We always cherish our journey on ships and kids like to see ships as they float on water. Ever wondered how difficult it was to manage building and running a shipping company? Especially running it against a strong British influence? It was the period during our independence struggle, a man famously called by his nick name as "Kappalotiya Thamizhan" meaning "Tamil man who drove ship" did it! On the dawn of Independence day tomorrow, let us listen to his story and know the reason behind his nick name "Kappalotiya Thamizhan".
There were many movements like Non-Violence, Quit India movement which joined hands towards Indian Independence from British rule. One of the important movements was Swadeshi movement, which had an economic strategy to remove British rule, by creating protests against British trading in India. It involved boycotting British products and promoting more Indian made products.
V.O.Chidambaram pillai (also known as VOC) was born in Ottapidaram in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu. His father was a famous lawyer and VOC followed his father's foot steps and became a lawyer too. As a lawyer he worked for the welfare of poor people by taking their cases on labour condition and poor wages. He was also the leader of trade union and headed many protests in favour of Indian peasants and poor people.
He was inspired by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak's Swadeshi movement and joined Indian National Congress and became an active participant in Swadeshi Movement. VOC was also influenced by Ramakrishnananda - a disciple of Swami Vivekananda and wanted to do something for stopping the monopoly of British India steam navigation company in Tuticorin. As the transport costs were high on British shipping company people could not afford it, but they had no other alternative. The British shipping company exploited this opportunity. VOC could not withstand this monopoly management and planned to start a comprehensive shipping company providing all kinds of shipping services from Tuticorin to Ceylon. Lokmanya Tilak and Aurobindo Gosh helped him to buy two ships; S.S.Gaelia & S.S.Lawoe and VOC started his venture by name "Swadeshi Shipping Company". Britishers thought that Swadeshi Shipping company would not survive when compared to their services. But to their mistake, people started using Swadeshi Shipping Company services for various reasons like lower costs, more frequent services, etc. It is worth to mention, that it was not easy for VOC to achieve this transition from people. He had to overcome many obstacles.
Now that people started using Swadeshi company's services, British shipping company suffered loses and wanted to squeeze out Swadeshi company. British shipping company lowered their prices to Re.1 per person and to counter their pricing strategy Swadeshi company also reduced their price to Re 0.50. This counter attack was not expected by British company and in order to retain their customers, they offered free trips along with a free umbrella. Swadeshi company however could not afford free trips and hence started losing customers.
But the bitter truth was the customers were none other than Indian trade people! They were the one who did not support the Swadeshi company and was attracted towards free trips! It was during this time, VOC and other freedom fighters started communicating strong messages to Indian people to support Swadeshi shipping company and hence support independence movement. These provoking talks made people slowly change their minds, however British company people saw this change as a threat. They wanted to take some powerful decision to stop this and arrested VOC charging him for his sedition.
Though his arrest called for many protests around Tuticorin and other places, it did not survive after few days. VOC's plea for release was rejected and was given life imprisonment. He was subjected to in humane treatment by asking him to yoke and extract oil, instead of using bulls for yoking. Because of this he was also called "Sekkizhutha Semmal" meaning "Great man who did tough yoking".
After some years, in 1912 he was released from the prison. He expected that people who supported him during his shipping company venture and Swadeshi movement would welcome him. But to his disappointment, people forgot him and his activities towards independence movement. His shipping venture was sold to their competitors which was a great shock for him. During his last days he lived in debt and even had to sell his books. As per his last wish, on November 1936 he died in Indian National Congress office at Tuticorin.
The bold decision he took to create Swadeshi Shipping company and his efforts to sustain it against British shipping company made him acquire the name "Kappalotiya Thamizhan". However, when he returned from prison and heard that his company had been sold, he experienced only sorrow feelings in return to his hard labour.
This story made me wonder how our Indian freedom fighters would feel seeing our current state of our country! Isn't it each one of ours responsibility to make them feel proud and happy for all their toil and hard labour to get Independence for us? Let us not play the blame game now, instead take oath to contribute our two cents towards our Indian Nation's prosperity.
