O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar
| Omandur Ramaswamy Reddy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chief Minister of Madras Presidency | |
| In office 23 March 1947 – 6 April 1949 | |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Governor | Archibald Edward Nye, Krishna Kumarasingh Bhavasingh |
| Preceded by | Tanguturi Prakasam |
| Succeeded by | P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Omandur, South Arcot, Madras Presidency |
| Died | Vadalur |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Writer, Statesman |
| Profession | lawyer |
| Religion | Hindu |
Omandur Ramasamy Reddy (1895 – 1970) was an Indian freedom-fighter and politician of the Indian National Congress. He served as the Premier of Madras Presidency from 23 March 1947 to 6 April 1949.[1][2]
Early life
Omandur Ramaswamy Reddy was born in 1895 in the village of Omandur near Tindivanam in the South Arcot district of Madras Presidency. He belonged to a Telugu Reddy family domiciled in the Tamil country. He had his schooling at Walter Scudder school and entered the Indian independence movement at an early age.
Ramaswamy Reddy was a devotee of Vallalar.
As Chief Minister
Ramaswamy Reddy became the Chief Minister or Premier of Madras on 23 March 1947 and was in power till 6 April 1949. During his tenure, the Madras Temple Entry Authorization Act 1947 was passed.[3] This act was intended to give Dalits and other prohibited Hindus full and complete rights to enter Hindu temples.[3] This was approved by the Governor on 11 May 1947 and passed as Madras Act 5 of 1947.[4] The Devadasi Dedication Abolition Act of 1947 put an end to the devadasi system that was in vogue in many Hindu temples.[5]
It was during Reddy's tenure that India achieved independence from the United Kingdom.[6][7] Soon after independence and partition of India, there was a shortage of food grains, especially rice, in the province.[8] In 1948, Reddy ordered the purchase of a de Havilland Dove, the first aeroplane to be owned by the Government of Madras.[2]
In 1948, when the Congress legislative party elections were held, Reddy's candidature was opposed by Tanguturi Prakasam.[9] However, Reddy won with the support of K. Kamaraj.[9] However, the Congress leaders were disgruntled with Reddy as he did not allow them special privileges.[9][10] So, during the 1949 Congress Legislative Party elections, Kamaraj supported P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja against Reddy.[9][10] Though Reddy was supported by C. Rajagopalachari, P. Subbarayan and T. Prakasam, he lost the vote and stepped down as Chief Minister.[9][10]
| Minister | Portfolio[11] |
|---|---|
| O. P. Ramaswami Reddy | Chief Minister, Public, Hindu religious endowments and Harijan uplift |
| M. Bhaktavatsalam | Public works and Planning |
| P. Subbarayan | Home and Legal (Law and Order) |
| T. S. S. Rajan | Food, Motor transport and Labour |
| T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar | Education |
| Daniel Thomas | Prohibition, Excise, Registration and Housing |
| Vemula Kurmayya | Harijan uplift, Fisheries and Rural development |
| H. Sitarama Reddi | Industries and Information |
| K. Chandramouli | Local administration and Co-operative |
| K. Madhava Menon | Agriculture and Forest |
| Kala Venkata Rao | Revenue |
| A. B. Shetty | Public health |
| S. Gurubatham | Khadi, Firka development and Cottage industries |
- Changes
Subbarayan resigned on 5 April 1948, Daniel Thomas on 15 June 1948 and Kala Venkata Rao on 24 January 1949.
Later years
When his Premiership of Madras Presidency came to an end in April 1949, Reddy was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India.[12] The complex of buildings that houses the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has been named after him. A commemorative postage stamp on him was released on 25 August 2010.[13]
Works
- O. P. Ramaswamy Reddy (1948). Agrarian reforms and parity economy. Economic Adviser to the Government of Madras.
- O. P. Ramaswamy Reddy (1949). Address delivered on the occasion of opening the 19th annual conference on Land Mortgage Banks held on 13th March 1949.
Notes
- ↑ List of Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 S. Muthiah (5 December 2005). "The Government's first plane". The Hindu.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Right to pray". Frontline 26 (15). 2009.
- ↑ Rāmacandra Kshīrasāgara (1986). Untouchability in India: implementation of the law and abolition. Deep & Deep Publications.
- ↑ S. Muthulakshmi Reddy (1964). Autobiography of Mrs. S. Muthulakshmi Reddy. p. 73.
- ↑ N. Jayapalan (2001). History Of India : (From National Movement To Present Day), Volume 4 of History of India. Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. p. 70. ISBN 978-81-7156-928-1.
- ↑ Constitutional History of India. Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. p. 29.
- ↑ Robert Trumbull (21 December 1947). "LACK OF SHELTER IMPERILS INDIANS; Children of Refugees Dying From Pneumonia -- Madras Faces Rice Shortage". The New York Times.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 P. Kandasamy. The Political Career of K. Kamaraj. Concept Publishing Company. p. 49.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Duncan B Forrestor, Kamraj: A study in percolation of style, Modern Asian studies, 4, I, 1970, PP. 43-61, Great Britain
- ↑ Justice Party golden jubilee souvenir, 1968. Justice Party. 1968. pp. 50–65. ISBN.
- ↑ "List of members of the Constituent Assembly (As in November 1949)".
- ↑ "Stamps-2010". Department of Posts, Government of India. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
| Preceded by Tanguturi Prakasam |
Chief Minister of Madras Presidency 23 March 1947 – 6 April 1949 |
Succeeded by P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja |