minutes, he reported that they could cross if the side railings were knocked off, and he would take the chance.

His men proceeded to do so, and even after this it was found that the bridge had just a leeway of two inches either side for the armoured cars – which needed skillful and precise driving. The dogged Lt David persevered and slowly manoeuvered both the cars across and after an anxious 20 minutes, reported that he had succeeded “but would never like to try doing it again”.

By November 7 morning, the cars and the rifle troop (fortunately the Jat squadron, not the Sikh squadron) were among the enemy in the village of Shalateng, and taken to be reinforcements from Pakistan. As soon as they were in position, Brig Sen ordered 1 Sikh to advance and hit the enemy hard. As they did, 1 Kumaon made a flank attack, Lt David’s men opened fire from their rear, and a company of 4 Kumaon on the other attack. The Air Force also carried out some effective strafing.

Attacked from three sides and above, it was a total debacle for the tribals.

“The Battle of Shalateng had been won in twenty minutes from the word GO. It was a major disaster for the tribesmen. Apart from leaving 472 dead on the battlefield and a further 146 in-between Shalateng and Baramula, they had to abandon 138 civilian buses and load carriers which had transported them from the NWFP almost to the gates of Srinagar. Scattered all over the Shalateng area were a large number of weapons…” Brig Sen wrote in his memoirs.

The Indian Army did not rest on its laurels but pursued the enemy through the night, and by the next morning (November 8), had retaken an abandoned and devastated Baramula, and then pushed forward to Uri. While some surviving tribesmen in heights above Uri would remain an irritant for sometime, and desperate struggles would rage in the high areas of Jammu region and the icy wastes of Ladakh for the rest of the year and the following year, and Pakistan would formally join the conflict next year, there would be no threat to the Kashmir Valley.

ianslive.in /daijiworld.com

National Unity Day: HM leads birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Patel in Delhi

The celebration will also include the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge ceremony near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in New Delhi.

Union home minister Amit Shah will on Monday participate in the ‘Tribute to Sardar Vallabhai Patel’ programme to mark the 147th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in New Delhi, also observed as the National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.

Shah will flag off the ‘Run for Unity’ marathon from the national stadium where around 8,000 people are expected to participate. The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory citing alternate routes and diversions from 6:45 am to 9 am to ensure safety for the participants of the marathon.

Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan will lead the ‘Run for Unity’ from Delhi University. DU vice-chancellor professor Yogesh Singh, along with principals, teachers, senior officials, administrative staff and students of CBSE schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya will also participate.

The celebration will also include the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge ceremony near the Mahatma Gandhi statue and an address by Pradhan. Special exhibits on the life of Sardar Patel will be displayed at Jawahar Park.

Shah has written to all states asking them to organise 75,000 unity runs – 100 in each of the country’s 750 districts.

As part of the celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kevadia in Gujarat to pay homage to Sardar Patel at the Statue of Unity, participate in the Ekta Diwas parade and later address civil service trainees of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.

Golden jubilee of Dhauligiri peace pagoda

The stupa was built jointly in 1972 by the Japan Buddha Sangh and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangh

Hundreds of monks from across the globe thronged the famous Dhauligiri Shanti Stupa Pagoda, a symbol of peace associated with the Buddhist culture, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar to mark the golden jubilee celebration of the monument on Friday.

The dome-shaped stupa atop the Dhauli hill on the banks of river Daya, about 10km from here, recalls the famous Kalinga war and the transformation of king Ashoka from a tyrant into a benevolent monarch. However, the monument remained neglected by the authorities for a long time.

The stupa was built jointly in 1972 by the Japan Buddha Sangh and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangh. It was constructed under the supervision of the chief priest of Nipponzan Myohoji, Nichidatsu Fuji Guruji of Japan, who came to India in the early part of 1930s from Mt. Minobu in Japan, the original holy place of the Nichiren Sect. In late 1960s, he was requested by the Buddhist monks to set up a stupa here. Following a request from Buddhist monks, the Odisha government also agreed to provide land for the monument. He stayed at the Dhauli hill, which was revered by Buddhists because of the legend that king Ashoka had converted to Buddhism in the wake of Kalinga war here.

