Question
Who among the following founded the Self-Respect Movement?
A‘Periyar’ E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker
BDr. B. R. Ambedkar
CBhaskarrao Jadhav
DDinkarrao Javalkar
Correct Answer: A
Explanation
The
Self-Respect Movement (1925) was initiated by
E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar) as a powerful
social reform movement in South India aimed at dismantling the rigid
caste hierarchy and
Brahminical dominance.
The movement sought to create a
rational and egalitarian society by challenging:
—
caste-based discrimination
—
religious orthodoxy and superstition
—
social inequalities, especially against women
It emphasized
self-respect, dignity, and equal rights for marginalized communities and promoted
women’s empowerment and
rational thinking.
Over time, it became the ideological base of the broader
Dravidian Movement in Tamil Nadu.
Thus, the Self-Respect Movement was initiated by
E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker.