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Undid revision 1040401764 by 2409:4072:681:B931:1507:BA4B:67:41F9 (talk)

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>FreeToDisagree: Removed the religion-parameter from the infobox since it is no longer in use.

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{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Tiruppur Subrahmanya Avinashilingam Chettiar
| honorific-suffix =
| image = TS Avinashilingam.jpg
| caption = T. S. Avinashilinam Chettiar in 1947
| order1 = Member of the Indian Parliament (Rajya Sabha)
| term_start1 = 1958
| term_end1 = 1964
| primeminister1 = [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
| order2 = Member of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha)<br /> for [[Tiruppur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Tiruppur]]
| term_start2 = 1952
| term_end2 = 1957
| primeminister2 = [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
| order3 = Minister of Education (Madras Presidency)
| term_start3 = 1946
| term_end3 = 1949
| premier3 = [[Tanguturi Prakasam]],<br />[[O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar]]
| order4 = Member of the Imperial Legislative Council of India
| term_start4 = 1934
| term_end4 = 1945
| birth_date ={{Birth date|df=yes|1903|05|5}}
| birth_place = [[Tiruppur]], [[Madras Presidency]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1991|11|21|1903|05|05}}
| death_place = [[Coimbatore]]
| nationality = Indian
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| alma_mater = Pachaiyappa's College, Madras<br />Madras Law College
| occupation = Lawyer, politician
}}

'''Tiruppur Subrahmanya Avinashilingam Chettiar''' (5 May 1903 – 21 November 1991) was an Indian lawyer, politician, freedom-fighter and Gandhian. He served as the Education Minister of [[Madras Presidency]] from 1946 to 1949 and was responsible for introducing Tamil as the medium of instruction. He is also credited with having commissioned the creation of the first Tamil encyclopedia.

Avinashlingam Chettiar was born to K. Subrahmanya Chettiar at Tiruppur. He was a nephew of politician [[T. A. Ramalingam Chettiar]]. Avinashilingam had his early education at Tiruppur, Coimbatore and Madras and graduated in law from Madras Law College of the University of Madras. He joined the [[Indian Independence Movement]] and participated in [[Civil Disobedience]] and the [[Quit India Movement]]. He also served as a member of the [[Imperial Legislative Council]] and later, education minister of Madras. He is also credited with introducing reforms in Indian society.

Avinashlingam was a devout Gandhian and was a strong follower of Gandhian economics. He was also a renowned social reformer and follower of the [[Ramakrishna Mission]]. He also a father of library movement in Tamilnadu.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

== Early life ==

Avinashlingam was born in Tiruppur in the then [[Coimbatore district]] on 5 May 1903 to K. Subrahmanya Chettiar, a rich and prominent merchant of Tiruppur and his wife, Palaniammal family , which is very rare among .<ref name="thehindu_bio1">{{cite news|title=One who lived for the rest|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/05/05/stories/2003050500670100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030624055558/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/05/05/stories/2003050500670100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 June 2003|date=5 May 2003|work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref name="rajyasabha_bio">{{cite web|title=T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar – Rajya Sabha biography|url=http://rajyasabha.nic.in/kiosk/whoswho/prev90c.htm|publisher=Rajya Sabha|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928005852/http://rajyasabha.nic.in/kiosk/whoswho/prev90c.htm|archive-date=28 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Avinashlingam was a nephew of Indian National Congress politician and freedom-fighter, T. A. Ramalingam Chettiar.<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore">{{cite news|title=Who lived for the community:Architects of Coimbatore|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/14/stories/2009011451040200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925045925/http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/14/stories/2009011451040200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 September 2009|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=14 January 2009}}</ref>

== Education ==

Avinashilingam had his schooling at Tiruppur High school, Tiruppur and London Mission High School, Coimbatore. He graduated from [[Pachaiyappa's College]], Madras in 1923 and studied law at Madras Law College. In 1926, he commenced practice as an assistant to his uncle Ramalingam Chettiar before entering the [[Indian independence movement]].

== In the Indian Independence movement ==

Avinashilingam participated in the [[Civil Disobedience Movement]] and the [[Quit India Movement]]. He joined the Indian National Congress and adopted Gandhi's philosophy.<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" /> He also served as the President of the Coimbatore District Congress Committee.<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /> When Gandhi visited South India in 1934 to collect money for the Harijan Welfare Fund, Avinashilingam assisted him by collecting and donating rupees two and a half lakhs to the fund. He also bore the expenses for the entire tour.<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" />

Avinashilingam was arrested four times, in 1930, 1932, 1941 and 1942.<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /><ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" /> When his final prison term came to an end in 1944, he entered provincial politics and was elected to the [[Madras Legislative Council]] in 1946.<ref name="rajyasabha_bio" /> He was also a member of the Imperial Legislative Council from 1935<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /><ref name="rajyasabha_bio" /> to 1945.<ref name="rajyasabha_bio" />

== As Minister for education ==

Avinashilingam served as the Education Minister of Madras Presidency from 1946 to 1949 under premiers [[Tanguturi Prakasam]] and [[O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar]].<ref name="rajyasabha_bio" /> One of his most remembered acts as minister was the introduction of Tamil as the medium of instruction in secondary schools all over the Presidency. He established the Tamil Valarchi Kalagam or Tamil Academy in 1946<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /> which created a 10-part encyclopedia, the first in Tamil, between 1954 and 1968.<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /><ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" /> He was also a proponent of the empowerment of women and introduced education for senior citizens and reforms in libraries.