Here Emperor Ashoka is believed to have renounced violence after watching the bloodshed in the battle of Kalinga fought in the foothills of Dhauli and adopted non-violence after converting into the Buddhist faith.

The famous Ashokan edicts enshrining his decrees for the welfare of people and even animals within his empire are still treasured at a site close to the base of Dhauli hill. The pagoda on the hilltop is adorned by the statues of the reclining Buddha, an elephant procession, the Bodhi tree, and footprints of Buddha bearing the chakra (wheel).

Taking part in the celebrations, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said: “Let us work together to spread the message of peace and create a safer world for our future generation.”

Delving into the glorious history of Odisha, he said that the state’s history starts with Dhauli and the Kalinga war. Although the war ended with massive bloodshed, Dhauli continues to sing about the moral victory of the entire humanity. “It is this place where Ashoka realised the futility of war and bloodshed and embraced Buddhism. In fact, Dhauli changed the course of world history by spreading the message of global peace and harmony,” Naveen said.

Stating that Dhauli Peace Pagoda is a great creation of modern architecture, Naveen said: “It bears testimony of Indo-Japanese friendship that stands for global peace and mutual cooperation. The place will continue to spread the message of peace for all the time to come.”

Offering tributes to Fuji Guruji, he said: “On the eve of this momentous occasion, I offer my sincere tributes to most revered Nichidatsu Fuji Guruji of Japan, Founder and Preceptor of Nipponzan Myohoji, for his invaluable contribution in building this “Biswa Shanti Stupa” at Dhauli. Further, the steps taken by Kalinga-Nippon Buddha Sangha to make it happen is also appreciated.”

Naveen also announced the construction of instream storage on the Daya. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 95 crore.

Ponniyin Selvan puts identity and history of Cholas at centre of primetime debates

A new week, a new controversy centred on Hinduism has erupted. The latest victim of heated debates on primetime television is famous filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s latest movie Ponniyin Selvan — 1, the film adaptation of Kalki’s revered historical fiction novel.

The film itself has put a smile on the faces of everyone associated with it, on account of its remarkable success, having collected almost Rs 350 crore globally. It has been appreciated for its economical writing, striking performances, and above all, for achieving the impossible task of condensing Kalki’s novel of five volumes — which, marrying history and fiction, presents a compelling story about the rise of Raja Raja Cholan/Arunmozhi Varman (played by Jayam Ravi).

Considered South India’s most powerful king, Raja Raja Cholan is revered for his able administration, striking territorial expansions, and the creation of timeless temple architecture — including the famous Brihadheeswara Temple in Thanjavur.

It’s the identity of this king that has now come into question a thousand years after his lifetime — his 29-year reign having ended with his demise in 1014 AD, coincidentally, exactly one millennium before political colours changed in contemporary India. That seeps into the way primetime anchors, political personalities and social media influencers are setting up a heated discourse around him centering on one question: whether Raja Raja Cholan was a Hindu.

Those on the right are celebrating him for being a ‘Hindu’ king — no doubt, ascribing to him present definitions of ‘Hinduness’. And notable personalities from Tamil Nadu, including Kamal Haasan and Vetrimaaran, have weighed in on the side of a historically more nuanced argument: that the notion of ‘Hinduism’, as defined today in an all-pervading sense, did not exist during the king’s time and that those who are projecting that idea backwards are falling prey to the fallacy of presentism. A more accurate label, they say, would be Shaivism — the worship of Shiva — which has an ancient and robust non-Vedic lineage in Tamil lands.

With the resistance to the ‘Hinduism’ label seeming to be a response to perceived ‘saffronisation’, it is a difficult debate to settle — and an unfortunate one to envelop a film in. But there is a history to this: a few years ago, a furore erupted over the religious identity of Tamil poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar after he was depicted in saffron robes in a tweet by the BJP state unit. Some see a systematic politicisation here. Others are offended by the resistance to it. Everything, it seems, depends on where you stand in the political spectrum. In this post-truth era, there are no facts — only beliefs that strengthen your worldview and solidify your identity.