Jai Hind.
Listen to this inspirational song from the Tamil movie "Kappalotiya Tamizhan"
Source: Biography of VOC, wikipedia
There were many movements like Non-Violence, Quit India movement which joined hands towards Indian Independence from British rule. One of the important movements was Swadeshi movement, which had an economic strategy to remove British rule, by creating protests against British trading in India. It involved boycotting British products and promoting more Indian made products.
V.O.Chidambaram pillai (also known as VOC) was born in Ottapidaram in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu. His father was a famous lawyer and VOC followed his father's foot steps and became a lawyer too. As a lawyer he worked for the welfare of poor people by taking their cases on labour condition and poor wages. He was also the leader of trade union and headed many protests in favour of Indian peasants and poor people.
He was inspired by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak's Swadeshi movement and joined Indian National Congress and became an active participant in Swadeshi Movement. VOC was also influenced by Ramakrishnananda - a disciple of Swami Vivekananda and wanted to do something for stopping the monopoly of British India steam navigation company in Tuticorin. As the transport costs were high on British shipping company people could not afford it, but they had no other alternative. The British shipping company exploited this opportunity. VOC could not withstand this monopoly management and planned to start a comprehensive shipping company providing all kinds of shipping services from Tuticorin to Ceylon. Lokmanya Tilak and Aurobindo Gosh helped him to buy two ships; S.S.Gaelia & S.S.Lawoe and VOC started his venture by name "Swadeshi Shipping Company". Britishers thought that Swadeshi Shipping company would not survive when compared to their services. But to their mistake, people started using Swadeshi Shipping Company services for various reasons like lower costs, more frequent services, etc. It is worth to mention, that it was not easy for VOC to achieve this transition from people. He had to overcome many obstacles.
Now that people started using Swadeshi company's services, British shipping company suffered loses and wanted to squeeze out Swadeshi company. British shipping company lowered their prices to Re.1 per person and to counter their pricing strategy Swadeshi company also reduced their price to Re 0.50. This counter attack was not expected by British company and in order to retain their customers, they offered free trips along with a free umbrella. Swadeshi company however could not afford free trips and hence started losing customers.
But the bitter truth was the customers were none other than Indian trade people! They were the one who did not support the Swadeshi company and was attracted towards free trips! It was during this time, VOC and other freedom fighters started communicating strong messages to Indian people to support Swadeshi shipping company and hence support independence movement. These provoking talks made people slowly change their minds, however British company people saw this change as a threat. They wanted to take some powerful decision to stop this and arrested VOC charging him for his sedition.
Though his arrest called for many protests around Tuticorin and other places, it did not survive after few days. VOC's plea for release was rejected and was given life imprisonment. He was subjected to in humane treatment by asking him to yoke and extract oil, instead of using bulls for yoking. Because of this he was also called "Sekkizhutha Semmal" meaning "Great man who did tough yoking".
After some years, in 1912 he was released from the prison. He expected that people who supported him during his shipping company venture and Swadeshi movement would welcome him. But to his disappointment, people forgot him and his activities towards independence movement. His shipping venture was sold to their competitors which was a great shock for him. During his last days he lived in debt and even had to sell his books. As per his last wish, on November 1936 he died in Indian National Congress office at Tuticorin.
The bold decision he took to create Swadeshi Shipping company and his efforts to sustain it against British shipping company made him acquire the name "Kappalotiya Thamizhan". However, when he returned from prison and heard that his company had been sold, he experienced only sorrow feelings in return to his hard labour.
This story made me wonder how our Indian freedom fighters would feel seeing our current state of our country! Isn't it each one of ours responsibility to make them feel proud and happy for all their toil and hard labour to get Independence for us? Let us not play the blame game now, instead take oath to contribute our two cents towards our Indian Nation's prosperity.
Jai Hind.
Listen to this inspirational song from the Tamil movie "Kappalotiya Tamizhan"
Source: Biography of VOC, wikipedia
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