We celebrated 5th September as teachers’ day, in memory of Dr Radha Krishnan, the teacher, great scholar and 2nd president of India. The same day happen to be the birthday of one of the tallest person of Indian Freedom movement. Unfortunately, no one remembered of him.
Vallinayagan Ulaganathan Chidambaram (5 Sept 1872 – 18 Nov 1936), popularly known by his initials, V.O.C. (spelled வ.உ.சி in Tamil), also known as Kappalottiya Tamizhan "The Tamil Helmsman".
He is the first person to start a shipping company to compete against British. Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company was started in 1906 to compete against the monopoly of the British India Steam Navigation Company (BISNC). His company offered shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo.
At one time a member of the Indian National Congress, he was later charged with sedition by the British government and sentenced to life imprisonment, and his barrister license was revoked.
By 1908, Chidambaram's political involvement drew the attention of the British. Hearing of his intention to speak at a rally celebrating the release of Bengali leader Bipin Chandra Pal, Winch, a British official invited Chidambaram to meet him in Thirunelveli with his political comrade Subramanya Siva. At the meeting, Winch expressed concern about Chidambaram's activities and asked him to give assurances that he would not participate in any political revolt. Chidambaram refused to his conditions, so he and Siva were arrested on 12 March 1908.
He was charged with sedition, and a sentence of two life imprisonments (forty years) was imposed. He was interned in Coimbatore and Kannanoor jails. He was not treated as a political prisoner, nor was the sentence de facto of simple imprisonment; rather, he was treated as a convict sentenced to life imprisonment and required to do hard labour, which caused his health to suffer. He was "yoked (in place of bulls) to the oil press like an animal and made to work it in the cruel hot sun.
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