Loving documentary of fabled good time

Ponniyin Selvan 1 is a loving documentation of a fabled time when the rivers in our land ran full, when the earth had not been plundered. There are lessons to be learned from how life was lived then, and yet, it is a marker of our times that a film intended to celebrate a glorious period in our history has instead resulted in squabbles over an identity nuance the film doesn’t exactly concern itself with.

Was Raja Raja Chola a Hindu? Was he a Shaivite? Will they even care after the next big release?

nie

New memorial to Indian Army soldiers who died in Scotland unveiled

Nine soldiers from the Indian Army’s Force K6 died in the area after fighting with the British in World War I and II.

A memorial has been unveiled to commemorate a band of war heroes who served with the Indian Army and perished in the Scottish Highlands.

Nine soldiers were buried at a cemetery in Kingussie. The new monument stands prominently in the centre of the town.

People came from all corners of the UK for a pilgrimage to honour the men.

The Indian Army’s Force K6 was a transport unit that used mules to deliver vital supplies to frontline troops. It was despatched to various UK destinations.

The nine soldiers who died during training in the Cairngorms are remembered on the new stone-built tribute.

Among those attending the unveiling was 99-year-old Isobel Harling from Kingussie who had served in the Navy.

news.stv.tv /21.09.2022

SD Burman’s abandoned palatial home in Bangladesh to be converted into cultural complex

Legendary musician and composer Sachin Dev Burman’s palatial home in Cumilla district of Bangladesh is all set to be transformed into a cultural complex, with the Sheikh Hasina government having sanctioned Taka 1.10 crore (Rs 86 lakh) for the project.

Dev Burman, born in 1906, spent the first 18 years of his life in this South Chartha village rajbari (palace) in Cumilla, said Golam Faruk, an advocate and a prolific writer who edited a 596-page book on the musician.

“His musical talent was honed under the supervision of his father, who was a sitarist. Dev Burman completed his schooling from Cumilla Zilla School and graduated from Victoria Government College in 1924,” Faruk, also a historian, said.

His father, a descendant of Tripura royal family, had moved to Cumilla to look after the princely estates.

The palace, where the music maestro was born and raised, was listed as a protected monument on Nov 30, 2017, officials in Bangladesh said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had visited Agartala to attend the convocation of Tripura University in 2012 and assured a delegation of writers and cultural activists there that the house would be preserved and converted into a cultural centre and museum, the officials said.

READ HERE | Tripura’s Pushpabanta Palace to be turned into museum celebrating royal history, Tagore links

In May 2017, Hasina had visited Cumilla to attend the 116th birth anniversary of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and laid the foundation stones of seven projects, one of which was for the ‘Sachin Dev Burman Cultural Complex’, they said.

Faruk pointed out that the palace was built on seven acres of land, but a major part of it was encroached upon, over the years, as it lay abandoned.

“Cumilla MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar, however, was able to vacate the land to a considerable extent with the help of the district administration,” he told PTI.

The MP, when approached, underlined that the government sanctioned Taka 1.10 crore for building the complex.

The district collector of Cumilla, Md Kamrul Hasan, said the administration was waiting to hand over the house to the archaeology department, have completed all repair work.

“The restoration work was completed long ago. Since the site is yet to be taken over by the archaeology department, the district administration is still looking after it. Two staff members of the district administration and the archaeology department are currently taking care of the house,” he told PTI.

Faruk, also a ‘mukti joddha’ (freedom fighter), said, “Many geniuses, including renowned Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, had visited Dev Burman’s house and played music with him.”

An official said on the condition of anonymity that the abandoned house was used as a military warehouse during the Pakistan regime.

After the warehouse was removed, part of the house was converted into a poultry farm, and since then, the place was known as ‘Cumilla poultry farm’, he said.

“Former cultural affairs minister and theatre personality Asaduzzaman Nur had earlier announced that a complex would be built around the house with a floating stage in the pond. A music library was also part of the plan. The poultry farm will have to be done away with,” he added.

Dev Burman, popularly known as ‘sachin karta’, lived in Cumilla until 1924, said Faruk.

“He left for Kolkata that year to pursue higher education and then later to Mumbai in 1944. Those of the Dev Burman family, who lived in the Cumilla house, migrated to India after 1947,” Faruk added.

