A R Venkatachalapathy ஆ.இரா. வேங்கடாசலபதி

The eminent social, cultural, and intellectual historian of Tamil Nadu A.R. Venkatachalapathy - who has already produced some classics - now adds to this list his biography of V.O. Chidambaram Pillai. VOC as he came to be known launched the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company in 1906 to challenge the might of the British maritime empire. One of his greatest champions was Subramania Bharati, who had earlier in the year started his weekly called India. VOC's company ultimately failed but undoubtedly it is a very significant landmark in the evolution of Indian enterprise and entrepreneurship. The biography of VOC, who was a strong supporter of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and later Periyar, is based on some four decades of archival research around the world. It is a panoramic narrative that combines deep scholarship with a very lively writing style. In 2011 the Tuticorin Port Trust was named after V.O. Chidambaranar and is now known as the V.O.C. Port Authority.