Pioneer of self-respect marriage passes away

Ninety-four-year old Sampoornam whose self-respect wedding over 70 years ago set off a renaissance in the State, is no more.

After being confined to bed at her house at Tiruvanaikoil here from some time, the grand old woman died of old age on Thursday.

Ms. Sampoornam’s marriage with Rama. Chinnaiah was the talk of the town in the early 1940s when the Dravidian movement had made steady inroads in the State.

Hers was the first “

Seerthirutha Kalyanam ” (Self-respect marriage) in the State conducted in October 1941 by the late Dravidian leader C. Annadurai who later on founded the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Although the wedding held in the Tamil month of ‘ Purattasi’ at Tiruchi was a simple event, it definitely set off a renaissance of sorts across the State in those times.

Sampoornam was 19 years old then, while her husband was 15 years elder to her.

Well-attended wedding

The marriage was attended by the late Tamil scholar and social activist K.A.P. Viswanatham, lawyer T.P. Vedachalam and language warrior Visalakshi Ramasubbu among others.

In an interview to The Hindu in February 2015 Ms. Sampoornam, who worked as a teacher, had recalled how orders were placed for just two rose garlands and 50 rose flowers for her self-respect marriage. Her elder brother Simon Ramasamy was instrumental in organising the self-respect marriage.

Born in a family of five, Ms. Sampoornam’s elder sister Porselvi Ilamurugu was closely involved with the family of DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi. Ms. Sampoornam who was blessed with three sons and a daughter lost her husband in a road accident years ago.

Her elder son passed away some time ago, while her other sons stay in Tiruchi and Madurai.