https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=V._I._Munuswamy_PillaiV. I. Munuswamy Pillai - Revision history2026-08-19T06:14:55ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=V._I._Munuswamy_Pillai&diff=149296&oldid=previmported>Ambeth47: /* Later life */2020-09-18T02:12:42Z<p><span class="autocomment">Later life</span></p>
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{{Infobox Officeholder<br />
| honorific-prefix = Rao Sahib<br />
| name = Vellore Iyyasamy Munuswamy Pillai<br />
| honorific-suffix =<br />
| image = V. I. Munuswamy Pillai.jpg<br />
| caption = Portrait from the Haripura Congress Souvenir, 1938<br />
| office = Member of [[Constituent Assembly of India]]<br />
| term_start = 9 December 1946<br />
| term_end = 24 January 1950 <br />
| order1 = Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (Madras Presidency)<br />
| term_start1 = 14 July 1937<br />
| term_end1 = 9 October 1939<br />
| governor1 = [[John Erskine, Lord Erskine]]<br />
| premier1 = [[C. Rajagopalachari]]<br />
| birth_date = 1889<br />
| birth_place = [[Ootacamund]], [[Madras Presidency]]<br />
| death_date = 14 December 1953<br />
| death_place = [[Madras]]<br />
| nationality = Indian<br />
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]<br />
| religion =<br />
| profession = businessman<br />
| spouse =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
[[Rao Sahib]] '''Vellore Iyyasamy Munuswamy Pillai''' (23 February 1889 – 14 December 1953) also spelled as '''Munisami Pillai''', was an Indian businessman, politician, Scheduled Caste activist and activist of the Indian independence movement who served as the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in the government of [[C. Rajagopalachari]] from 1937 to 1939.<br />
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== Early life ==<br />
Munuswamy Pillai was born in a poor family in [[Ootacamund]], [[Nilgiris district]] in 1889. Due to his adverse financial circumstances, Munuswamy Pillai could afford little formal education and was forced to take up a job as a [[Clerk (position)|clerk]] at the age of twenty. After a successful stint as a clerk, Munuswamy Pillai set up his own business in 1925.<br />
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== Public life ==<br />
Munuswamy Pillai was nominated to the [[Madras Legislative Council]] in 1926 representing the depressed classes. Under the presidentship of V. I. Munusamy Pillai 'The All India DC Congress' (2nd Conference) was held at Nagpur in May 1932.<ref>Ambeth, அம்பேத்: [https://ambedkarambeth.blogspot.com/2019/01/v-i-munuswamy-pillai-dr-ambedkar-constituent-assembly-india.html One of the stalwarts V. I. Muniswamy Pillay on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly of India]</ref> He supported the policies of the [[Indian National Congress]] and served as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Rajaji's cabinet from 1937 to 1939.<br />
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== Later life ==<br />
Munuswamy Pillai retired from public life following the resignation of the Congress ministry in 1939. He returned to politics and was later elected to the [[Indian Constituent Assembly]] from Madras in 1946.<ref>[http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/debates/members.htm#MADRAS Members of the Constituent Assembly]</ref> In the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947 for the adoption of the National Flag he said, "It is not to be the Flag of the rich or the wealthy but it is to be the Flag of the depressed, oppressed and submerged classes all over our country."<ref>Ambeth, அம்பேத்: [http://ambedkarambeth.blogspot.com/2019/08/V.-I.-Muniswamy-Pillai-on-National-Flag-and-Buddha.html V. I. Muniswamy Pillai on the National Flag of India]</ref> He contested and lost the [[Indian general election in Madras, 1951|1952 parliamentary elections]] from [[Tindivanam (Lok Sabha constituency)|Tindivanam]] as an Indian National Congress candidate.<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1951/VOL_1_51_LS.PDF ECI report on 1951 election]</ref> He died on 14 December 1953 at the 63.<ref name="tnassembly_death">{{cite web|title=Resume of the 1st Madras Legislative Assembly (1952–1957) Chapter XIV:Motions and Resolutions|url=http://www.assembly.tn.gov.in/archive/Resumes/review_01assly/ch14.pdf|publisher=Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly}}</ref> A special resolution was passed by the [[Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|Madras Legislative Assembly]] condoling his death.<ref name="tnassembly_death" /><br />
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== Notes ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, V. I. Munuswamy}}<br />
[[Category:1889 births]]<br />
[[Category:1953 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:People from Ooty]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian businesspeople]]<br />
[[Category:Businesspeople from Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Tamil Nadu politicians]]<br />
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Tamil Nadu]]</div>imported>Ambeth47