Latest news with #Aiyar
Time of India
09-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Who Was V V S Aiyar, the man Gandhi called a 'fierce anarchist'?
V V S Aiyar was a patriot during British rule. Aiyar was born in 1881 and died in 1925 Vamanan When even prestigious bodies sometimes mistakenly use V V S (Subramania) Aiyar's photograph for that of another early 20th-century patriot, Subramania Siva, one can reasonably presume that memory of the life and times of Aiyar is hazy. A tragedy indeed, for Aiyar was a man of extraordinary qualities, both of head and heart, a patriot who put his life and well-being on the line for India's political freedom and cultural renaissance at a time when British repression was at its harshest. Curiously, the comments made by his friend and nationalist Veer Savarkar, when Aiyar passed away prematurely in 1925 — trying to rescue his daughter from the swirling currents of the Papanasam waterfalls in Tirunelveli — underscore the collective amnesia that might afflict Aiyar's legacy: 'The noble story of thy life must for the time being, nay, perhaps for all time to come, remain untold ... Thy greatness, therefore, must stand undimmed but unwitnessed by man like the lofty Himalayan peaks. Thy services and sacrifices must lie buried in oblivion as do the mighty foundations of a mighty castle.' You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai One of the services that Aiyar rendered thus was supervising the English translation of Savarkar's landmark work, 'The Indian War of Independence, 1857'. Though Aiyar's contributions in the socio-political sphere may be partially hidden from public remembrance and sometimes spark contention, his literary bequests can never be forgotten. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One plan. Total peace of mind. ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo His standing as a pioneer in the Tamil short story genre is assured, based on the heartrending masterpiece 'Kulathangarai Arasamaram' (one of the stories in his 'Mangayarkkarasiyin Kaadhal' collection). The calibre of his exegetical writings can be judged from the fact that his translation of the Thirukkural and his study of 'Kamban' in English are highly respected texts more than 100 years after they were written. Such was Aiyar's ardour for Tamil and Kamban, the Tamil poet par excellence, that he rated the latter above classical masters such as Valmiki and Vyasa, who wrote in Sanskrit in a different time and era. This was not the blinkered opinion of a Tamil bigot but the considered view of a master who was at home in a multiplicity of tongues. Aiyar was born on April 2, 1881, in his mother's native village near Karur and grew up in Varaganeri, a hamlet that is now a central part of Trichy city. His father Venkatesan had held a govt job (postmaster, says biographer R A Padmanabhan; school inspector, say biographer Shuddhananda Bharati and writer V Saminatha Sarma who worked under Aiyar and penned his recollections). But he quit his job to start a banking business and founded a cooperative sales and credit society. Aiyar, named Subramaniam because he was born under the Krithika constellation which is associated with the deity Muruga, proved to be a brilliant student and passed the matriculation examinations at the age of 14, ranking fifth in the Madras Presidency. Joining St Joseph's College in Trichy, he got his BA degree with distinction. He was not only an excellent student and the favourite of his professors, but also a good debater who worsted his opponents by his calm manner and sharp logic. His mastery of English and knowledge of classical languages, such as Sanskrit, Latin (one of his subjects for his BA, in which he stood first), and Tamil (his mother tongue), made him conversant with the best of world literature. He was an excellent swimmer and did his squats and push-ups regularly and swung the Indian club (karlakattai) to his heart's content, gaining a solidly built athletic physique. Aiyar went to Madras to take the first grade pleaders examination and practised in Trichy district court for five years. Aiyar had been married when 15 to 11-year-old Bhagyalakshmi, though in later life he opposed child marriage. Through K G Pasupathi, a cousin of his wife who was a successful textile trader with outlets in Rangoon (Yangon), Bangalore and Pondicherry, Aiyar apprenticed under a British barrister in Rangoon before sailing to London to qualify as a barrister. It was in London that he came into contact with the inmates of India House, a hostel for Indian students that had become a hub for revolutionaries fighting for Independence. He became an inmate and the right-hand man of Savarkar, the unquestionable leader of the India House residents. While permitting Aiyar to transgress the Hindu ban on crossing the seas, his father, who had been an activist for reconversions, had told him, 'Go like Saul and return like Paul'. On his part, Aiyar went to London as an ambitious young man looking for a career makeover and was transformed into a full-fledged revolutionary, training other young men to wage war on the Empire through targeted killing of British officials. After