Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin unveiled a portrait of social reformer E.V. Ramasamy Periyar at the University of Oxford, calling him the “Prophet of Rationalism.” The event marked 100 years of the Self-Respect Movement, founded by Periyar in 1925. The unveiling was followed by a two-day international conference on Periyar’s philosophy, hosted by St. Antony’s College and Balliol College. Scholars such as Professor Faisal Devji, Professor James Mallinson, and researcher Pramila Bester took part in the discussions. Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T.R.B. Raja also attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Stalin said Periyar’s ideas were revolutionary and far ahead of their era. In 1932, Periyar travelled through Europe, the Soviet Union, and England, where he openly spoke to workers in Barnsley and strongly criticised colonial exploitation.
Long before such reforms became law, Periyar advocated widow remarriage, inter-caste marriage, temple entry for Dalits, reservation in education and jobs, and women’s right to own property, said Stalin.
#SelfRespectMovement – A revolution that redefined freedom! Chains fell, dignity rose!
Thanthai Periyar’s Self-Respect Movement shattered fundamentalisms, awakened dignity, nurtured scientific temper, and made us a guiding light of social transformation.
At #Oxford, I spoke… pic.twitter.com/ESFq8VLcJF
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 5, 2025
“It is a lifetime honour to unveil the portrait of Father Periyar at Oxford University – an institution synonymous with knowledge, human rights, and dignity. This unveiling is proof that Periyar’s rationalist light now shines across the world, beyond the borders of Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said in his address.
Stalin recalled that nearly 40 years earlier, in 1983, Periyar’s centenary was celebrated at Oxford by Dravidar Kazhagam President K. Veeramani, and said it was deeply moving to see Periyar once again honoured on the global stage.
Explaining the essence of Periyar’s philosophy, Stalin said, “If someone asks what Periyarism means, we must introduce them to its foundations – self-respect, rationalism, social justice, gender equality, fraternity, scientific temper, secular politics, women’s emancipation, and human dignity.”
He quoted Periyar’s words that “the only thing worth giving one’s life for is self-respect” and highlighted the six principles Periyar laid down in Kudiarasu magazine, including the abolition of caste hierarchy, equal rights for women, equitable distribution of resources, and total freedom for individuals to live by reason and inquiry.
Stalin traced how successive Dravidian leaders – C.N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, and now the current DMK government – translated Periyar’s social reform ideas into governance. These include:Self-Respect Marriages (legalized by Annadurai); Equal property rights for women (enacted under Karunanidhi); and Arulmigu Equality Townships and priesthood rights for all castes (enforced by DMK governments).
“Tamil Nadu today has no famine deaths. It leads in education, health, industry, and social development. Women who were once confined to homes now walk into space. Dalits once denied temple entry now perform pujas inside sanctums. This is Periyar’s real victory,” Stalin said.
Stalin praised the launch of The Cambridge Companion to Periyar, edited by historians A.R. Venkatachalapathy and Karthick Ram Manoharan, published by Cambridge University Press.
He urged more universities worldwide to translate and publish Periyar’s works, emphasizing that his ideals of rationalism, equality, and social justice were universal. (With ANI inputs)