Country will be a world leader by 2047: TN Governor

“Economic prosperity and intellectual leadership which were Dheeran Chinnamalai’s vision will make the country a world leader by 2047” said Governor R.N. Ravi during his address to mark the 217th death anniversary of the freedom fighter.

Speaking at the function organised by the Kongu Social Spiritual Educational and Cultural (KOSSEC) Foundation and Dheeran Chinnamalai Alliance, the Governor said that the British tried to erase the history so that no one talks about the freedom fighter. “But, his greatness and achievements are written in the hearts and minds of people and are carried through generations”, he said and added that the whole country acknowledges his greatness who came from the masses and lived and fought for the freedom and prosperity of this land.

Mr. Ravi said that when Hyder Ali and the British tried to acquire the land, he fought them successfully. “I wonder what kind of strategic and tactical mind this great person had. Look at the asymmetric war, on one had the British had a well organised and equipped army while he organised youth, equipped them with local weapons and fought”, he said and added that he mastered the art and craft of guerrilla warfare that should be a case study in textbooks.

Mr. Ravi said that after the British left the country, India was home to the largest number of poor, illiterates and homeless people in the world. “It was because they did not treat this country as a family. They left it to different states to do what they wish and the result was regional and sub-regional imbalances”, he said. He went on to add that various schemes, including health care, providing electricity, building schools, poverty alleviation and road connectivity have reached the people without distinction or discrimination from Tamil Nadu to Tripura. “This is Bharat and young men and women are taking the country forward”, he added.

The Governor said that within a short time, no country is looking at India as a third world nation. “When the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, the whole world looked at us as they believed India had the capacity to do anything. We demonstrated our capacity and asked them to stop the war and evacuated the people”, he added. “This is New India and this will grow further”, he said, adding that the country needs four-fold development, economic prosperity, military strength, intellectual leadership and a spiritual resurgence for a holistic growth.

His descendants wanted a central university to be established in the name of Dheeran Chinnamalai and wanted the Tipu Sultan Bridge in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve to be protected as a monument. Santhalinga Maruthasala Adikalar, Managing Trustee of the foundation, Ramanatha Kumaragurubara Swamigal, Deputy Managing Trustee, Saathu Shanmuga Adikalar, Head of the Mutt, Saathu Swamigal Thirumadam, Palani, K. Annamalai and J. Chinnamalai Krishnakumar, founder trustees, Raja P. Arumugam from the United Nationals were present.

Earlier, the governor paid floral tributes to the statue of Theeran Chinnamalai at Odanilai village.