Unsung Heroes Detail

S. P. Y. Surendranath Arya was born as Ethiraj to Dhanakoti Raju Naidu in a Telugu-speaking family in the city of Madras. Upon completion of his education, he got involved in extremist political activities and moved to Bengal in 1897 where he lived until 1906 and formed contacts with Bengali revolutionaries. On his return, he adopted the name "Surendranath" after the Bengali revolutionary Surendranath Banerjee and styled himself "Arya" or "native of India". Once in Madras, he established a close bond with the Tamil revolutionary Subramanya Bharathi and was one of the founders of the Chennai Jana Sangam. He was arrested on 18 August 1908 on charges of sedition and sentenced to transportation for 11 years. Surendranath Arya was released from prison in 1914 after six years of rigorous imprisonment in Bellary. During his imprisonment, his health had broken down and he contracted leprosy.