Subramania Bharati, the famous Tamil poet, writer and patriot, loved all people and cultures, and nourished a strong desire for freedom. He loved India with all his heart and suffered because he was a patriot. He was a true poet of freedom, and his fiery verses are sung to this day. He wrote prose too, which was widely regarded. He was very fond of children, and wrote poems and songs for them. To him, all birds and animals were like brothers. To him, the Brahmin and the untouchable were alike. He looked upon all mankind as one family. Bharati wanted women to be free. He wanted prosperity for all. He said that if a single Indian starved, we would shake the whole world. He was not an orthodox man, and often spoke against the ills of rigid caste and creed ideals. But he was proud of India's religious and cultural heritage. Bharati died when he was only 39. But in his short life he did much, said much and wrote much. His words inspired people during the struggle for independence, and his works are admired to this day.