Rao Bahadur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rao Bahadur
Title Badge for Rao Bahadur
Presented by	Viceroy of India
Country	British India

Rao Bahadur (in South India) and Rai Bahadur (in North India) were special titles given during British rule in India. People received these titles for their loyal service or for doing good things for the public. From 1911, a special medal called a Title Badge came with the title.

The word Rao means "prince," and Bahadur means "brave" or "most honorable." This title was mostly given to Hindu people. For Muslim and Parsi people, a similar title was Khan Bahadur. For Sikhs, it was Sardar Bahadur.

People who received the Rao Bahadur title usually started with a lower title called Rai Sahib. Both of these titles were below the rank of Dewan Bahadur. These titles were also lower than the two main knighthood orders: the Order of the Indian Empire and the higher Order of the Star of India.

Who Received the Rao/Rai Bahadur Title?

Many different people received the Rao or Rai Bahadur title. They came from various fields, including education, politics, business, science, and public service.

Academics and Education

• S.N. Mukarji: He was the principal of St. Stephen's College, Delhi for a long time (1926 to 1945). He was also a brilliant student in mathematics at Queens' College, Cambridge.

Activists and Politicians

• Motilal Nehru: He was an important activist who worked for India's independence. He later gave up his title during the non-cooperation movement in 1921.
• Mahadev Govind Ranade: He was a scholar, a judge, and a social reformer. He helped start the Indian National Congress, a major political party.
• Chhotu Ram: He served as a minister in Punjab. He was also the first Indian-origin Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
• Cruz Fernandez: He was a successful businessman and mayor of Tuticorin. Many people see him as the person who helped build modern Tuticorin.

Civil Servants and Government Officials

• Jagan Nath Bhandari: He was the Dewan (chief minister) of Idar State.
• A. Savarinatha Pillai: He worked as an Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax in Madras. He won an award for his excellent public service.

Commerce and Industry

• Jamnalal Bajaj: He was a well-known industrialist. He also later returned his title.
• Jagmal Raja Chauhan: Known as "Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja," he was an industrialist and built railways. He was also a pioneer in aviation and a generous giver to charity.
• Mohan Singh Oberoi: He was the founder of the famous Oberoi Group of hotels.
• Badridas Goenka: He was a big industrialist and businessman. He was also the first chairman of the State Bank of India.

Rai Sahib and Rai Bahadur title badges of Jamuna Das Choudhury

Engineering, Science, and Medicine

• Kailash Chandra Bose: He was the first Indian doctor to be knighted.
• Upendranath Brahmachari: This doctor and scientist from Bengal created a medicine called urea stibamine. This medicine was very important for treating a disease called Kala Azar.
• Dr Ram Dhan Singh: He was a leading agricultural scientist and a principal at the College of Agriculture in Punjab.

Law and Justice

• Chaudhary Dewan Chand Saini: He was a respected lawyer in the Punjab High Court. He was also an elected member of the Legislative Council.
• N. S. Nanjundiah: He was a distinguished lawyer in the Chief Court of Mysore.

Literature and Arts

• Appu Nedungadi: He wrote Kundalatha, which was the first novel ever published in the Malayalam language.
• M.V. Dhurandhar: He was a famous painter and postcard artist. He also taught at the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai.

Philanthropy, Religion, and Charity

• Ranchhodlal Chhotalal: He was a pioneer in the textile industry and a generous giver to charity.
• Yele Mallappa Shetty: He was a philanthropist who helped build Bangalore's first hospital for mothers and babies. He also helped restore a temple and build water storage for his region.
• Gubbi Thotadappa: This businessman and philanthropist created free lodging places for travelers and free hostels for students across Karnataka.

Police and Emergency Services

• P. K. Monnappa: He was a police chief in three different states in South India: Madras, Hyderabad, and Mysore.
• Satyen Nath (S.N.) Mukherjee: He was the first Indian-origin Deputy Commissioner of Indian Police in Calcutta.

See also

• Rai (Indian)
• Nawab Bahadur (disambiguation)
• Raj Ratna