The Centre for Indian Social Studies (CISS) has been dedicated to preserving Periyar E.V. Ramasamy’s legacy by digitalising the historic journal Kudi Arasu, a key publication of the Self-Respect Movement. Since its inception, CISS has worked to locate, collect, and digitise rare and fragile issues of the journal. Despite challenges such as damage and poor preservation, the Centre has successfully gathered many original copies through extensive archival efforts and support from individuals and institutions.              Understanding the historical and ideological significance of these materials, CISS invested in advanced scanning technology to ensure the best possible preservation and clarity of the digitised content. High-resolution scanners were used to carefully capture the delicate pages without causing further damage. The technical process was carried out with great precision and patience, especially due to the fragile nature of many of the originals.

              The backbone of this project has been the dedication of CISS’s technical team, particularly Ms. Idhaya Kannan and Mr. Adhithyan. Both have been instrumental in retouching, resizing, and restoring the scanned pages, ensuring that the digital versions maintain the integrity of the originals while being clean, legible and accessible to modern readers. Each issue has been compiled into individual, organised PDF files, ready for public access. Their technical expertise and tireless effort have turned a seemingly impossible archival challenge into a nearly completed milestone.

The project is now in its final stages. The digital files are being reviewed and prepared for launch on the upcoming Digital Periyar website, which aims to serve as a comprehensive online repository of Periyar’s writings, speeches, publications, and related historical materials. The digitised Kudi Arasu collection will be a highlight of the platform, offering researchers, students, and the general public free access to one of the most important political publications in modern Indian history. This project represents not just a technical achievement, but a cultural and educational service of great importance. By preserving and sharing Kudi Arasu in digital format, CISS is ensuring that Periyar’s voice, arguments, and radical vision continue to reach and influence new generations in India and across the world.

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.