Stalin Unveils Periyar’s Portrait At Oxford, Highlights Global Relevance Of His Ideals — Video

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday inaugurated a portrait of social reformer E.V. Ramasamy, popularly known as Periyar, at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The ceremony marked a rare international recognition of the icon who pioneered rationalist and anti-caste movements in the state.

‘Not Just History, But Guiding Tomorrow’: Stalin

Taking to X, Stalin said, “#SelfRespectMovement – A revolution that redefined freedom! Chains fell, dignity rose! Thanthai Periyar’s Self-Respect Movement shattered fundamentalisms, awakened dignity, nurtured scientific temper, and made us a guiding light of social transformation.”

“At Oxford, I spoke with pride as an heir to Periyar’s legacy, honouring the revolution that turned centuries of subjugation into the eternal anthem of Self Respect. We aren’t just celebrating history; we are guiding tomorrow,” he said. 

#SelfRespectMovement – A revolution that redefined freedom! Chains fell, dignity rose!

Thanthai Periyar’s Self-Respect Movement shattered fundamentalisms, awakened dignity, nurtured scientific temper, and made us a guiding light of social transformation.

At #Oxford, I spoke… pic.twitter.com/ESFq8VLcJF

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 5, 2025

Addressing the gathering at Oxford, Stalin underlined the timeless and universal relevance of Periyar’s philosophy. He said the social reformer’s fight against caste oppression and gender inequality in Tamil Nadu could be seen in the larger context of global struggles for human dignity and freedom.

Periyar, who launched the Self-Respect Movement in 1925, campaigned against Brahminical supremacy and fought for the empowerment of marginalised communities. Through his writings in the journal Kudi Arasu, he argued for rational thinking, women’s rights, and an egalitarian social order, eventually shaping the Dravidian political discourse that transformed Tamil Nadu’s social fabric.

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