The first atheist I ever encountered in my life was Mr. M.V. Somasundaram (MVS). He was our Tamil teacher in Grade 6, taught us Social Studies in Grade 7, English in Grade 8, History in Grade 9, and Civics in Grade 10. He was as versatile as the subjects he taught, possessing a masterful grasp of them all. A remarkably soft-spoken man, he hardly ever raised his voice. His son, Aravazhi, was our classmate.
During our days at Sainik School Amaravathinagar, we always said grace before and after every meal to thank God for our food. While in Grade 7, I noticed that Mr. Somasundaram always remained seated during grace. When I asked my friend Sundar about it, he told me that MVS was an atheist. Having never heard the word before, I had to look it up in the dictionary.
Mr. Somasundaram was a rationalist fiercely opposed to the superstitions plaguing society. He believed that our day-to-day lives gave undue importance to religion. Yet, he never forced his viewpoints on anyone, nor did he try to indoctrinate his students. Needless to say, I did not become an atheist, but the seeds of rationalism were sown by him. Today, Mr. Somasundaram lives a peaceful, retired life in Coimbatore with his son Aravazhi.
MVS subscribed to Viduthalai (Freedom), a Tamil newspaper and the official mouthpiece of the Dravida Kazhagam (DK). (His son confirms that he still subscribes to it to this day.) Delivered by the postman, MVS always brought the paper to class. Once in a while, he would leave it half-open on the teacher’s table, giving me the chance to steal a few glances. The paper featured unique characters of the Tamil alphabet—especially in its title—that stood out to me. Once again, I turned to Sundar for details. Sundar explained the significance of Viduthalai and told me that the great social reformer, Periyar, was Mr. Somasundaram’s mentor and the raison d’être for his atheism.
MVS subscribed to Viduthalai (Freedom), a Tamil newspaper and the official mouthpiece of the Dravida Kazhagam (DK). (His son confirms that he still subscribes to it to this day.) Delivered by the postman, MVS always brought the paper to class. Once in a while, he would leave it half-open on the teacher’s table, giving me the chance to steal a few glances. The paper featured unique characters of the Tamil alphabet—especially in its title—that stood out to me. Once again, I turned to Sundar for details. Sundar explained the significance of Viduthalai and told me that the great social reformer, Periyar, was Mr. Somasundaram’s mentor and the raison d’être for his atheism.
The Mentor : Periyar
Erode Venkata Ramasamy (1879–1973), affectionately called Periyar by his followers, was a social activist, politician, and businessman who started the Self-Respect Movement in South India. As a rationalist, he inspired people to realize that all human beings are equal, and that liberty, equality, and fraternity are the birthrights of every individual. He propagated that religious leaders invented myths and superstitions purely to keep innocent people in the dark. A staunch atheist, he was famous for his blunt anti-theistic declaration: “He who created God was a fool, he who spreads his name is a scoundrel, and he who worships him is a barbarian.”
Periyar started Viduthalai as a magazine in 1935, and it evolved into a daily newspaper by 1937. The publication aimed to foster a rational, secular, and democratic society while combating superstition. Crucially, the script used in the publication was modified to adapt to evolving printing technology. Periyar believed it was sensible to change, simplify, and reduce the number of Tamil letters. He argued that the older and more “divine” a language was claimed to be, the more it desperately needed reform.
In 1978, soon after M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Periyar’s ideas on script reform were officially accepted, and the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed an act bringing these changes into effect. By reducing the total number of characters, these modifications inadvertently made Tamil the first Indian language easily adapted for computerisation.
A Battle of Ideals at School
Shortly after the script reform act was passed and the Viduthalai font became the standard Tamil script, our school hosted an open house forum to discuss its implications. The discussion was led by Mr. Somasundaram and moderated by our Headmaster, Squadron Leader Manickavasagam. Students from Grades 9 to 11 were in attendance.
During the debate, Mr. Somasundaram launched a scathing critique of religious priorities. He pointed out that when the State Bank of India opened its branch in Amaravathinagar, only our school Principal, Colonel A.C. Thamburaj, and the school band attended the inauguration. In contrast, when a small branch of the Ganapathy Temple opened near the bus stand, the public celebrated by dancing in the streets. He cited this stark contrast as the exact reason why the country failed to achieve true scientific and material progress.
