Knowra Dravidian movement Dravidian movement A political and social movement that arose in South India to challenge Brahmin dominance and caste inequality, promote social justice, and advance Dravidian identity.
Justice Party : A political party founded in Madras in 1916 to represent non-Brahmin interests and expand their access to public office. It established organized non-Brahmin politics before the movement’s mass phase.
C. N. Annadurai : An Indian politician and writer who founded the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and became chief minister of Madras State. He turned Dravidian politics into an electoral force and led its first state government.
Self-Respect Movement : A social reform movement founded by Periyar in 1925 that challenged caste hierarchy, religious authority, and gender inequality. It made self-respect, rationalism, and social equality central to the movement’s program.
Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu : A series of protests in Tamil Nadu against policies promoting Hindi in education and administration. The agitations mobilized language-based opposition and strengthened Dravidian parties.
Non-Brahmin movement : A political current in colonial India seeking greater representation and opportunities for communities excluded from Brahmin-dominated institutions. It supplied the movement’s early social and political foundation.
M. Karunanidhi : An Indian politician, screenwriter, and chief minister of Tamil Nadu who led the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for decades. His career illustrates the movement’s durable blend of party politics, public communication, and Tamil identity.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam : A Tamil Nadu political party founded in 1949 by C. N. Annadurai after breaking with the Dravidar Kazhagam. It carried Dravidian ideas into electoral politics and state government.
Tamil Nadu : A state in southern India where Tamil is the principal official language. Dravidian parties have dominated the state’s politics since the late 1960s.
Madras Presidency : A major British colonial province in southern India, governed from Madras, now Chennai. The movement’s early organizations and political contests took shape in this province.
K. Kamaraj : An Indian National Congress leader and chief minister of Madras State known for expanding education and public services. His Congress leadership provides a major comparison with Dravidian parties’ rise to power.
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