Perungavur Rajagopalachari

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix = Sir
name = Perungavur Rajagopalachari
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =250px
small

caption = "Portrait of P. Rajagopalachari"
order = Dewan of Cochin
office =
term_start =1896
term_end =1901
vicepresident =
viceprimeminister =
deputy =
lieutenant =
monarch =Rama Varma XV of Cochin
president =
primeminister =
governor =
governor-general =
governor_general =
succeeding =
predecessor =
successor =
constituency =
majority =
order2 =
office2 = Dewan of Travancore
term_start2 = 1904 or 1906
term_end2 = 1914
vicepresident2 =
viceprimeminister2 =
deputy2 =
lieutenant2 =
monarch2 = Moolam Thirunal
president2 =
primeminister2 =
governor2 =
succeeding2 =
predecessor2 =V. P. Madhava Rao
successor2 =Krishnan Nair
constituency2 =
majority2 =
order3 =
office3 = Member of Madras Legislative Council
term_start3 = 1914
term_end3 = 1927
vicepresident3 =
viceprimeminister3 =
deputy3 =
lieutenant3 =
monarch3 =
president3 =
primeminister3 =
governor3 = John Sinclair, 1st Baron Pentland, Lord Willingdon, George Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen
succeeding3 =
predecessor3 =
successor3 =
constituency3 =
majority3 =
order4 =
office4 = Chairman of the Madras Legislative Council
term_start4 = 1921
term_end4 = 1927
vicepresident4 =
viceprimeminister4 =
deputy4 =
lieutenant4 =
monarch4 =
president4 =
primeminister4 =A. Subbarayalu Reddiar, Raja of Panagal, P. Subbarayan
governor4 =Lord Willingdon, George Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen
succeeding4 =
predecessor4 =None
successor4 = L. D. Samikannu Pillai
constituency4 =
majority4 =
birth_date = 1864
birth_place =
death_date = 1927
death_place =
nationality =
party =Indian National Congress
spouse =
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater =Presidency College, Madras
occupation =lawyer, civil servant
profession =Sub-Collector, Statesman
religion =Hindu


website =
footnotes =

Sir Perungavur Rajagopalachari, KCSI, CIE, (b.1864-d.1927) was an Indian administrator. He was the Dewan of Cochin from December 1896 to August 1901History of Cochin, Pg 45] and of Travancore from 1906 to 1914.

Early Career

Rajagopalachari was educated at the University of Madras. After gradating in law from the University of Madras, Rajagopalachari qualified for the Indian Civil Service. He served in the Judicial Department from May 13, 1886 and was appointed Deputy Collector in December 1887. From May 2, 1890 to December 1896, he served as Assistant Collector and magistrate in Madras Province. In December 1896, he was appointed Dewan of Cochin state.

As Dewan of Cochin

In December 1896 or 1897Cite web|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_K-W.html#Kochin|title=List of kings and administrators of Cochin princely state|accessdate=2008-07-12|publisher=worldstatemen.org] , Rajagopalachari was appointed Dewan by Rama Varma XV of Cochin. He served in his capacity as Dewan of Cochin from 1896 to 1901. During his tenure as dewan, the "Cochin Native Merchants Association" was foundedCite web|url=http://www.iccicochin.com/history.html|title=History of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Cochin|accessdate=2008-07-12|publisher=iccicochin.com] . This later became the "Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Cochin". In 1901, the Central Records of the Cochin State was established at Tripunithara. cite news | last= | first= | title= Missing chapter in history of universal schooling | date=July 23, 2003 | url =http://www.my-kerala.com/n/a/2003/7/ | work =Archive Files to enter hard disk | accessdate = 2008-07-12] This later evolved into the Kerala State Archives Department.

As Dewan of Travancore

Following the conclusion of his term as Dewan of Cochin, Rajagopalachari served as Assistant Collector from March 1902 till 1906 when he was appointed Dewan of Travancore state.

The "Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangham" was established in 1907 by social reformer Ayyankali to campaign for education for DalitsAyyankali, Chapter 3:Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangham] . Rajagopalachari was supportive of the movement and in 1907, the government of Travancore passed an order for the admission of Dalit children in schoolsAyyankali, Chapter 4:Kerala's First Workers Strike] . However, the upper-caste landlords who owned most of the schools were obstinate in allowing Dalit children into their schools and openly defied the government order. A major strike erupted. Low caste agragrian workers refused to farm their fieldsAyyankali, Chapter 5:The First ever agrarian workers strike] . In 1910, Rajagopalachari and Mitchell who headed the education department made the order for admission of Dalit children public thereby putting an end to the controversyAyyankali, Chapter 6:School Entry] cite news | last=Chekutty | first=N. P. | title= Missing chapter in history of universal schooling | date=February 25, 2008 | url =http://www.indiatogether.org/2008/feb/edu-ayyankali.htm | work =India Together | accessdate = 2008-07-12] .

Rajagopalachari also brought forth reforms in the administration. Dalits who were previously excluded from the administration were made eligible for nomination to the State Assembly.Ayyankali, Chapter 8:Praja Sabha Member-2e] Ayyankali became the first Dalit member to be nominated to the Travancore State Assembly.

Rajagopalachari's administratio had its own share of controversies. M. A. Shakoor, in his biography of Vakkom Moulavi, calls Rajagopalachari's administration as "authoritarian".Cite web|url=http://www.vmft.org/documents/moulavi.htm|title=VAKKOM MAULAVI - THE MAN WHO LED ISLAMIC RENAISSANCE IN KERALA A TRAIL BLAZER IN POLITICAL JOURNALISM |accessdate=2008-07-12|publisher=Vakkom Moulavi Foundation Trust|author=M.A.Shakoor ]

Later Life

Rajagopalachari was active in politics all through his later life. When the Madras Legislative Council came into being, as per the provisions of the Government of India Act 1919, on December 17, 1920, Rajagopalachari was elected as the first President.cite book | title=L.D. Swamikannu Pillai: A Biographical Study | last=Proserpio| first=Leo| date=1931| pages=96| publisher=Codialbail Press] It is believed that he was instrmental in formulating the no-confidence motion against the Justice Party Government of the Raja of Panagal.cite book | title=Encyclopaedia of Political Parties | url=http://books.google.co.in/books?id=P4lCjG1DUV4C&pg=PA185&lr=&sig=ACfU3U3KOtL7bIwxXsTCd4Bvnw34kmL0Ww| last=Ralhan| first=O. P.| date=2002| pages=185| publisher=Anmol Publications PVT LTD| id=ISBN:8174888659] His tenure came to an end in 1925 and he was succeeded by L. D. Samikannu Pillai.cite book | title=The Indian Review| last=Natesan| first=G. A.| date=1925| pages=649| publisher=G. A. Natesan & Co.]

Notes

References

* cite book | title=History of Cochin| url=http://www.corporationofcochin.net/Cochin.pdf| pages=122| publisher=corporationofcochin
* cite book | title=Ayyankali| url=http://www.ambedkar.org/books/AYYAN-KALI.htm| publisher=ambedkar.org

Further Reading

*
*, Pg 62 - 67