Dravidistan

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Dravidistan was a proposed independent nation for the "Dravida" race in India, consisting of the four modern south Indian states, then forming the "Madras Presidency". It was proposed by E.V. Ramaswami 'Periyar', the anti-Brahmin (see Anti-Brahmanism) activist from Tamil Nadu. This movement was largely based upon Aryan Invasion Theory propounded by Christian missionaries such as Max Mueller and Robert Caldwell.^{[citation needed]}

This idea was summarily dismissed as ludicrous by the people and leaders of all other southern Indian states other than Tamil Nadu. Even in Tamil Nadu the support soon fizzled out.^{[citation needed]}

The underlying theory is that the people of South India, with the exception of the Brahmins, are Dravidian and thus constitute a separate nation. However, there is no clear racial dividing line between north and south India. Many north Indians are dark-skinned and many south Indians, even among non-Brahmins can be light skinned. In any case, the Dravidian movement never had any support outside of Tamil Nadu. Even in Tamil Nadu the Dravidian movement did not become influential until the anti-Hindi movement.

E.V. Ramaswami wrote to Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan on August 9, 1944, suggesting joining his demand for Dravidistan to the demand for Pakistan, for a fight against "our opponents", Jinnah replied on August 17, 1944, that "it is entirely for you people to decide on this matter" [1].

E.V. Ramaswami's ideas were taken up by the Dravida Munnetra Kaznagham (DMK), led by C. N. Annadurai, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu state in 1960s. However, the Sino-Indian War broke out in the early 1960s and Annadurai publicly abandoned separation as the DMK's goal and supported a united India.

There have been attempts to revive the Dravidistan movement time to time. Recent efforts have been made by

Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA) (founded in early 1980s). It has close ties with LTTE, and was connected with Veerappan.
The Dalitstan organization (founded in 1999)
Tamil Tribune organization (founded 1997). Like Dalitstan, Tamil Tribune also supports independence for Khalistan and Nagaland.