Between 1914, when the last aaNDavar of the Conjeepuram MahaanaaDu was selected, and 1929, when the first castewide meeting of the Kaikkoolar caste association, the Senguntha Mahaajana Sangam (hereafter Sangam), was held in Erode, south Indian society underwent a number of profound social changes. Like other castes, the Kaikkoolars were swept up in these changes, and the structure of their caste was transformed. The Kaikkoolars' naaDu system was weakening, and the caste's MahaanaaDu in Conjeepuram ceased to function. Textile trade had become increasingly internationalized, and Kaikkoolars saw their own fortunes as directly affected by competing foreign textiles (Irschick 1982). Dyarchy was implemented, and the Congress Party became the national party of Indian independence. But the implementation of the Congress's khaadi policy, which advocated handspun, handwoven cloth, was opposed by the Kaikkoolars, who wove with mill-produced yarn. This issue made Kaikkoolars aware of the effects of government policy and desirous of finding an effective means of influencing policy to their advantage. The formation of the caste Sangam was in part a way to achieve influence in national politics.

Parallel with these political and economic changes, a new elite leadership with Western education was emerging among the Kaikkoolars. The role these men played in the formation of the new caste order was critical. As we have seen, they opposed the locality orientation of the old leadership and the segmented organization of the naaDu system, and strove to unite the caste by means of a new corporate order, the Sangam. The caste Sangam was to act as a special interest pressure group to lobby the government on behalf of all Kaikkoolars.