Saminathan Gurusamy (23 April 1906 – 11 October 1965), commonly known as ''Kuthoosi Gurusamy'', was an Indian writer and journalist closely associated with the

Self-Respect Movement The Self-Respect Movement is a popular human rights movement originating in South India aimed at achieving social equality for those oppressed by the Indian caste system, advocating for lower castes to develop self-respect. It was founded in ...

led by

Periyar E.V. Ramasamy Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 187924 December 1973), commonly known as Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician. He was the organizer of the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam and is considered the architect of ...

Life

Gurusamy was born on 23 April 1906 in

Kuruvikkarambai Kuruvikkarambai is a village in Peravurani Taluk in the Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu State, India. It is located 68 km south of the district headquarters in Thanjavur, 5 km from Sethubavachatram, and 383 km from the state cap ...

(a village near

Peravurani Peravurani is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Peravurani Taluk and Peravurani (State Assembly Constituency). It is declared as Special Grade Town Panchaya ...

in present-day

Thanjavur district Thanjavur District is one of the Districts of Tamil Nadu, 38 districts of the States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur (Tanjore) . The district is located in the delta of the Cauv ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

), to Saminathan and Kuppu Ammaiyar. He completed his undergraduate studies at National College, Trichy. Gurusamy became involved in the Self-Respect Movement through ''

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'', a magazine founded by Periyar. In 1928, after meeting Periyar, he formally joined the movement. His contributions included articles and editorials advocating rationalism, social equality, and opposition to caste-based discrimination and superstition. He later served as editor-in-chief of '' Viduthalai'', a prominent publication associated with the movement. Gurusamy also worked with ''Revolt'', an English magazine founded by Periyar, and contributed to Tamil publications such as ''Puduvai Murasu'', ''Dravidan'', and ''Pagutharivu'', facilitating the dissemination of the movement's principles. Gurusamy presided over the first Self-Respect Volunteers Conference held in

Pattukkottai Pattukkottai is a major town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and also important town in Delta districts and Commercial town of Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Pudukkottai district Coastal areas. The town came to prominence th ...

on 25 May 1929. On December 8 of the same year, he married Kunjitham, a fellow advocate of the Self-Respect Movement. The marriage became the first recorded self-respect marriage conducted without Hindu rituals. The ceremony, presided over by Periyar, marked a significant departure from traditional practices. Gurusamy also advocated ending the centuries-old practice of barring people from lower castes from entering temples. Gurusamy's contributions to Tamil literature included translations and original works. He translated

Bertrand Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, and public intellectual. He had influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, and various areas of analytic ...

's ''

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'' into Tamil, introducing readers to rationalist thought, and

Jean Meslier Jean Meslier (; also Mellier; 15 June 1664 – 17 June 1729) was a French Catholic priest (abbé) who was discovered, upon his death, to have written a book-length philosophical essay promoting atheism and materialism. Described by the author as ...

's ''Testament'' as ''Marana Sasanam''. Under the pseudonym ''Kuttusi'', he wrote satirical columns, some of which were published as ''Palasarakku Moottai'' and ''Puthiya Kuthoosi Thogupu''. S. Gurusamy died on 11 October 1965.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurusamy, Kuthoosi 1906 births 1965 deaths Tamil-language writers