P. Rajagopalachari facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Perungavur Rajagopalachari
Dewan of Cochin
In office 1897–1901
Monarch	Rama Varma XV
Preceded by	V. Subramanya Pillai
Succeeded by	L. Locke
Dewan of Travancore
In office 26 October 1907 – 11 May 1914
Monarch	Moolam Thirunal
Preceded by	S. Gopalachari
Succeeded by	M. Krishnan Nair
Member of Madras Legislative Council
In office 1917–1927
Governor	John Sinclair, 1st Baron Pentland, Lord Willingdon, George Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen
President of the Madras Legislative Council
In office 1921–1923
Prime Minister	A. Subbarayalu Reddiar, Raja of Panagal, P. Subbarayan
Governor	Lord Willingdon, George Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	L. D. Swamikannu Pillai
Personal details
Born	18 March 1862
Died	1 December 1927
Political party	Indian National Congress
Alma mater	Presidency College, Madras
Occupation	lawyer, civil servant
Profession	Sub-Collector, Statesman

Sir Perungavur Rajagopalachari (born March 18, 1862 – died December 1, 1927) was an important Indian administrator. He served as the Diwan (which is like a Prime Minister) for two different states in India: Cochin State from 1896 to 1901, and Travancore from 1906 to 1914. He was known for his work in government and for bringing about changes in society.

Early Life and Education

Rajagopalachari was born in Madras, a city in India. He went to Presidency College and Madras Law College to study. After finishing his education, he joined the government service in 1886. He started as a deputy collector in 1887. This job meant he helped manage a district. Later, he worked as an assistant collector and magistrate in Madras Province. A magistrate is a type of judge who handles smaller legal cases.

Diwan of Cochin

In December 1896, Rajagopalachari became the Diwan of Cochin. He was chosen by the Maharaja (ruler) of Cochin, Rama Varma. He held this important position until 1901. During his time as Diwan, he helped create the Cochin Native Merchants Association. This group later grew into the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Cochin. He also helped set up the Central Records of the Cochin State in 1901. These records later became the Kerala State Archives Department, which keeps important historical documents.

Diwan of Travancore

After his time in Cochin, Rajagopalachari took on new roles. In 1901, he became the Registrar of Co-operative Credit Societies in the Madras Presidency. This role involved helping people form groups to lend and borrow money together. Then, in 1906, he was appointed the Diwan of Travancore state.

Helping Education for All

One of his most important actions in Travancore was supporting education. In 1907, a social reformer named Ayyankali started a group called the Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangham. This group worked to get education for children from communities that were often left out, known as Scheduled Castes. Rajagopalachari supported this effort.

In 1907, the government of Travancore ordered that all children, including those from Scheduled Castes, should be allowed into schools. However, some powerful landlords who owned most of the schools did not want to follow this order. This led to a big strike where many farm workers from Scheduled Castes refused to work. In 1910, Rajagopalachari and the head of the education department, Mr. Mitchell, made the order public. This helped solve the problem, and more children could go to school.

Changes in Government

Rajagopalachari also made changes to how the government was run. Before his time, people from Scheduled Castes were not allowed to be part of the State Assembly (a type of local parliament). He made it possible for them to be nominated. Ayyankali became the first person from a Scheduled Caste to be nominated to the Travancore State Assembly. Rajagopalachari also gave land to build an Islamic college.

While he was Diwan, his way of leading was sometimes described as very strong.

Later Career and Achievements

In 1914, Rajagopalachari went back to Madras. He became the Secretary of the Judicial Department, which was a very important job. He was the first Indian person to hold this position.

In 1917, he joined the Council of the Governor of Madras. This was a group of advisors to the Governor. When the Madras Legislative Council was formed in 1920, Rajagopalachari was chosen as its first President. This council was a new step towards more Indian involvement in government. He served as President until 1923.

In 1923, he was appointed to the Council of India in London. This council advised the British government on Indian affairs. He resigned in 1925 because he was not well and returned to India.

Honours and Recognition

Rajagopalachari received several special honours for his work. In 1909, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE). In 1920, he was given the title Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India (KCSI). These honours showed how important his contributions were.

Legacy

Today, a statue of Rajagopalachari can be seen in the hall of the Madras Legislative Council. This reminds people of his important role in Indian history.

Family Connections

Rajagopalachari had a brother named P. Narasimhachari, who was a Justice in the High Court in Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar). His grand-nephews included C.T. Rajagopal, C.T. Venugopal, and C.T. Krishnama Chari.

His son, S. Varadarajan Nayar, was born in 1914. He was a freedom fighter and became the first mayor of Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram) after India became independent in 1947. He was also a lawyer and politician, serving as the Minister for Finance from 1978 to 1979.

His grandson, V. Prathapachandran, is the Treasurer of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. His great-granddaughter, Sangeetha Nair, is an editor and investigative journalist.