P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja

2021-10-08T11:21:46Z

2409:4072:6C9E:C65:8914:D4A2:DF4:54C6: Gave the Indian Express archive link from Google dated Apr 1, 1949

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja
| image = PS Kumaraswamy Raja 1999 stamp of India.jpg
| image_size = 240px
| caption = P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja Commemorative Stamp
| order = 4th
| office = Governor of Orissa
| term_start = 10 February 1954
| term_end = 11 September 1956
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = [[Nabakrushna Choudhuri]]
| predecessor = [[Saiyid Fazl Ali]]
| successor = [[Bhim Sen Sachar]]
| office2 = 11th [[List of chief ministers of Madras Presidency|Chief Minister of Madras Presidency]]
| term_start2 = 6 April 1949
| term_end2 = 10 April 1952
| governor2 = [[Krishna Kumarasingh Bhavasingh]]
| predecessor2 = [[O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar]]
| successor2 = ''Position abolished''
| constituency2 = Leader of [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Council|Madras Presidency Legislative Council]]
| birth_name = Poosapati Sanjeevi Kumarswamy Raja
| birth_date = {{birth date|1898|7|8|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Rajapalayam]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]<br />{{smaller|(present-day [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]])}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1957|3|16|1898|7|8|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Madras]], [[Madras State]], India<br />{{smaller|(present-day [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]])}}
| nationality = [[India]]n
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| alma_mater =
| profession = Politician
| occupation =
| spouse =
}}

'''Poosapati Sanjeevi Kumarswamy Raja''' (8 July 1898 – 16 March 1957) was an Indian politician who served as the [[Chief Minister]] of [[Madras Presidency]] from 6 April 1949 to 10 April 1952 <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080708093501/http://www.tn.gov.in/tnassembly/cmlist-1920.htm Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu since 1920]. Government of Tamil Nadu</ref> and Governor of [[Odisha|Orissa]] between 1954 till 1956. He was born in [[Rajapalayam]] in [[Tamil Nadu]].

==Early life==
Raja was born on 8 July 1898<ref>{{cite news|title=DMK-MDMK marriage put on hold|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/jul/15mdmk.htm|accessdate=9 February 2018|work=Rediff.com|date=15 July 1998}}</ref> in [[Rajapalayam]] to [[Pusapati|Poosapati]] Sanjeevi Raja. His mother died when he was eight days old and his father when he was three. Raja had no brothers and sisters and was brought up by his grandmother.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/gandhiji-remembered/article2240525.ece|title=Gandhiji remembered|work=The Hindu |date=12 February 2007 |accessdate=12 July 2013}}</ref> After schooling, Raja was connected with the [[Indian National Congress]] organisation at its every level. He took a prominent part in [[Panchayat]] organisations, local Board administration. He served as the President of Rajapalayam Union, the Panchayat court, the District Board of [[Ramnathapuram]] and the District educational Council among others. He is the uncle of military officer [[K.A.S. Raja]].<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|date=7 December 1961|title=U.N. Military Chief K.A.S. Raja|page=A2|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

==Political and social work==
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2014}}
The lives and writings of [[Annie Besant]] and [[S. Satyamurti|Satyamurthy]] had great influence on his mind and character in his formative years. It was in 1919 that he met [[Mahatma Gandhi]] for the first time and started following with great interest the events in Gandhi's life. Gandhi's epic struggle in [[South Africa]], the founding of the [[Ashram]] in [[Ahmedabad]] and the [[Champaran Satyagraha|Champaran]] struggle made a profound impression on him and the utter simplicity of Mahatma's life also evoked his unbounded admiration.

In 1932, he was arrested for disobeying the unjust laws. Thus Rajapalayam gained a distinct place in political map, the credit went to Raja's lead. In 1934, Raja won central legislature for constituency comprising [[Tirunelveli]], [[Madurai]] & [[Ramanathapuram]]. At the age of 39, he entered the Assembly as [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|M.L.A]] in [[C. Rajagopalachari]] ministry successfully contesting the 1937 election.

He was elected as the leader of Madras Legislature Congress Party in 1939 defeating Dr.P.Subbaroyan by 105 to 89 in March 31, 1949 and took oath as the Premier(Chief Minister) of Tamil Nadu on April 6,1949. Prior to becoming the Chief Minister he served as a cabinet minister under Mr. Prakasam formed in April 1946. <ref>https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x3w-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=4UsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2227%2C8159</ref>He also served as the [[Governor]] of [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] from 1954 to 1956.

In all the years of his life, most of Raja's wealth was spent in helping the poor and in serving public causes, particularly for the Congress movement. He was much interested in co-operative movement also. He founded Bhupathi Raju Cop-operative Credit Bank, an urban bank
for the benefit of local people especially farmers named after his friend, Bhupathi Raju of Andhra Pradesh, who accompanied him in
prison during freedom movement. He constructed the monument Congress Ponvizha Grounds(Golden Jubilee Grounds) in Rajapalayam commemorating the fifty years completion of founding of All India Congress Party in 1935.

Raja's life was one of noble activity, dedication and selfless service for the people of the country. He was a staunch proponent of the concept of "Separation of the [[Judiciary]] from the [[Executive (government)|Executive]]". Prohibition, promotion of [[Khādī]] and [[Temple Entry Proclamation|Temple entry legislation]] were his other notable achievements. He donated his house for starting an institution of culture called "Gandhi Kalai Mandram". Rajapalayam became a great industrial centre mainly due to his drive and interest.

It was said that Raja studied in Srivilliputtur G.S Hindu higher secondary school and thus he chose his temple as the symbol of Tamil Nadu emblem'. And his successor Rajagopalachari might not have minded that the shrine of Andal was now the Madras government's symbol.

Raja died on 16 March 1957 in [[Madras]], upon not recovering from an illness following his return from a visit to his ancestral village in [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite news|title=P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja Passes Away|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19570316&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|accessdate=9 February 2018|work=The Indian Express|date=16 March 1957|page=1}}</ref>

==Commemoration==
Raja has been commemorated on an [[Indian Postal Service]] stamp.<ref>{{cite web|author=Biswajit Roy |url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/l0799/r080799.html |title=Latest Releases |publisher=Pib.nic.in |date= |accessdate=12 July 2013}}</ref> P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja centenary marriage hall was opened in 1998 by then chief minister to commemorate his centenary birthday celebrations.

==See also==
*[[List of Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu|Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before= [[O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar]] | title=[[Chief Minister of Madras Presidency]] | after= Post Abolished | years=6 April 1949 – 26 January 1950}}
{{succession box | before= Post created | title=[[List of Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu#Madras State|Chief Minister of Madras State]] | after= [[C. Rajagopalachari]] | years=26 January 1950 – 10 April 1952}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumaraswamy Raja, P. S.}}
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tamil Nadu ministers]]
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1957 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Virudhunagar district]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Indian National Congress]]
[[Category:State funerals in India]]

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P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja