S.A. Ganapathy (1912 – 4 May 1949) was a veteran of the

communist Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...

underground resistance during Japanese occupation and postwar

trade unionist A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

in then Malaya (

Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya and also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, is the western part of Malaysia that comprises the southern part of the Malay Peninsula on Mainland Southeast Asia and the list of isla ...

). He was once the president of Malaya's largest trade union, the Pan Malayan Federation of Trade Unions (PMFTU). During the

Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War, was a guerrilla warfare, guerrilla war fought in Federation of Malaya, Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Arm ...

, he was arrested by the British colonial occupation and convicted for illegally possessing a firearm. He was hanged by British forces in 1949.

Personal life

There is no evidence supporting the claim that Ganapathy was born in 1912 in Thambikkottai Keelakkadu Sundaram Village in

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 ...

South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

. However, High Commissioner of Malaya, Sir Henry Gurney stated in a telegram to Colonial Office dated 2 May 1949, that Ganapathy was born in 1917. Ganapathy's father was Arumugam Thevar and his mother's name was Vairathaal. After losing both his parents to cholera, he and his brother Sarguna, lived with their sister Vairamal. Later, at the age of 10, they migrated to

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

with his uncle and grandfather, Subramaniam Thevar.

Involvement in politics

Ganapathy was involved in political activities and volunteered with the

Indian National Army The Indian National Army (INA, sometimes Second INA; ''Azad Hind Fauj'' ; 'Free Indian Army') was a Empire of Japan, Japanese-allied and -supported armed force constituted in Southeast Asia during World War II and led by Indian Nationalism#An ...

. He returned to India around 1946 to participate in the Inter-Asian Conference which was held from 26 March to 2 April 1947 at Old Fort, Delhi. The conference was hosted by

Nehru Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat, and statesman who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was a prin ...

who headed the provisional government of India.

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

spoke at the closing event on 2 April 1947. S.A. Ganapathy, the first president of the 300,000-strong Pan Malayan Federation of Trade Unions (PMFTU), was hanged by British authorities in Malaya on 4 May 1949 after being convicted for allegedly being in possession of firearms. Ganapathy was said to be on the way to the police to surrender his firearms, when he was arrested and sentenced to hang in Pudu Prison, Kuala Lumpur. His close allies and mentor Guru Devan, Anthonysamy, Arumugam Thevar from Thambikkottai, Kittu Thevar of Thambikottai Marvakkadu and many others were deported to India. Following Ganapathy's execution, a huge protest was staged in Tamil Nadu. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanithi wrote a poem titled "Kayertril Thongiya Ganapathi" in protesting the execution of Ganapathy. S.A. Ganapathy was believed to have written to his cousin's husband, Ramu Thevar, about his death sentence and request his body to be cremated. Unfortunately due to the letter, Ramu was arrested on suspicion and was kept in detention in Pulau Jerejak for two months. After Ganapathy's death, Sargunan was deported to Tamil Nadu. His family members also moved to India. To commemorate his legacy, a small monument was built by members of the

Communist Party of India The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. The CPI considers the Foundation of the Communist Party of India, December 26, 1925 Cawnpore (Kanpur) conference as its foundation date. Between 1946 and 1951, the CPI led m ...

in Thambikottai, Thanjavur Taluk,

, which was inaugerated in 1986.

References

External links

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Malaya S. A. Ganapathy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ganapathy, S. A. 1949 deaths Malaysian communists People from Tamil Nadu Malayan collaborators with Imperial Japan Malaysian people of Indian descent People executed by British Malaya by hanging Malaysian trade unionists Indian emigrants to Singapore Executed communists Malaysian people of Tamil descent Executed trade unionists Executed Indian collaborators with Imperial Japan People convicted of illegal possession of weapons