Veerapandiya Kattabomman

Who was Veerapandiya Kattabomman?

Veerapandiya Kattabomma Karuthayya Nayakkar was a courageous 18th-century Palayakarrar chieftain from Panchalankurichi of Tamil Nadu, India. His ancestors migrated to Tamil Nadu from areas in present day Andhra Pradesh during the Vijayanagara period. Also known as Kattabomma Naicker he was among the earliest to oppose British rule in these regions. He waged a war with the British six decades before the Indian War of Independence occurred in the Northern parts of India. He was captured and hanged in 1799 CE. His fort was destroyed and his wealth was looted by the British army. Today his native village Panchalankurichi in present day Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu is a historically important site. Some polygars families also migrated to vedal village in Kanchipuram District, India.