Mahatma Ayyankali
- Tributes were paid to the social reformer Mahatma Ayyankali on his 157th birth anniversary.
- Ayyankali was a social reformer born on August 28th, 1863 in a small village in princely state of Travancore, Kerala.
- He was born in the Pulayar community of untouchables.
- He resolved to get rid of boundaries of the caste system and became a stated protestor for Pulayar rights.
- He was the most important Dalit leader of modern Kerala and influenced many changes to improve social wellbeing of Dalits.
- He defied restrictions and fought for many rights such as access to public places, right to the dignity of clothing, right to use public roads, right to education, etc.
- He was the earliest labour leaders from Kerala and fought for rights of agricultural labourers.
- The Pulaya community of Kerala describes him as Raja.
- Mahatma Gandhi called Ayyankali as ‘Pulaya king’.
- Indira Gandhi described him as ‘India’s greatest son’.
