Tamil Nadu [India], April 17 : Tamil Nadu CM and DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) leader, MK Stalin, paid a floral tribute to freedom fighter Dheeran Chinnamali on his birth anniversary on Thursday.
Remembering Chinnamali, Stalin took to X, and wrote, "Today is the birthday of the incomparable warrior Dheeran Chinnamalai, who built the fort and fought in Odanilai!
If the feeling of resistance to foreign domination is still strong in our Tamil land today, it was Chinnamalai who sparked it with his fight against the British that day!
Long live his valour and glory!"
Dheeran Chinnamalai was born as Theerthagiri Sarkarai Manradiar on April 17, 1756. He was a Palayakkarar and chieftain who ruled the Kongu Nadu region in present-day Tamil Nadu.
He fought against the Kingdom of Mysore, which collected taxes in the Kongu region. However, later, he joined hands with Tipu Sultan and waged wars against the British East India Company. After the demise of Tipu Sultan and Kattabomman, Chinnamalai became a prominent commander in the Second Polygar War in 1801. The Polygar Wars were fought between the Polygars of the former Tirunelveli Kingdom in Tamil Nadu and the forces of the British East India Company between March 1799 and May 1802, and in July 1805.
He deployed guerrilla tactics and also led the line during the war in 1801 at Cauvery, in 1802 at Odanilai, and in 1804 at Arachalur. But in 1805, the British forces defeated his army, and he managed to escape. However, Chinnamalai was later captured by the British forces. On August 2, 1805, he was hanged to death at Sankagiri Fort along with his two brothers.
However, according to some sources, he was hanged earlier, on July 31 of the same year.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Telangana governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan also paid tribute to the freedom fighter.
"On the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Dheeran Chinnamalai, who bravely resisted the British, let us remember, honour and pay tribute to his sacrifices and struggles," Dr Soundararajan's X post read.