Some teachers in the audience took offense and demanded that Mr. Somasundaram withdraw his statement. MVS stood firm. Our Headmaster gracefully retrieved the situation, noting that the audience was mature enough to draw their own conclusions and that there was nothing objectionable in sharing an opinion. Looking back, I believe Mr. Somasundaram was entirely right—and public attitudes have changed very little since.
A Legacy of Reform
Periyar first rose to national prominence during the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–1925), a nonviolent protest demanding temple entry rights and access to public roads for lower-caste individuals in the princely state of Travancore (now Kerala). Arriving in Vaikom in April 1924, Periyar was promptly arrested by the Travancore Police. Undeterred, his defiance energised the movement. Mahatma Gandhi later visited Vaikom to negotiate with the Queen Regent of Travancore, leading to the removal of police barricades. This historic satyagraha paved the way for the landmark Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936, signed by the Maharaja Chithira Thirunal, opening temples to all Hindus.
In 1944, Periyar transformed the Justice Party into the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK). The DK was envisioned as a non-political, socio-cultural movement—a mantle it maintains to this day. Members were asked to renounce British titles and drop caste suffixes from their surnames.When India gained independence on August 15, 1947, Periyar controversially declared it a day of mourning. In his view, the event merely marked a transfer of power from the British to upper-caste elites. Yet, despite his deep ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi, Periyar was profoundly grieved by Gandhi’s assassination on January 30, 1948. In a tribute to the Mahatma, Periyar even suggested that India should be renamed Gandhi Nadu.
By 1949, political rifts fractured the DK. Younger leaders like C.N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, and MGR harboured electoral ambitions and sought a path into governance. They found their catalyst for separation when the 70-year-old Periyar married 30-year-old Maniammai. Annadurai led a mass exit, claiming the aging leader had set a poor moral example by marrying someone so young, and subsequently founded the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Personally, I find it hard to fault Periyar. At 70, he was clearly still young at heart, going on to live another quarter-century while relentlessly continuing his social crusades.
In 1970, UNESCO officially recognised his monumental impact, honouring him as “the Prophet of the New Age, the Socrates of South East Asia, Father of Social Reform Movement, and Arch enemy of ignorance, superstitions, meaningless customs and base manners.
REJINCES 
Good write ups on your teachers Loved reading them
Best regards Sree
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wonderful insights …..men of such strong convictions ….periyar and Mr somasundaram are much needed even now…..we would have been living in much better civil society
Thanks Reji….your teachers will be proud for the way u recollect their contribution and character for us to cherish
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Good morning sir,1. Trust this letter will find you in best of your spirit and health. 2. I read the reminisces above and found it very inspiring but sir i could not agree to the fact that you required to be an atheist to be rational. We can be rational even after being a devout religious man. In fact all religion teaches us to be rational ,tolerant and gives us scientific base to visualise the life and universe. with warm regards, dipangshu
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I never said so. I did not become an aethiest, though I am a rationalist.
I am in India now. Call me at 9562722631.
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Good one Reji. Can you believe it that during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the School on 16 July 2011 , during his Address to the gathering, Mr Somasundaram, took my name and said that he can with satisfaction say, that, having been a teacher to students like M P Joseph has given meaning to his teaching career.. I who was sitting in the audience was moved by this statement and could not believe my ears. On completion of the program I ran towards him, touched his feet and said ” Sir it is me M P Joseph, you have enlightened me by your words of wisdom as my history teacher, and has shown me the meaning of life through rational thinking,and not vice versa”. Then he said, with his eyes moist, “when I read a paper written by you I was convinced that I have succeeded in my mission as a teacher” bringing me to tears.
As I was your guru in your very young days, I shall share that paper with you.
RELIGION BORN OF FEAR & SUSTAINED BY GREED
By
M P Joseph
“Religion is the opiate of the masses” in other words it dulls their fear and gives them a ‘high’ for greed. Religious scriptures do not equal wisdom. In other words, all forms of spiritual text no matter how eloquently stated, cannot actually grant wisdom to the reader. All of the most widely followed religious texts from the Vedas, the Koran, the Bible and the sayings of Buddha, are but written attempts to convey various authors’ conceptions. It is our personal experience, application and intention toward greater wisdom that allows us to progress, regardless of what we have read. Therefore no reading about God, not even the most advanced theological studies, will provide insight into the Truth. The true benefit of humanity is not found in inflicting “authority” and ideological control over others, in the name of the spiritual Masters, religious organizations or of God. Those who claim God can only be found through their particular prophet, messiah or set of practices, are suffering from a form of spiritual egotism, which does not befit the true benefit of humanity. Only practice of love and truth can benefit humanity.
