Rao Sahib Ayyathan Gopalan, popularly known as Darsarji and Darsar Sahib, was an Indian doctor, surgeon, professor, writer, philanthropist, social reformer, and Renaissance leader from Kerala.
20 Facts About Ayyathan Gopalan
2.
Ayyathan Gopalan is the founder of the Sugunavardhini movement and Depressed classes mission and the leader and propagandist of Brahmo Samaj in Kerala.
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Ayyathan Gopalan denounced idol worship and fought to end those social practices in Kerala that he thought were unethical.
4.
Ayyathan Gopalan was awarded and honored by the British government with the highest civilian award and title, the "Rao Sahib", for his services.
5.
Ayyathan Gopalan read about the Raja Ram Mohan Roy's Brahmo Samaj.
6.
Ayyathan Gopalan participated in the committee's annual conferences at various locations across India, along with Brahmo leaders such as Keshub Chandra Sen, Debendranath Tagore, Sivanath Sastri, Rabindranath Tagore, and R G Bhandarkar.
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Kausallyaammal was a strong supporter of Gopalan and assisted his social reform activities.
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Ayyathan Gopalan worked as a doctor, chief surgeon, and superintendent at several hospitals in South India.
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Ayyathan Gopalan returned to Kerala in 1897 and joined the Calicut Lunatic asylum as its first Indian superintendent.
10.
Ayyathan Gopalan instituted Brahmosamaj in Kerala for the first time in 1893.
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Ayyathan Gopalan established the Chandhawarkar Elementary School with the intention to educate girls and the underprivileged sections of society.
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Ayyathan Gopalan participated in the Thali Road strike.
13.
The hymns for prayers sung at Brahmo Samaj were composed by Ayyathan Gopalan and are compiled in his book Keerthanaratnamala.
14.
Ayyathan Gopalan conducted several inter-caste marriages at Brahmo Samaj and worked to promote non-idol worship.
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Ayyathan Gopalan promoted his reformist ideologies by conducting dramas, public awareness campaign, and writings.
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Ayyathan Gopalan raised his children, grandchildren, and all his followers as a good man, without raising them to live under a particular race, religion, or creed.
17.
On 4 June 1917, Ayyathan Gopalan was honored by the British Government with the highest civilian award and title, Rao Sahib, for his social and humanitarian services.
18.
Ayyathan Gopalan translated the Bible of Brahmo Samaj, Brahmodharma, which was initially written in Bengali by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, to Malayalam in 1904.
19.
Ayyathan Gopalan wrote songs and keerthanams to be sung during Brahmo Samaj prayer meetings.
20.
Ayyathan Gopalan propagated his reform ideologies through drama, public awareness, and his writings.