Ku. Rajavelu
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: கு.ராஜவேலு
Ku. Rajavelu (January 29, 1920 – September 9, 2021) was a Tamil writer from the National Freedom Movement era. Ku. Rajavelu wrote novels on the freedom movement with Gandhian impact. Ku. Rajavelu was imprisoned during the freedom protest. He was a political activist.
Birth, Education
Ku. Rajavelu was born on January 29, 1920 at Bodinaickenpatti in Salem district. He completed Bachelor of Arts in Tamil at Arasar College in Thiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur district and Masters of Arts (Tamil Honors) at Pachaiyappa College, Chennai.
Personal Life
Ku. Rajavelu served as professor at Government College, Kudanthai and at Madras Arts College. He headed Tamil Nadu Government’s Department of Translation and Department of Tamil Advancement. He continued to head the Directorate of Tamil Culture post retirement. He also served as president of All India Tamil Writers Association for a long time.
Political Life
Ku. Rajavelu was imprisoned in 1942 for his involvement in the 'Quit India' Movement during his student days. He highlighted this historical event in detail in his novel August 1942. In 1942, Ku. Rajavelu was studying Tamil at the Arasar College in Thiruvaiyaru town. Gandhi proposed and passed the 'Quit India' resolution at the Congress session held in Bombay on August 7 and 8. On the same day, Gandhi and other Congress leaders were imprisoned and the Congress party was banned. Students of Arasar College, Thiruvaiyaru gathered and joined on a hunger strike to protest against arrest of the leaders. Pandal or pavilion where they were protesting caught fire. On August 13, a strike was organized in Thiruvaiyaru. Students of Araser College: Sanskrit student S.R. Somasekhara Sarma from Andhra Pradesh, poet S.D. Sundaram and Ku. Rajavelu demanded that the shops be closed. Police resorted to lathi charge in Aatkondar Sannidhi market area and chased away the crowd. Those dispersed from the crowd set off the post office on fire and after crossing Cauvery River, ransacked the Munsif Court and sub-registrar's office on Thanjavur road. Malabar police from Tanjore arrived to quell the riot. Ku. Rajavelu, who was inside the Munsiff Court at that time, jumped into Cauvery river, swam with the current, climbed the bank at Thirupazhanam and took the help of a student studying with him from this place to reach Thiruvaiyaru. Ku. Rajavelu and 42 others were arrested that evening and were convicted in Tanjore court. Ku. Rajavelu was sentenced to 2 years rigorous imprisonment. Poet S.D. Sundaram who was also an accused in the case, was acquitted as he was below the age of eighteen. Out of his 11 years of full time political career, Ku. Rajavelu was imprisoned for two years. Ku. Rajavelu was very close to K. Kamaraj in politics. In the Kamaraj regime, Ku. Rajavelu acted as per Kamaraj's wishes [1].
Literary Life
Ku. Rajavelu started writing short stories at the age of 14. His first novel Kaadhal Thoongugiradhu (Love Sleeps) won the first prize in Kalaimagal Narayanasamy Iyer's novel competition during his college days. T.P. Meenakshi Sundaranar and Mu. Varadarajanar were his literary companions. Ku. Rajavelu adopted the style of Mu. Varadarajanar in his writings.
Literary Significance
Ku. Rajavelu penned novels with moral values for guiding students. His novels are subjects in college curriculum. Ku. Rajavelu novels depict aesthetics remarkably.
Awards and Recognitions
Indian postal department released Ku. Rajavelu's Postal Stamp .
Death
Ku. Rajavelu passed away on September, 9, 2021 at Chennai.
Publications
- Kodaivalam
- Sathyachuradargal
- Vaigarai Vaanmeengal
- Vallal Paari
- Vaanaveedhi
- Gaandhamul
- Makizhampoo
- Theiyadha Nirainila
- Idintha Kopuram
- Azhagu Adugiradhu
- Adivanam
- Thangasurangam
- Saalaioram
References
- Dinamani Tribute to senior writer Ku. Rajavelu
- Tamil Martyrs Ku. Rajavelu
- Vallal Paari Ku. Rajavelu
- Thannir vitto Valarthome? About Ku. Rajavelu
- Thannir vitta valarthom? Varalaru - Thanjai Ve. Gopalan
Footnotes
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