Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu
Encyclopedia
Salem Pagadala Narasimhalu Naidu (or Pagadala Narasimhalu Nayadu) (12 April, 1854 - 22 January 1922) was a Tamil
Congressman, social worker, publisher and the first person to have written travelogues
in Tamil
. He gave Coimbatore
some of its earliest industries and was instrumental in establishing public institutions.
on 12 April, 1854. He was named Balakrishna at birth and was later renamed as Narasimhalu after his grandfather. He was married to Ethiraj Ammal of Salem in 1868, who later died of tuberculosis
after the death of their two sons. Subsequently, Narasimhalu Naidu married Meenakshi Ammal from Palakkad
in 1899.
He wrote his first travelogue Arya Divya Desa Yatari Sarithiram in 1889 describing his experiences beyond the Vindhyas
. He began publishing the Salem Patriot in 1877 to write on social issues. After the Salem Patriot closed down, he began publishing the Coimbatore Abamaani and then Coimbatore Patrika in 1879. In 1881, he established another publication, Coimbatore Crescent. The Kalanidhi Press was also established by him.
Narasimhalu Naidu established Coimbatore city's first textile mill
, CS&W Mills. He also established a sugar mill
in Podhanur. He was involved in the establishment of the Victoria Municipal Hall (now the Town Hall), Coimbatore Cosmopolitan Club, Coimbatore College Committee and Coimbatore Co-operative store. The Siruvani
water supply system in Coimbatore is the outcome of his study and efforts.
He was a visionary and helped awaken social and literary consciousness. He established bodies to spread the teachings of the Brahmo Samaj
in Salem and Coimbatore. He wrote more than a hundred books and booklets on religion, history, music, agriculture, law and medicine. Narasimhalu Naidu traced his past to the Vijaya Nagar
kings and is the author of Balijavaru Puranam (or Balija Vamsa Purana) published in 1896.
Narasimhalu Naidu was the Secretary of the Coimbatore unit of the Chennai Mahajana Sabha, a social reform movement
. He became the Secretary of the Coimbatore unit of the Indian National Congress
(INC) when it was formed in 1885. He was one among the 21 representatives from Tamil Nadu
who attended the first conclave of the INC in Bombay
in 1885. He attended its next convention in Calcutta
in 1886 and the third in Chennai
in 1887.
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,...
Congressman, social worker, publisher and the first person to have written travelogues
Travel literature
Travel literature is travel writing of literary value. Travel literature typically records the experiences of an author touring a place for the pleasure of travel. An individual work is sometimes called a travelogue or itinerary. Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or...
in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
. He gave Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
some of its earliest industries and was instrumental in establishing public institutions.
Brief history
Narasimhalu Naidu was born to Rangaswami Naidu and Lakshmi Ammal in ErodeErode
Erode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
on 12 April, 1854. He was named Balakrishna at birth and was later renamed as Narasimhalu after his grandfather. He was married to Ethiraj Ammal of Salem in 1868, who later died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
after the death of their two sons. Subsequently, Narasimhalu Naidu married Meenakshi Ammal from Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
in 1899.
He wrote his first travelogue Arya Divya Desa Yatari Sarithiram in 1889 describing his experiences beyond the Vindhyas
Vindhya Range
The Vindhya Range is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent, which geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India and Southern India.- Introduction :...
. He began publishing the Salem Patriot in 1877 to write on social issues. After the Salem Patriot closed down, he began publishing the Coimbatore Abamaani and then Coimbatore Patrika in 1879. In 1881, he established another publication, Coimbatore Crescent. The Kalanidhi Press was also established by him.
Narasimhalu Naidu established Coimbatore city's first textile mill
Textile manufacturing
Textile manufacturing is a major industry. It is based in the conversion of three types of fibre into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. These are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. Cotton remains the most important natural fibre, so is treated in depth...
, CS&W Mills. He also established a sugar mill
Cane sugar mill
A cane sugar mill is a factory that processes sugar cane to produce raw or white sugar.- Processing :Traditionally, sugarcane processing requires two stages. Mills extract raw sugar from freshly harvested cane, and sometimes bleach it to make "mill white" sugar for local consumption...
in Podhanur. He was involved in the establishment of the Victoria Municipal Hall (now the Town Hall), Coimbatore Cosmopolitan Club, Coimbatore College Committee and Coimbatore Co-operative store. The Siruvani
Siruvani River
The Siruvani River is a river in South India. It is tributary of Noyyal river, which in turn is a tributary of Cauvery.The river leads into two big tourist attractions in Southern India, namely, the Siruvani Dam and the Siruvani Waterfalls...
water supply system in Coimbatore is the outcome of his study and efforts.
He was a visionary and helped awaken social and literary consciousness. He established bodies to spread the teachings of the Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj is the societal component of the Brahmo religion which is mainly practiced today as the Adi Dharm after its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859. It was one of the most influential religious movements responsible for the making of...
in Salem and Coimbatore. He wrote more than a hundred books and booklets on religion, history, music, agriculture, law and medicine. Narasimhalu Naidu traced his past to the Vijaya Nagar
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...
kings and is the author of Balijavaru Puranam (or Balija Vamsa Purana) published in 1896.
Narasimhalu Naidu was the Secretary of the Coimbatore unit of the Chennai Mahajana Sabha, a social reform movement
Reform movement
A reform movement is a kind of social movement that aims to make gradual change, or change in certain aspects of society, rather than rapid or fundamental changes...
. He became the Secretary of the Coimbatore unit of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
(INC) when it was formed in 1885. He was one among the 21 representatives from 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...
who attended the first conclave of the INC in Bombay
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
in 1885. He attended its next convention in Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
in 1886 and the third in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
in 1887.