The family of A. Malaichamy, founder of Dalit Panthers Iyakkam, which fought for the rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Tamil Nadu in the 1980s and 1990s, has urged the Tamil Nadu State Government to release a postal stamp as a mark of recognition of his work towards uplift of Dalits, on his birth anniversary on March 11.
The family also said that a memorial for Malaichamy in Avaniapuram, which is incomplete, should be completed and the DPI resource centre should be housed inside the memorial premises to enable study on the subject.
The DPI, which was headed by a young Thol. Thirumavalavan after Malaichamy’s demise, was later rechristened as Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. Malaichamy died in 1989. His son Vinoth Malaichamy said that recognising his father’s contribution could reunite Dalit movement in the State.
