History News Desk !!! Chidambaram Pillai (English: Chidambaram Pillai, born: 5 September 1872; died: 3 November 1936) was a scholar of Tamil language and a famous social reformer. His commentary on the famous Tamil text ‘Thirukkural’ became very famous. In the movement against ‘Bang-Bhang’, Chidambaram Pillai propagated Swadeshi and played an important role in inspiring people against the foreign government. The British government declared Chidambaram Pillai a traitor and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Chidambaram Pillai was born on 5 September 1872 in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. He became a law graduate in 1895 and started practicing law in Tuticorin. Then he joined the Congress under the influence of Vijayaraghavachari. In the movement against the partition of Bengal, he promoted Swadeshi and kept inspiring people against the foreign government.
When the party split after the Surat Congress of 1907, the government got an opportunity to take action against many leaders and activists including Tilak. Chidambaram Pillai was also arrested on charges of treason and was sentenced to life imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court reduced the sentence to 6 years. After being released from jail, he took an active part in promoting the non-Brahmin organization ‘Madras Presidency Association’. In 1920, when the reins of Congress came into the hands of Gandhiji, these followers of Lokmanya Tilak did not agree with his views and separated from the Congress. Chidambaram was a social reformer and a scholar of Tamil language. His commentary on the famous Tamil text ‘Thirukkural’ became very famous. Chidambaram Pillai died on 3 November 1936.