Ananda Ranga Pillai

Ananda Ranga Pillai
A portrait of Ananda Ranga Pillai
Born	(1709-03-30)30 March 1709 Perambur, Madras Presidency
Died	16 January 1761(1761-01-16) (aged 51) Pondicherry, French India
Occupation	merchant, dubash
Employer	French East India Company
Known for	His private diaries which narrates the day-to-day functioning of the French East India Company in Pondicherry
Title	Chief Dubash of Pondicherry
Term	1709-61
Predecessor	Kanakaraya Mudali
Spouse(s)	Mangathayi Ammal
Children	Pappal, Kalathi, Lakshmi, Annasamy, Ayyasamy

Ananda Ranga Pillai (30 March 1709 – 16 January 1761), (often pronounced as Ānañtarañkam Pillai (Tamil: ஆனந்தரங்கம் பிள்ளை(வைணவ பிள்ளை /யாதவர்)) was a dubash in the service of the French East India Company. He is mainly famous for his set of private diaries from the years 1736 to 1761 which portray life in 18th century India.

Ananda Ranga Pillai was born in Madras in a well-to-do family. At a very early age, Ananda Ranga Pillai emigrated with his father to Pondicherry where the family pursued their business interests. On his father's death in 1726, Ananda Ranga was made dubash and served in his capacity till his removal on grounds of ill-health and deteriorating performance. Ananda Ranga died in 1761 at the age of 51. Ananda Ranga was especially known for his proximity to the French Governor Joseph François Dupleix, who favored him in various appointments.

Ananda Ranga Pillai's diaries were translated in the early 20th century and bring to light life in the mid-18th century and the Anglo-French Carnatic wars. His mansion in Pondicherry has been recognized as a heritage monument. C. S. Srinivasachari, a prominent Indian historian, described Ananda Ranga Pillai as the "Samuel Pepys of French India".

Ananda Ranga Pillai was born to a merchant named Tiruvengada Pillai on 30 March 1709 in the village of Perambur on the outskirts of Madras. Madras was, then, the center of Tiruvengada Pillai's business activities. In 1716, at the behest of Nainiya Pillai,brother-in-law of Tiruvengada Pillai, who then functioned as the chief Indian agent of French Pondicherry, Guillaume André d'Hébert, the territory's French Governor invited Tiruvengada Pillai and other important Indian merchants of Madras, to his city. Relying on Nainiya Pillai's advice, Tiruvengada moved with his family and businesses to Pondicherry and settled there. Soon afterwards, Nainiya Pillai fell out of favor with the Governor and was imprisoned and later died. In contrast, Tiruvengada rapidly rose in favor with the French rulers and attained a respectable position in the city.