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V. A. Sundaram
Vellalore Annaswamy Sundaram (2 February 1896 – 11 March 1967) was an activist in the Indian Independence movement, an associate of Mahatma Gandhi, a confidant of Madan Mohan Malaviya, and a fundraiser and secretary to the Benares Hindu University (BHU). His work focused on communication and public relations, with particular emphasis on an international and intercultural perspective.
His personal theme in life was an appreciation of beauty, on a sensual level as well as in broader, ethical and spiritual terms.
Sundaram was born in the South Indian city of Coimbatore to a family of orthodox Tamil Brahmins tracing their ancestry back to the 16th century Sanskrit scholar Appayya Dikshita. Sundaram's father Annaswamy Iyer, an advocate, hailed from the nearby village of Vellalore and, as customary in Tamil Nadu, Sundaram's name included the place of origin and the father's name (hence Vellalore Annaswamy or V. A. Sundaram).
Sundaram took an early interest in literature and poetry, and developed a passion for the English language. After completing high school he enrolled in the renowned Pachaiyappa's College in Madras to study English literature. Halfway through his studies, he was captivated by the ideas of the Indian Independence movement and attended a meeting of the Indian National Congress for the first time in December 1914 in Madras.
When Sundaram heard Gandhi delivering a speech in Madras in April 1915, he instantly decided to give up his studies and to follow Gandhi as a disciple. Impressed by the 19-year-old's fervour, Gandhi took him along to Ahmedabad, where Sundaram was to become one of the first inmates of Gandhi's newly founded Sabarmati Ashram. Gandhi's ashram discipline and dietary regime, however, proved too hard for Sundaram and, suffering from malnutrition, he left after 9 months.
Based at Coimbatore and Madras, Sundaram began implementing Gandhi's concept of village development, introducing weaving and spinning activities at Vellalore. Gandhi employed him as a regional worker for various activities in the South. Gandhi's Circular letter of October 1919, calling for a nationwide hartal with reference to the Khilafat movement was addressed to 28 of India's leading Independence activists, among them Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, C. F. Andrews, Rajendra Prasad, and also V. A. Sundaram.
Sundaram built up close and cordial relationships with leading Independence activists of Tamil Nadu, namely C. Rajagopalachari, C. Vijayaraghavachariar and Sir Subramania Iyer. Under their guidance and with Gandhi's support, he engaged in the cause of the Bengal internments of 1917, in the Vaikom Satyagraha of 1925, the Salt Satyagraha of 1930 and the civil disobedience campaigns of 1930 and 1931.
He was arrested in Madras in early 1931 – an incident that attracted considerable public attention and prompted Gandhi to send a note of protest to Viceroy Lord Irwin as well as a press statement to Reuters.
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V. A. Sundaram
Vellalore Annaswamy Sundaram (2 February 1896 – 11 March 1967) was an activist in the Indian Independence movement, an associate of Mahatma Gandhi, a confidant of Madan Mohan Malaviya, and a fundraiser and secretary to the Benares Hindu University (BHU). His work focused on communication and public relations, with particular emphasis on an international and intercultural perspective.
His personal theme in life was an appreciation of beauty, on a sensual level as well as in broader, ethical and spiritual terms.
Sundaram was born in the South Indian city of Coimbatore to a family of orthodox Tamil Brahmins tracing their ancestry back to the 16th century Sanskrit scholar Appayya Dikshita. Sundaram's father Annaswamy Iyer, an advocate, hailed from the nearby village of Vellalore and, as customary in Tamil Nadu, Sundaram's name included the place of origin and the father's name (hence Vellalore Annaswamy or V. A. Sundaram).
Sundaram took an early interest in literature and poetry, and developed a passion for the English language. After completing high school he enrolled in the renowned Pachaiyappa's College in Madras to study English literature. Halfway through his studies, he was captivated by the ideas of the Indian Independence movement and attended a meeting of the Indian National Congress for the first time in December 1914 in Madras.
When Sundaram heard Gandhi delivering a speech in Madras in April 1915, he instantly decided to give up his studies and to follow Gandhi as a disciple. Impressed by the 19-year-old's fervour, Gandhi took him along to Ahmedabad, where Sundaram was to become one of the first inmates of Gandhi's newly founded Sabarmati Ashram. Gandhi's ashram discipline and dietary regime, however, proved too hard for Sundaram and, suffering from malnutrition, he left after 9 months.
Based at Coimbatore and Madras, Sundaram began implementing Gandhi's concept of village development, introducing weaving and spinning activities at Vellalore. Gandhi employed him as a regional worker for various activities in the South. Gandhi's Circular letter of October 1919, calling for a nationwide hartal with reference to the Khilafat movement was addressed to 28 of India's leading Independence activists, among them Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, C. F. Andrews, Rajendra Prasad, and also V. A. Sundaram.
Sundaram built up close and cordial relationships with leading Independence activists of Tamil Nadu, namely C. Rajagopalachari, C. Vijayaraghavachariar and Sir Subramania Iyer. Under their guidance and with Gandhi's support, he engaged in the cause of the Bengal internments of 1917, in the Vaikom Satyagraha of 1925, the Salt Satyagraha of 1930 and the civil disobedience campaigns of 1930 and 1931.
He was arrested in Madras in early 1931 – an incident that attracted considerable public attention and prompted Gandhi to send a note of protest to Viceroy Lord Irwin as well as a press statement to Reuters.