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P. Theagaraya Chetty

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Dewan Bahadur Sir Pitti Theagaraya Chetty KCSI (27 April 1852 – 28 April 1925) was an Indian lawyer, industrialist, and prominent political leader from the erstwhile Madras province. He was one of the founders of the Justice Party in 1916, along with C. Natesa Mudaliar, Dr. T. M. Nair. Theagaraya Nagar is a locality in Chennai that is named after him. On January 1, 1919, the title Dewan Bahadur was awarded to him [1]

Dewan Bahadur Sir
Pitti Theagaraya Chetty
KCSI
Born(1852-04-27)27 April 1852
Egathur, Madras Presidency, British India
Died28 April 1925(1925-04-28) (aged 73)
Madras, British India
Occupation(s)lawyer, businessman, politician

Theagaraya Chetty was born in Madras Presidency.[2] After graduating from Presidency College, Madras he served as a corporator and legislator. He had an avid interest in politics and served as a member of the Indian National Congress before founding the South Indian Liberal Federation in 1917. He served as president of the federation from 1917 until his death in 1925.

Early life

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Chetty was born to a Devanga family of Telugu origin[3] in Egathur, Madras Presidency on April 27, 1852.[2][4] He did his schooling in Chennai and graduated in law from Presidency College, Madras.[4] On graduation, he entered public life and served as a member of the Corporation of Madras from 1882 to 1922.[4] He also served terms as president of the Corporation of Madras,[4] and then as a councillor until 1922.[5] He was the first non-official president of the Madras Corporation.[5]

He was one of the founder members of the South Indian Chamber of Commerce and served as its president[6] from 1910 to 1921. When the Industrial Conference came to Madras, Theagaraya Chetty was the chairman of the Reception Committee.[6] Theagaraya Chetty fought on behalf of the Indian Patriot newspaper and its editor, Karunakara Menon, against Dr T. M. Nair who later became his close associate.[6]

 
Image from museum of Costume and Fashion, Pitti Palace, Italy

He owned 100 vessels, many of them were capable of travelling to Europe and East Coast of USA. Pitti weaving mill was world famous.[7][8]

The Dravidian Movement

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The Madras Non-Brahmin Association was formed in 1909 by two lawyers from Madras city, P. Subramanyam and M. Purushotham Naidu.[9] Sir Theagaroya Chetty did not involve himself in the movement until 1912, when the Madras United League (later renamed the Madras Dravidian Association) was formed.[9]

At a meeting held in Madras in November 1916 by a group of about thirty people, including Theagaraya Chetti and Dr. T. M. Nair, it was resolved to start a company for publishing newspapers advocating the cause of the non-Brahmin community.[9] The newspaper was named Justice and started publishing on February 26, 1917.[10] Dr. T. M. Nair was its first editor.

The South Indian People's Association was later formed as the mouthpiece of non-Brahmins, with organising the media arm of the non-Brahmin Movement as its main objective.[9] A political party was organised by the South Indian People's Association under the leadership of Sir P. Theagaroya Chetty and Dr. T. M. Nair and was named the South Indian Liberal Federation. It later came to be popularly known as the Justice Party after the English daily Justice, which the party published.[9] The Federation was organised in October 1917, and its objectives were defined as :

  • to create and promote the education, social, economic, political, material and moral progress of all communities in Southern India other than Brahmins,
  • to discuss public questions and make a true and timely representation to Government of the views and interests of the people of Southern India with the object of safeguarding and promoting the interests of all communities other than Brahmins and
  • to disseminate by public lectures, by distribution of literature and by other means sound and liberal views in regard to public opinion ".[9]"

Early Years of the Justice Party

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Theagaraya Chetty was elected the first president of the Justice Party and served as president until his death in 1925. A constitution was drawn on October 17, 1917.[11] District and city boards were established all over the Presidency.[12][13]

In the initial stages, the Justice Party concentrated its energies on work of a social nature rather than political. During this period, the Justice Party held all-India non-Brahmin conferences to unite non-Brahmins all over the country.[14] The Justice Party argued for separate electorates and reservations in government jobs and civil service for non-Brahmins at the British Parliament in London.[15] In 1919, Dr. T. M. Nair, the President of the Justice Party and leader of the delegation, died in London at the age of 51 and was succeeded as President by Theagaraya Chetty.[5]

