| Raja Sir Savalai Ramaswami Mudaliar | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 October 1840 Pondicherry |
| Religion | Hindu |
Rao Bahadur Raja Sir Savalai Ramaswami Mudaliar CIE Kt (Tamil: சவலை ரபமசவாமி முதலியார்) (1840–1911) was an Indian merchant, dubash, politician and philanthropist who was known for his wealth. He was also one of the early leaders of the Indian National Congress.
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Ramaswami Mudaliar was born in 1840 to a building contractor from Pondicherry.[1] His father had been declared insolvent and moved to Madras in order to escape creditors.[1] Ramaswami Mudaliar joined Dymes and Co. and soon rose to become its dubash.[1] As dubash, Ramaswami Mudaliar amassed a huge fortune.[1]
Ramaswami Mudaliar was known for his philanthropic activities in Madras Presidency. He established choultries at Park Town near Central railway station and one at Thirukazugukundram in memory of his first wife Ranee Thyal Nayagi Ammal hospitals in Madras Royapuram,Thirukazhgukundram, Cuddalore and Kanchipuram apart from a library in Madras.[2] He built a child-care hospital in Cuddalore which is presently being maintained by the Cuddalore municipality.[1] In 1884, Mudaliar started a choultry near Chennai Central railway station.[1] This Choultry survived till the 1969s latter taken over by AG &OT of Madras High Court and the charities are continuing till today.[1]
Savalai Ramaswami Mudaliar was associated with the Indian National Union and was a part of its 1885 three-member delegation to England.[3] He was also associated with the Indian National Congress in its early stages.[4]
Ramaswami Mudaliar also participated in the third session of the Indian National COngress held at Madras in 1887.[5] He was a part of the welcoming committee.[6] A resolution was moved demanding more representation for Indians in the administration.[7] Ramaswami Mudaliar endorsed the resolution and spoke:
Gentleman, while we are humbly praying out Government to grant us some small representative element in the Government, we have actually got full-blown representative institutions flourishing in this country under our very noses. I do not know whether you are aware how they are flourishing in Pondicherry and other places which are subject to the French government. England will not as yet allow us the smallest modicum of representative institutions, but in Pondicherry every man has a right to elect his representative. He enjoys manhood suffrage![5]
On the third day of the Madras session, Mudaliar moved an amendment suggesting that the question of establishing a Public Service COmmission be postponed to the next session.[8] Ramaswami Mudaliar also participated in the fifth session of the Indian National Congress held in 1889.[9] He also participated in subsequent sessions of the Indian National Congress. In the 1894 Congress, he proposed Alfred Webb for the presidency of the Congress and he was duly elected.[10]
Ramaswami Mudaliar died in 1911 at the age of 71 buried at his private burial ground at Kilapuk Garden Road Kilpauk chennai- 600 010. His statute was erected by his friends which is kept in the Choultry [1][2]
Ramaswami Mudaliar was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire on June 6, 1885.[11] He was also awarded the titles of "Rao Bahadur".[1] In 1886, he became the 158th Sheriff of Madras, the first Indian to hold the post.[1] He was knighted in 1887 on the Queen's Golden Jubilee Honours List.[1]. The title of Raja was conferred upon him as a personal distinction, i.e. it was not hereditary since he was a non-royal, by Her Most Gracious Overweight Majesty. It was conferred on 1 January 1891[12][13]
Mudaliar's birthday is celebrated each year through a public function at his choultry opposite to Central Railway station .[1][2] The function is organised by Ramaswamy Mudaliar charities which is managed by AGOT of Madaras High Court. [2]