biography of kamarajar in english

K. Kamaraj Biography

Birthday: July 15 , 1903 ( Cancer )

Born In: Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, India

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Also Known As: Kumaraswami Kamaraj

Died At Age: 72

Political Leaders Indian Men

Died on: October 2 , 1975

place of death: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Cause of Death: Heart Attack

awards: Bharat Ratna 1976

You wanted to know

What were the major contributions of k. kamaraj to the indian education system.

K. Kamaraj played a significant role in revolutionizing the education system in India by introducing the Midday Meal Scheme to improve school attendance, promoting the establishment of new schools, and advocating for free and compulsory education for all children.

How did K. Kamaraj contribute to the economic development of India?

K. Kamaraj focused on promoting industrialization and economic growth by establishing industrial estates, supporting small-scale industries, and encouraging entrepreneurship to boost the country's economy.

What was K. Kamaraj's role in the Indian National Congress party?

K. Kamaraj was known for his leadership within the Indian National Congress party, serving as its president and playing a crucial role in organizing the party at the grassroots level to strengthen its presence across the country.

How did K. Kamaraj influence the political landscape of Tamil Nadu?

K. Kamaraj had a significant impact on Tamil Nadu politics by establishing a strong political base and implementing various welfare schemes that addressed the needs of the people, earning him the title "Kingmaker."

What was K. Kamaraj's approach to promoting social justice in India?

K. Kamaraj was a staunch advocate for social justice and equality, focusing on empowering marginalized communities, promoting women's rights, and advocating for land reforms to uplift the underprivileged sections of society.

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Kamaraj was known for his simple lifestyle and often preferred to travel in ordinary trains, refusing the luxury of official cars or special treatment.

Despite being a prominent political figure, Kamaraj was known for his humility and approachability, earning him the nickname "Kingmaker" for his ability to influence political decisions behind the scenes.

Kamaraj was a strong advocate for education and implemented various policies to improve the quality of schools and promote literacy in Tamil Nadu during his tenure as Chief Minister.

In addition to his political career, Kamaraj was also a skilled orator and known for his ability to connect with people from all walks of life through his speeches and interactions.

See the events in life of K. Kamaraj in Chronological Order

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Kumaraswami Kamaraj

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• National Journal of Environmental and Scientific Research - The Regin of Kamarajar Was The Golden Period of Tamilnadu State, India
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Kumaraswami Kamaraj (born July 15, 1903, Virudunagar, India—died October 2, 1975, Madras [now Chennai]) was an Indian independence activist and statesman who rose from humble beginnings to become a legislator in the Madras Presidency (an administrative unit of British India that encompassed much of southern India ), chief minister (head of government) of the successor Madras state in independent India (now largely occupied by Tamil Nadu state and also including portions of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Kerala states), and president of the Indian National Congress (Congress Party).

Kamaraj was born in what is now southern Tamil Nadu to a family of the Nadar (next-to-lowest) caste. His father, a coconut merchant, died when Kamaraj was a young boy. When he was 12 years old, he dropped out of school and began working in a cloth shop. He soon found himself drawn to the Indian independence movement against British rule and began attending public meetings held by local Congress Party leaders and later volunteering in various capacities (e.g., organizing fund-raising rallies for the party in his home district).

Kamaraj joined the party at age 17, just as the noncooperation movement (1920–22) led by Mohandas K. Gandhi was getting under way, and became a full-time worker for the independence cause. His participation in the Salt March act of civil disobedience ( satyagraha ) in 1930 earned him a sentence of two years in prison (he was released in 1931 as part of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact agreement). He would be imprisoned several more times by the British, notably in 1942–45 for his prominent role in the Congress Party’s large-scale Quit India campaign against British rule. He used his time in prison to give himself the education he had not received as a child.

