Bharati: A voice that awakened a nation
Subbaiya, later celebrated as Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, was born on September 11 to Chinnasamy Iyer and Lakshmi Ammal in Ettayapuram, in present-day Thoothukudi district.

A gifted poet from the age of 11, he served at the Ettayapuram palace. Impressed by his talent, the King conferred on him the title 'Bharathi', a name that would become immortal in Tamil literary history.

He later left for Kasi (Varanasi), where he embraced a new way of life, adopted the turban and learnt several languages. On returning to Tamil Nadu, he worked as a Tamil teacher and wrote for journals including Swadesamitran, Young India and India. He also translated English and Bengali works into Tamil.

But Bharati was more than a poet. Through his poems, prose and essays, he gave powerful expression to the idea of freedom — from colonial rule and from the social barriers that held women back.

He saw beauty in nature, loved even crows and sparrows, and found joy despite living through poverty. His immortal works, including Panchali Sabatham, Kannan Pattu and Kuyil Pattu, earned him the enduring title 'Mahakavi' — the Great Poet.

On September 11, 1921, Bharati died at just 39.

A century later, his words remain alive — and so does the majestic name Bharathi, still lovingly chosen by parents for their children, regardless of gender.