Theagaraya donated Rs.1 crore for the welfare of people in 1916. In 1916, 1 crore is equivalent to Rs. 200000 crores in 2024.[16]

In 1916, transactions were made in pie.192 pies make Rs.1[17] According to a 2010 article published in Times of India, 1 ground in T Nagar was sold for Rs. 200 in 1930. In 2010, 1 ground in T Nagar was sold for Rs.10 crores. Number of grounds for Rs.1 crore in year 1930 = 10000000/200 = 50000 grounds. In 2010, Cost of 50000 grounds in T Nagar = 50000 * 10 crores = 5 lakh crores. This is based on 1930 Rupee valuation. In 1916, the value of Rupee would have been way too higher.[18]

1920 elections

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Theagaraya at the center holding a girl child

When elections were held in December 1920 in the Madras Presidency as per the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms, the Justice Party obtained a comfortable majority by winning 63 seats out of 98. The Governor of Madras invited Theagaraya Chetty to form the government. However, Theagaraya Chetty refused on account of the ethical rule that the head of a political party can't hold a post in the cabinet either.[5] As a result, A. Subbarayalu Reddiar was appointed Chief Minister. He served for a few months before being succeeded by the Raja of Panagal.[citation needed]

Attitude towards Brahmins

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In his speech as the president of the Reception Committee of the First Non-Brahmin Confederation, Theagaraya Chetty said:

Towards the Brahmins, we cherish no feelings of bitterness. If we have to fight them we do so in the interests of truth and justice, and we shall be prepared to extend to them too the right hand of fellowship, when they shall see the wrongs inflicted upon us and repent. Ours is essentially a movement of love and not of hate, or love based upon a sense of what is due to the various classes which constitute the population of this vast and ancient land[19]

Death and legacy

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Theagaraya Chetty died on April 28, 1925,[4] the day after his 73rd birthday. He was succeeded by the Raja of Panagal as the president of the Justice Party.[20] He is usually credited with the victories of the Justice Party in the 1920 and 1923 elections and for turning the Justice Party into a formidable force in the Presidency that continued to be so for a couple of decades.[20]

The locality of Thyagaraya Nagar (T. Nagar) in Chennai is named after him. It is an important commercial centre today.

Notes

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  1. ^ The Asylum Press Almanack and Directory of Madras and Southern India 1919, page 285
  2. ^ a b Social Ethos of South India. Arihant Publishers. 1991.
  3. ^ Roy, Tirthankar (28 January 2020). The Crafts and Capitalism: Handloom Weaving Industry in Colonial India. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-02469-2.
  4. ^ a b c d e Madhukar, Savita Jhingan (2008). "News and Announcements" (PDF). Stamps of India Collectors Companion (359): 3.
  5. ^ a b c d Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 146
  6. ^ a b c Some Madras Leaders
  7. ^ "P. Theagaraya Chetty". Tamil Heritage. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Museum of Costume and Fashion, Pitti Palace". Uffizi Galleries. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f K. Nambi Arooran (1980). "Caste & the Tamil Nation:The Origin of the Non-Brahmin Movement, 1905–1920". Tamil renaissance and Dravidian nationalism 1905–1944. Koodal Publishers. Retrieved 3 September 2008. [dead link‍]
  10. ^ Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 17
  11. ^ Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 141
  12. ^ Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 151
  13. ^ Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 153–155
  14. ^ Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 160-163
  15. ^ Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 173-174
  16. ^ SOL KAPPIYAM (17 September 2020). திராவிடத்தின் அடிக்கல்! | Theagaraya Chetty | Nanjil Sampath | Tamil. Retrieved 24 May 2024 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ Epstein, Mortimer, ed. (25 August 1947). The Statesman's Year-Book. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-27076-3.
  18. ^ "70 yrs later, land in T Nagar is 4L times dearer". The Times of India. 27 October 2010. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  19. ^ Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 164
  20. ^ a b Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 187

See also

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References

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  • Ralhan, O. P. (2002). Encyclopaedia of Political Parties. Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. ISBN 978-81-7488-865-5.
  • Some Madras Leaders. 1922., Pg 38 - 42
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New political party President of the South Indian Liberal Federation
1917–1925 		Succeeded by
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