Dev Burman’s first major breakthrough in Mumbai came in 1947 with ‘Do Bhai’.

He went on to compose music for several epic Hindi films including ‘Pyaasa’, ‘Kagaaz ke Phool’, ‘Guide’, ‘Abhimaan’ and ‘Mili’.

He also sang songs in semi-classical and folk styles of Bengal.

The maestro was conferred Padma Shri in 1969 for his contribution to music.

nie

Fearless woman warrior of Telangana Peasants’ Armed Struggle remembered

Rich tributes were paid to Chakali Ilamma, the brave warrior of the historic Telangana Peasants’ Armed Struggle (1946-51) on the occasion of her 127th birth anniversary at various places in the old undivided Karimnagar district on Monday.

Karimnagar Zilla Parishad chairperson K. Vijaya, Collector R. V. Karnan and a host of elected representatives of the local bodies and officials garlanded the statue of Ilamma on the Collectorate Road in Karimnagar.

People from various walks of life paid floral tributes to the fearless warrior, who spearheaded a valiant armed struggle against feudal oppression and exploitation in the erstwhile Hyderabad State during the autocratic Nizam rule.

They praised the inspiring leadership of Ilamma, who led the peasants’ armed struggle against the cruel feudal oppression with remarkable courage and grit.

In Hanamkonda, Panchayat Raj Minister E. Dayakar Rao, Government Chief Whip D. Vinay Bhaskar and others garlanded the statue of Ilamma at Hunter Road in the city.

Similar programmes were held in the old undivided Warangal, Khammam, Adilabad and other districts in honour of the legendary woman warrior.

Film on India’s role in Battle of Haifa in the works, will be shot in real locations across Israel

A feature film on Battle of Haifa, considered to be the “last great cavalry campaign in history”, is being developed by Indian production banners Golden Ratio Films (GRF), Yaelstar Films and Hundred Films.

The project was announced as part of Haifa Day, marked by the Indian Army every year to pay respect to the three Indian Cavalry Regiments – Mysore, Hyderabad and Jodhpur Lancers – that helped liberate the Israeli coastal city Haifa following cavalry action by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.

The film, billed as a fast-paced war drama, will be co-produced by GRF, a digital content production of Vistas Media Capital; Yaelstar and Hundred Films. The makers are planning to rope in a global team for the project.

Captain Aman Singh Bahadur and Dafadar Jor Singh were awarded the Indian Order of Merit (IOM) and Captain Anop Singh and 2nd Lt Sagat Singh were awarded the Military Cross (MC) as recognition for their bravery in this battle.

Major Dalpat Singh, widely popular as the Hero of Haifa, was awarded a military cross for his bravery.

Indian cavalry regiments armed with just spears and swords had displayed the highest tradition of valour and cleared the enemy from the rocky slopes of Mt. Carmel.

Addressing the gathering at the Indian cemetery in Haifa, India’s Ambassador to Israel, Sanjeev Singla, described the daring cavalry charge as probably one of the last classical cavalry actions before the battlefields were transformed fully by modern warfare .

Singla also highlighted that the Teen Murti Memorial erected to commemorate this historic deed was renamed the Teen Murti- Haifa Chowk in recognition of this battle and as an affirmation of the historical link between India and Israel .

This cemetery and the Indian soldiers who fell here are one of many historical connections that India has to this land… As time passes it is important that their tales, courage and sacrifice remain a living memory,” he said.

The Mayor of Haifa, Dr Einat Kalisch Rotem, recalled how brave Indian cavalry men stormed with spears and rifles a well fortified Turkish cannon positions and subdued them .

The story of the battle and it’s legacy constitute an important chapter in Haifa’s history. The Heroes of Haifa left us with a historical and heroic legacy and the residents of the city salute them for it , Rotem said.

Haifa municipality, along with the Indian mission in Israel, have been organising an event every year to pay tributes to the Indian soldiers since 2010.

The Indian film producers have been doing preliminary recce for the film in the country. They have met officials at various Israeli ministries who have “encouraged the production and invited them to shoot the film at actual locations in Israel, where the battle went down”.

The team released a poster of the proposed project in Haifa soon after attending a ceremony to pay respects to the Indian soldiers.

