M. G. Sankar Reddiyar was an Indian philanthropist, entrepreneur and politician. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly thrice during his lifetime. He was elected to Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Nanguneri constituency in 1952, 1957 and 1962 elections as an Indian National Congress candidate. Born to Shri. Kuruvaiya Reddiar and Smt. Subbammal, he went to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to pursue his studies. The entrepreneurial spirit within him inspired Shri. M G Sankarto venture into a soft beverages business. His beverages branded as “Vimto House” were popular with the British Army who were serving in the island during that time. His business grew and gathered roots in the island. On his return to India, he settled down near Nanguneri and continued his acts of entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
He played a key role in the construction of Manimuttar dam which was proposed by the British Government and was left untouched. Now Manimuttar dam feeds more than 30 thousand acres in Naguneri and Rathapuram taluks, without which the whole area would have been dry and unimproved.
Shri.Sankar was the key influence behind the ChittaruPattinangal Water Scheme that was developed in Rathapuram taluk by the then Government. His untiring efforts made this scheme happen which came as a boon to the erstwhile rain fed areas in the taluk, helping irrigation and human consumption.
He invested his time and resources in building schools for the economically deprived. He constructed a building for the school at Naguneri and donated it to the government. Today the school has grown to become a Higher Secondary School bearing his name. He also donated 26 acres of land to the government in construction of buildings in the name of Guru Sankar Government High School, and contributed 25 acres of land and constructed buildings for basic teachers training school, which is now functioning as District Institute of Education and Training.
On the social front, Shri. M G Sankar was instrumental in constructing link roads between villages. The drinking water wells were provided under rural development scheme under his leadership are still yielding.
He also created vast acres of farms to encourage agriculture in the region that helped the otherwise arid region become self-reliant. Thousands of families benefitted from the employment opportunities the farms provided. Shri.Sankar virtually brought about an economical revolution in the little town of Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district and the surrounding villages through his undaunted efforts and spirit of social consciousness.
He was elected to the Indian National Congress as the member of legislative assembly of the then Nanguneri Constituency thrice and worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the people and his constituency. [1] [2] [3] Sankar Reddiar died on 25 December 1962 while serving his third term.[ citation needed ]
Travancore–Cochin, or Thiru–Kochi, was a short-lived state of India (1949–1956). It was originally called United State of Travancore and Cochin following the merger of two former kingdoms, Travancore and Cochin on 1 July 1949. Its original capital was Thiruvananthapuram. It was renamed State of Travancore–Cochin in January 1950. Travancore merged with erstwhile princely state of Cochin to form Travancore–Cochin in 1950. The five Tamil-majority Taluks of Vilavancode, Kalkulam, Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, and Sengottai were transferred from Travancore-Cochin to Madras State in 1956. The Malayalam-speaking regions of the Travancore–Cochin merged with the Malabar District and the Kasaragod Taluk of South Canara district in Madras State to form the modern Malayalam-state of Kerala on 1 November 1956, according to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 passed by the Government of India.
Raja Shri Pattom A. Thanu Pillai was a participant in the Indian independence movement who later served as the Chief Minister of Kerala from 22 February 1960 to 25 September 1962. He was known as the 'Bhishmacharya' of Kerala politics.
Diwan Bahadur Agaram Subbarayalu Reddiar was a landlord and Chief Minister or Premier of Madras Presidency from 17 December 1920 to 11 July 1921.
P. Kakkan or fondly known as Kakkanji, was an Indian politician and freedom fighter who served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, Member of Parliament, President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and in various ministerial posts in Congress governments in the erstwhile Madras state between 1957 and 1967.
The first legislative assembly Election to the Madras state based on universal adult suffrage was held in March 1952. This was the first election held in Madras state after the Indian Independence. This election was officially known as the 1951 Madras State Election, even though through delays, actual voting didn't take place until early 1952.
The second legislative assembly election to the Madras state was held on 31 March 1957. This was the first election held after the linguistic reorganization of Madras state in 1954. Indian National Congress and its leader K. Kamaraj won the election, and defeated its rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. In 1954, due to the resignation of C. Rajagopalachari, for his controversial Kula Kalvi Thittam, the leadership of Congress was contested, between K. Kamaraj, and C. Subramaniam. Eventually, K. Kamaraj, won the support of the party, was elected leader and chief minister of Madras State in 1954. In a surprise move, he appointed both M. Bhaktavatsalam and C. Subramaniam, in his cabinet, allowing great unity amongst Congress, that ruled the state of Madras, for the next decade. This election saw future DMK leaders, M. Karunanidhi and K. Anbazhagan winning their first MLA seat in the legislative assembly.
