Arunthathiyar
Arunthathiyar is a Scheduled Caste community found in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The term has two distinct usages: for the purposes of the state government's positive discrimination programme, in 2009 it was designated an umbrella term for the adiyar, Madiyar, Arunthatiyar, Chakkiliyar, Maadaariyar, Madiga, Thoti and Adi Dravida communities;[1] while the Office of the Registrar-General, which administrates the census of India, does not recognise all of those communities as one.[2]
The 2001 Census of India reported that there were 4056390 Arunthathiyar in Tamil Nadu, being 6.5% of the Scheduled Caste population of the state.[2]
Current status
At the 2001 census, 64% of the Arunthathiyar population lived in rural areas of Tamil Nadu, which according to the Office of the Registrar-General makes them "comparatively an urbanised SC community". Their literacy rate of 54% was less than other Scheduled Castes such as the Paraiyar, Adi Dravida and Pallan but higher than the Chakkiliyan.[2]
Notable people
- Madurai Veeran, a folk deity[3]
- Ondiveeran, a freedom fighter
References
- ^ "Tamil Nadu Government Gazette" (PDF). Government of Tamil Nadu. 12 March 2009. p. 3. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
- ^ a b c "Tamil Nadu Date Highlights: The Scheduled Castes Census of India 2001" (PDF). Office of the Registrar-General. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
- ^ Vannan, Gokul (18 July 2010). "The story of Madurai Veeran". New Indian Express. Retrieved 2015-04-05.