the assassination in London of British officer Curzon Wyllie by India Houser Madanlal Dhingra, on July 1, 1909, the closure of India House and arrest of Savarkar in the Nasik conspiracy case (killing of Nasik collector A M T Jackson), Aiyar was a marked man. The odyssey of his escape from London and travels through Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Naples, Constantinople, Cairo, Bombay, and Colombo, until he reached Cuddalore, from where he walked to French Pondicherry, showed him to be a master of disguise and deception. Life in Pondicherry (1910-1920) was marked by meetings with the poet Subramania Bharati and the nationalist Aurobindo, who were already there, as well as by recurrent incidents of attacks by goons unleashed by the British police. His return to India to take over as editor of 'Desabakthan' in Madras brought another downturn as he was jailed for nine months in Bellary for a 'seditious' editorial that was published behind his back. Finally, despite his best efforts to run a gurukulam at Cheranmahadevi in Tirunelveli, aimed at training Indian youth in nation-building, the experiment was marred by abrasive charges of caste discrimination on flimsy grounds. To a man of Aiyar's catholicity and compassion, they seemed unfounded and unjust, but he made every effort to address them. At this juncture, his sudden and dramatic demise occurred. Ideas and ideals Despite qualifying to be a barrister, Aiyar chose to forfeit the rank as it required taking an oath of allegiance to the crown Gandhiji had found Aiyar to be a 'fierce anarchist' in 1907; in less than a decade, he had mellowed down and accepted the path of Ahimsa Aiyar wrote biographical sketches of the first emperor of the Maurya empire, Chandragupta Maurya, Sikh spiritual leader Guru Govind Singh, reformer Booker T Washington and French statesman Napoleon Bonaparte (a book on military strategy that was confiscated by the colonial govt) He was survived by his wife, who lived to the age of 73 and his son, Dr V V S Krishnamurthy, who served as a medical doctor in Thiruvanaikaval Swami Chidbhavananda, who, as a young celibate, was performing penance at the Papanasam Falls during the fatal accident, later took over the administration of Aiyar's gurukul in the early 1970s through a trust. He also published Aiyar's translation of the Kural (The writer is a journalist and author) Email your feedback with name and address to
New Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
I asked Rajiv Gandhi in Mysuru whether I can quit IFS: Mani Shankar Aiyar
MYSURU: Veteran diplomat and politician Mani Shankar Aiyar highlighted the difference between grassroots and national politics and said at the local level, it's often the individual who matters more than the party. But at the national level, elections turn into referendums on personalities you vote for or against a face, he added. Speaking during a session 'Decades of Diplomacy, Democracy and Political Developments' organised as part of 9th Mysuru Literature Festival here on Sunday, Aiyar, known for his sharp wit and candid observations, enthralled the packed audience with reflections on India's democratic journey and milestones from his own political career during the second day of the literature festival. He recalled how Mysuru held special significance in his life and said it was in Mysuru that he first asked Rajiv Gandhi for permission to leave the Indian Foreign Service and enter politics. 'If you want your life to be on a gentle gradient, politics is not for you,' Aiyar said. 'But if you are ready to face uncertainty, challenge, and change then it is your calling,' he said recalling the decade back conversation. Book released A book titled, 'Sing, Dance and Lead: Leadership Lessons from the Teachings of Srila Prabhupada' authoured by renowned writer and historian Hindol Sengupta was released during a session. Drawing from Srila Prabhupada's global impact, he observed that despite sweeping technological advancements since the spiritual leader's arrival in the United States decades ago, his message continues to inspire because it transcends religious boundaries and speaks to the universal human spirit.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mani Shankar Aiyar says India's fate doomed if not rescued from Modi's regime
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar dubbed Narendra Modi as India's worst-ever Prime Minister, and said that the country's destiny was doomed unless we rescue ourself from him and his rule. Speaking on the second day of the Mysuru Literature Festival here on Sunday, Mr. Aiyar said Mr. Modi, despite being elected by only one-third of Indian voters, had become the 'most authoritarian' leader the country has seen. 'Two-thirds of Indians did not vote for him, and even among Hindus, half did not. They understand that Hinduism is not Hindutva,' he said, accusing the ruling government of pushing an exclusionary agenda. He cited a study claiming that 110 of Mr. Modi's 159 campaign speeches in the last general election contained direct attacks on Muslims. Mr. Ayiar was asked to rate the various Prime Ministers – both past and present – and he said Jawaharlal Nehru towered head and shoulders above the rest. He rated Rajiv Gandhi as the second-best Prime Minister for the ideas he had for the country. Lal Bahadur Shastri had only about 18 months of tenure, said Mr. Aiyar but faulted his handling of the language agitation which broke out in Tamil Nadu. 