” Heroes of Haifa’ is a story about the courageous feat of Indian soldiers that the world needs to know. The heroic deed played a significant role in shaping the history of the region. It somehow has remained suppressed and not yet completely become the part of living memory it so well deserves , Piiyush Singh, the co-founder and group COO of Vistas Media Capital, told PTI.

We are honoured to make a film with such an exceptional storyline. After a lot of research on the minute details and considering the nuances of battle we are able to pin down this incredible narrative which the world should be aware of,” Atul Pandey, co-founder of Hundred Films, added.

Following the meeting with the movie producers, the Israel Foreign Ministry in a tweet said it was a fruitful discussion on Indo-Israel films and media collaborations.

“Joint projects like this will help strengthen the close ties between the 2 countries as we celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations,” the post read.

The Mayor of Haifa assured the filmmakers of full support from the authorities.

“I’m positive that the movie will show proudly our beautiful city and its importance in the history of India. This large-scale production will showcase Haifa to millions of viewers, not only from India but from other countries, and will bring the city thousands of new tourists, she said.

About 900 Indian soldiers are interred in cemeteries across Israel in Jerusalem, Ramle and Haifa.

History textbooks in Haifa teach about the story of liberation of Haifa by Indian soldiers from class 3 to 5. The Haifa Historical Society has also been going around to schools in the city telling the story of liberation of Haifa to youngsters over the last decade.

In a symbolic gesture of friendship with Israel, India renamed the iconic Teen Murti Chowk, a war memorial, during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Delhi in January 2018 to Teen Murti Haifa Chowk.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Haifa cemetery during his visit to Israel in July 2017 and unveiled a plaque commemorating Major Dalpat Singh for his critical role in the liberation of the city.

The Israel Post had issued a commemorative stamp in 2018 in appreciation of Indian soldiers’ role in liberating the city.

Kodi Kaatha Kumaran, the man who held the flag aloft

A weaver from Tiruppur left his mark in the Freedom Movement’s history as the one who protected the Tricolour’s honour

Chennimalai Kumarasamy lived only for 27 years but carved a unique place for himself in the history of the Indian National Movement. He was born on October 4, 1904 to Nachimuthu Mudaliyar and Karupayi Ammal as the fourth of seven children in a family of weavers near Erode. He had to drop out of school after Class V because of his family situation.

At the age of 10, Kumarasamy moved to his maternal uncle’s house in Pallipalayam and started practising weaving to support his family. After two years, he returned to Chennimalai and started his own handloom business. The relentless struggle to earn money to support his family forced him to move to Tiruppur — today’s knitwear city, then the abode of cotton — in 1922, working in a cotton mill. Kumarasamy, thereafter, was fondly referred to as ‘Tiruppur’ Kumaran, a moniker that stuck with the young freedom fighter.

P.D. Sivanandham, a resident of Lingai Gounder Street, Tiruppur, whose father was the foster son of Kumaran and his wife Ramayi Ammal, recalls hearing a lot of stories about the freedom fighter from his grandmother. He recalled Ramayi Ammal, saying she was a 14-year-old when she married Kumaran, who was then 19.

It was in Tiruppur he began wearing khadi and the Gandhi cap. He would often recite the couplets from Tirukkural and verses of Thiruvasagam while at work. He worked tirelessly during the day to support his family and was dedicatedly involved in the activities of the Desabandhu Youth Association.

It was on March 19, 1925, during a meeting with Mahatma Gandhi for the first time at the house of freedom fighter Padmavathy Asher, that he became involved with the quest for freedom. From then, Kumaran became an ardent follower of Gandhi and his principles of Satyagraha. He developed a strong sense of belief in truth, morality, fearlessness and sacrifice.

When Gandhi took out the Dandi March in 1930 to break the Salt Law, Kumaran wanted to join the procession in the erstwhile Madras presidency, led by Rajaji (C. Rajagopalachari) in Vedaranyam. Following opposition from his parents, Kumaran went on a hunger strike for the whole day in Tiruppur as a mark of solidarity.

