Who is Mahatma Ayyankali: The Dalit leader whom PM Modi praised today

New Delhi, Aug 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tribute to social reformer Mahatma Ayyankali on his 157th birth anniversary sharing PM's 5 years old speech on Ayyankali Jayanti on social media.

"India remains indebted to greats like Mahatma Ayyankali. His work towards social reform and empowering the downtrodden will always inspire. Remembering him on his Jayanti."
The Prime Minister said that India would remain indebted to Ayyankali.

"A few years ago, had attended a program to mark his Jayanti. Here is my speech..., " the PM said in a tweet.

Ayyankali Jayanthi 2020 commemorates the birthday of Ayyankali, an social reformer in Travancore, British India. The day is celebrated across Kerala.

Who is Mahatma Ayyankali

Born on August 28th, 1963 in a small village in the princely state of Travancore, now within the south of the modern-day nation of Kerala, Ayyankali efforts influenced many changes that improved social wellbeing of those people, who are today referred to as Dalits.

Ayyankali was the first of eight children born to Ayyan and Mala, who were members of the Pulayar community of untouchable people.

Growing up illiterate and seeing that many Pulayars had been efficaciously rural slaves, Ayyankali resolved to do what he should to get rid of boundaries of the caste system.

Ayyankali became a stated protestor for Pulayar rights. Because of the protests led through Ayyankali, in 1907 a decree turned into issued to confess students from the untouchable network to government schools.

When a school was burned down because a Puluyar female had attempted to enroll, Ayyankali organised a strike by way of the rural workers within the location.

Ayyankali led to large scale changes in the social outlook of the southern Indian state of Kerala.

The messiah of the Pulaya community of Kerala, describes Ayyankali as a 'Raja'.
Mahatma Gandhi called Ayyankali as 'Pulaya king'. Indira Gandhi described him as 'India's greatest son'.

Ayyankali, who has been described as "the most important Dalit leader of modern Kerala" passed away in 1941.