Indian Lawyer, Minister, Politician and founder of the DinaThanthi
Birth
Adithanar (si.Balasubramania Athithan) was born on 27th September 1905 to a lawyer Sivanthi Adithanar and Kanagam Ammayar in Kayamozhi(near Tiruchendur in Tuticorin) in TamilNadu.
Personal Life
In 1933, Adithanar was married to Govindammal in Singapore. They have three children Sivanthi Adithan, Ramachandra Adithan and Saraswathi Adithan. Ramachandran Adityan is the founder of the weekly magazine Devi. His son Sivanthi Adithan was the awardee of the Padma Shri for the year 2008 in Literature field.
Education
He did his schooling in Srivaikuntam. Then he went to Trichy to pursue higher studies in St.Joseph’s College. Later he went to Middle Temple in London to study law, after completing the M.A.
Early Life
In 1933, Adithanar became an advocate and went to Singapore to practice law. He was there till 1942. Then came back again to his hometown Srivaikuntam.
Adithanar Life Career
In 1942, Adithan began the party “Tamil Rajyam”. Then he was the member in the Madras Legislative Council for a period of 1947 to 1952. As a candidate of the T.Prakasam’s Kisan mazdoor Praja Party from Tiruchendur, he contested in the 1952 election and won that election. In 1957, he was elected from the Santhankulam constituency.
Later in 1958, he made the establishment of the party “We Tamils”(Naam Tamizhar) with the aim to sovereign Tamil state. He gave the name Tamilan Illam to his party headquarters. The purpose of this party was more in demanding Tamil Illam than the demand of Dravida Nadu of Periyar’s Draviada Kazhagam. It demanded the separate land for Tamil speaking people of India and SriLanka. With his party, he organized the statewide protest to split the Madras and form the Sovereign Tamil Nadu in 1960. In this protest, India maps were burnt, after which Adithanar was arrested. His party along with Tamil Arasu Kazhagam of M.P.Sivagnanam, took part in the movement to convert the name of Madras state to Tamil Nadu.
In 1962, he lost in the election from Tiruchendur constituency. Adithanar was elected to the Legislative Council in the year 1964. Later in 1967, by winning against the Swatantra Party candidate K.S.Kothandaramiah with 153 votes to 21, he became the speaker in the assembly. His election victory resulted in merging of his Party to DMK in 1967.
In 1968, he took part in the DMK political conference as a speaker that held in Tanjavur. He made active participation in political activities for his constituency. For his political activities, the opposition parties made allegations against him. On 12th August 1968, he made his resignation as a speaker due to this controversy.
He became the Minister for Cooperation in 1969, under the cabinet of M.Karunanidhi who came to power in February 1969. In 1971, he was elected again from Srivaikuntam and made the prolonging of his Minister post. In 1972 Adithanar gave his support to ADMK, after the secession of DMK lead to the formation of a new party (Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) ADMK under M.G.Ramachandran.
Then, Adithanar stood as contestant (as a supporter of ADMK) from Sathankulam constituency in the 1977 election, in which he lost to Jebamani of JNP Party. Later he took part as contestant in the 1980 election, from Srivaikuntam constituency. Again he lost his victory.
Adithanar Publication Work
In 1942, he began the Tamil weekly magazine Tamizhan. Then he began the daily newspaper Dina Thanthi in November 1942 in Madurai. He got the inspiration from the English newspaper Daily Mirror which had a huge audience. His newspaper business got expansion up to Madras, Tirunelveli, Salem and Trichy during 1940s. His newspaper brought the daily news to the southern parts of Tamil Nadu. Earlier people of southern parts were able to read only the day-old news printed in Madras. This paper became popular among the readers as they were able to learn the language.
Adithanar’s other publication works includes the evening daily Maalai Murasu, the monthly novel Rani Muthu and the weekly magazine Rani.
Dina Thanthi
In cities of Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Erode, Madurai, Nagercoil, Salem, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Tirupur, Trichy and Vellore, Dina Thanthi is published. Apart from Tamil Nadu, Dina Thanthi is published in Indian cities like Bangalore and Mumbai.
Honors of Adithanar
To recognize the literature work of the Tamil authors, S.P.Adithanar Literary award is given to the chosen author every year. This award was begun by the Daily Thanthi group remembering the S.P.Adithanar. This award function takes place on the anniversary celebration every year.
Then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J.Jayalalitha in 2005, made an announcement that S.P.Adithanar home which was built in 1928 in Srivaikuntam will be converted into a memorial.
Later a road in Chennai between the Egmore and Anna Salai is named after him as Adithanar Salai.
Then the S.P.Adithanar Senior Tamil Scholar Award of Rs.300,000 and S.P.Adithanar Literary Award of Rs.200,000 are given to the Tamil Scholars who give excellent literature works. This award is given by the current Director of DinaThanthi every year.
Death
On 24th may 1981, S.P.Adithanar died.