Sardar Vedaratnam

Who was Sardar Vedaratnam?

Sardar Vedaratnam Pillai was an Indian freedom-fighter, a leader of the Indian National Congress and a famous philanthropist who served as a MLA for three terms over a period of 14 years. He is known for his heroic contributions in the salt march of Vedaranyam in 1930, alongside C. Rajagopalachari.

In the year 1931 Vedaratnam was conferred with the title of ‘Sardar’ at the meeting of the Tamil Nadu Agriculturists and labourers at Tirunelveli, for his exploits in the Vedaranyam Salt March.

He was multi-lingual and patronised many native arts.

In the year 1946, he founded the Kasturba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam which is a rural, charitable women's welfare organisation situated in Vedaranyam. This orphanage, since then, has continued its services of feeding, sheltering and educating many helpless girl children.

In the year 1997, the government of India honoured this leader by releasing a postal stamp in commemoration of his centenary celebration.