Activities

Activities of S.V.Rajadurai, Professor and Head
(From 19th January 2007 to 30th April 2008)

		07.02.2007 : Delivered Presidential address in the function organized by the Department of Tamil, St.Joseph College, Tiruchirapalli to release the doctoral dissertation of Dr.S.Jeyaseeli of Seethalakshmi College for Women, Tiruchirapalli and spoke on the contribution of Periyar to the emancipation of women.

		09.02.2007: Organized bimonthly lecture on behalf of Centre for Periyar Studies and Periyar Study Circle, Bharathidasan University and had Ms V.Geetha, eminent feminist and writer speak on ‘Why Women need Periyar?’

		14.02.2007: Delivered a keynote address on Periyar’s concept of Love and Self-Respect marriage and the relevance and/or irrelevance of Valentine’s day celebrations. The meeting was organized by Alternate Thinkers’ Forum, Tiruchirapalli.

		16.02.2007: Participated in the meeting of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University at Kajamalai Campus.

		19.02.2007: Participated in the inaugural function of the Centre for Tamil Music and Performing Arts, Bharathidasan University to gift the DVDs containing the folkmusic and folk dances of Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalas.

		25.02.2007: Addressed a literary review meeting organized by Ilakkiya Sutram (Literary Circle) at K.A.P.Viswanatham High School, Tiruchirapalli and emphasized the importance of Periyar’s journalistic exercises.

		27.02.2007: Flagged off the rally organized by Tamil Nadu Sama Kalvi-Vazhvurimai Iyakkam and spoke on Periyar’s contribution to social justice

		02.03.2007: Delivered Bharathidasan Endowment lecture at the Department of Tamil Literature, University of Madras : the topic being ‘Periyar and Bharathidasan’.

		03.03.2007: Delivered keynote address in the first All India Journalism Conference (organized by Si.Pa.Athithanar All India Society for Journalism) at Tiruchirapalli.

		08.03.2007: Delivered a special address on the significance of the International Working Women’s day in a function organized by the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli.

		21.03.2007: Attended the meeting of the Senate of the University.

		03.04.2007: Organized a bimonthly seminar on behalf of Centre for Periyar Studies and Periyar Study Circle, Bharathidasan University and had Dr M.Ramasamy, Professor and Head, Tamil University, Thanjavur spoke on ‘Periyar and Ambedkar, the Rebels’. Spoke on the need to defend the reservation policy of the government in the context of the Supreme Court’s interim injunction against the implementation of 27 reservation in higher educational institutions like IIT.

		Prepared Syllabi (in English and Tamil) for one year diploma course in Periyar Thoughts through distance education.

		Launched the website www.everperiyar.org

		Efforts made to upgrade the library for resource material on Periyar and related subjects.

		Prepared a comprehensive biography of Periyar in English (uploaded in the website)

		Efforts are being made to publish in book form the articles in English ( related to non Brahmin and Self-Respect movement in Tamil Nadu) written by S.V.Rajadurai and his collaborator and free lance researcher V.Geetha.

		Collected and sent to the Computer Centre, Bharathidasan University for uploading in the website the writings and speeches of Periyar EVR that had appeared in ‘Kudi Arasu’ weekly during the years 1925 and 1926.

		(S.V.Rajadurai,Professor and Head, Centre for Periyar Studies went on Medical Leave from 12.4.2007 to 11.6.2006 in view of the open hear surgery at Apollo Hospital, Chennai and convalescence .)

		18.07.2007:Sent to the Computer Centre the CDs containing the microfilmed versions of EVR Periyar’s Self respect Journals ‘Kudi Arasu’,’ Pakutharivu’ and ‘Puratchi’ collected from Roja Muthiah Research Library, Chennai for uploading the contents in the website.

		Uploaded in the website in pdf format the corrected version of the following books: 1.Periyar : August 15; August 15:Inba Naal Thukka Naal; 3. Inthiya Varalatril Bhagavat Geethai.

