V. M. Obaidullah

V. M. Obaidullah Sahib (2 May 1905 – 21 February 1958) was an Indian political leader from Tamil Nadu known for his active participation in the Indian independence movement.

Born on 2 May 1905, in Vellore to Madhar Batcha Sahib and Rabiya Basri, he came from a middle-class merchant family involved in the betel-nut trade.

Involvement in the Indian independence movement In 1920, Obaidullah joined the Khilafat Movement to protest the UK's continued control of India and its post-World War I policy in Turkey. British colonial authorities imprisoned Obaidullah five times between 1923 and 1942, due to his activities on behalf of the Indian independence movement. He has been described as a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi regarding his belief in non-violent resistance against British rule in India. encouraging the use of the Gandhi Maidan near the Vellore Fort for public gatherings

Leadership Roles Obaidullah held several local and national leadership positions in India over the course of his career, prior to his election to the upper house of the Indian legislature. He was a city councillor for Vellore's municipal government for more than two decades. Obaidullah moreover served for four years as vice president of the North Arcot District Board (1938-1944), Immediately following his death, the Tamil Nadu state government offered his widow a plot of land as a form of compensation. Begum declined the gesture, maintaining that her late husband's public service was "beyond any reward or award".