Top 10 Freedom Fighters Of Puducherry

The rise in nationalism in French India saw various freedom fighters fight hard to end colonial rule in French-ruled territories in India. Puducherry, once known as Pondicherry, was one such place. Puducherry experienced a succession of colonial rulers, including the Portuguese, Dutch, Danes, British, and French. 

Even after India won her freedom in 1947, Puducherry still remained under the control of the French. Its eventual merger with India—de facto in 1954 and de jure in 1964—was made possible only by the sacrifices of countless brave men and women. Many patriots played a significant role in the Puducherry freedom struggle. The Top 10s Only team honours their courage and dedication in this blog, which highlights the Top 10 Freedom Fighters of Puducherry, India.

List Of Prominent Freedom Fighters Of Puducherry

Indian freedom fighters are known for their courage and perseverance. Puducherry is no exception! In fact, Puducherry was even a safe haven for freedom fighters who were political exiles. It served as a sanctuary for freedom activities against British rule. Let’s now take a quick look at ten of the most prominent freedom fighters of Puducherry.

1. Fighter R. Ramasrinivasan

Tamrapatra awardee R. Ramasrinivasan was an active participant in most of the key events and movements for independence. He was born in 1928 in Karaikal, Puducherry. From a young age, he was keen on the ideologies of Gandhiji, Rajaji, and Nehru. He became the President of the Karaikal Youth Congress. He played a significant role in organising hartals and agitations against French rule in Karaikal. Under his command in Karaikal, an economic blockade was organised on 2nd March 1954. He and his brother Kandakumar were imprisoned for his agitations against French rule in India. While sentencing him, the judge Hubert de Rozario is reported to have declared that his brains ought to have been blown out! In 2018, he was felicitated by Kiran Bedi, the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry.

2. S. Arangasamy Naicker

An eminent personality on our top ten Puducherry freedom fighters list is S. Arangasamy Naicker, who was born in 1884 in a village near Karaikal. He worked for the welfare of the Harijan community people. He also dug many wells for the benefit of the downtrodden. He served the people as the mayor of Thirunallar commune. He showcased his prominent participation in Salt Satyagraha, which was held in Vedaranyam. He worked as the editor of the weekly journal Kudiyarasu. This served as a platform for S. Arangasamy Naicker to express his opposition to the anti-colonial policies of the French government. He was rightly called French Gandhi, as he followed the principles of Gandhiji throughout his life. He hosted Gandhiji and Nehru when they visited Karaikal. When India achieved her independence on 15th August 1947, Naicker hoisted the Indian flag to commemorate this event at the Thirumalairayanpattinam Commune. This act of patriotism led him to be expelled from the mayor post that he had held. 

3. Tyagi Ansari Doraisamy P.

Many bravehearts from Puducherry held key roles in the liberation movement in Puducherry. Born on 2nd July 1906 in Puducherry, Tyagi Ansari Doraisamy P. was known for his tremendous courage. He was the vice-president of the French Indian National Congress. He organised several protests and agitations against French rule and was consequently arrested by the French authorities. After Puducherry gained independence, Ansari Doraisamy P. was elected as a member of the erstwhile Cassicade legislative assembly in 1964, 1969 and 1974 (Indian National Congress) and in 1977 (Janata Party). He passed away on April 27, 1994. To commemorate his efforts towards the freedom struggle, the Puducherry government erected his statue at the junction of M.G. Road and Sardar Vallabai Patel Salai. 

4. Varadarajulu Kailasa Subbiah

Numerous key figures and events happened during Puducherry’s struggle for independence. One such exemplary Puducherry freedom fighter was V. K. Subbiah, born in 1911 in Puducherry. He was a renowned Indian politician known for his tiring efforts to eradicate French Rule in India. He was the Secretary of the Communist Party of French India. His hard work paved the way for the formation of the Trade Union Movement in Puducherry. His efforts led to the reduction of working hours from 12 to 8 for workers in French India. 

In 1954, Kailasa Subbaiah met Nehru to discuss the prospects of a resistance struggle, which consequently led to several events that influenced the French to leave India. He received the prestigious Tamrapatra Award for his prominent role in Puducherry’s freedom struggle. 

5. Villiyanur Lakhminarayana Iyer

Veteran freedom fighter Villiyanur Lakhminarayana Iyer’s tales of bravery are perhaps among the most fantastic stories in Puducherry’s freedom struggle. As mentioned earlier, Puducherry was a safe haven for political exiles seeking protection from British-ruled India. Bharathiyar, a prominent Tamil freedom fighter and writer, had been living in Puducherry. In British India, Bharathiyar’s ‘India’ magazine was banned because of its revolutionary tone. And this is where Villiyanur Lakhminarayana Iyer’s role comes into play!

Lakhminarayana Iyer is believed to have been a jeweller or accountant at Villianur Thirukkameswarar Temple. He was also a French citizen of Puducherry and was involved in running the India magazine. In order to make it accessible to the residents of British India, he would smuggle the copies hidden in bales of hay carried across the French Indian border on his head. His efforts did not end there. He is known for his courage in helping freedom fighters all over the country. He is believed to have offered refuge to other freedom fighters like Kudir Ram Bose, VVS Iyer, Aravinda Ghosh, etc. He was suspected of having been involved in the fatal shooting of Robert Ashe, the Collector and District magistrate of Tirunelveli district, who was gunned down by famous freedom fighter Vanchinathan.  

