Salem C. Vijiaraghavachariar, as he was popularly known, was one of the pioneers in the India's freedom movement during the pre-Gandhian phase. He was born on 18th June 1852 in Maduranthakam, Tamilnadu. After graduating from Madras Presidency College, he privately appeared for the Law examination while working as a lecturer and joined the bar at Salem.

His professional assistance in Hindu­ Muslim riot case was mistaken by the authorities and he was ordered to be deported to Andamans. A scholarly man he was, his written arguments in the appeal were so well drafted that the judge honourably acquitted him. This gained him all India fame. The National dailies carried this news prominently and hailed him as the Hero of Salem.

When the Indian National Congress was started in 1885, Salem Vijiaraghavachariar was one of the special invitees. He was a close associate of A.O. Hume, the founder of the Indian National Congress. He attended the Bombay session of the Congress and in 1887 he was one of the members of the Committee which drafted the Constitution of the Indian National Congress. From then on, Vijiaraghavachariar became an ardent freedom fighter. The climax of his political career came when in 1920 he was elected to preside over the Indian National Congress  Session at   Nagpur,  where Gandhiji's advocacy of 'Poorna Swaraj' through non-violent non-cooperation was debated and accepted. He was also in the vanguard of the opposition to the Simon Commission that toured the country in 1929. He took an active part in the Committee that met under Motilal Nehru to frame the Constitution for India.

In many aspects, Vijiaraghavachariar was very much ahead of his times. He advocated post-puberty marriage for women and also the right of the daughter to have a share in her father's  property. He advocated the much-needed change in the Hindu law at a time when any talk about it was a taboo. He was a champion of the depressed classes. He rendered great assistance to Swami Sharathananda in his work connected with the Anti-untouchability League.

The voice of the Lion of South India was stilled when he passed away very peace­fully on 19th April 1944. The Department of Posts pays homage to the freedom fighter by issuing this stamp in his memory.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India