The famous 'Palaveram Declaration' or self-respect marriages aimed at eliminating caste-based rituals were championed by which social reformer in South India?

💡 Solution & Explanation

E.V. Ramasamy, widely known as Periyar, championed self-respect marriages to challenge Brahmanical hegemony and eliminate caste-based rituals in Tamil Nadu society. Other leaders like C.N. Annadurai later gave legislative backing to these unions, but the foundational ideological movement was spearheaded by Periyar through the Self-Respect Movement launched in 1925. This reform remains a cornerstone topic in questions regarding South Indian social reform movements.