Reddiar
Encyclopedia
Reddiar also Reddiyar is caste title of prominent land owning, farming and mercantile social group of Tamil Nadu
and abroad. Most of the reddiars are Zamindars and Landlords. They are a group with very rich cultural heritage. They are found in all walks of life today.
sporting the title Reddy
they are considered as well as self identified as ethnically Tamil
today. They are believed to have moved into Tamil Nadu
with the expansion of Vijayanagar
empire along with other Telugu and Kannada origin social groups. They have their origin in Vannipuranam.
They migrated from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa to Tamil Nadu particularly to Madurai District at the period of Thirumalai Nayakkar ruling.
communities of United States of America, Malaysia, Singapore
, South Africa
, Fiji
, Mauritius
. Reddiar or Reddy is sometimes used as a surname but they freely intermarry amongst various elements of the Tamil diaspora. The title does not generally mark the person as a Telugu but as an ethnic Tamil along with Naidu
or Naidoo, Pillai, Gounder and Chetty as surnames used in the Tamil diaspora
.
and follow all other Andhra norms. Whereas Reddiars speak in both Tamil and Telugu at home and identify and follow with fellow Tamils most of the cultural norms of Tamil Nadu or the Tamil community abroad. They celebrate Thai Pongal
, Tamil New Year
and Ugadi. They are active in supporting local Temple societies and local political aspirations. Some have become very prominent in Tamil nationalistic
causes and are represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language. Most Reddiars are Vegetarians.
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
and abroad. Most of the reddiars are Zamindars and Landlords. They are a group with very rich cultural heritage. They are found in all walks of life today.
Origins
Although they are believed to be derived from various castes or social groups from Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
sporting the title Reddy
Reddy
Reddy is a social group or caste of India, predominantly inhabiting Andhra Pradesh. They are enlisted as a forward caste by the government. Traditionally, they are a high-caste community of nobility, warriors and cultivators. According to academics, they were a warrior caste in the remote past and...
they are considered as well as self identified as ethnically Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
today. They are believed to have moved into Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
with the expansion of Vijayanagar
Vijayanagara Empire
The Vijayanagara Empire , referred as the Kingdom of Bisnaga by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South Indian in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of the Yadava lineage. The empire rose to prominence as a culmination of attempts...
empire along with other Telugu and Kannada origin social groups. They have their origin in Vannipuranam.
They migrated from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa to Tamil Nadu particularly to Madurai District at the period of Thirumalai Nayakkar ruling.
Amongst the Tamil diaspora
Through emigration, there are now many Reddiars in the TamilTamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
communities of United States of America, Malaysia, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. Reddiar or Reddy is sometimes used as a surname but they freely intermarry amongst various elements of the Tamil diaspora. The title does not generally mark the person as a Telugu but as an ethnic Tamil along with Naidu
Naidu
Naidu is a title used by various social groups of the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states of India. It is also used in Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa and Chattisgarh...
or Naidoo, Pillai, Gounder and Chetty as surnames used in the Tamil diaspora
Tamil diaspora
The Tamil diaspora is a demographic group of Tamil people of Indian or Sri Lankan origin who have settled in other parts of the world. Significant Tamil diaspora populations can be found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Middle East, Réunion, South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Fiji, Guyana,...
.
Reddy versus Reddiars
Reddys predominantly speak Telugu and follow Telugu cultural festivals like UgadiUgadi
Yugadi or Ugadi or "Samvatsradi" , Konkani/Marathi: युगादी yugādi, , formed by sandhi of yuga "age" and ādi "beginning": the beginning of an age) is the New Year's Day for the people of the Deccan region of India. It falls on the different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar...
and follow all other Andhra norms. Whereas Reddiars speak in both Tamil and Telugu at home and identify and follow with fellow Tamils most of the cultural norms of Tamil Nadu or the Tamil community abroad. They celebrate Thai Pongal
Pongal
Thai Ponggal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry and in Sri Lanka. Pongal coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over" or "spill over". The boiling...
, Tamil New Year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
and Ugadi. They are active in supporting local Temple societies and local political aspirations. Some have become very prominent in Tamil nationalistic
Tamil nationalism
Tamil nationalism in India is an aspiration by some Tamils to establish, at minimum, self determination or at maximum secession from India to establish an Independent Tamil State of which would consist of today's Tamil nadu, Puducherry and Tamil Eelam of Sri Lanka...
causes and are represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language. Most Reddiars are Vegetarians.
Prominent Reddiars
- Diwan Bahadur Agaram Subbarayalu Reddiar A. Subbarayalu Reddiar - Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - Dec 1920 - June 1921
- O. P. Ramaswamy ReddiyarO. P. Ramaswamy ReddiyarOmandur Ramasamy Reddiar was an Indian freedom-fighter and politician of the Indian National Congress. He served as the Premier of Madras Presidency from March 23, 1947 to April 6, 1949.-Early life:...
- Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - 1947-1949 - Annamalai ReddiyarAnnamalai ReddiyarAnnamalai Reddiyar was a Tamil poet. He was born in Chennikulam, Sankarankoil taluk, Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Although his mother tongue was Telugu, he was a great exponent of Tamil poetry. He wrote the Kavadi Sindhu about Murugan ....
- Tamil poet - Diwan Bahadur Sir S. Kumaraswami Reddiar (b. April 23, 1876) was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as a minister in Madras Presidency.
- Muthukomarappa Reddiar - Prominent Pondicherry freedom fighter
- V. Venkatasubha ReddiarV. Venkatasubha ReddiarV. Venkatasubha Reddiar ) was the second Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Pondicherry . He served from September 11, 1964 to April 8, 1967 and March 6, 1968 to September 18, 1968.- Notes :...
- Former Chief Minister of Pondicherry and a prominent Pondicherry freedom fighter - VaithilingamVaithilingamV. Vaithilingam is an Indian politician who is the former Chief Minister of Pondicherry. He held that position from 1991 to 1996 and has been Chief Minister again from 2008-2011. Vaithilingam is credited with leading a stable and efficient government in Pondicherry State through a complete five...
- Chief Minister of Pondicherry - July 4, 1991 to May 13, 1996 (first term), September 4, 2008 – April 13,2011 - M. D. R. Ramachandran - Chief Minister of Pondicherry - 16 January 1980 - 23 June 1983
- Krishnamurthy Reddiar - Prominent herbal practitioner from Sri Lanka
- K. K. S. S. R. RamachandranK. K. S. S. R. RamachandranK. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran was the minister for Backward Classes in Tamil Nadu state of India. He was born in Gopalapuram on 8-August-1949. He has finished high school education...
Former Co-operation, PWD minister in MGR cabinet. - K. N. NehruK. N. NehruK. N. Nehru is the Former minister for Transport in Tamil Nadu state of India. He was born in Neikulam on 09-November-1952. He has finished his school education...
:Former Milk,food minister in DMK cabinet(1996-2000). Transport minister in DMK cabinet (2006-2011) - NapoleanNapolean (actor)Kumaresan Duraisamy , better known by his stage name Napoleon , is a Tamil film actor, politician and the founder and chairman of the Jeevan Technologies. As of 27 May 2009, He is a Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Cabinet...
: Actor and MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of [Perambalur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Perambalur Constituency]]Central Minister Of State for Social Justice and Empowerment