Biography of Subramania Bharati

(1882 - 1921)

Subramania Bharati was a famous poet, social reformer, and freedom fighter of South India. Such was his poetic genius that at the young age of 11 he was awarded the title of Bharati by the King of Ettimpur.

He was born in 1882 at Tinebelli in Tamil Nadu. Nicknamed ‘Subaiyya', he was a child prodigy who started writing poems at the age of seven. In 1902, he took up the teaching profession to earn his living. In addition, he keenly studied the poetic works in English. Consequently, he started writing for newspapers under the pseudonym, 'Selly Dasan'. Later he became the Assistant Editor of 'Swadeshsamitran' and the Editor of Chakravarthini.

In 1908, he published his first book, a collection of poems called Songs of Freedom'. "Kopal Pathi and Panchali Sapatam' are his famous poems. Evading arrest, in 1908, Bharati escaped to Pondicherry and stayed there for 10 years. Bharati died in 1921.