Question map
Who among the following was the founder of the 'Self-Respect Movement'?
Explanation
The Self-Respect Movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, a Balija Naidu, in the[1] mid-1920s. Known as Periyar (the respected), he started the self-respect movement in 1925[2] and the movement aimed at nothing short of a rejection of the brahminical religion and culture which Naicker felt was the prime instrument of exploitation of the lower castes.[1] He was famous for his anticaste struggle and rediscovery of Dravidian identity, and was initially a worker of the Congress party.[2] He sought to undermine the position of brahmin priests by formalising weddings without brahmin priests.[1] The movement was a significant socio-cultural reform initiative in Tamil Nadu that focused on social change and challenged the existing caste hierarchy. Therefore, option A is the correct answer as Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker was indeed the founder of the Self-Respect Movement.
Sources- [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Self-Respect Movement > p. 226
- [2] Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh > p. 116
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a 'bread and butter' question found verbatim in Spectrum and NCERT Class XII. It is a high-fairness Sitter. Missing this indicates a gap in basic Modern History memorization. The strategy is simple: master the 'Movement-Founder-Region' table for all socio-religious reforms.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Was 'Periyar' E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker the founder of the Self-Respect Movement?
- Statement 2: Was Dr. B. R. Ambedkar the founder of the Self-Respect Movement?
- Statement 3: Was Bhaskarrao Jadhav the founder of the Self-Respect Movement?
- Statement 4: Was Dinkarrao Javalkar the founder of the Self-Respect Movement?
- Explicitly names E.V. Ramasami Naicker (Periyar) and states he 'started the self-respect movement (1925)'.
- Connects Periyar's identity (anti-caste, Dravidian leader) with launching the movement, making authorship clear.
- Directly states the movement 'was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker' and locates its origin in the mid-1920s.
- Describes the movement's aims under Naicker, reinforcing his founding role.
- Timeline entry records E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker launching the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu (1925).
- Provides a clear date and action verb ('launches') linking Periyar to the movement's origin.
- Explicitly names Periyar (E.V. Ramasamy) as the founder of the Self-Respect Movement.
- Directly contradicts the claim that Ambedkar was the founder by attributing founding to Periyar.
- Describes Periyarβs actions (launching Kudi Arasu) as paving the way for the formal beginning of the Self-Respect Movement.
- Supports that Periyar β not Ambedkar β initiated the movement in Tamil Nadu.
- States Periyar was the key leader of the Self-Respect Movement.
- Reinforces that the movement is identified with Periyarβs leadership rather than Ambedkar.
This school exercise explicitly pairs 'Self Respect Movement' with Periyar E.V.R., giving a direct rule/pairing used in curricular identification of movement founders.
A student could check standard biographies or histories of Periyar and Ambedkar (or movement timelines) to see which individual is credited as founder of that movement.
This text lists the Self-Respect Movement (1925) under 'Periyar' among social movements, establishing a pattern associating that movement with Periyar rather than Ambedkar.
Use a basic timeline of 1920sβ1930s social movements to compare Periyar's activities with Ambedkar's organisations to test who initiated the Self-Respect Movement.
Shows Ambedkar promoted 'self-help, self-respect and self-knowledge' and led Dalit actions (e.g., Mahad Satyagraha), illustrating that Ambedkar advocated similar principles but in a different organisational context.
A student could distinguish between shared ideals (self-respect) and formal founding of a named movement by checking organisational leadership records or founders' biographies.
Summarises Ambedkar's concrete role as founder of other organisations (Independent Labour Party, Scheduled Castes Federation), indicating he founded groups but naming different organisations.
Compare lists of organisations founded by Ambedkar with those founded by Periyar to determine which individual founded the Self-Respect Movement.
Describes Ambedkar organising Dalits into the Depressed Classes Association and his separate-electorate campaign, reinforcing that his organisational work focused on Dalit-specific bodies rather than the Self-Respect Movement.
Use this pattern (Ambedkar founding Dalit-specific organisations) to infer that attribution of the Self-Respect Movement to him would be atypical and should be cross-checked against sources attributing it to Periyar.
- This passage explicitly names Periyar E.V. Ramasamy as the founder of the Self-Respect Movement.
- If Periyar is identified as founder in this source, the claim that Bhaskarrao Jadhav was the founder is not supported by this evidence.
- This passage credits social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy with paving the way for the formal beginning of the Self-Respect Movement.
