The claim that EV Ramasamy was honored by UNESCO with the title “Socrates of South Asia” has been widely propagated for decades by the Dravidian propogandists. However, investigations have exposed this as a fabricated narrative pushed by Dravidian ideologues to elevate EVR’s status as a global intellectual figure. For years, Dravidian organizations and politicians have promoted the idea that UNESCO recognized Periyar as a great thinker and social reformer. The claim suggests that in 1970, UNESCO awarded EVR and described him as a visionary and a champion against ignorance and superstition. The award was allegedly presented by the then Union Minister Triguna Sen and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in Chennai. However, no official records from UNESCO support this assertion.
The myth was challenged in 2021 when a petitioner moved the Madras High Court seeking the removal of this false claim from Tamil Nadu’s Class 9 Samacheer Kalvi textbook. The court directed the Tamil Nadu government to take action, and BJP leader Dr. SG Suryah pointed out that UNESCO has no such records. He also exposed an image of the alleged award, showing that it was presented by Karunanidhi and mentioned a non-existent entity, “UNESCO Mandram.”
The Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), founded by EVR, played a crucial role in spreading this myth. DK General Secretary K Veeramani even authored a book, Father Periyar in the Eyes of UNESCO, reinforcing the false claim. This fabricated story was widely cited in Tamil magazines, biographies, and textbooks. Following exposure of the falsehood, Wikipedia removed references to the fake title from EVR’s English-language page. However, the Tamil version still contains misleading claims, showing how deep-rooted the propaganda remains.
The UNESCO award is not the only dubious claim linked to EVR. Another widely circulated myth states that he was a recipient of the Tamrapatra Award for contributions to India’s freedom movement. In 2021, an RTI query revealed that Periyar’s name was not found in the official records of Tamrapatra awardees. Additionally, Periyarist groups falsely credited him with leading the Vaikom Satyagraha, a movement against untouchability in Kerala. Historical records, however, show that the movement was led by Narayana Guru, T K Madhavan, and K Kelappan, with Periyar playing only a minor role. The claim that UNESCO conferred the title of “Socrates of South Asia” upon EVR is a complete fabrication. The absence of official records, the exposure of the fake award document, and the Madras High Court’s intervention have decisively debunked this narrative.
