To celebrate the 138th birthday of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi, the Vanavil Cultural Center organised the 2020 International Bharathi Festival 2020, and Scholar Shri Seeni Viswanathan won the 2020 Bharati Award.

 

He is a Tamil novelist, poet, journalist, Indian independent activist, social reformer and polyglot, and is widely known as "MahakaviBharathi" He fought for women`s emancipation, opposed child marriage, and promoted Brahmanism and religious reform. Bharati started his career as a journalist and associate editor at "Swadesamitran" in 1904 as a young man. In May 1906, he started the weekly "India" The three slogans of the French Revolution were declared: Democracy, Equality and Fraternity.

The first paper in Tamil Nadu to publish political cartoons was "India" The caste system was rejected by Bharati. By decorating many Dalits in Tamil Nadu on upanayanaan, he took a series of innovative steps to question orthodoxy (sacred thread). Bharati promoted and ensured the Dalits` entry into temples. As Shakti or Strength, he visualised "woman". In 1906, Bharati also published the cover of the journal `Chakravarthini,` which focused on empowering Indian women.

He also encouraged and supported the inclusion of women in politics, their rights, and education. The Bharati Award was created in 1994 by the Vanavil Cultural Center and is awarded every year to outstanding people who have made outstanding contributions in any society-related field and who have worked hard to realise the dream of Bharati.