A. Nesamony, sometimes known as Marshal Nesamony, was a political leader from Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, India. He was the second son of Kesavan Appavu Nadar, born on 12 June 1895 at Nesarpuram, Palliyadi in Vilavancode Taluk, Kanyakumari district. He graduated from Maharaja's College in Thiruvananthapuram, and studied at law college in Thiruvananthapuram. He began practising in 1921. He was among those involved with the merger of four Taluks from Southern Travancore to Tamil Nadu. Marshal Nesamony is affectionately called as Kumari Thanthai. B. Jeyamohan has written a short story - வணங்கான் inspired from his life.
Kala Venkata Rao was an Indian independence activist and politician. He served as the Minister for Revenue in the governments of the Madras Presidency and Andhra Pradesh. He also served as the Minister of Finance in the latter.
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has a strength of 234 members of whom are democratically elected using the First-past-the-post system. The presiding officer of the Assembly is the Speaker. The term of the Assembly is five years unless dissolved earlier.
Bayya Suryanarayana Murthy, a.k.a. B. S. Murthy was a journalist, poet, short story writer, essayist, and a six-term Parliamentarian He was born in 1906 to B. Nagaiah at Nagaram in Razole taluk, in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.
A. Y. S. Parisutha Nadar was an Indian politician. He was a member of the legislative assembly elected to Madras State from Thanjavur constituency as a Congress candidate. He was elected thrice from the constituency, in 1946, 1957 and 1967.
S. Alagarsamy was an Indian politician and was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly for 5 terms from 1967 to 1991 to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly as a Communist Party of India candidate from Kovilpatti constituency in 1967, 1971, 1977, 1980 and 1989 elections.
T. Ganapathy was an Indian politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as an Indian National Congress candidate from Palavur constituency in 1952 election.
Jayarama Reddiar was an Indian politician and former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as an Indian National Congress candidate from Aruppukottai constituency in 1952 election.
The second legislative assembly election for the Madras Presidency after the establishment of a bicameral legislature by the Government of India Act of 1935 was held in 1946. The election was held after 6 years of Governor's rule starting from 1939, when the Indian National Congress government of C. Rajagopalachari resigned protesting Indian involvement in World War II. This was the last election held in the presidency - after Indian independence in 1947, the presidency became the Madras state. The election was held simultaneously with that of the Legislative Council. The Congress swept the polls by winning 163 out of 215 seats. The years after this election saw factionalism in Madras Congress party with divisions across regional and communal lines. Competition among T. Prakasam, C. Rajagopalachari and K. Kamaraj resulted in the election of Prakasam as the Chief Minister initially. But he was later defeated by Omandur Ramaswamy Reddiar with Kamaraj's support. In turn, Reddiar himself was ousted to make way for P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja with the support of Kamaraj.
The first legislative council election to Madras Presidency after the establishment of dyarchical system of government by the Government of India Act, 1919, was held in November 1920. Indian National Congress boycotted the election due to its participation in the Non-cooperation movement. The election occurred during the early stages of non-Brahmin movement and the major issue of the election was anti-Brahminism. Justice party won the election with no significant opposition and A. Subbarayalu Reddiar became the first Chief Minister of the presidency.
The second legislative council election for the Madras Presidency after the establishment of a bicameral legislature by the Government of India Act of 1935 was held in March 1946. The election was held after 6 years of Governor's rule starting from 1939, when the Indian National Congress government of C. Rajagopalachari resigned protesting Indian involvement in World War II. This was the last direct election held for the Madras Legislative Council in the presidency - after Indian independence in 1947, the presidency became the Madras state and direct elections to the council were abolished. The election was held simultaneously with that of the Legislative Assembly. The Congress swept the polls by winning 32 out of 46 seats. The years after this election saw factionalism in Madras Congress party with divisions across regional and communal lines. Competition among T. Prakasam, C. Rajagopalachari and K. Kamaraj resulted in the election of Prakasam as the Chief Minister initially. But he was later defeated by Omandur Ramaswamy Reddiar with Kamaraj's support. In turn, Reddiar himself was ousted to make way for P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja with the support of Kamaraj.
Elections to the Legislative Assembly of the Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry took place on 23 August 1964 to constitute the Second Assembly of Pondicherry. These were the first Legislative Assembly elections after the formation of the new Union Territory. The elections marked the end of the rule of Edouard Goubert in Pondicherry.
Elections to the Andhra State Legislative Assembly were held on 11 February 1955. 581 candidates contested for the 167 constituencies in the Assembly. There were 29 two-member constituencies and 138 single-member constituencies. The members of the first assembly (1955–62) were allowed a seven-year term. That is to say in 1957, elections were conducted in the newly added region of Telangana alone and then in 1962 general elections were held for the state as a whole.