Love, the universal binder, is not gained through the quoting of scriptural phrases with the Intention of berating or intimidating others. Love is a felt experience. It is a state of being and presence, which automatically promotes wisdom on a cumulative basis. Love is a cosmic essence that is not only universally felt, but which is one of the few things which is worthy of devotion. Rarely do we hear religion uniting the peoples of the world in good will and mutual enlightenment, rather it promotes its special interests, even convincing the gullible that, anyone who does not practice or believe in a certain way is a sinner, and unworthy of an equal measure of the graces of God.
It is common knowledge that religions abet violence leave alone promote love. Why is it that practitioners of Chemistry do not rape and kill practitioners of Physics or practitioners of Biology do not rape and kill practitioners of Maths, where as practitioners of Islam are willing to Kill practitioners of Christianity and vice versa or practitioners of Hinduism are willing to Kill practitioners of Islam and vice versa. The reason is obvious, Chemistry, Physics, Maths etc are based on verifiable truths, on the contrary Christianity, Islam, Hinduism etc are nothing but Dogmas.
Truth is common to all people, in all places and times. Clarity, or the clear perception of Truth, cannot rise up in a person through the following of rules or blind faith. Clarity is primarily had through self-awareness and experiential knowledge. Objectivity, observation and experimentation are those attributes of the active mind, which bring about experiential knowledge. Herein lies the essence of wisdom. Such knowledge does not require belief. This is what is known as having clarity of mind. Thus when we have clarity, the need for, faith is made redundant. In reality religion abets falsehood leave alone promoting truth. Religion absolves the practitioner of falsehood of the consequences of his actions by providing pseudo pardons in exchange of blind practices such as confessions or other meaningless rituals.
It may also be concluded that as individuals we possess the inherent capacity to feel love and to have clarity. We need not concern ourselves with the trivial details of scriptural history or doctrine. What are more important than past events or dogmatic rules are the events of the present moment. What we now create is what determines the fate of our species and ourselves. We need not concern ourselves with all the trivial particulars of who beget whom, and what nation slaughtered other nations, because they were not “Gods’ chosen people”.
What are relevant are the decisions we now make, the lifestyle we choose, and the manner in which we now apply Universal Truth. It is important that we cultivate love and clarity within, so that we may manifest these qualities amongst each other, and the world in general.
All of these aspects must be lived not because someone says so, (or said so thousands of years ago) and not because we would be “sinners’ to do otherwise. We must live Love and Truth, because they are real qualities of existence. They have genuine value regardless of the insistence upon rule-following by organized religions. The mindless and heartless following of rules, is not a means to gain Enlightenment. Instead of wasting time in redundant scriptural quotation year after year, our energy would be better spent.
Religious practice is the most Selfish of all human activities. To secure a safe haven in next life precious resources are abused in this life. People throw milk over stone idols when millions of children around the world are dying of malnutrition, burn candles in broad day light when so many homes do not have a light at night, dress up clay idols in finest of silk and then sink them in water when many go without a change of clothes, keep billions of square meters of developed properties in the form of churches, temples & mosques locked up at night when thousands don’t have a roof over their head and sleep on pavements exposed to biting cold in winter, heavy down pour in monsoons and mosquito & insect bites throughout.
If human beings spent even half the energy and focus upon embodying love and clarity, as they do promoting religious fallacies our lives would be transformed forever. Wisdom, like respect, is not merely granted. Both of these must be earned. This means we have no choice but to take responsibility for ourselves in personal self-realization. We cannot become wise so long as we are bound by the limitations of belief systems, or dogmatic practices. We must discard such obstacles to true progress, which are encountered in all of the worlds’ religions. We must go beyond the concepts of Divine favoritism, blind faith, and God as a human-like person with human-like, petty emotions. The intelligent do not let scriptural references or religions, limit this most important process of human evolution.
