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T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar

Tiruppur Subrahmanya Avinashilingam Chettiar
Member of the Indian Parliament (Rajya Sabha)
In office
1958–1964
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
Member of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha)
for Tiruppur
In office
1952–1957
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
Minister of Education (Madras Presidency)
In office
1946–1949
Premier Tanguturi Prakasam,
O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar
Member of the Imperial Legislative Council of India
In office
1934–1945
Personal details
Born (1903-05-05)5 May 1903
Tiruppur, Madras Presidency
Died 21 November 1991(1991-11-21) (aged 88)
Coimbatore
Nationality Indian
Political party Indian National Congress
Alma mater Pachaiyappa's College, Madras
Madras Law College
Occupation lawyer, politician
Religion Hindu

Tiruppur Subrahmanya Avinashilingam Chettiar (5 May 1903 – 21 November 1991) was an Indian lawyer, politician, freedom-fighter and Gandhian. He served as the Education Minister of Madras Presidency from 1946 to 1949 and was responsible for introducing Tamil as the medium of instruction. He ia also credited with having commissioned the creation of the first Tamil encyclopaedia.

Avinashlinam Chettiar was born to K. Subrahmanya Chettiar at Tiruppur. He was a nephew of politician T. A. Ramalingam Chettiar. Avinashilingam had his early education at Tiruppur, Coimbatore and Madras and graduated in law from Madras Law College of the University of Madras. He joined the Indian Independence Movement and participated in Civil Disobedience and the Quit India Movement. He also served as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council and later, education minister of Madras. He is also credited with introducing reforms in Indian society.

Avinashlingam was a devout Gandhian and was a strong follower of Gandhian economics. He was also a renowned social reformer and follower of the Ramakrishna Mission.

Avinashlingam was born in Tiruppur in the then Coimbatore district on 5 May 1903 to K. Subrahmanya Chettiar, a rich and prominent merchant of Tiruppur and his wife, Palaniammal. Avinashlingam was a nephew of Indian National Congress politician and freedom-fighter, T. A. Ramalingam Chettiar.

Avinashilingam had his schooling at Tiruppur High school, Tiruppur and London Mission High School, Coimbatore. He graduated from Pachaiyappa's College, Madras in 1923 and studied law at Madras Law College. In 1926, he commenced practice as an assistant to his uncle Ramalingam Chettiar before entering the Indian independence movement.

Avinashilingam participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement. He joined the Indian National Congress and adopted Gandhi's philosophy. He also served as the President of the Coimbatore District Congress Committee. When Gandhi visited South India in 1934 to collect money for the Harijan Welfare Fund, Avinashilingam assisted him by collecting and donating rupees two and half lakhs to the fund. He also bore the expenses for the entire tour.


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