Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai

• Name — Vedanayagam Pillai • Occupation — Tamil scholar, poet, writer, civil servant • Died — 21 July 1889 • Born — 11 October 1826 • Birth Name — Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai • Pseudonym — S.V.P. • Birthplace — Inam Kulathur, Trichinopoly District, Madras Presidency, British India (now Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu, India) Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai (1826–1889), also known as Mayavaram Vedanayagam Pillai, was an Indian civil servant, Tamil poet, novelist and social worker who is remembered for the authorship of Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram (1879), recognized as the "first modern Tamil novel". Vedanayagam's ideals of women's liberation and education are reflected in the novel.

Vedanayagam Pillai was born on 11 October 1826 in Inam Kulathur, a village in present-day Tiruchirappalli district to Arockia Mariammal and Savarimuthu Pillai, both of whom were Catholics. His father was his first tutor and later he learned Tamil and English under a tutor named Thayagaraja Pillai. On completing his education, Vedanayagam joined the judicial court of Trichinopoly as record keeper and soon was elevated as a translator. He learnt Sanskrit, French and Latin during his tenure and then cleared his law exams.

He became the District Munsiff of Mayuram (now Mayiladuthurai) and served there for 13 years. Vedanayagam showed a passion for writing from early age. He translated law books to Tamil and his ethical book called Neethi Nool was well accepted. In total he wrote 16 books of which Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram (1879) is regarded as the first Tamil Novel. The novel reflects Vedanaygam's ideals of women's liberation and education.

Vedanayagam's contribution to Carnatic music is immense. His songs are still a popular choice among singers in concerts. One can find a profusion of Sanskrit words in his Tamil compositions. On the lines of Tyagaraja's "Nidhichala Sukhama" he wrote "Manam Peridha, Varumanam Peridha?" Some of the popular songs of Pillai are ``Naale Nalla Nall," ``Nee Malaikkade Nenje," ``Tharunam, tharunam... People like Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai and Ramalinga Swamigal were admirers of his works. One of his compositions Nayagar Pakshamadi, (a Ragamaliga - Saama / Shanmukhapriya / Kedaragaula) was included for a dance scene in the Tamil film Doctor Savithri (1955).

• Nayagar Pakshamadi