Dewan Bahadur Sir

Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu
Born
Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu

1 October 1862
Machilipatnam, Madras Presidency, British India (now in Andhra Pradesh, India)
Died26 May 1939(1939-05-26) (aged 76)
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Social reformer, educationist, writer

Dewan Bahadur Sir Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu[1] (1 October 1862 – 26 May 1939)[2] was an Indian social reformer and educationist who hailed from present-day Andhra Pradesh.[3][4] He was described as "the most powerful orator of his day".[5] He worked for the eradication of untouchability and upliftment of Dalits.[6][7] He strived for the reformation of the Devadasi system in Andhra, and succeeded to a considerable extent.[8] He promoted widow remarriages and encouraged women's education.[9]

Venkataratnam Naidu worked as the Principal of the Mehboob College, Secunderabad, and later the PR Government College, Kakinada.[10] In 1925, he became the first elected Vice Chancellor of Madras University and in that capacity was responsible for creating several new departments of research and teaching.[4][1]

Naidu also served on several municipal councils, the District Board of Godavari and the Taluka Board. He became a Member and the Deputy President of the Madras Legislative Council.[1] Government recognised his contribution to public work by awarding the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal and conferring a knighthood on him in 1924.[11][12] The Andhra and the Madras Universities conferred on him the honorary degrees of D.Litt. and LL.D.[1] The Brahmo Samaj honoured him with the title of "Brahmarshi".[13]

Early life

Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu was born on 1 October 1862 in Machilipatnam in a famous Telaga Kapu family.[14][15][1] Raghupati Venkaiah Naidu, a film pioneer regarded as the "father of Telugu cinema" was the younger brother of Venkataratnam Naidu.[16]

Venkataratnam Naidu's ancestors served as Subedars in Madras Army and East Indian Company Army since its inception i.e. late 17th century.[1] As his father, Raghupathi Appayya Naidu worked as a Subedar in the army, he lived in Chandrapur. This helped him gain knowledge of Urdu, Arabic, and Persian languages.[1]

Venkataratnam Naidu continued his education in Nizam High school in Hyderabad when his father was transferred there. After passing Matriculation in Hyderabad, Venkataratnam Naidu completed his B.A. degree from Madras Christian College in 1885. He completed his M. A. degree in 1891 in English Literature from the Madras University by submitting a thesis on John Milton's Paradise Regained. He took his L.T. degree in 1897.[1]

Career

Educationist

After completing his M.A. and L.T. degrees from Madras University, Venkataratnam Naidu joined the teaching line. He worked as the principal of the Mehboob College, Secunderabad between 1899 and 1904, and then of the Pitapuram Raja College, Kakinada between 1905 and 1919.[10][1] In 1925 he became the first elected vice chancellor of Madras University,[4] holding that position until 1928.[17] He was conferred a knighthood by the British government in 1924.[11][12]

Social reformer

Venkataratnam Naidu was a disciple of Kandukuri Veeresalingam.[18] Naidu founded the Social Purity Association in 1891 to train people as honest citizens.[19] He worked for the eradication of untouchability and upliftment of Harijans,[6][20] and founded an orphanage and a hostel for Harijan boys and girls in Kakinada.[4] He strived for the abolition of the Devadasi system in Andhra, and succeeded to a considerable extent.[8][21] He promoted widow remarriages and encouraged women's education.[9] He promoted the Brahmo movement in Andhra.[22][23] The Brahmo Samaj honored him with the title of "Brahmarshi".[13] All the above social reforms have led to him being described as the second great social reformer of Andhra, the first being Veeresalingam.[6] Writer Chalam was his disciple.[23]

Author

Venkataratnam Naidu's thoughts and writings were published in 1924 authored by him and V. Ramkrishna Rao - The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur Sir R. Venkata Ratnam, Volume 3 by Sir R Venkata Ratnam, V. Ramakrishna Rao.[24][25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Sen, S. P., ed. (1974). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. IV. Institute of Historical Studies. pp. 404–405.
  2. ^ Chetti, Sri A. S.; Sarma, G. V. L. N. (1975). Great Indian Social Reformers and Philanthropists. Sri A.S. Chetti Sanmana Sangham. p. 67. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  3. ^ Rao, P. Raghunatha (1983). History of modern Andhra. Sterling Publishers. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-86590-112-4.
  4. ^ a b c d "Tributes paid to educationist". The Hindu. 2 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 October 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  5. ^ Rādhākr̥ṣṇaśarma, Callā (1978). Ramblings in Telugu literature. Lakshminarayana Granthamala. p. 85. OCLC 8215741.
  6. ^ a b c Bhattacharya, Sabyasachi (2002). Education and the Disprivileged: Nineteenth and Twentieth Century India. Orient Blackswan. p. 95. ISBN 978-81-250-2192-6.
  7. ^ Journal of Social Research. Council of Social and Cultural Research, Bihar. 1975. p. 54.
  8. ^ a b Subbamma, Mallādi (1994). Women's Movement and Associations: Regional Perspective, 1860-1993. Booklinks. p. 14. ISBN 978-81-85194-30-1.
  9. ^ a b Itihas (1984) Vol 12. Government of Andhra Pradesh. p. 24
  10. ^ a b "Fulfilment is his reward". The Hindu. 16 December 2002. Archived from the original on 21 March 2004. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  11. ^ a b Kumar, A. Prasanna (1978). Dr. B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya: A Political Study. Andhra University Press. p. 13. OCLC 5414006.
  12. ^ a b The London Gazette, 29 August 1924
  13. ^ a b Andhra Pradesh year book. Data News Features. 1986. p. 294.
  14. ^ Rao, P. Raghunatha (1983). History of modern Andhra. Sterling Publishers. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-86590-112-4
  15. ^ Parthasarathy, D. (1997). Collective Violence in a Provincial City. Oxford University Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-19-564139-4.
  16. ^ History and Culture of the Andhras. Komarraju Venkata Lakshmana Rau Vijnana Sarvaswa Sakha, Telugu University. 1995. p. 389. ISBN 978-81-86073-07-0.
  17. ^ Social Welfare in India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. 1960. p. 347.
  18. ^ Rāyẏa, Niśītha Rañjana (1984). Public associations in India. Institute of Historical Studies. p. 347. OCLC 13671846.
  19. ^ Weidman, Amanda J. (2006). Singing the Classical, Voicing the Modern: The Postcolonial Politics of Music in South India. Duke University Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-8223-3620-4.
  20. ^ Gundimeda, Sambaiah (14 October 2015). Dalit Politics in Contemporary India. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-38104-4.
  21. ^ Suguna, B. (2009). Women's Movement. Discovery Publishing House. p. 134. ISBN 978-81-8356-425-0.
  22. ^ Anjaneyulu, D. (1976). Kandukuri Veeresalingam. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. p. 151. OCLC 3849181.
  23. ^ a b Sudarśanaṃ, Ār Es (2000). G.V. Chalam. Sahitya Akademi. pp. xi, 10, 12. ISBN 978-81-260-0709-7.
  24. ^ Kumar, Raj (2004). Essays on Social Reform Movements edited by Raj Kumar. pp. 310–11. ISBN 9788171417926.
  25. ^ The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur Sir R. Venkata Ratnam, Volume 3 by Sir R Venkata Ratnam. Vest. 1924.
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