		17.7.2007:Delivered a special talk on the role of little magazines and Self-respect tradition in the meeting organized by ‘Vayal’, a leading literary association in Tiruchirapalli

		1.8.2007:Participated in a cultural meeting organized by Nimai Ghosh Film Society, the literary association ‘Vayal’ and the Tamil Monthly ‘ Uyir Ezuthu’ to screen the short films of Dharmasiri Bandaranayakae, an outstanding artist from Sri Lanka and gave a talk on the influence of the performing arts of the Tamil people in South India as well as in Sri Lanka on the Sinhala people.

		2.08.2007: Helped Dr M.Selvam, Head of the Department of Commerce and Financial Management to organize a special lecture by Thiru Raman Mahadevan, Economic Historian.

		19.08.2007 : Delivered a special talk on ‘Infiltration of Brahmins into the Phule-Ambedkar Movement’ organized at Salem by BAMCEF (founded by the late Thiru Kanshiram, the mentor of the present Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Ms Mayawati)

		20.08.2007: Addressed the meeting organized by the Department of Commerce and Financial Management, Bharathidasan University on “The Evolution of Corporate Entrprenuership in South India” and talked on the need to study the economic and political climate in which the enterprises take place.

		23.08.2007: Completed the writing of the lesson for the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University on ‘Periyar:caste,gender and patriarchy’ (in English -32 pages in A4 size) and sent it to the Director, Centre for Women’s Studies.

		27.08.2007: Organised a bimonthly seminar in association with the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University and had a talk delivered by Dr.Vasantha Kandasamy of Department of Mathematics , IIT, Chennai and the recipient of the prestigious Kalpana Chawla award instituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The subject of the talk was “Social Justice: My Expereience”.

		06.09.2007: Gave three brief talks on ‘Periyar’s Thoughts on Communism’, ‘Periyar’s Thoughts on Social Reform’ and ‘Periyar’s Thoughts on Women’s Rights’

		07.09.2007: Gave a talk on ‘Gender Politics’ at the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University.

		17.09.2007: Celebrated the 129th birthday of Periyar E.V.Ramasami at the Centre for Periyar Studies and administered an oath to about 40 students who gatheredthere that they would make their efforts through non-violent means Periyar’s ideals of suyamariyadai and samadhramam.

		25.9.2007: Organised on behalf of Centre for Periyar Studies and Periyar Study Circle a special talk on ‘Periyar in the New Millennium’ by Thiru Thamizharuvi Manian, a noted Tamil Scholar and Member of Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission to commemorate Periyar’s 129th birthday.

		2.10.2007: Delivered the special talk on Periyar’s Thought in the meeting organized by Thiru Ve.Aanaimuthu, to celebrate Periyar’s 129th birthday at Woraiyur, Tiruchirapalli.

		9.10.2007:Addressed a meeting organized by literary associations and film club of Tiruchirapalli on the occasion of the 40th death anniversary of the Cuban leader Che on and emphasized the need to strengthen Indo-Cuban traditional ties.

		24.10.2007: Completed Verification of Stocks in the Centre for Periyar Studies with the help of Dr.A.Singaravel, the Sock Verification Office

		25.11.2007:Organised jointly with the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University, at Bishop Heber Higher Secondary School, Tiruchirapalli a feminist play ‘Kalak Kanavu’ by the Chennai based theatre group “Marapachi’as part of gender awareness.

		6.12.2007 To pay homage to Dr.B.R.Ambedkar on his 51st death anniversary, a function was organized at the Centre for Periyar Studies after garlanding his portrait by the Professor of the Head. An oath to pursue Dr Ambedkar’s ideal in peaceful and constitutional ways was administered to students and University staff assembled there.

		8.12.2007:Chaired the II Technical session of the National Seminar on Harmful Traditional Practices affecting the Health of Women and Children in India organized by the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University 07 and presented a paper.

		Wrote in English and Tamil a 15 paged (A4 size) paper titled ‘Periyar, the Pedagogue’ for publishing in the Journal of Science and Technology, Bharathidasan University.