As history demonstrates, religion and scriptural study are more often used as places of refuge from responsibility, than the actual embodiment of spiritual wisdom. Dogmas and the artificial divisions they contain, are the very source of wars, ethnic conflicts, misery and destruction throughout history. The blind insistence upon religious intolerance, has resulted in most of the horrors of human civilization, [such as the warfare in the Middle East, the Dark Ages, and the “conversion”, (destruction) of the Native peoples of the world throughout history]. Religious orthodoxy continues to be, as it is said, “the opiate of the masses” as a convenient distraction from the Truth. Such distraction is convenient because it always places the ultimate responsibility for ones’ actions outside of the self. Such doctrines are the very center for darkness and dis-empowerment in our world, and they have no place for an enlightened humanity.
“I do not think we should antagonize the religious when it is not warranted, though I think we should be willing to do so whenever it is.”
— Glen Davidson
(This is a Short Paper written by me as part of my M S (Post Graduation) Programme, in ‘Psychotherapy & Management Sciences’ which I did from 2004-06)
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Nice article
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Great ideas of people like Periyar is to be implemented. Even today we are ready to cursify anyone openly says these things openly ( Clear example is the practical truth said by Mt Trump, Presidential candidate of USA) We need such leaders in India rather than the stupid ” Gs & Ns ” only require self glorification.
I fully agree with the statement made by Mr M P Joseph. Now all religions are looting centers.
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Good One Reji !
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Surely every human is an atheist. But using the fear factor the society changes him to fanatic person, controlled by different religious leaders who are interested in extracting money. We fools dance according to their turns.
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Reji,
Please accept my thoughts on the subject.
A teacher should be known/remembered for his teaching skills and not for any of his personal traits. I mean no disrespect but surely Mr Somasundaram over imposed his views (rather than the subject he taught) on very young influential minds which I think was absolutely in-appropriate. Religion and beliefs etc are extremely personal and should not be discussed in public. Many times it caused pain in my heart when he tried to associate atheism with Brahminism.
In any case, atheism is no conviction of either EVR or the DMK et al. It was just a political tool to appease the masses. It was equated with anti-brahminism and that appealed the masses. Brahmins constitute just about less than 2% of population in Tamilnadu and generally meek to raise any opposition. It was extremely convenient for the Dravidian parties to leverage political mileage on this concept. So much so even now, I observe that in every movie most comical situations are associated with Brahmins and surely they attribute almost all the ills of the society to the Brahmins. No one will ever mention anything about Chettiars, Gownders, Mudaliars, Nadars, Vanniers etc who are equal contributors in this society.
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Caste is different from religion / atheists When a child is born it mind is pure. The surroundings imposed different thoughts, values and the child is forced to follow these imposed things with out making a conscious decision about it. None of us have the courage to follow Sartre;s views. According to him no one should influenced by the environment and it is better to commit suicide rather than influenced by the environment around us. If we follow this advise then there in no religion, cast or atheists in the world. Only humans. No one will get exploited by the agents of God.
When we are cemented our minds with fear of any imaginary super power and its local agents, we are not ready to listen any other new ideas or thoughts. it is one of the negative aspect of human mind. through education we are getting some training to come out of it
this is just my thoughts
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading reminisces! Reji’s language is simple but has clarity and objectivity. He has excellent story telling ability which keeps the reader engrossed. I studied at Sainik School Kazhakootam and therefore relate well to his sainik school stories. I was also Reji’s fellow back bencher at NDA (61st course)!
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Somasunadaram sir was a good teacher and a gentle being. The rationalist movement and people like Periyar evoke strong emotions, People either have a hearty liking or thoroughly despise him. But I feel that while his self respect movement and storming of Vaikom temple were great acts i.e. equal treatment of all fellow human beings. The subsequent DK movements of condemning Hindu gods and launching diatribe against theists were all juvenile. I call it juvenile because theism and atheism are both opposite sides of the same coin. Both are belief systems, Somebody believes in God and starts worshipping him and somebody does not believe in god and calls himself a rationalist. Both are not sincere enough to see that they don’t know and conveniently believes in something. If you straight with yourself and see that .I don’t know then the urge and the thirst to know will put you on the path of spiritual seeking. India has always been a land of seekers. Real gurus never gave any teaching, philosophy or belief system but gave you tools to seek and find the truth. Organized religion in whatever form is for people who want to slip into some belief and seek solace. Real seeking is not for solace but finding the truth of who you really are.
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