A commemorative postage stamp on Tamil Thatha (Grandfather of Tamil), Uttamadhanapuram Venkatasubbaiyer Swaminatha Iyer, an Indian scholar-researcher instrumental in bringing many classical Tamil literature to world :

Issued by India

Issued on Feb 18, 2006

Issued for : The Department of Posts is proud to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, a great scholar of Indian classical literature.

Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Brahm Prakash (Based on the photograph provided by the proponent)
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Print Quantity : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Uttamadhanapuram Venkatasubbaiyer Swaminatha Iyer

Born on Feb 19, 1855 at Suriaymoolai, Tamil Nadu, India

Died on Apr 28, 1942 at Tirukazhukundram, Tamil Nadu, India

About : 

• Dr. U. V. Swaminatha Iyer, popularly known as ‘Tamizh Thattha‘ was a great Tamil scholar who made the most outstanding contribution to the enriching of the Tamil language.
• Born on 19^th February 1855, Swaminatha Iyer spent his days till 1871 in searching for master. His father was his first teacher but it was under the tutelage of Mahavidwan Meenakshisundaram Pillai when the foundation of his scholarship and genius were laid. Later, Swaminatha Iyer studied for some time under the Head of the Tiruvaavaduturai Mutt.
• He acquired a thorough and extensive mastery of Tamil literature. He joined the Government College at Kumbakonam as Tamil Pandit in February 1880. His literary research also began in this year. In 1903, he came to the Presidency College, Madras on transfer from Kumbakonam and in 1919 he retired from service as a college teacher but he continued his research work in Tamil. He served for three years as Principal of Sri Meenakshi Tamil College at Chidambaram.
• First he worked on Jeevaka Chintamani, a Jain classic. He delved deep into the ancient classic without allowing his religious beliefs to come in the way, and made it intelligible to all. He also introduced a set of ten poems of the Sangam age known as Pattu Paattu and the other set of eight known as Ettutokai, at the time, when no one knew anything about the classics of the Sangam age. It was his efforts that made Tamilnadu and the whole world aware of the way of life, the wealth of thought and the wonderful literary output that had been there two thousand years ago but was since forgotten.
• Another work that came out with his imprint was Manimekalai, a Buddhist classic. After the publication of Manimekalai, he published ‘Perunkathai’, an epic of considerable literary merit, various collections like Ainkuru Nooru, Pajjtruppattu and Paripaadal, and a large number of puranams and minor poems of various kinds, in addition to a paraphrase and commentary on the Sangam classic, ‘Kuruntokoi’.
• The Government of India conferred on him the distinction of Mahamahopadhyay in 1906 and the University of Madras, an honorary Doctorate in 1932.
• Dr. Iyer won the respect of pupils by his profound scholarship. He set an example of a well-ordered life for his pupils to emulate.
• Dr. Iyer’s prose works include literary criticism as well as reminiscences showed him at his best as an expert in research. He was also a poet and wrote hundreds of poems. Of these, a short work called ‘Dandapani Viruttam’ was printed.
• He passed away on 28^th April 1942 but his legacy lives on.
• Text: Material provided by the proponent.

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