Synopsis: The first women’s conference in Tamil Nadu passed a resolution to prefix the honorary title, Periyar, to EV Ramasamy, since no other leader had accomplished reforms like him, and since no one in South India could be considered equal or superior to him.

Thousands of women waited at the Ottraivadai Naadaga Kottagai (drama theatre) on Walltax Road in Chennai on 13 November 1938, joined by a few hundred men. The Kottagai was hosting Tamil Nadu’s first Women’s Conference.

The moment was historic, a defining one for Tamil Nadu. After the event, 73 women, 32 children and 1,164 men were jailed for participating in an anti-Hindi movement.

The historic event also bestowed the title of ‘Periyar’ on EV Ramasamy Naicker, who would go on to become the ideological leader of Tamil Nadu.

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