Vedhanayagam Pillai Tamil Poet

Tamil Poet Vedhanayagam Pillai from Mayavaram was the First Tamil poet to write FIRST novel ( Name: Prathapa Mudaliyar Sarithiram) in Tamil.

His poetry THEMBHAVANI was very popular in Tamil literature.

His grand son V.G.Arockiasamy Pillai was married to our daddy's aunt Pappamatchi.

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Added by Judy Cyrilraj:

Source:Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prathapa_Mudaliar_Charithram

      Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai  was the munsif (a village President with some judicial powers) of Mayuram (present day Mayiladuthurai near Thanjavur). Influenced by Western ideas of women's liberation and secularism, he set out to publish works that projected his ideals. His first publication was Pen Kalvi ("Female Education"), which he addressed to his daughters. After witnessing the explosion of novels in Western literature, he set out to publish his groundbreaking novel that would showcase the heroine of the novel as an equal of the hero, if not more savvy and righteous. The story revolves around the protagonist, Prathapa Mudaliar and his travails. 

Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram ("The Life of Prathapa Mudaliar"), written in 1857 and published in 1879, was the first novel in the Tamil language. It was a landmark in Tamil literature, which had hitherto seen writings only in poetry. The book gave birth to a new literary genre and Tamil prose began to be recognized as an increasingly important part of the language.

another link of interest:- http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2002/11/01/stories/2002110101...