Postal stamp on freedom fighter Ondiveeran released

Postal stamp on freedom fighter Ondiveeran released
Image source: Google

Chennai: A commemorative postal stamp on freedom fighter Ondiveeran, the commander-in-chief of Poolithevan's army, the first to rebel against the British rule, was released in Tirunelveli on Saturday by Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi.

Paying rich tributes to Ondiveeran, the Governor said freedom fighters like him continued to live in the hearts and minds of the people and in our history.

"He did not belong just to the Arunthathiyar community but to the whole country. Entire India is proud of him," Ravi said and claimed that the British rulers effaced the names of the freedom fighters and wrote India's history that was antithetical.

"The British rulers have done much to destroy us, our history and our society. They manipulated our history and wrote false versions and removed the true history," the Governor said.

The then rulers commissioned people including James Mill to write India's history. "But ultimately, they could not remove them from our memory, from our hearts," he said and added Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that the sacrifices of our freedom fighters were recalled during India's 75th Independence.

The Governor called for a deeper study on India's history from the Indian perspective.

Telangana Governor and Lt Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundarajan who received the first copy of the commemorative stamp at the function held to observe the 251st death anniversary of Ondiveeran, recalled the immense sacrifice and contribution of this Indian commander-in-chief of Poolithevan's army.

Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying L Murugan, former deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly V P Duraisamy, BJP legislator Nainar Nagendran and Ondiveeran's descendent Arumugam were among those who participated.

Many leaders besides Governors: Ravi and Soundararajan, and State Ministers paid floral tributes to Ondiveeran at his memorial in Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli district.

Paying rich tributes to the freedom fighter, Chief Minister M K Stalin recalled that the previous DMK regime was instrumental in establishing a memorial for Ondiveeran.

In Chennai, former Chief Minister and AIADMK leader K Palaniswami paid floral tributes to Ondiveeran's portrait at his residence here.