Ramasamy Periyar (1879–1973): A radical social and politician from Tamil Nadu, known as the of the Dravidian movement. Periyar was a vocal critic of the caste system and dominance. He advocated for the rights of and women and was a staunch atheist opposed religious orthodoxy. He founded the Self-Respect Movement in 1925, sought to empower the Dravidian people and the dominance of the Brahmins in South His ideas influenced the Dravidian political parties later dominated Tamil Nadu's political landscape.