A twentieth century Tamil poet, Bharathidasan was born in Puducherry (earlier Pondicherry) as Subburathinam. He was deeply influenced by the Tamil poet and freedom fighter, Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi, who mentored him and hence named himself Bharathidasan. A participant in the Indian independence movement, he opposed the British and the French. He was imprisoned for voicing his views against the French Government that was ruling Pondicherry at that time. A poet in his own right, writing mostly on socio-political issues like caste, women’s liberation and rationalism, Bharathidasan was one of the key figures in the Dravidian rationalist movement. He was called ‘Puratchi Kavingyar’ by the great rationalist leader and social reformer, Periyar E V Ramaswami.

He remained a prolific writer and poet till he died in 1964. He was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award posthumously. One among his famous lines is ‘அறிவை விரிவு செய், அகண்டமாக்கு’, ‘Arivai virivu sei, agandamakku’ meaning “Expand Knowledge – make it universal”. Named after this great poet, it has been BIM’s endeavour to expand and universalize knowledge.

Named after the revolutionary poet Bharathidasan, the Bharathidasan University was set up in 1982 as an offshoot of the University of Madras. The motto of the University “We will create a brave new world” has been framed from Bharathidasan’s poetic words “புதியதோர் உலகம் செய்வோம்”. The University endeavours to be true to such a vision by creating in the region a brave new world of academic innovation for social change.