Chennai : 

There is no proposal either to rename Lady Wellington College after Singaravelar or to erect his statue on the campus, the Tamil Nadu government has informed the Madras high court.
In a counter-affidavit, filed in response to a PIL of A Gowthaman seeking renaming of the college after Singaravelar and construction of a memorial for the freedom fighter at the venue, which was his house, secretary, Tamil Development and Information (memorials) Department said: “The setting up of Singaravelar statue and renaming the college is a matter of policy to be decided by the Government and no such proposal is pending with the department.”

However, it told the bench comprising Chief Justice R K Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan that a bust-size statue of Singaravelar was to be erected in Singaravelar memorial in Royapuram.

Senior advocate A E Chelliah, who argued the PIL for Singaravelar memorial, had told the bench that the freedom fighter founded the first trade union in India and had vast swathes of land in several places including Thiruvanmiyur and Mylapore. His residence at Mylapore, is now known as Lady Wellington College. British governor Lord Wellington took over his property after Singaravelar participated in the freedom struggle.

In 2011, the government announced a memorial for Singaravelar at Foreshore Estate, but did not proceed due to Coastal Regulation Zone norms. The PIL wants a memorial adjacent to ‘Vivekanandar Illam’ and renaming of Lady Wellington College as ‘Sindhanai Sirpi Singaravelar Educational campus’.

The PIL is scheduled to be taken up for further hearing on November 21.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai> TamilNadu / TNN / November 18th, 2013