Reddiars, Reddy, Reddappa are considered and believed to come from the same origins and they spread across the lands of Southern and Central India. They are the patrons/financial supporters of local temples in Tamil Region. The names have been believed to be derived according to the regions they are spread across. Reddy in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Reddiar (Reddy + ar) in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Kerala. Reddy, Reddappa (Reddy + appa- signifying respect) in Karnataka.
Many Reddiars moved from the Andhra region in search of rich soil for cultivation and settled in Pondicherry and the northern districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram and Chengalpet in Tamil Nadu during Vijayanagar Empire. (In People of India/Indian Communities, Oxford University Press).
The migration of the Reddys/Reddiars to Tamil Nadu is assumed to have occurred during the Reddy dynasty expansion till Kanchipuram areas.[1]
Anavota Reddy (1335-1364 CE) of Reddy dynasty extended the dominion of the kingdom to Rajahmundry on the north, Kanchi on the south and Srisailam on the west. In a battle at Vallioor, Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore army in the 14th century.[2] In an information Board at the entrance of the Vallioor Murugan Temple it is stated that 14th century Vallioor War - Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore Army at vallioor Battle. After this war Reddiars settled at Samugarengapuram, Seelathikulam and all over Tirunelveli Region in the 14th century.[citation needed]
A mural at the Tiruppudaimaruthur temple in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, shows the emissaries of the Vijayanagara king Achyutadeva Raya serving an ultimatum to the Travancore ruler Bhoothala Veera Udaya Marthanda Varma to pay tributes to him and return the Pandya territory to Sri Vallabhan. It also depicts the battle between the armies of Achyutadeva Raya and Bhoothala Varma.They are believed moved into Tamil Nadu with the Vijayanagara Emperor Kumara Kampana to liberate Madurai [Madura Vijayam] from Islamic rule and expansion of Vijayanagar empire along with other Telugu and Kannada origin social groups.
Water colour painting - Kondavidu fort, Reddy Kingdom.
Through emigration, there are now many Reddiars in the United States, South Africa, Singapore, Australia and United Kingdom. Many were brought to South Africa during British colonial era to work on the sugarcane farms as indentured labourers. The descendants of such Reddiars can still be found in South Africa today.
Reddys predominantly speak Telugu and follow Telugu cultural norms like Ugadi, Dussehra and Sankranthi and follow all other Andhra norms, whereas Reddiars who came from Andhra to the Tamil region speak both Tamil and Telugu, and follow both Tamil and Telugu cultural norms. They also celebrate Thai Pongal, Tamil New Year and Ugadi. Some have represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language.
A. Subbarayalu Reddiar - First Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from Dec 1920 - June 1921
O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar - Former Premier of Madras Presidency from 1947-1949 and Former Member of Legislative Council of Madras Presidency from 1946 to 1958
V. Venkatasubba Reddiar - Former Chief Minister of Puducherry from 1959 - 1963, 1964 - 1967 and 1968 and a prominent Puducherry freedom fighter[3]
V. Vaithilingam - Former Chief Minister of Puducherry - July 4, 1991 to May 13, 1996 (first term), September 4, 2008 – April 13, 2011, Member of Parliament from Puducherry, 2019 -
M. D. R. Ramachandran - Former Chief Minister of Puducherry - 16 January 1980 to 23 June 1983 and 8 March 1990 – 3 March 1991
K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran - Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management in DMK Cabinet (2021-), Former Co-operation, PWD Minister in MGR Cabinet (1980 - 1988), Former Minister for Backward Classes (2006-2011),
K. N. Nehru - Minister For Municipal Administration and Urban and Water Supply in DMK cabinet (2021-), Former Minister for Electricity (1989-1991), Former Minister for Food & Public Distribution System (1996–2001), Former Transport Minister in DMK Cabinet (2006–2011),
P. Balakrishna Reddy - Former Animal Husbandry Minister and Former Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister of Tamil Nadu, 2016 - 2019
N. Nallusamy - Former Housing and Slum Clearance Board Minister of Tamil Nadu in MGR Cabinet, 1985-1986
C. Perumalswamy Reddiar - Former Industries, Mines and Materials Minister of Madras Presidency from 1949 - 1952 and Member of Indian Constituent Assembly from Madras Presidency
Purushothama Reddiar R.L - Freedom Fighter who organized and presided over the French India People’s Convention in 1947 which fought for the conditional withdrawal of the French Regime in Puducherry and Former Member of Puducherry Legislative Assembly from Kuruvinatham Kariambuthur, 1956 - 1959 and 1959 - 1964.
Venugopal Reddiar R. - Freedom Fighter who fought for the independence of Puducherry from French Regime.
Chandrasekara Reddiar - Freedom Fighter who fought for the independence of Puducherry from French Regime.
B.B.K. Raja Chidambara Reddiar - Freedom Fighter who took part in the Quit India Movement in 1941 and was imprisoned for one year in Trichy central jail. He was a member of the Trichy Jilla Board and he was a member of the Madras Legislative Assembly.
J.Ramadoss Reddiar - Freedom Fighter from Villivakkam, Chennai.
V.Ganapathi Reddiar - Freedom Fighter from Perambalur and Participated in Various Freedom Struggles and Donated Land to Poor for the Initiative of Bhoodan Movement.
Gajapathi Reddiar - Former Member of Madras State Legislative Assembly from Ponneri Constituency, 1952 - 1957
P. Rangaswami Reddiar - Former Member of Madras State Legislative Assembly from Thuraiyur Constituency, 1952 - 1957
A. Ramachandra Reddiar - Former Member of Madras State Legislative Assembly of from Tiruvannamalai Constituency, 1952 - 1957
M. Muni Reddy - Former Member of Madras State Legislative Assembly from Hosur constituency, 1952 - 1957 and Former Member of Madras State Legislative Assembly from Uddanapalle Constituency, 1957 - 1962
Dr.T.Sundara Reddi - First Indian doctor to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Civil Surgeons (FRCS) and he had set up the Clinic for Poor and Downtrodden People, Husband of Muthulakshmi Reddi and Nephew of A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
Krishnamurthy Reddiar - Notable Herbal Practitioner from Sri Lanka
Dr. Venugopal S Reddiar - Physician, Success Coach & Behavioural Scientist
K.R.Arunachalam - Managing Trustee of K.R Group of Institutions
R.Shanmugaiah - Founder of RSR International School, Sivakasi
Ramesh Prabha - Educationist, Chairman of Galaxy Institute of Management Chennai, Career Guidance Specialist and a Television Presenter.
N.Narayanasamy Reddiyar - Renowned Teacher and Tamil Writer and Founder of Narayana Gardens
T.Kalathur Pulavar Rengaraju Reddiyar - Won the Best Teacher Award from then President of IndiaK. R. Narayanan in 1997 & Best Teacher Award (state level) from the Ex-Chief Minister of Tamilnadu J. Jayalalithaa in 1993. Also a Tamil poet.
M.Sathya Kumar - Educationist and Renowned Economic & Tax Law Advisor in India. He Completed Chartered Accountancy, Cost Accountancy and Company Secretary courses, becoming one of the few triple-qualified finance professionals in India and now practicing as an Advocate.
