Srivatsa A TO Z INDIA JUNE 2022 PAGE 5 Mahakavi Subramania Bharati Tamil writer & poet: Life History of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati: Bharati was born on 11th December 1882, in Ett ayapuram, Madras Presidency. Indian writer of the nationalist period (1885-1920) who is regarded as the father of the modern Tamil style. Also known as ‘Mahakavi Bharathiyar’. His strong sense of social justice drove him to fight for self-determination. Bharati's involvement during Nationalist Period: After 1904, he joined the Tamil daily newspaper Swadesamitran. This exposure to political affairs led to his involvement in the extremist wing of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. In order to proclaim its revolutionary ardour, Bharathi had the weekly newspaper named ‘India’ printed in red paper. It was the first paper in Tamil Nadu to publish po litical cartoons. He also published and edited a few other journals like “Vijaya”. Attended the annual sessions of INC and discussed national issues with extremist leaders like Bipin Chandra Pal, B.G. Tilak and V.V.S. Iyer. His participation and activities in Benaras Session (1905) and Surat Session (1907) of the INC impressed many national leaders for his patriotic fervour. Published the sensational “Sudesa Geethangal” in 1908. Bharati’s reaction to the Russian Revolutions of 1917, in a poem entitled “Pudiya Russia” (“The New Russia”), offers a fascinating example of the poet’s political philosophy. He was forced to flee to Pondicherry (now Puducherry), a French colony, where he lived in exile from 1910 to 1919. During this time, Bharati’s nationalistic poems and essays were popular successes. I mportant works of Bharatiyar include Ka ṇṇ an p āṭṭ u (1917; Songs to Krishna), Panchali sapatham (1912; Panchali’s Vow), Kuyil p āṭṭ u (1912; Kuyil’s Song), Pudiya Russia and Gnanaratham (Chariot of Wisdom).