INAUGURAL EVENT OF THE CENTRE FOR INDIAN SOCIAL STUDIES (CISS)
Date & Time: 23rd September 2023 (Saturday), 9:30 AM
Venue: Aringar Anna Arangam, Anbagam, Teynampet, Chennai – 600018
The Centre for Indian Social Studies (CISS) marked its formal inauguration on the 23rd of September 2023 at the Aringar Anna Arangam (Anbagam) in Chennai, with an event that combined academic depth, technological innovation and cultural engagement. The event not only celebrated the official launch of the CISS Foundation but also introduced several key initiatives aimed at preserving and proliferating the ideas and works of Periyar and other Dravidian factes.
The event began with the inauguration of CISS, a foundation envisioned as a pioneering institution committed to the academic study and promotion of the rationalist principles that form the bedrock of the Dravidian movement. As emphasized during the proceedings, CISS is designed to function as a vibrant and dynamic platform where scholarly engagement with Dravidian thought intersects with public education. Through a conscious effort to bridge academic rigor with accessibility, the Centre aims to promote the academic values of social justice, rationalism and equality. In doing so, it hopes to establish itself as a critical space for discussions, research, and dissemination of alternative Indian perspectives, challenging dominant narratives and cantering marginalized voices.
The Centre for Indian Social Studies focuses on translating and publishing important Tamil works written by Dravidian thinkers. This effort helps people outside Tamil Nadu understand Dravidian ideas, which challenge caste, patriarchy and religious control. CISS aims to make these texts available in many languages so more people in India and around the world can learn from them. During the event, CISS released newly translated books on Dravidian ideologies. These books are an important step in sharing the powerful ideas of the Dravidian movement. They will be useful for students, teachers, and researchers who want to study social justice, Indian political thought, and resistance movements.
A major highlight of the event was the launch of “Digital Periyar.com,” a state-of-the-art digital archive and repository that seeks to consolidate and preserve the vast literary and journalistic contributions associated with Periyar and the broader Dravidian movement. This initiative reflects the Centre’s forward-looking approach and its commitment to using technology as a tool for ideological dissemination. The digital platform is envisioned as a centralized, easily navigable resource featuring digitized books, newspapers, pamphlets, articles, speeches and historical documents. By leveraging the accessibility and scalability of digital media, “Digital Periyar” aims to make Periyar’s legacy available to new generations of readers, activists and scholars around the world.
The event featured thought-provoking lectures by two respected scholars, adding strong intellectual depth. Prof. M. Naganathan, former Vice-Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission and retired professor from the University of Madras, delivered a lecture titled “Periyar Is Needed Forever.” He stressed that Periyar’s ideas are still important today, especially in the face of ongoing caste discrimination, gender inequality, and religious intolerance.
The second keynote was presented by Prof. Debi Chatterjee, a retired professor from Jadavpur University in Kolkata. Her talk, “Building the Pillars for an Alternative Culture in India – Contributions of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy,” focused on how Periyar’s thoughts are important not just in Tamil Nadu, but across India. She connected Periyar’s ideas to other struggles for justice in the country and showed how his views on equality, scientific thinking, and democracy offer a powerful alternative to traditional systems. Adding a multimedia and creative dimension to the event, CISS in collaboration with the Centre for Media and Social Sciences (CFMS), organized a short film contest centered on the theme “Pen En Adimai Anal?” (“Why Is Woman Enslaved?”). The contest invited young filmmakers and students to interpret, visualize and question the structures of gender oppression, drawing inspiration from Periyar’s radical advocacy for women’s emancipation. The contest received an enthusiastic response, and the winning entries were screened to the audience. Celebrated filmmaker and activist Director Thamizh presided over the contest segment and distributed prizes to the winning participants. In his address, he lauded the creative interpretations of Periyar’s ideas and encouraged young artists to continue using cinema as a medium for social change. The event ended with an interactive session where scholars and attendees shared their thoughts and ideas.