6. Saraswathi Subbiah

When commemorating Puducherry freedom fighters women’s role in the freedom struggle must be remembered. One such female Indian freedom fighter is Saraswathi Subbiah, born in the year 1922. The wife of V. Subbiah, Saraswathi Subbiah was a prominent Indian communist politician like her husband. In 1946, she is believed to have formed the ‘French Indian Women’s Association, demanding equal rights for women in Puducherry. She was also the leader of the  National Federation of Indian Women. Apart from her social reform activities, she played a key role in the freedom struggle of Puducherry. She was awarded the Mahila Tilak Award by the Puducherry Government for her service to the community.

7. S. Narayanasamy

A lesser-known freedom fighter of Puducherry is S. Narayanasamy, the unsung hero whose efforts were instrumental in the liberation of Puducherry from French rule. S. Narayanasamy was the anti-French Communist Party leader of the Mannadipet Commune (previously Tribuvane Commune). On 5th April 1954, along with a group of armed revolutionaries, he stormed and laid siege to a police station and brought it under their control. The French flag was removed, and in its place, the Indian flag was unfurled. After this incident, French control over 22 villages under the commune ceased. An interim Liberation Government was formed, and S. Narayanasamy was sworn in as an executive minister. 

8. V. Venkatasubba Reddiar

V. Venkatasubba Reddiar was the 2nd Chief Minister of Puducherry. Born on December 18, 1909, he was a prominent leader in the resistance to French rule in India. Like his father, Vaithilingam Reddiar, he was the Mayor of Nettapakkam Commune. In 1946, he protested against French rule along with the Mayor of Pondicherry, K. Muthu Pillai. On 31st March 1954, following the advice of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, V. Venkatasubba Reddiar formed a parallel government against the French Government along with twelve other leaders. These actions led to the decline in the control of French authorities over Puducherry. 

9. Antoine Vallabh Mariadassou

Most history books would have forgotten to mention the heroic actions of unsung heroes like Antoine Vallabh Mariadassou. However, he played a key role in the liberation movement of this Union Territory. He was one of the founders of the French India Students Congress and was its president from 1946 to 1947. Under his leadership, the group organized rallies with slogans like “A bas le colonialisme française!” (“Down with French colonialism!”) and “France quittez l’Inde!” (“France leave India!”). Mariadassou fiercely opposed the suppression of student voices. He even wrote a powerful editorial, “Démocratie?”, in Le Trait-d’Union, condemning the actions of the French colonists.

Despite his contributions, Mariadassou remains an unsung hero of Puducherry’s independence movement. His relentless fight for freedom deserves recognition among India’s lesser-known freedom fighters.

10. I. K. Kumaran aka Mahe Gandhi

One of the most prominent voices of resistance in Puducherry’s liberation movement was that of Irayi Kunnathidathil Kumaran Master, a strong freedom fighter from Mahe (Mayyazhi). His resentment against French colonial rule began when he was barred from becoming a sub-inspector in British India despite having passed the exam. As he was born in Mahe, he was a French citizen, and so he was ineligible to join an official posting in British India. He became a staunch follower of the principles of Gandhiji and K. Kelappan (Kerala Gandhi), taking on social causes like Harijan upliftment, liquor prohibition, etc. 

I. K. Kumaran was a prominent freedom fighter during Puducherry’s freedom struggle. He was the president of the Mayyazhi Mahajana Sabha, a Nationalist organisation that was dedicated towards the de-colonisation of Mahe. He was imprisoned in Allipur Jail for participating in the Quit India Movement, and he practised Satryagraha during his imprisonment to protest against the unfair treatment meted out to the inmates. In 1946, after being released from prison, he was elected as a member of the Mayyazhi Municipal Council. On October 23, 1948, he raised the Indian flag over the French Administrative Office. This event led to a massive crackdown on dissidents by the French armed forces. Following his conviction for leading a failed attempt to overthrow French rule, Mahe Gandhi was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and a 1,000 rupee fine. To evade this, he subsequently went into hiding for approximately five years, during which time he continued to oppose the French colonial administration.

A New Dawn: Salute To The Unsung Heroes Of Puducherry’s Liberation Movement

Our list of the unsung and lesser-known freedom fighters of Puducherry and their pictures, has only one objective: to bring their stories to light and ensure their sacrifices are not forgotten. We hope that these tales of valour continue to inspire the present and future generations of India and help them understand the true meaning of patriotism.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which freedom fighter is from Pondicherry?

Antoine Vallabh Mariadassou, Villiyanur Lakhminarayana Iyer, V. K. Subbiah, Saraswati Subbiah, etc., are freedom fighters from Pondicherry (present-day Puducherry).

2. Which freedom fighter went to Pondicherry?

Pondicherry (Puducherry), a slightly more liberal territory under French rule, was considered a safe haven for patriots fighting against colonial British rule in India. Prominent freedom fighters like Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathiyar, C Rajagopalachari, Lala Lajpat Rai, etc., went to Pondicherry to escape from British officials in India.

3. Why does Puducherry celebrate Independence Day on August 16th?

India had gained independence from British colonial rule on 15th August 1947. Puducherry was under French colonial rule. The Puducherry liberation movements were geared towards achieving independence from the French and merging with the newly independent Republic Of India. Thanks to the tremendous sacrifices made by Puducherry’s freedom fighters, French territories were merged with India, de facto (unofficially) on 1st Nov. 1954 and de jure (officially) on 16th Aug. 1962. This is why, since 2016, the 16th of August has been celebrated as Puducherry’s Independence Day, or De Jure Transfer Day.