Chidambaram Pillai was the first Indian to launch a steam navigation company which ran a service between
Tuticorin and Colombo. He did it in the interests of the nation's economy, against the British rule. Born on September 5, 1872 in
Tirunelveli District,
Tamil Nadu, Pillai had his education in Tuticorin and took his degree in law form Madras (now renamed
Chennai). He entered politics in 1905 immediately after the partition of Bengal. He wrote a commentary on Tirukural and edited the Tamil work of grammar, Tolkappiam. He died on November 18, 1936.
