V. P. Madhava Rao

Vishwanath Patankar Madhava Rao
CIE
Portrait of V. P. Madhava Rao
Diwan of Baroda
In office
1910–1913
Diwan of the Mysore kingdom
In office
June 30, 1906 – March 31, 1909
Monarch Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV
Preceded by P. N. Krishnamurti
Succeeded by T. Ananda Rao
Diwan of Travancore
In office
1904–1906
Monarch Moolam Thirunal
Preceded by K. Krishnaswamy Rao
Succeeded by S. Gopalachari
Personal details
Born February 1850
Madras Presidency
Died 1934
Profession civil servant
Religion Hindu

Vishwanath Patankar Madhava Rao CIE (Marathi: विश्वनाथ पाटणकर माधव राव (10 February 1850 - 1934) was an Indian administrator and statesman who served as the Diwan of Mysore kingdom from 1906 to 1909 and Baroda from 1910 to 1913.

Early life and education

Madhava Rao was born in February 1850 in a Marathi Deshastha Brahmin family of Kumbakonam, Madras Presidency. His ancestors were Thanjavur Marathis who had migrated to Tanjore district during the rule of the Thanjavur Marathas.

Madhava Rao was educated at Kumbakonam College by William Archer Porter. He completed his B. A. in 1869 and was appointed as a headmaster in royal school in the Mysore kingdom.

Appointments

Madhava Rao entered the service of the Mysore kingdom in 1869 as a headmaster of the royal school. He was later appointed public prosecutor of Mysore and served in the Judicial and Revenue departments. He also served as Inspector General of Police, Plague Commissioner in the Mysore kingdom from 1898 to 1901 and Revenue Commissioner from 1902 to 1904 before being appointed Diwan in 1906.

Diwan of Mysore

Madhava Rao served as Diwan of the Mysore kingdom from June 30, 1906 to March 31, 1909. In 1906, a law was passed empowering members of the Mysore Legislative Assembly to pass laws. The new legislature was constituted on March 6, 1907. The Land Revenue Code was amended to make the Revenue Commissioner the Chief Revenue authority and was also given charge of the treasury. A Department of Public Health was created and competitive exams for the Mysore Civil Service were revived. Taxes on arecanut were revoked.

Kindergarten schools were introduced in the kingdom and primary education was made free. A number of irrigation projects were undertaken. The Marikanite Works were completed in 1906-07 and the Cauvery Power Works at Belagola in 1907-08. The Government sanctioned a free grant of land to the Indian Institute of Science.

Electric lighting was introduced in the civil and military station of Bangalore city on January 1, 1908 and for Mysore city on September 26, 1908.

Honours

Madhava Rao was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1899 and was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Medal in 1900.

References