Avinashilingam nationalized the poems of freedom-fighter, [[Subramania Bharati]] and created the professorship for Tamil and other Indian languages at the [[University of Madras]].<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" /> [[Thirukkural]] was introduced as a part of the curriculum from the 6th grade onwards.<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" />

== Later life ==
Avinashilingam was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tiruppur and served as a member of parliament from 1952 to 1957.<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /><ref name="rajyasabha_bio" /><ref name="avinashi_mp">{{cite book|title=Indian Parliamentary Companion: Who's who of Members of Lok Sabha : First to Thirteenth Lok Sabha|publisher=Lok Sabha Secretariat|year=2003|pages=98}}</ref><ref name="eci">{{cite web|title=Key Highlights, General Elections 1951 to the First Lok Sabha|url=http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/LS_1951/VOL_1_51_LS.PDF|publisher=Election Commission of India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318023706/http://www.eci.gov.in/SR_KeyHighLights/LS_1951/VOL_1_51_LS.PDF|archive-date=18 March 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Avinashilingam also served as the Member of the Rajya Sabha from 1958 to 1964.<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /><ref name="rajyasabha_bio" />

In his later life, Avinashilingam served as the chairman of the committee which brought out a 10-part Children's Encyclopedia in Tamil in 1975.<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" />

Avinashilingam died on 21 November 1991 at the age of 88.<ref name="avinashi_mp" />

== Reforms ==
Avinashilingam was a deeply religious Hindu. Early in life, he came under the influence of [[Swami Shivananda]] and [[Swami Brahmananda]] of the [[Ramakrishna Mission]].<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" /> Inspired by the patriarchs of the mission, Avinashilingam started the Ramakrishna Vidyalaya school at Race Course, Coimbatore in 1930.<ref name="thehindu_bio1" /><ref name="rajyasabha_bio" /><ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" /> Later, he moved the school to a {{convert|300|acre|km2|adj=on}} plot of land in Perianaickenpalaiyam. Avinashilingam also worked for the upliftment of untouchables and campaigned for widow remarriage. While Dalits and low caste Hindus were not permitted to study in most schools at that time, Avinashilingam admitted children of all castes in his school.<ref name="architectsofcoimbatore" /> Avinashilingam also started a Home Science College in Coimbatore.

Avinashilingam was also an ardent Gandhian and was a staunch Gandhian economics. He strongly advocated that reforms in agriculture and industry should be complementary with Indian culture.

== Works ==

Avinashilingam has also written a few notable works in Tamil. One of his books is an account in Tamil about his pilgrimage to Tirukeedaram. Avinashilingam also wrote books on economics, Gandhi's education policy and the Wardha scheme.

== Honours ==

Avinashilingam was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]], India's third highest civilian honour for his contribution to education and literature in the year 1970.<ref name="padmabhushan">{{cite web|title=Padma Bhushan awardees|url=http://india.gov.in/myindia/padmabhushan_awards_list1.php?start=700|publisher=Government of India}}</ref> He is also the recipient of the G. D. Birla award and the 1985 [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]].<ref name="JB Award">{{cite web | url=http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/awards/archives/1985/constructive-work/shri-ts-avinashilingam | title=JB Award | publisher=Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation | date=2015 | access-date=October 13, 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref>

Avinashilingam established the Avinashilingam Home Science College for Women in 1957<ref name="avinashicollegewomen">{{cite web|title=Avinashilingam College for Women -Genesis |url=http://www.avinashilingam.edu/genesis.htm |publisher=Avinashilingam College for Women |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421062017/http://www.avinashilingam.edu/genesis.htm |archive-date=21 April 2009 }}</ref> In June 1988, this college became the [[Avinashilingam University|Avinashilingam University for Women]]. In 2007, the Chancellor T. K. Shanmughanandam released a CD in memory of Avinashilingam Chettiar.

== Notes ==

{{reflist|30em}}

{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1970–79}}
{{Jamnalal Bajaj Award winners}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chettiar, T. S. Avinashilingam}}
[[Category:1903 births]]
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:People from Coimbatore]]
[[Category:Tamil Nadu ministers]]
[[Category:Members of the Imperial Legislative Council of India]]
[[Category:Members of Central Legislative Assembly of India]]

T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar - Revision history

->Kanags: Undid revision 1040401764 by 2409:4072:681:B931:1507:BA4B:67:41F9 (talk)

>FreeToDisagree: Removed the religion-parameter from the infobox since it is no longer in use.