Henry Alfred Krishnapillai

Henry Alfred Krishnapillai
Native name
என்றி ஆல்பிரட் கிருஷ்ணபிள்ளை
Born(1827-04-23)23 April 1827
Karaiyiruppu (or) Reddiarpatti, Tinnevely District,
Madras Presidency,
British India
(now Tirunelveli district,
Tamil Nadu, India)
Died3 February 1900(1900-02-03) (aged 72)
Tinnevely District,
Madras Presidency,
British India
(now Tirunelveli district,
Tamil Nadu, India)
OccupationTamil teacher, writer
SubjectChristianity
Notable worksRakshanya Yatrikam (published - 1894)

Henry Alfred Krishnapillai (1827–1900) was a well-known poet in Tamil language. He was born in a Hindu family, but later converted to Christianity. He was an accomplished Tamil teacher and hence after his conversion sought to work on Tamil literary works. After his retirement he worked on his magnum opus, Ratchanya Yaatrigam. This work was based on John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, although not a translation. The work itself took 16 years to complete and is one of finest works of Tamil literature of the nineteenth century.

Krishnapillai is well known to use analogies from Hindu text in his Christian writings. His Christian hymns are still popular among Tamil Protestants. These hymns are similar in style to Hindu text Tevaram.