The fateful day

On January 4, 1932, Gandhi was arrested and imprisoned at Yerawada Central Jail in Pune after he announced the resumption of the Civil Disobedience Movement against the British government. Opposing this, the Desabandhu Youth Association, led by Kumaran, went for a peaceful procession starting from ‘Mangala Vilas’, the residence of a freedom fighter. They carried the Tricolour flag of the Nationalists along the banks of the Noyyal in Tiruppur on January 10, 1932.

When the nine-member procession crossed the police station, the police disrupted the peaceful march with a lathi charge and brutally assaulted them. The protesters did not give up and continued to raise slogans, hailing the National Movement and Gandhi. The police knocked them down in which Kumaran suffered severe injuries to his head.

However, Kumaran did not let go of the Nationalist flag, which was banned by the British, even during the brutal attack to protect its honour. He fell unconscious and was taken to the Tiruppur General Hospital, where the 27-year-old heroic satyagrahi died on January 11, 1932. Kumaran was revered as a true satyagrahi for holding the flag even during his death, for which he came to be known as ‘Kodi Kaatha Kumaran’ (the one who saved the flag).

To honour Kumaran’s contributions, a memorial was opened adjacent to the entrance gate of the Tiruppur railway station in 1957, during the centenary year of freedom struggle. The Information and Public Relations Department maintains the memorial that houses a bust and a monument of Kumaran. Photographs of freedom fighters from Tiruppur are also exhibited at the memorial.

As a tribute, the Government of India released a postal stamp in 2004, on the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary. A memorial pillar stands at the place where Kumaran was beaten by the British police.

As India gears up to celebrate the 75th year of Independence, N. Nirmal Raj, nephew of Sivanandham, appeals to the Union government to give Kumaran’s name to the Tiruppur Railway Station on the same lines as Vanchi Maniyachi Junction, remembering the Indian revolutionary Vanchinathan.

Dravidian language family is 4,500 years old: study

The Dravidian language family’s four largest languages — Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu — have literary traditions spanning centuries, of which Tamil reaches back the furthest, researchers said.

The Dravidian language family, consisting of 80 varieties spoken by nearly 220 million people across southern and central India, originated about 4,500 years ago, a study has found.

This estimate is based on new linguistic analyses by an international team, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany, and the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun.

The researchers used data collected first-hand from native speakers representing all previously reported Dravidian subgroups. The findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science , match with earlier linguistic and archaeological studies.

South Asia, reaching from Afghanistan in the west and Bangladesh in the east, is home to at least six hundred languages belonging to six large language families, including Dravidian, Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan.

The Dravidian language family, consisting of about 80 language varieties (both languages and dialects) is today spoken by about 220 million people, mostly in southern and central India, and surrounding countries.

Along with Sanskrit, Tamil is one of the world’s classical languages, but unlike Sanskrit, there is continuity between its classical and modern forms documented in inscriptions, poems, and secular and religious texts and songs, they said.

“The study of the Dravidian languages is crucial for understanding prehistory in Eurasia, as they played a significant role in influencing other language groups,” said Annemarie Verkerk of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

Neither the geographical origin of the Dravidian language nor its exact dispersal through time is known with certainty.

The consensus of the research community is that the Dravidians are natives of the Indian subcontinent and were present prior to the arrival of the Indo-Aryans (Indo-European speakers) in India around 3,500 years ago.

Researchers said that it is likely that the Dravidian languages were much more widespread to the west in the past than they are today.

In order to examine questions about when and where the Dravidian languages developed, they made a detailed investigation of the historical relationships of 20 Dravidian varieties.

Study author Vishnupriya Kolipakam of the Wildlife Institute of India collected contemporary first-hand data from native speakers of a diverse sample of Dravidian languages, representing all the previously reported subgroups of Dravidian.

The researchers used advanced statistical methods to infer the age and sub-grouping of the Dravidian language family at about 4,000-4,500 years old.

This estimate, while in line with suggestions from previous linguistic studies, is a more robust result because it was found consistently in the majority of the different statistical models of evolution tested in this study.

This age also matches well with inferences from archaeology, which have previously placed the diversification of Dravidian into North, Central, and South branches at exactly this age, coinciding with the beginnings of cultural developments evident in the archaeological record.