'It was left to Indira Gandhi to salvage the situation but she went down in my estimation after the imposition of the Emergency,' said Mr. Aiyar. He was equally scathing in his remarks against P.V. Narasimha Rao and recalled that Babri Masjid was brought down during his regime and which, Mr. Aiyar said, helped lay the foundation for the rise of the BJP. The Congress leader warned that the BJP's push for 'one nation, one language, one culture, one election' was fundamentally flawed and went against the spirit of India and its diverse culture. 'To build India on the basis of uniformity is to destroy our unity,' according to Mr. Aiyar who said that India's strength lay in its ability to thrive on diversity. 'We are geniuses in how to live in diversity and celebrate it. No other country has succeeded like we have,' he added. Mr. Aiyar was critical of the BJP polarising the society or driving a wedge on the basis of cultural and religious differences, and said that India can only be built – as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru - by acknowledging its diversity and thus securing its unity. In reply to a question, he said that in a Parliamentary election, people don't vote for the candidate but for the party, and an individual does not count and larger issues determine the outcome. The literature festival, which was organised by the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust, had sessions on social relevance of writing in times of Ted Talks, reels, vlogs, and AI-generated thriller contents, and polyamory in India. There were parallel sessions in Kannada on subjects germane to the present times, art, culture, cinema, etc.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India's ‘Trump Card' on trade deal? How India can handle US pressure and seal agreement
As the US and India look to seal a trade deal ahead of Donald Trump's self-imposed July 9 deadline, India seems to be resisting American pressure - joining a select group of countries refusing to budge to tactics of the world's largest economy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While smaller economies like Vietnam have capitulated by slashing tariffs and opening markets, India can use its growing energy imports as a strategic bargaining chip, and refuse to budge on sensitive issues like agriculture, believes Swaminathan Aiyar, Consulting Editor at ET Now. India's 'Trump Card': Energy imports According to Aiyar, India is in a far better negotiating position than most. 'I really think we should be tough and hold out. Our strength is that because we are short of oil and gas, we can be among the very few countries that are going to shrink their trade deficit with the USA,' Aiyar said, according to an ET report quoting the TV channel. India's oil imports from the US jumped to 439,000 barrels per day in June, up from 280,000 bpd the month before. That's exactly the kind of stat Trump loves, evidence that a trading partner is helping reduce the US trade deficit. Also read: Aiyar added, 'Other countries will find it very difficult because I do not think they are in a position to massively increase imports of energy.' Agri and dairy: Red lines for India But if Trump expects a wide-ranging trade deal, India's agricultural sector is where things hit a wall. Aiyar warned that any move to open India's markets to genetically modified (GM) crops, such as GM soy, maize, and wheat, which dominate US agriculture, would trigger domestic and international consequences. 'If we allow this in, then we will not be allowed to export to Europe because Europe won't take genetically modified crops,' Aiyar was quoted as saying. The issue is politically sensitive, especially after months of nationwide farmer protests. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Any move to allow GM food imports could spark widespread backlash. So while Trump's farm lobby is pushing hard, India is unlikely to grant access. Also read: Vietnam's deal: More optics than economics Trump recently announced a deal with Vietnam, claiming zero-duty access and market entry. But Aiyar dismissed this as 'largely theatrical.' Vietnam, he said, imports very little from the US to begin with, so zero tariffs don't amount to much. 'The plain and simple fact is that they import very little from the USA… If they say import duty on cars comes down to zero, how many American companies are going to be competitive compared with the Japanese, Koreans, or Europeans?' Aiyar asked. Vietnam was already willing to offer zero tariffs on certain goods, and Trump's deal is more about symbolism than substance. Japan and EU are holding firm too India is not alone in resisting Washington's aggressive trade agenda. Both Japan and the European Union have rejected what they see as unfair, one-sided demands from the Trump administration. 'They are saying they are going to continue and have very serious problems with US proposals. We are not going to keel under,' Aiyar said. 'That sends a message to India and others, don't cave in.' With the July 9 deadline looming, Aiyar believes Trump is more focused on the headlines than the fine print. 'Even where there are partial agreements, as may be the case with India, he will play that up. He's a performer. A stage actor,' he said.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How India can play hardball with Trump and win
