Subramanya Bharathi

Chinnaswami Subramania Bharati
Photograph of Subramanya Bharathi.
Born	Subramanian (1882-12-11)11 December 1882 Ettayapuram, Thoothukudi district, India
Died	12 September 1921(1921-09-12) (aged 38) Madras (Chennai), India
Cause of death	Natural death
Monuments	No monuments
Residence	Triplicane, Chennai
Nationality	Indian.
Other names	Bharathiyar, Subbaiah, Sakthi Dasan, Mahakavi, Mundasu Kavignar
Occupation	Journalist.
Known for	Indian Independence activism, poetry, social reform.
Notable work	Panchali Sapatham, Pappa Pattu, Kannan Pattu, Kuyil Pattu, etc.
Movement	Indian independence movement against British.
Spouse(s)	Chellamma (m. 1896-1921; till his death)
Children	Thangammal Bharati (b. 1904), Shakuntala Bharati (b. 1908)
Parent(s)	Chinnaswami Subramania Iyer and Lakshmi Ammal
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Chinnaswami Subramania Bharati (11 December 1882–12 September 1921) was an Indian writer, poet and journalist, and Indian independence activist and social reformer from Tamil Nadu. Popularly known as "Mahakavi Bharati", he was a pioneer of modern Tamil poetry and is considered one of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time. His numerous works were fiery songs kindling patriotism and nationalism during the Indian Independence movement.

Born in Ettayapuram of Tirunelveli district (present day Thoothukudi) in 1882, Bharati had his early education in Tirunelveli and Varanasi and worked as a journalist with many newspapers, notable among them being the Swadesamitran and India. Bharati was also an active member of the Indian National Congress. In 1908, an arrest warrant was issued against Bharati by the government of British India for his revolutionary activities, forcing him to flee to Puducherry, where he lived until 1918.

Bharati's works were on varied themes covering religious, political and social aspects. Songs penned by Bharati are widely used in Tamil films and music concerts.

Bharati was born to Chinnaswami Subramania Iyer and Lakhsmi Ammal as Subbaiah on 11 December 1882 in the village of Ettayapuram. He was educated at a local high school called The M.D.T. Hindu College in Tirunelveli. From a very young age he learnt music and at eleven, he learnt poetry. It was during this time that he was conferred the title of "Bharati", the one blessed by Saraswati, the goddess of learning. Bharati lost his mother at the age of five and his father at the age of sixteen. He married Chellamma who was seven years old when he was fifteen years old. He was brought up by his father who wanted him to learn English, excel in arithmetic, and become an engineer. Through his great efforts, he learnt 32 languages (29 Indian languages and 3 foreign languages).