		11.12.2007:Had a two hour discussion with Hon’ble Vice Chancellor on 11.12.2007 for filling up of the posts of two research Assistants sanctioned for the Centre for Periyar Studies and other measures to step up the activities of the Centre.

		Prepared pdf versions of a 900 page book written in Tamil by Prof S.V.Rajadurai and V.Geetha on Periyar:Suymariyadai Samadharmam , the English lesson on ‘Periyar, Gender and Caste’ written by Prof S.V.Rajadurai for the Centre for Women’s Studies also his article in English “peryar, the Pedagogue’ and also its Tamil version and sent them to the Computer Centre for uploading in the website.

		17.12.2007: Participated in the Demonstration meeting organized by the Department of Commerce to introduce the data base and other relevant and created by CMIE and the Sage Publications and gave a talk to the students about the need to avail themselves of such information and other needed material made possible by the information technology.

		19.12.2007: Chaired the Second Session of the Two-Day Seminar on “Therukkooththu-Kalaippadaippaakkam’ organized by the School of Performing Arts of Bharathidasan University

		4.1.2008: Delivered a Felicitatory address on 4.1.2008 during the Inaugural Function of the Decennial Year Celebration of the department of Commerce and Financial Management, Bharathidasan University.

		31.1.2008:.Delivered a valedictory Address in Cauvery College for Women, Tiruchirapalli on 31.1.2008 to sum up the proceedings of the Three Day Workshop for College Teachers on ‘Gender Positive Initiatives for releasing Leadership Skills among Women Students’.

		1.2.2008:Organised a Special Talk by Thiru. Tiruchi N.Siva, Member of Rajya Sabha on “ Gender Justice and Social Justice’ as a joint programe with Centre for Women Studies, Bharathidasan University and delivered an Introductory Note.

		22.2.2008:Organised a Special Talk by Hon’ble Union Minister for Communications and Information technology Thiru A.Raja on 22..2.2008 “Periyar Ambedkar: Contemporary Relevance’ as a joint programme with Centre for Women Studies and delivered an Introductory Note.

		Launched the book ‘The Periyar Century: Themes in Caste, Gender and Religion’ written by Prof S.V.Rajadurai and V.Geetha and arranged the sale of nearly 200 copies.

		12.3.2008:.Organised the Special Talks on 12.3.2008 in connection with the International Working Women’s Day as a joint programme with Centre for Women’s Studies with Ms Thamizhachi Thangapandian, the noted Tamil Poet as the Chief Guest and delivered a special talk on ‘ Two Women to be remembered”.

		Sent to the Computer Centre, 16 CDs containing microfilmed and digitized images of self respect Journals for uploading in the website maintained by the Centre for Periyar Studies.

		25.03.2008: Launched the Tamil version of the book ‘Constructed History and Caste’ by Dr V.Kannuppillai, former Addistional director genral of Police, Gujarat in a function held at AICUF House, Trichirapalli and gave a talk on the salient features of the book.

		10.04.2008 : Interacted with the research scholars at Roja Muthiha Research Library, Chennai and shared the information relating to the works done in the Centre for Periyar Studies , Bharathidasan Univesity and emphasized the need to go in for unexplored areas in the history of Self-respect Movement

		11.04.2008: Delivered a special talk on “From Phule to Periyar: The Self-respect Jorunals’ at Roja Muthiah Research Library, Chennai

		17.04.2008: Organised the 118th birthday celebration of Baba Saheb B.R.Ambedkar jointly with the Centre for Women’s Studies, Bharathidasan University and had Thiru R.Nallakannu, senior leader of the CPI, Tamil Nadu and recipient of Tamil Nadu Government’s ‘Ambedkar Award’ for 2007 on the topic ‘Ambedkar’s Philosophy of Liberation’.

		21.04.2008: 288 articles and brief material from 43 numbers of the English weekly ‘The Revolt’ run by Periyar E.V.Ramasami during 1928-1930 collected over a period of eight months and typed out were classified under 26 heads and sent to the Computer Centre for uploading in the website of Centre for Periyar Studies.