Thirukkuralar V. Munusamy

V. Munusamy (Tamil-திருக்குறளார் வி. முனுசாமி)(26 September 1913 – 4 January 1994), known by the public as Thirukkuralar Munusamy, was a Tamil scholar and politician highly regarded for his work on promoting the Tamil classical work of the Tirukkural. He also served as a member of Indian Parliament during 1952–1957.

Early life
Munusamy was born on 26 September 1913 in the Thogaipadi village near Villupuram in British India to A. Veerasamy and Veerammal. He did his schooling at St. Soosaiyappar Higher Secondary School in Trichy. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics at St. Soosaiyappar College and in law at Government Law College in Madras.

Early career
By 1943, he became a scholar in Tamil. At a young age, Munusamy displayed interest towards the Tirukkural and soon memorized all 1330 verses of the Kural literature. With the intention to take it to the common man, he conducted his first public discourse in 1935 at Nootrukkal Mantapam in the Malaikottai neighbourhood of Tiruchi. In 1941, Munusamy conducted the first ever Tirukkural conference in Salem, which was attended by scholars such as Devaneya Pavanar. While staying in Puraisaiwalkam during his college years, he conducted Tirukkural classes and also campaigns holding Kural placards with scholars such as A. K. Paranthamanar, Natesanar, and Vadivelanar. Soon, he conducted a Kural conference in Chennai, which saw the participation of such professors as R. P. Sethupillai, Subramania Pillai, and Rasakannanar.