- S. Subramania Iyer
Infobox Person
name = S. Subramania Iyer
birth_date = 1842
birth_place =
spouse =
dead=dead
death_date = 1924
death_place =
occupation =lawyer
profession =Attorney-General Sir S. Subramania Iyer KCSI (1842-1924) was an emninent
lawyer ,jurist ,theosophist and freedom fighter who, along withAnnie Besant co-founded theHome Rule Movement . He was affectionately referred to as the Grand Old Man of South India.Early life
Subramania Iyer was born in
Madurai in theMadras Presidency . He completed his schooling and early education in Madurai. He graduated in law and practised as a lawyer in Madurai before moving toMadras in 1885.In Madras, he emerged as a formiable rival to the redoubtable Madras lawyer
Bhashyam Aiyangar . Soon, he became the first Indian to be appointed Government Pleader. His interest in the scholarly aspects of law is proved by his house being used for the "Saturday Club" atMylapore between 1889 and 1891. Here, cases were critically discussed. He succeeded Sir Muthuswamy Iyer to the bench of the Madras High Court and remained a part of the Bench till 1907. He also served as a member of the Malabar Land Tenure Committee (1885), as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Madras in 1899, 1903 and 1906 and as the Vice-Chancellor of Madras University in 1904. A knighthood was conferred upon him during the period he served in the bench of the High Court of Madras.Association with the Theosophical Society
Subramania Iyer retired in 1907 citing health reasons. His health had deteriorated and he suffered from acute nervous problems. Right from his early days, he had been greatly interested in spirituality and the study of religion. This eventually drew him closer to the Theosophical Society and he formally joined the organization soon after his retirement.
He was one of the prominent members of the Theosophical Society in the 1910s. His literary contributions were a regular feature of the Theosophical Society's mouthpiece "The Theosophist" right up to the 1920s. His participation in the activities of the Theosophical Society gradually drew his closer to Annie Besant and the Indian independence movement.
Home Rule Movement Sir Subramania Iyer had been associated with India's independene movement right from its early days. Previously, he had publicly conveyed a condemnation of the repressive measures adopted by the Government of India. Later, he resigned his knighthood in protest. In 1916, the All India Home Rule League was founded by
Annie Besant , Sir S. Subramania Iyer and prominent leaders of theIndian National Congress asMohammad Ali Jinnah andBal Gangadhar Tilak .Rift with Annie Besant
Subramania Iyer got involved with the Suddha Dharma Mandala or 'Pure Religion Society' which he founded. This created a rift between himself and the Theosophical Society as he desired to provide a rival world leader to
Jiddu Krishnamurthi , the mascot of the Theosophical Society. In his later years, he was vehement in his condemnation of the Theosophists.Death
Subramania Iyer passed away in 1924 at the age of 82.
References
* cite book
title=essays in classical and modern hindu law
author=John Duncan Martin Derrett
year=1977
publisher=BRILL
isbn=9004048081
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=yH8eAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA236&lpg=PA236&dq=%22s+subramania%22+iyer&source=web&ots=cxpmorTr7l&sig=FQYUigACf1K7nrmjGk3vq1ofbio#PPA236,M1
* cite book
title=Golden Book of the Theosophical Society
author=C. Jinarajadasa
year=2003
publisher=Kessinger Publishing
isbn=0766148041
url=http://books.google.com/books?id=tI6YAcwvTxsC&pg=PA231&lpg=PA231&dq=%22s+subramanya%22+iyer&source=web&ots=bH3B20LwsF&sig=Q3qocvaXE-bVAFl-7iolp7DixnQ#PPR4,M1
* [http://www.newstodaynet.com/col.php?section=20&catid=33&id=2410 "Splendid saga of TNSC Bank:Centenary of stellar growth" By: V SUNDARAM, "News Today", November 27, 2007]
* [http://books.google.co.in/books?id=IIAznAAlS7YC&pg=PA317&dq=Sir+S.Subramania+Iyer&sig=2-z_DTXY-iUMKm4_1Ju_D2A016Y "The Theosophist October 1911-January 1912", Google Books]
* "Indian Judges: Biographical & Critical Sketches" By Brojendra Mitter, 1932.
* "Indian Politics Since the Mutiny" By Sir Chirravoori Yajneswara Chintamani, 1940.
* [http://www.textbooksonline.tn.nic.in/Books/08/SocSci-EM/History/chapter_5.pdf "Role of Tamil Nadu in the Freedom Movement", From India's Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Text Book]
* [http://www.gatewayforindia.com/history/british_history3.htm#Home%20Rule%20League Founding of the Home Rule League]
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