K. Natesa Iyer
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இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: கோ. நடேசய்யர்
K. Natesa Iyer (January 14, 1887 – November 7, 1947) was born in Tamil Nadu and lived in Malayagam, Sri Lanka. He was a Tamil scholar, publisher, politician, journalist and writer. He was a pioneer of the trade union movement in Sri Lanka.
Early Life & Education
Kothandarama Natesa Iyer was born on January 14, 1887 to Kothandarama Iyer and Bhagirathammal at Valavanur in Villupuram (then South Arcot) district of Tamil Nadu. Kindled by a nationalist spirit at the time of the Bengal partition, Natesa Iyer who was studying in an English medium government school, dropped out in 1907. He joined the Government Training Institute, Chennai and underwent vocational training. Natesa Iyer took up weaving for some time before obtaining a diploma in commerce. He worked as a vocational education teacher at Kalyanasundaram Higher Secondary School, Thanjavur for a few years. Natesa Iyer was fluent in Tamil and English languages.
Private Life
Natesa Iyer was instrumental in the founding of the South Indian Merchants Association, South Indian Mill Owners Association, Thanjavur District Rice Mill Owners Association and many more, between 1914 and 1915. He solicited membership for the Varthaka Mithran magazine in Sri Lanka also. Natesa Iyer visited Colombo to participate in the annual event of South Indian merchants in 1919. Returning to Sri Lanka in 1920 with his wife Meenakshi Ammai, Natesa Iyer learned the enslavement of the Malayagam workers and devoted his life to the Malayagam Tamils by staying permanently in Sri Lanka. After the death of his first wife, Meenakshi Ammai became his wife. His wife, Meenakshi Ammai, was a Malayagam Tamil poet, writer and social activist, in particular, she worked for the suffrage of Sri Lankan women.
Natesa Iyer who settled in Hatton town at the foot of the Malayagam in 1930, continued to visit the gardens and addressed the people. Along with Natesa Iyer, his wife Meenakshi Ammai also worked for the welfare of plantation workers. Songs 'Thozhilalar Chattakkumi' sung by both of them for the workers were popular.
Political Life
Natesa Iyer’s political background was in Congress. Natesa Iyer contested and lost Sri Lankan Legislative Assembly elections held in 1924, but later won Hatton constituency in Sri Lankan Parliamentary elections held in 1936 and remained a member of the Sri Lankan Indian Congress until 1947. In the parliamentary elections held in August and September 1947, Natesa Iyer contested from Maskeliya constituency but lost it.
Publication Service
Natesa Iyer started a journal Varthaka Mithran in 1914 for the merchants with an objective in promoting Indians up against the British domination in the commerce. Natesa Iyer founded Deshanesan, the first Tamil daily in Sri Lanka in 1921. He released the new Malayagam Aathichudi Paakal on the cover page of Deshabhaktan. Natesa Iyer spread Bharathiyar's songs throughout Sri Lanka.
Deshanesan magazine was the first to investigate and publish the plight of Indian workers. Natesa Iyer started an English weekly The Citizen, to reveal the sufferings of Indian Tamils living in Colombo. Natesa Iyer founded All Sri Lanka Plantation Workers Union at Hatton in 1931.
Literary Service
“Natesa Iyer is referred as the father of Malayagam literature” says Jeyamohan[1]. Natesaiyar wrote industry specific books: Insurance, Oil engines and Vangihalum Avatrai Nirvahikum Muraigalum (Banks and its management process), as well as novel Otran (Spy). Natesa Iyer ran a printing press Sahothari (Sister) in Hatton town and continued to publish his and his wife's books through this.
Natesa Iyer published a book Bhupendrasingal alladhu Narendrapathiyin Naraha Vazhkai In 1933, documenting the deeds of Maharaja of Patiala, India, in two volumes. This book was banned in India.
Death
Natesa Iyer passed away in November 7, 1947 due to heart attack in Sri Lanka.
Literary Contributions
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Magazines
- Varthaka Mithran (1914)
- Deshanesan (1922-23)
- Deshabhaktan (1924-29)
- Thozhilali (1929)
- Thotath Thozhilali (1947)
- Urimeippor
- Suthandrappor
- Veeran Suthandiran
- Citizen (1922)
- Forward (1926)
- Indian Opinion (1936)
- Indian Estate Labour (1929)
Books
- Insurance (1910)
- Oil engines (1910)
- Vangihalum Avatrai Nirvahikum Muraigalum (1910)
- Kanakup Pathivu Nool (1914, Thanjavur)
- Otran (Novel, 1914)
- Vetri Unadhe
- Nee Mayanguvaden (Collection of Essays, 1931)
- Elankai Thota Indiath Thozhilalar Antharap Pizhaipu Nadaham (1941, Second Edition: 2018)
- India Elankai Opantham (1941)
- Thozhilalar Satta Puthagam (1942)
- Azhahiya Elankai (1944)
- Indo Ceylon Crisis (1941)
- Kathirkamam (1946)
Published Books
- Indiath Thozhilalar Thuyarangal - Compilation of Poems (1933). Meenakshi Ammai
- Indiarhaladu Elankai Vazhkaiyin Nilamei (1940) - Meenakshi Ammai
Reference
- Deshabhaktan K. Natesa Iyer - Keetru (online magazine)
- Deshabhaktan K. Natesa Iyer - Biography (1988) - Author: Saral Nadan
- Natesa Iyer's Sociosphere – A View : Sattatharani E. Thampaiah
