- Sankarlinganar is a Tamil Indian Independence activist and Gandhian.
- He was born in Manmalai Medu in Virudhunagar District to Karuppasamy and Valliammal in 1895.
- He joined the [[Indian National Congress]] in 1917.
- He also participated in the [[Salt March]] in 1930 along with Gandhi under Rajaji’s influence.
- The consequence of [[Potti Sreeramalu]] fast demanding for a separate state of Telugu from Madras state for Telugu speaking people and Madras city to be its capital in 1952 led to new agitation in Madras state in need to change its name.
- In 1956, Sankarlinganar started to fast on demand for change in the name of 12 the state from Madras to Tamil Nadu.
- He started his hunger strike on 27th July on 1956 in Virudhunagar for 12 demands.
- Despite the request of C.N.Annadurai, [[மா.பொ.சி]], and [[Jeevanandham]], he continued to fast and died on the 76th day on 13th October 1956.
- The State of Madras changed the name as State of Tamil Nadu on 14th January 1969.
- He was the only person in Indian History to end his life by observing fast for many days in Gandhiyan Way.
[[Nehru]]