P. Jeevanandham

P. Jeevandham also known as Jeeva, was born on 21 August 1907 into an orthodox family in the village Boothapandi, in the then princely state of Travancore which is now in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

He grew up in an atmosphere in which untouchability was widely practiced. The young Jeevanandham resented the very idea of untouchability. The national movement and Gandhi’s call to wear khadi and his stand against untouchability influenced him to join the movement. Disregarding the displeasure of his family he organized meetings and took his Dalit friends into the area where entry was denied to them. He participated in the Vaikom struggle along with E.V. Ramasamy-Periyar.

When he was in twenties, he took charge of an Ashram at Siruvayal near Karaikudi in what was then Ramanathapuram District. The purpose was to implement Gandhiji’s constructive programme. Ashram life gave Jeevanandham an opportunity to enrich his knowledge and concepts by wide reading. When Mahatma Gandhi visited his ashram, he praised him for his selfless service and described him as a valuable wealth of the Nation.

In the nineteen thirties he joined the Communist Party and organized a people’s movement for freedom struggle. He was imprisoned several times. In the first general elections held in 1952, he was elected to the State Assembly. He organized the textile and harbour workers in Trade unions. He was instrumental in moving Kanyakumari into Tamil Nadu.

With deep interest in Tamil and in literary matters, Jeevanandham was also founder of the Tamil literary magazine “Thamarai” and the communist newspaper “Janasakthi”. In 1962, his health suffered a setback. He breathed his last on 18th January 1963.

India Post is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on P. Jeevanandham.