Forbidden history: V.O. Chidambaram Pillai

The world has seen many entrepreneurs who run businesses to be successful and wealthy, but Tamil Nadu produced a man who turned an entrepreneur to fight the might of the British and to prove them that India can stand up on its own legs. In this venture of his, he lost all his wealth and led a life of sacrifice so that we can breath freedom. 

Chapter 1: Early years

V.O. Chidambaram Pillai (VOC) was born on September 5, 1872 in Ottapidaram (the same place where Veerapandiya Kattabomman's memorial fort is). He was the eldest son of Olaganathan Pillai, an eminent lawyer and Parvathi ammal. He did his schooling in Ottapidaram, Thoothukudi(Tuticorin) and Thirunelveli, learnt English from a Taluk officer, and read Ramayana and Mahabharatha with his grandparents. After finishing his schooling, he was employed as a clerk in the Thoothukudi Taluk office briefly before he went to Thiruchi to study law. He graduated in 1894 and a year later, returned to Ottapidaram to practice law. 

Apart from law, he also spent time reading Tamil literature and Philosophy. He was an active member of Madurai Tamil Sangam and Shaiva Siddandha Sangam. He also ran a monthly called Vivekabanu for sometime.

Chapter 2: Lawyer of the poor

While his father, Olaganathan Pillai, mostly represented the affluent in court, VOC often represented the poor and the underprivileged. It is said that he represented his clients for free or for a very small fee. This created some cracks between the father and the son. It seems Olaganathan Pillai did not approve of his son's ways, but that did not stop VOC from fighting for the poor's rights. However, the case that brought him to limelight was the one against three corrupt sub-magistrates whose guilt he proved in court. 

Chapter 3: A freedom fighter
In 1905, long before Gandhi arrived in India, VOC joined the Indian National Congress after a disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsar urged him to serve the nation. He was most attracted to the Swadeshi movement started by Bal Gangadar Tilak(who VOC considered as his mentor) and Lala Lajpat Rai. In the Madras presidency, the movement was spearheaded by greats like Subramanya Bharathi and Subramanya Siva. Along with VOC, the three men forged a friendship that would last till they breathed their last. None of them lived to see Independent India.

In the later part of 1905, VOC returned to his home town and began working for the Swadeshi movement. He established many institutions like Kaithozhil Sangam(Cottage industries society), Noolnoorppu niruvanam/Nesavu salai(Weavers society), Desiya Pandaga salai(National godown for storing food) and Swadeshi prachara sangam(Swadeshi campaign). As a part of the Swadeshi campaign, he and his men went from door to door, distributing clothes with the slogan "Vande mataram".

Chapter 4: Entrepreneur on a mission
As the Swadeshi movement picked up steam, VOC established Swadeshi navaai sangam(Swadeshi steam navigation company) in the year 1906 to put an end to British monopoly in shipping and to help the Indian merchants who were treated unfairly at the hands of British India Steam Navigation company. VOC did not establish it to make money, but to spread the ideals of nationalism. Pandithurai Thevar, an ex-jamindar of Palavanatham and the president of Madurai Tamil Sangam, was appointed as president and VOC was appointed as assistant secretary. Janab Haji Mohammed Bakir Seit also helped VOC by buying shares.

To start with, the company did not own any vessels, but leased some from the Indian-owned Shah Line Shipping company. Initially, the ships plied between Thoothukudi and Ceylon for a while. However, when 
Shah Line Shipping company merged with Shah Steam navigation company, they ceased to sail. Then, there was some effort to lease a ship from a company based in Ceylon, but that did not go on for long either and VOC insisted on buying own ships. To collect funds for it and sells shares of the company, he toured the country despite his son being ill. Help came from many corners. Popular freedom fighters of that era (who are lesser known these days) like G. Subramanya Iyer, Shanmugasundaram pillai, Kalyanasundaram Iyer toured the state to raise funds. Merchants of Calcutta and Bombay bought shares. Mandayam Srinivasachariar, a close associate of Bharathi and VVS Iyer sold family jewels to buy shares.

VOC travelled to Bombay to buy two ships with the funds raised. The first of them, S.S. Gallia, was delivered in May 1907 and the second, S.S. Lowoe reached Thoothukudi in June 1907. Both the ships were designed to carry 1400 men and 4000 gunny bags of load. Appreciating these efforts of VOC, Bharathi wrote in "India" that the country was as happy as a mother who had just delivered two children alluding the ships. 

Soon, the British steam company started losing a lot of money and the British initiated repressive measures against the Swadeshi steam navigation company. When one their ships collided with a vessel from  Swadeshi steam navigation company, no damages were paid. Appeals were quickly dismissed. To add to the agony, the British steam company reduced fares. To stay afloat, the Swadeshi steam navigation company also reduced fares, but the competition eventually killed it. The Swadeshi steam navigation company was liquidated in 1911 and the ships were auctioned out when VOC was still in prison. The British steam company bought S.S. Gallia. 

Chapter 5: Voice of workers
In 1908, along with Subramanya Siva, VOC took part in meeting. There, he gave a speech urging the workers of Coral mills(now Madura coats) to stand up against low wages and harsh working conditions. He also insisted them to fight for freedom. Four days later, on February 27, the workers went on strike demanding fair treatment. VOC and Subramanya Siva led the agitation. The management agreed to meet their demands. 

As a part of the agreement, the wages were raised, the working hours were reduced and the Sundays were declared holidays.

Chapter 6: A prisoner of fate
On March 12, 1908, when VOC hinted at giving a speech at a rally celebrating the release of Bipin Chandra Pal, both he and Subramanya Siva were arrested after their talks with the collector of Thirunelveli failed. Riots broke out in Thirunelveli after the arrests. Buildings were set on blaze and a lot of government property was destroyed before the riots were put to rest with force. 

The British slapped on VOC two life sentences, each 20 years, for sedition against the government and for sheltering Subramanya Siva. He was jailed in the central prison in Coimbatore and Kannanoor where he was subjected to intense labour. He worked on an oil-press all day and earned the sobriquet, "Chekkizhuntha Chemmal" meaning "an honourable man who worked on an oil-press". During this time, his wife, Meenakshi ammal, took care of all the appeals. Funds came in from different parts of the world to support her. Repeated appeals paid fruit. The Madras high court reduced his sentence to 10 years. The London preview council reduced it to 6. The sentence was further reduced for good conduct and VOC was released in December 1912. 


However, his biggest blow came upon release from jail. Instead of a massive gathering outside the prison, he met with a handful of men who delivered him the news that he had lost all his wealth. He was not allowed to return to Thirunelveli and he was debarred from practising law. 

Chapter 6: Fight with poverty
Upon his release in 1912, VOC stayed in Coimbatore with C.K. Subramanya Mudaliyar. He worked as a Bank manager for a while before he moved to Madras in 1916 with his wife and children. There, he ran a provisions store selling rice, ghee and kerosene. The family led an impoverished life so much so that he once wrote a letter to Periyar who was then a Congress leader requesting him to help his son find a police job so that the family could eat two meals a day. 

However, abject poverty did not deter him from taking part in Swadeshi movement. He worked with employees of postal department to establish an union for them and also worked with many trade unions for benefit of those who were employed by big merchants. He also worked on Tamil Literature and with the help of Prof. Vaiyapuri Pillai published Tholkappiyam with the notes of Ilampooranar in 1922.

Chapter 7: Last years 
VOC lived in Chennai till 1932. Unable to fight his way through poverty, he petitioned to the Madras high court to restore his license. In 1932, he returned to Thoothukudi and practiced law in Kovilpatti and Thirunelveli till he died on November 18, 1936. He was never able to pay his debts. 

VOC fought the British all his life, yet his contributions have been ignored both by the country. I'd be greatly happy if only two more people get to know about him through this article. I conclude by quoting Bharathi's poem on him. 

வேளாளன் சிறைபுகுந்தான் தமிழகத்தார் 
      மன்னனென மீண்டான் என்றே 
கேளாத கதைவிரைவிற் கேட்பாய்நீ, 
      வருந்தலைஎன் கேண்மைக் கோவே! 
தாளாண்மை சிறிதுகொலோ யாம்புரிவேம் 
      நீஇறைக்குத் தவங்கள் ஆற்றி, 
வாளாண்மை நின்துணைவர் பெறுகெனவே 
      வாழ்த்துதிநீ வாழ்தி!வாழ்தி!