When Gandhi led a demonstration in Bombay in 1932, the British decided to lock up the leader. There were riots and protests about this all over the country, including a patriotic march by Thyagi P S Sundaram in Tirupur. The protests had people carrying out the national flag, which was banned at the time, in honour as well as in revolt. One of the participants holding the flag was Tirupur Kumaran.
OKSR Kumaraswamy Mudaliar was a native of Chennimalai, which is presently Erode, Tamil Nadu, in a weaver family. While the independence movement was gaining momentum in the country, Kumaran too found himself influenced. Inspired by Gandhi’s principles and ideals, Kumaran began to participate in the demonstrations announced by Bapu. He was one among the young participating revolutionaries, but he made his mark. He was fondly called Tirupur Kumaran.
Kumaran was the founder of the Desa Bandhu Youth Association. On the 11th January, 1932, when the British started lathi charges against the protestors, Kumaran didn’t leave the premises. The British cops went down hard. They started thrashing all the protestors, and Kumaran was caught in the beatings. Though he succumbed to injuries, he was found dead holding the flag.