Kamaraj was elected to the Madras Presidency legislature in 1937 and again in 1946. In 1936 he had been named general secretary of the Madras branch of the Congress Party, and in 1940 he became its president. In 1947 he was elevated to the Working Committee of the national party, and he remained associated with that group until 1969. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly that in 1946 drafted the constitution for soon-to-be independent India. In 1951 Kamaraj contested and won a seat in the elections to the first Lok Sabha (lower chamber of the Indian parliament).

In 1954 Kamaraj was elected chief minister for Madras state, and in 1957 he won a seat in the state legislative assembly. While in office he was credited with greatly advancing education in the state through programs that built new schools, introduced compulsory education, and provided meals and free uniforms for students. His administration improved the state’s economy by implementing a large number of irrigation projects and enacting laws that protected small farmers from exploitation by landlords. In 1963 he voluntarily left office under what came to be known as the Kamaraj Plan, which called for the voluntary resignations of high-level national and state officials in order to devote their efforts to rebuilding the Congress Party at the grassroots level following India’s disastrous border war with China .

Soon thereafter he was appointed president of the party. He was largely responsible for placing Lal Bahadur Shastri in the prime ministership in 1964 and Indira Gandhi in 1966—both times defeating the future prime minister and Gandhi opponent Morarji Desai . Kamaraj was defeated in the 1967 state legislative elections. Soon after, he was maneuvered out of the party leadership by Gandhi as she consolidated her power. In January 1969 he won a by-election to the Lok Sabha, and later that year he was part of an old-guard leaders’ group that tried to remove Gandhi from power. The party split, however, leaving Kamaraj and his associates with a small splinter group. He nonetheless won reelection to his seat in 1971 and retained it until his death.

(Read Indira Gandhi’s 1975 Britannica essay on global underprivilege.)

Kamaraj’s low social origins contributed to his success in bringing low-caste and Dalit (formerly “ untouchable ”) voters into the Congress fold. He underscored his strong belief in personal contact by visiting nearly all the villages in his state more than once. In 1976 he was awarded the Bharat Ratna , India’s highest civilian award.

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Remembering K Kamaraj: The man who shaped the dreams of Tamil Nadu

One evening more than five decades ago, K Kamaraj — the third chief minister of Tamil Nadu — was touring the countryside. As was his habit, he got down from his car and walked up to a group of agricultural labourers in a paddy field. He noticed a few children working alongside the group of men and women. When he asked why were the children not in school, a few women answered — for a bowl...

One evening more than five decades ago, K Kamaraj — the third chief minister of Tamil Nadu — was touring the countryside. As was his habit, he got down from his car and walked up to a group of agricultural labourers in a paddy field.

He noticed a few children working alongside the group of men and women. When he asked why were the children not in school, a few women answered — for a bowl of gruel that all those who worked in the fields got from the farm owners. That was why the parents brought their children along instead of sending them to school.

After Kamaraj returned to the state secretariat in Chennai, he called a meeting with senior officers and asked them to work out a scheme where students would get free lunch at their schools. When the draft proposal was tabled before the cabinet, a couple of ministers and officers wondered why the state should bear such ‘unproductive’ expenditure.

To this, Kamaraj pointed out that this was the only way to increase the literacy rate, prevent dropouts and create a pool of scientists, engineers and technocrats. They would lay the foundation for a vibrant economy, transforming not just their villages but the entire country, he believed.

The scheme was rolled out and was lapped up by poor parents who started sending their wards to schools across villages. A government order was also issued to enable reservation for scheduled castes and tribes, and the backward classes in schools.

The Mid-Day Meal scheme introduced by Kamaraj for school students in Tamil Nadu was later emulated and expanded by AIADMK and DMK governments in Tamil Nadu, the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh, and by various Congress and BJP governments across the country.

Kamaraj didn’t stop with that. He would ask village elders, businessmen, industrialists and traders if there was a school in their village. If not, he would ask them to open one. He tried to ensure there was a high school within a radius of 10 km anywhere in the state. Slowly but surely, the network of government colleges — arts, medical and engineering — was expanded.