As US President Donald Trump rushes to stitch together trade deals ahead of a key July 9 deadline, India finds itself in a rare position of strength. While smaller economies like Vietnam have yielded to US demands including drastically lowering tariffs and opening markets India has more room to bargain. According to Swaminathan Aiyar, Consulting Editor at ET Now, India should recognise its leverage and use it wisely. 'I really think we should be tough and hold out,' Aiyar told ET Now in an interview. 'Our strength is that because we are short of oil and gas, we can be among the very few countries that are going to shrink their trade deficit with the USA.' As per reports, oil imports from the US rose to 439,000 bpd in June, a massive jump from 280,000 bpd purchased in the previous month. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo India's Trump card: Energy imports Trump has long railed against America's trade deficits, casting them as proof of unfair treatment by foreign governments. But unlike Vietnam, India has a unique bargaining chip: energy. India's rising demand for oil and gas gives it the ability to import more from the US, providing a tangible way to shrink the bilateral trade gap. That's exactly the kind of deal Trump wants to parade and the reason, Aiyar says, India doesn't need to roll over. Live Events ''So, I would say, India can massively increase its imports of oil and gas and therefore be in a better negotiating position," Aiyar noted. "Other countries will find it very difficult because I do not think they are in a position to massively increase imports of energy." Contrast with Japan and the EU While Vietnam was quick to grant the US zero-duty access, largely symbolic given the limited volume of U.S. exports to Vietnam, Japan and the EU have refused to budge. Both economic powerhouses have rejected what they see as unfair and one-sided American demands, even at the risk of delaying trade agreements. This show of resistance, Aiyar believes, sends a broader message: countries need not cave under pressure, even when the US is playing hardball. "What is clear at this point is that neither Japan nor the European Union says that they are so afraid of the US and are going to give in. They are saying that they are going to continue and have very serious problems with US proposals, we are not going to keel under," he said. "So, those two biggest trading partners are not going to cave under. And if they continue, then in some sense it is a sign to India and others not to cave in." Vietnam deal- Not an economic win Trump's announcement that Vietnam will pay 20% tariffs and give 'total access' to the US market may sound dramatic, but Aiyar dismisses it as largely theatrical. "The plain and simple fact is that they(Vietnam) import very little from the USA. And if that comes in on zero duty, I mean they are perfectly happy to import a little more from the USA. Trump's problem is that the USA is uncompetitive on most items," he noted. "So, if they say that import duty on cars comes down to zero, how many American companies are going to be competitive compared with the Japanese, the Koreans, and even with the Europeans. Vietnam was willing even earlier to say okay we are willing to do a zero tariff." In contrast, India represents a major potential buyer of US energy, defense equipment, and select high-tech goods — the kind of trade that Trump could sell as a real win. Agri red lines still hold Still, the US wants more, particularly access to India's agricultural and dairy markets. But that's a non-starter, Aiyar says. With political sensitivities running high after the farmer protests and strong opposition to genetically modified (GM) crops, any serious concessions on agriculture could trigger major backlash. Trump's farm supporters want agri wins. But India won't allow GM maize or wheat. Aiyar pointed out, "there is also the problem that America has genetically modified crops in the case of soybean and in the case of maize and in the case of wheat. If we allow this in, then we will not be allowed to export to Europe because Europe won't take genetically modified crops." The clock is ticking, for Trump With Trump setting himself a tight window to announce deals, the pressure is squarely on Washington not New Delhi. Aiyar believes Trump's strategy is as much about optics as outcomes. "Even where there are partial agreements, as may be the case with India, he will play that up." "He's a performer. A stage actor,' Aiyar said. India may not be able to match Vietnam's speed, but with energy imports as a powerful bargaining chip, and will to resist pressure on agriculture, India has the space to negotiate a deal that works for its interests.
