K. A. P. Viswanatham Pillai

K. A. P. Viswanatham Pillai (10 November 1899 – 19 December 1994) was a Tamil scholar, orator and social activist. Despite having no formal education he developed an interest towards the Tamil literature and Siddha medicine and learned them by himself. His father Periyanna and his elder brother Krishnan and Arumugam living as a joint family. They also doing a joint venture business (tobacco) with the name of K.A.P. That precedes Viswanathan as K.A.P Viswanathan. He also took part in politics and was an active member of Justice Party. He became the first General Secretary of the party, a position which he continued to hold till 1940 after which C. N. Annadurai took over. He also took part in the Anti-Hindi agitation of 1937–40 and was imprisoned. Viswanatham was also instrumental in launching the Tamil University at Thanjavur.