Kamaraj, who was born on July 15, 1903, had dropped out of school after Class 6 because of poverty. But when he became the chief minister, he wanted to ensure that the next generation didn’t have to meet the same fate.

Today, there are a number of IAS officers, vice-chancellors, scientists, engineers, teachers, doctors and other professionals who admit they would never have made the grade had the Congress leader not devised an educational policy to make literacy a priority.

Marching on growth path

While his education policy had the right mix to promote scientific temper and social justice, the industry policy sowed the seeds of self-reliance and job-oriented growth.

Dams were built to provide irrigation facilities to backward and parched districts. Industrial estates were set up to encourage the manufacturing sector. Areas like Ambattur, Coimbatore and Hosur emerged as industrial hubs. While the Integral Coach Factory at Perambur, Neyveli Lignite Corporation and BHEL at Trichy were some of the important public sector organisations that were set up, power plants and low-cost housing projects too came up. Reservoirs were built to store water and healthcare was stepped up to fight polio and smallpox. All this wasn’t easy as the government had very limited resources, especially since the British raj had milked Madras of its riches.

While governments of today — endowed with budgets of several lakh crores — struggle to make progress, Kamaraj’s government had an annual budget of less than ₹1,000 crore for both infrastructure and development. His ministries — he served as the chief minister for nine years — were small in size with not more than eight ministers. Yet they proved to be more efficient than present-day cabinet of 30-plus ministers.

A big reason behind Kamaraj’s success was a corruption-free government. For instance, once a leader of a trade delegation from an East European country was in the state to secure a contract for setting up 10 sugar mills. When he offered a ‘commission’ of 10 per cent, Kamaraj, who was taken aback, first sought details about the total cost of the project. He then told the delegation that there was no need to pay a bribe. Instead, they could set up one more sugar mill for the original project cost.

Yet, Kamaraj — who had participated in the freedom movement and was imprisoned during the British Raj — gave up the lure of office in 1963 to rebuild the Congress party under what came to be known as the Kamaraj Plan. Amid growing public restiveness against the Jawaharlal Nehru-led Congress government following India’s disastrous war with China in 1962, Kamaraj — who was into his third term as CM of Madras — offered to step down. He also called for voluntary resignations of all senior Congress leaders holding ministerial office to work for the Congress party at the grassroots level. He then went on to become the Congress president.

As the party president, he picked two Prime Ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri after Nehru died, and later Indira Gandhi, but fell out with the latter and left the Congress after the split in 1969.

However, he patched up with her in the 1970s and his Congress (O) in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry aligned with the Indira Congress. After his death, most party leaders and workers in the Congress (O) merged with the Indira Congress, a process which Kamaraj had initiated a few months before his death on October 2, 1975.

The Gandhian

Political observers of the time believe it was more than a coincidence that Kamaraj died on Gandhi Jayanti. Like the Mahatma, Kamaraj was known for his austere lifestyle. He would send just ₹15 every month to his mother and ask her not to seek any privileges as the mother of the CM.

If an industrialist or a businessman offered to make a donation to his party, Kamaraj would not even discuss or touch it. He would rather ask them to meet the Congress Treasurer K SG Haja Shareef if they wanted to contribute to the party, without any strings attached. At his home in Chennai, he would never offer visitors a cup of coffee or offer lunch. He knew that he could not afford it. If he began to do that, his salary would not be enough. Even the towels and shawls that were presented to him on his tours would be handed over to Bala Mandir school and other NGOs looking after orphans.

If there was any small change (coins or notes) left him every time he returned from a tour, he would give it to his friends, which included a couple of newspaper editors. They saved the money and informed him after a few years that a few thousand rupees had been saved and asked him to buy some land on arterial Mount Road that had come up for sale. Instead, he asked them to give the money to the Congress party which formed a trust and built the Kamaraj Thidal and the party office building called Satyamurthy Bhavan, named after his mentor Satyamurthy.

