Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu
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Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu
1 October 1862 |
| Died | 26 May 1939 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Social reformer, educationist, writer |
Dewan Bahadur Sir Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu (born October 1, 1862 – died May 26, 1939) was an important Indian leader. He was a social reformer, meaning he worked to make society better. He was also an educationist, which means he was deeply involved in teaching and schools. He came from a region that is now Andhra Pradesh in India.
People at the time said he was "the most powerful speaker of his day." He worked hard to end unfair treatment of people, especially those called Dalits, and helped them improve their lives. He also worked to change an old system called Devadasi in Andhra, helping many women. Sir Raghupathi encouraged widow remarriages and strongly supported women's education.
Venkataratnam Naidu served as the Principal of Mehboob College in Secunderabad. Later, he became the Principal of PR Government College in Kakinada. In 1925, he became the first elected Vice Chancellor of Madras University. In this role, he helped create many new departments for learning and research.
Naidu was also involved in local government. He served on several town councils and district boards. He became a Member and Deputy President of the Madras Legislative Council. The government recognized his great work by giving him the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal. He was also made a knight in 1924, which is why he is called "Sir." Both Andhra and Madras Universities gave him special honorary degrees for his achievements. The Brahmo Samaj, a social and religious movement, honored him with the title "Brahmarshi."
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Early Life and Education
Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu was born on October 1, 1862. His birthplace was Machilipatnam, a town in India. He came from a well-known Telaga Kapu family. Interestingly, Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu, who is known as the "father of Telugu cinema" (Telugu movies), was his younger brother.
His family had a history of serving in the army. His ancestors were officers called Subedars in the Madras Army and the East India Company Army. His father, Raghupathi Appayya Naidu, was also a Subedar. Because of his father's army work, the family lived in different places, including Chandrapur. This helped young Venkataratnam learn languages like Urdu, Arabic, and Persian.
Venkataratnam Naidu continued his schooling at Nizam High School in Hyderabad. This was after his father was transferred there. He passed his Matriculation (high school exams) in Hyderabad. Then, he went on to get his B.A. degree from Madras Christian College in 1885. In 1891, he earned his M. A. degree in English Literature from Madras University. He wrote a special paper, called a thesis, about a famous poem by John Milton. He also got his L.T. degree in 1897, which qualified him to teach.
Career and Contributions
As an Educationist
After finishing his M.A. and L.T. degrees, Venkataratnam Naidu chose to become a teacher. He worked as the principal of Mehboob College in Secunderabad from 1899 to 1904. Then, he became the principal of Pitapuram Raja College in Kakinada from 1905 to 1919. In 1925, he made history by becoming the first elected vice chancellor of Madras University. He held this important position until 1928. The British government recognized his work and gave him a knighthood in 1924.
As a Social Reformer
Venkataratnam Naidu was a follower of Kandukuri Veeresalingam, another great social reformer. In 1891, Naidu started the Social Purity Association. Its goal was to help people become honest and good citizens. He worked tirelessly to end the unfair treatment of people who were considered "untouchable." He also helped to improve the lives of these people, often called Harijans. He even started an orphanage and a hostel (a place to stay) for Harijan boys and girls in Kakinada.
He also worked to stop the Devadasi system in Andhra, which involved women dedicated to temples. He had a lot of success in changing this system. He strongly supported widow remarriages, helping women who had lost their husbands to marry again. He also encouraged women's education, believing that girls should go to school. He promoted the Brahmo movement, which was about social and religious reform, in Andhra. The Brahmo Samaj honored him with the special title "Brahmarshi." Because of all his efforts, he is seen as the second most important social reformer in Andhra, after Veeresalingam. The famous writer Chalam was one of his students.
As an Author
Sir Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu also shared his ideas through writing. His thoughts and work were published in a book in 1924. The book was called The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur Sir R. Venkata Ratnam, and it was written by him and V. Ramkrishna Rao.