- It supports the identification of Periyar as the originator of the movement rather than Bhaskarrao Jadhav.
- This passage describes Periyar as the key leader of the Self-Respect Movement, reinforcing his central role in its founding and development.
- It further undermines the idea that someone else (e.g., Bhaskarrao Jadhav) was the founder.
Explicitly states the Self-Respect Movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar).
A student could treat this as a primary attribution and check Periyar's biographies or contemporaneous accounts to confirm founder status versus other names.
Also attributes the start of the Self-Respect Movement (1925) to Periyar, giving an independent corroboration.
Compare multiple modern textbook attributionsβif several independent sources name Periyar, that weakens the likelihood that Bhaskarrao Jadhav was the founder.
Describes the Self-Respect Movement under the leadership of Periyar Ramaswamy, linking leadership and movement identity to Periyar rather than to Bhaskarrao Jadhav.
Use this pattern (movement repeatedly tied to Periyar) plus lookup of Bhaskarrao Jadhavβs known roles to see if he is ever called founder anywhere.
Lists Bhaskar Rao Jadhav among Maharashtra reform actors (Satyashodhak activists), placing him in a different regional/social reform context from the Periyar-led Self-Respect Movement (Madras).
Combine this regional distinction (Maharashtra vs. Madras/Tamil Nadu) with basic geographic knowledge to infer that Jadhav likely led/state-level movements distinct from Periyarβs movement.
Shows Bhaskarrao Vithojirao Jadhav as a representative of the Justice Party at a national conference, indicating his public role but not identifying him as founder of Self-Respect Movement.
A student could contrast Jadhavβs recorded institutional roles (Justice Party representative) with the founders named for Self-Respect Movement to judge plausibility of the founder claim.
- Explicitly names Periyar E.V. Ramasamy as the founder of the Self-Respect Movement.
- Directly contradicts the claim that someone else (e.g., Dinkarrao Javalkar) was the founder.
- States that Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, through his launch of Kudi Arasu, paved the way for the formal beginning of the Self-Respect Movement.
- Implies Periyar was the originator of the movement rather than Dinkarrao Javalkar.
- Describes Periyar as the key leader of the Self-Respect Movement, indicating his central founding/leadership role.
- Supports identification of Periyar β not Dinkarrao Javalkar β as the principal figure associated with the movement's start.
Explicitly names E.V. Ramasami Naicker (Periyar) as the one who 'started the self-respect movement (1925)'.
A student could check Periyar's biography and timelines (Madras/Tamil Nadu, 1925) to see whether any other person (e.g., Dinkarrao Javalkar) is credited as founder.
States the movement was started by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker in the mid-1920s and describes his aimsβidentifying a clear founder and context.
Compare this attribution with biographies or encyclopedic entries for Dinkarrao Javalkar to determine if he is ever credited with founding the movement.
Places the Self-Respect Movement under the leadership of Periyar Ramaswamy among regional non-Brahmin movements, indicating leadership attribution in multiple curricular sources.
Use the regional/organisational context (Madras/Dravidian movement) to check whether Dinkarrao Javalkar, who would belong to a different regional/political milieu, plausibly could be the founder.
Lists 'Self-respect movement (1925) under "Periyar"βE.V. Ramaswamy Naicker' alongside other reform movements, giving another independent confirmation within a catalogue of movements.
Cross-reference such catalogues with entries for Dinkarrao Javalkar to see if his name appears in founding roles for this movement.
Describes the idea of 'self-respect' as central to several reformers (Ambedkar's emphasis on self-respect), showing the concept existed in multiple regional movements distinct from the Self-Respect Movement led by Periyar.
Distinguish between general 'self-respect' reform rhetoric (which multiple leaders used) and the specific organisational Self-Respect Movement (1925, Periyar) by checking organisational names and founders.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Direct lift from Spectrum (Ch 9, Socio-Cultural Reform Movements) and NCERT Class XII (Politics in India since Independence, p. 116).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Anti-Caste and Non-Brahmin Movements in Peninsular India (1920s).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the regional triad: 1) Kerala: SNDP (Narayana Guru), Vaikom (K. Kelappan); 2) Tamil Nadu: Justice Party (T.M. Nair, P. Tyagaraja Chetti), Self-Respect (Periyar); 3) Maharashtra: Satyashodhak Samaj (Phule), Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha (Ambedkar).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not just memorize names; map them to their specific 'keywords'. Periyar = Self-Respect, Kudi Arasu, Anti-Hindi. Ambedkar = Mahad Satyagraha, Depressed Classes, Annihilation of Caste. This keyword association prevents confusion between similar anti-caste leaders.
Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker founded and launched the Self-Respect Movement in 1925.
High-yield factual item for questions on social reformers and movements; anchors timelines of inter-war social reform in South India and is often tested in context of caste and regional politics.
- Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh > p. 116
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Self-Respect Movement > p. 226
- Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Changing Cultural Traditions > TIMELINE IV (Ρ. 1700 ΡΠΎ 2000) > p. 132
Periyar campaigned against caste hierarchies and promoted Dravidian identity as part of the Self-Respect Movement.
Useful for essay and mains answers linking social reform to regional identity politics; connects to topics on caste reform, language politics, and formation of Dravidar Kazhagam.
- Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh > p. 116
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 8: Socio-Religious Reform Movements: General Features > Direction of Social Reform > p. 202
- India and the Contemporary World β II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Print Culture and the Modern World > 8.2 Print and the Poor People > p. 126
The Self-Respect Movement was a major strand of the broader non-Brahmin political and social mobilisations in South India.
Helps frame comparative questions on social reform across regions and leaders (e.g., Ambedkar vs Periyar); clarifies relations between Justice Party, Self-Respect Movement and later Dravidian politics β a recurring UPSC theme.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 17: Emergence of Swarajists, Socialist Ideas, Revolutionary Activities and Other New Forces > p. 348
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > 4.3 The Non-Brahmin Movement > p. 46
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 8: Socio-Religious Reform Movements: General Features > Direction of Social Reform > p. 202
The Self-Respect Movement is associated with E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar) rather than Ambedkar.
High-yield for questions that require correctly attributing social reform movements to their leaders; helps avoid a common distractor that mixes regional reformers. Connects to polity and modern Indian history topics on social reform and regional movements.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 17: Emergence of Swarajists, Socialist Ideas, Revolutionary Activities and Other New Forces > p. 348
Ambedkar led key Dalit actions and organised the depressed classes, distinct from the Self-Respect Movement.
Essential for answering questions on Ambedkar's role and organisations he founded; links to constitutional history, caste reform, and electoral negotiations like the Poona Pact. Enables comparison questions (who did what) between reformers.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 8: Socio-Religious Reform Movements: General Features > Direction of Social Reform > p. 202
- India and the Contemporary World β II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > Discuss > p. 44
Different reform movements (Self-Respect Movement in Madras, Mahars under Ambedkar in Maharashtra, Sri Narayana Guru in Kerala) had distinct regional bases and leaders.
Useful for source-based and comparative questions that ask to match movements with regions/leaders; strengthens answers on the geography of social reform and factional/regional leadership patterns.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 17: Emergence of Swarajists, Socialist Ideas, Revolutionary Activities and Other New Forces > p. 348
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 8: Socio-Religious Reform Movements: General Features > Direction of Social Reform > p. 202
Periyar (E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker) is identified as the person who started and led the Self-Respect Movement (1925).
High-yield for UPSC because questions often ask about founders and leadership of major social movements; links to Dravidian politics, anti-caste reform, and regional mobilisation in South India. Mastering this helps distinguish movement origins from later or regional leaders.
- Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh > p. 116
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 9: A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements > Self-Respect Movement > p. 226
- History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation > 4.3 The Non-Brahmin Movement > p. 46
Option D (Dinkarrao Javalkar) is a 'future question' candidate. He was a radical activist of the Non-Brahmin movement in Maharashtra and wrote the controversial book 'Deshache Dushman' (Enemies of the Country). Option C (Bhaskarrao Jadhav) represented the Justice Party/Non-Brahmin group at the Round Table Conference.
Surname Geography Hack: 'Jadhav' and 'Javalkar' are distinctly Marathi surnames. 'Ambedkar' is Maharashtra-based. 'Naicker' is a South Indian title. Since the Self-Respect Movement is historically synonymous with Dravidian identity (Tamil Nadu), Periyar is the only geographically consistent option.
Links to GS2 (Polity - Regionalism & Federalism). The Self-Respect Movement is the ideological parent of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and DMK. Understanding this history explains current Tamil Nadu politics regarding Hindi imposition and State Autonomy.