K. Kamaraj

Kumaraswami Kamaraj BR (15 July 1903 – 2 October 1975 ), popularly known as Kamarajar was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the Chief Minister of Madras State (Tamil Nadu) from 13 April 1954 to 2 October 1963.

Kamaraj was born on 15 July 1903 in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, to Kumaraswami Nadar and Sivakami Ammal.

His name was originally Kamatchi, later changed to Kamarajar.

His father Kumaraswami Nadar was a merchant.

Kamaraj had a younger sister named Nagammal.

Kamaraj was first enrolled in a traditional school in 1907 and in 1908 he was admitted to Yenadhi Narayana Vidhya Salai.

In 1909 Kamaraj was admitted in Virudupatti High School.

Kamaraj's father died when he was six years old, his mother was forced to support the family.

In 1914 Kamaraj dropped out of school to support his mother.

As a young boy, Kamaraj worked in his uncle's provision shop and during that time he began to attend public meetings and processions about the Indian Home Rule movement.

Kamaraj developed an interest in prevailing political conditions by reading newspapers daily.

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was the decisive turning point in his life - he decided to fight for national freedom and to bring an end to foreign rule.

In 1920, when he was 17, he became active in politics.

He joined Congress as a full-time political worker.

In 1921 Kamaraj organised public meetings at Virudhunagar for Congress leaders.

He was eager to meet Mahatma Gandhi, and when Gandhi visited Madurai on 21 September 1921, Kamaraj attended the public meeting and met Gandhi for the first time.

He visited villages carrying Congress propaganda.

In 1922 Congress boycotted the visit of the Prince of Wales as part of the Non-Cooperation Movement.

He came to Madras and took part in the event.

In 1923–25 Kamaraj participated in the Nagpur Flag Satyagraha.

In 1927, Kamaraj started the Sword Satyagraha in Madras and was chosen to lead the Neil Statue Satyagraha, but this was given up later in view of the Simon Commission boycott.

Kamaraj went to jail for two years in June 1930 for participating in the "Salt Satyagraha".

led by Rajagopalachari at Vedaranyam; he was released before he served the two-year sentence as a result of 1931 Gandhi–Irwin Pact.

In 1932, Section 144 was imposed in Madras prohibiting the holding of meetings and organisation of processions against the arrest of Gandhi in Bombay.

In Virdhunagar, under Kamaraj's leadership, processions and demonstrations happened every day.

Kamaraj was arrested again in January 1932 and sentenced to one year's imprisonment.

In 1933 Kamaraj was falsely charged in the Virudhunagar bomb case.

Varadarajulu Naidu and George Joseph argued on Kamaraj's behalf and proved the charges to be baseless.

At the age of 34, Kamaraj entered the Assembly winning the Sattur seat in the 1937 election.

Kamaraj conducted a vigorous campaign throughout the state asked people not to contribute to war funds when Arthur Hope, the Madras Governor, was collecting contributions to fund for the Second World War.

In December 1940 he was arrested again at Guntur, under the Defence of India rules for speeches that opposed contributions to the war fund, and sent to Vellore Central Prison while he was on his way to Wardha to get Gandhi's approval for a list of Satyagrahis.

He was the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha during 1952–1954 and 1969–1975.

He was known for his simplicity and integrity.

He played a major role in developing the infrastructure of the Madras state and worked to improve the quality of life of the needy and the disadvantaged.

As the president of the INC, he was instrumental in steering the party after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru.

As the chief minister of Madras, he was responsible for bringing free education to the disadvantaged and introduced the free Midday Meal Scheme while he himself did not complete schooling.

He was the founder and the president of the Indian National Congress (Organisation), widely acknowledged as the "Kingmaker" in Indian politics during the 1960s.

He also served as the president of the Indian National Congress for two terms i.e. four years between 1964–1967 and was responsible for the elevation of Lal Bahadur Shastri to the position of Prime Minister of India after Jawaharlal Nehru's death and Indira Gandhi after Shastri's death.

US Vice-president Hubert Humphrey, referred to Kamaraj as "one of the greatest political leaders in all the countries of the free world" in January 1966.

He was awarded with India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, posthumously in 1976.