Irrespective of cities or villages, Arunthathiyars in Tamil Nadu are forced to work as cobblers on streets, roads and bus stands. For long they have been suppressed and with minimum or no wages their livelihood becomes a question mark. The social burdens add to their woes. Subsequent Governments have ignored the state of the cobblers and have not cared to address their rehabilitation measures.
Aathithamizhar Peravai has taken up the cause of cobblers and has organized a one day “Cobblers Rehabilitation Conference” on 14th April 2010 in Erode, Tamil Nadu. This web page is dedicated to the news, events and updates of the conference.
Please visit again for updates!
Abolish the sight of cobblers, stitching old slippers in rain and heat along the streets corners and waysides in Tamil Nadu!
Rehabilitate those who are in the profession of cobbling even to date with free house, a constant monthly allowance, free education, free bus passes and railway concessions!
Provide loan of 5 Lakh rupees with subvention to establish new shoe manufacturing units!
Establish cooperative societies for sales of shoes and slippers similar to textile co operatives!
Video of the Conference (Complete coverage)
Summary of events:
The Cobblers rehabilitation conference was a huge success held on 14th April 2010. There were around 8500 participants taking part from various parts of Tamil Nadu. The summary of the events are described below as it unfolded:
10:00 AM - Press meet
1:00 PM - Garlanding Thanthai Periyar statue and Dr. Ambedkar photos at Panner Selvam Park, Erode
Following these events, ATP members marched as a procession and reached the place of event, Malligai Hall (called as Ondiveeran Hall- for the conference).
GALLERY
Conference Inauguration
Conference Flag Hoisting:
Mr. P. Perumavalavan
Treasurer, ATP
Conference welcome
Conference Welcome Speech:
Mr.
R. Tamil Inban
Secretary ATP Erode Branch
Conference Inauguration:
Suba. Ilangovan
General Secretary, ATP
Music and Songs
Dance Performance
Cultural events:
Music and Songs
Samarpaa cultural troop, Namakkal
Dance performance
Saakkiya cultural troop, Erode
Peravai Book Release Function:
Book Title: “Man burdened with caste system” (In Tamil)
Author: R. P. Samy, Bangalore
—Released by : Mr. Kannan, Joint-Secretary - Thoothukudi ATP
—Received by : Ms. Vasanthi, Secretary, Womens Branch - Trichy ATP
Official Release of ATP website:
By : Mr. Ezhil Buddhan
Labour Wing President,
Trichy ATP
Release of Special Aathithamizhan Conference Edition:
—Released by : Mr. Thakali Pichumani, Secretary,
Aathur ATP
—Received by : Ms. Deepa, Deputy General Secretary, ATP
Special Conference Edition -
Aathithamizhan Release
Plenary session speeches:
Resolute fight and Ondiveeran memorial S.K. Sankar
Periyar of North and Ambedkar of South Ezhil Buthan
History recovered by Peravai Viduthalai Veeran
Caste abolition fighter Madurai Veeran Verramurugu
Peravai’s accomplishment - Inner reservation Muthuraakku
Manual Scavenger’s mores Arunthathi Mainthan
Peravai in Women’s rights issue Deepa
Let’s take a sword for Atrocities! Raasaraasan
Education, Land, Weapons Neelaventhan
Let’s break the slum prisons! Kannan
Let’s abolish internal marriages! Maniyarasu
Tamil Nadu Politics and Arunthathiyar women Vasanthi
Oppressed lot put your hearts on fire! Veeragopal
Concession for those who forgot their rights? Mugilan
Next war for Arunthathiyars Thamizh Veeran
Can one still stay a Hindu? Kalapirar
No one is slave to me Rani
Presentation of sword momento to Founder President
Mr. Athiyamaan by Youth Wing of ATP:
—Presented by Mr. Neelaventhan
Youth Wing Secretary
Presentation of sword momento to Founder President
Mr. Athiyamaan by Womens Wing of ATP:
—Presented by Ms. P. Vasanthi and Ms. Muthurakku
Womens Wing Secretary and President respectively
momento by youth wing of ATP
by womens wing of ATP
Proposing resolutions:
Mr. Siddharthan,
Organising Secretary, ATP
Conference concluding Speech:
Mr. Athiyamaan,
Founder President, ATP
Vote of Thanks:
Ondiveeran,
Erode district president ATP
CLICK THE ICON TO VIEW THE ENTIRE GALLERY OF THE CONFERNCE 
Follow through to the conference - ATP founder president congratulates Mr. Ezhil Buddhan and Mr. Siddharthan for their work in collection of cobblers statistical data for ATP and governmental organizations - Read letter in Tamil
Cobblers Rehabilitation Conference was a huge success. Please visit again for more updates in coming days and weeks!!
Cobblers Rehabilitation Conference special AATHITHAMIZHAN (Feb-Mar 2010) released
Cobblers Rehabilitation Conference - Dinamani News link, Dinakaran News link, Daily Thanthi News Link, Tamil Murasu web news clip, Namdinamathi News
Group discussion sessions for Cobblers Rehabilitation Conference
Coimbatore Head Quarters session photo gallery
Trichy session photo gallery
The state of cobblers - A story in Salem (News paper cutting)
News paper link:
Invitation for the conference have been sent out
ATP is all set to release a book on the occasion
Conference notices have been printed
