Rama.Subbaiah

Karaikudi Rama Subbaiah (14 November 1908 - 21 May 1997) was an Indian politician and a forerunner of the Dravidian movement. He served as a member of the erstwhile Tamil Nadu Legislative Council from 1972 to 1978.

Early life Subbaiah was born on 14 November 1908 in a Nattukottai Nagarathar family in Arimalam (in Pudukkottai district). Despite his family's religiousness, he was attracted by the rationalist thoughts of "Periyar" E.V. Ramasamy, to whom he got introduced during 1924–25.

Politics

Self-Respect Movement (1930-44) Subbaiah joined the Self-Respect Movement in 1930 and was instrumental in developing the movement in Karaikudi region. He became a close confidant of Tamil poet Bharathidasan, who had joined the Self-Respect movement the same time as he did. Others who were close to Subbaiah's family included Kunjitham Gurusamy, Pattukkottai Alagiri, N. D. Sundaravadivelu, Moovalur Ramamirtham and Poovalur Ponnambalanar. and even provided a marble plaque with the name etched on it. From that point, some of Subbaiah's friends called him as "Samadharmam Subbaiah". On 12 May, some miscreants set fire to the conference pandal set up in the sandy banks of Vaigai River, as part of a few other violent incidents (which the DK later claimed happened at the behest of A. Vaidyanatha Iyer ). Following the chaos, Subbaiah, K. Anbazhagan and a few other participants fled Madurai. After crossing Manamadurai and Thirukoshtiyur, they reached Karaikudi. On 14 May, Subbaiah arranged a meeting in a village near Karaikudi. There too, some unidentified people pelted stones. Selvamani (b.1939), one of Subbaiah's sons, died sometime between 2015 and 2024.

As of 2025, four children of Subbaiah were alive: Tamil film director S. P. Muthuraman (b.1935), Kanagalaksmi (b. December 1936), Swaminathan (b.1946) and Dravidian ideologue Suba Veerapandian aka Subavee.(b.1952).

Death Subbaiah died at 17:00 IST on 21 May 1997. Tamil scholar "Silamboli" Su. Chellappan was present among the mourners.

Legacy In 1985, Subbaiah's biography titled நானும் என் திராவிட இயக்க நினைவுகளும் [translit.Nāṉum eṉ Tirāviṭa Iyakka niṉaivukaḷum; meaning Me and my Dravidian Movement Memories] came out after being edited by Subavee. Kanimuthup Pathipagam (Chennai) was the publisher. It was launched by Karunanidhi (then an MLC) at Periyar Thidal.

"Dear Father,

I have some reasons for pride.

That I'm your child is the chief one among them.

You are the eldest in our house;

You're the last child too!

I still remember your shoulders that lifted me towards the thinnai pallikkoodam.

I have a regret that you have not beaten me since the day I remember.

Had it not been for mother's sternness, waves would have gone astray.

I have often heard my mother tell stories of you disappearing and returning home five or six months later.

It is because of the work you have done that all of us children are well today.

You plucked [fruits]; we quenched our appetites.

You walked; we rested.

Few are the days in which I saw money in your pockets. You never hid wealth in a box.

My little pen could not measure the 78-year-journey of your feet.

But still

It was only when I finished writing this book that a meaning came to my writing skill.

As I have written this book in colloquial tongue just as you spoke to me, I have recorded in it not only your opinions, but also your voice.

Your opinion, your work, your voice, your appearance, your handwriting can all be seen in this book.

I have been careful not to let any of my opinion and language style come in.

It is a shortfall that old photos and letters could not be added more. This shortfall will vanish in the next edition !

I will always be thankful to Mr. Subasundaram and Mr. Govindan who helped me [to write this book] upon mentioning your name.

This book

We think is a property you and Mother are leaving to us.

Love,

- Suba Veerapandian "

Karunanidhi held the birth centenary celebration of Subbaiah on 10 May 2008, during his fifth term as Chief Minister.

In a statement dated 8 September 2021, Dravidar Kazhagam president K.Veeramani requested Chief Minister M.K.Stalin to name a proposed college in Karaikudi after Subbaiah.