For Kamaraj, simplicity was a natural thing and not something to be worn on one’s sleeve. His government did not believe in cheap publicity even while launching big schemes, unlike today’s governments that splurge taxpapers’ money on advertisements.

When he died, the then DMK chief minister M Karunanidhi deputed two senior ministers to his residence to make arrangements for the funeral. One of them, K Rajaram, was moved to tears after he saw what Kamaraj had left behind in the house — a ₹100 note, three-four khadi shirts and a few dhotis.

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SHRI K. KAMRAJ

Kumaraswami Kamaraj played a leading role in shaping India's destiny after the passing away of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, to the Congress split in 1969.

He was born humble and poor in a backward area of Tamil Nadu on July 15, 1903. He was a Nadar, one of the most depressed castes of Hindu society. His schooling lasted only six years. At the age of twelve, he was already working as a shop assistant. He was barely fifteen when he heard of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre which was the turning point in his life.

Two years later when Kamaraj saw Gandhiji at Madurai, he knew his path was chosen.

He became a member of the Indian National Congress. Kamaraj was content for years to remain a rank and file Congress volunteer, working hard for the cause of the freedom movement, unmindful of his personal comfort or career.

He was eighteen when he responded to the call of Gandhiji for non-cooperation with the British. He carried on propaganda in the villages, raised funds for Congress work and took a leading part in organising meetings. At twenty he was picked up by Satyamurthy, one of the greatest orators and a leading figure of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, who would become Kamaraj's political guru.

In April 1930, Kamaraj joined the Salt Satyagraha Movement at Vedaranyam and was sentenced to two years in jail—the first of his many stints in prison. Jail-going had become a part of his career and in all he went to prison six times and spent more than 3,000 days in British Jails.

Bachelor Kamaraj was forty-four when India became free. Kamaraj was elected President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in February, 1940. He held that post till 1954. He was in the Working Committee of the AICC from 1947 till the Congress split in 1969, either as a member or as a special invitee.

Kamaraj was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937, unopposed. He was again elected to it in 1946. He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1946, and later to Parliament in 1952.

He became Chief Minister of Madras in 1954. He was perhaps the first non-English knowing Chief Minister of India. But it was during the nine years of his administration that Tamilnadu came to be known as one of the best administered States in India.

In 1963 he suggested to Nehru that senior Congress leaders should leave ministerial posts to take up organisational work. This suggestion came to be known as the 'Kamaraj Plan', which was designed primarily to dispel from the minds of Congressmen the lure for power, creating in its place a dedicated attachment to the objectives and policies of the organisation.

The plan was approved by the Congress Working Committee and was implemented within two months. Six Chief Ministers and six Union Ministers resigned under the plan. Kamaraj was later elected President of the Indian National Congress on October 9, 1963.

Twice he played a leading role in choosing the Prime Minister of India. His defeat in Virudhunagar in 1967 considerably undermined his prestige. It was even said that he was a much disillusioned man. But the landslide victory at Nagercoil in 1969, revived his political stature. However, the split in the Congress in 1969 (he remained in the Organisation Congress) and the General Elections of 1971, resulted in another set-back to his political prestige and authority.

Kumaraswami Kamaraj continued to work quietly among the masses until the very end. He was honoured posthumously with India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1976.

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Early Life:

Kumaraswamy Kamaraj was born on 15th July, 1903 in Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu into a Nadar caste family. He attended Kshatriya Vidhyasala High School in Virudhnagar until 5th standard. Both the Indian National Congress and Mahatma Gandhi were major influences in Kamaraj’s life from a young age.

Role in India’s Independence Movement:

Kamaraj was a vocal activist against the British Raj, who was inspired to join the freedom struggle by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. His participation in the Salt Satyagraha resulted in the first of several imprisonments. He also participated in the Nagpur flag Satyagraha, and led the Sword Satyagraha and the Neil Statue Satyagraha . In 1942, he was jailed for three years for his involvement in the Quit India Movement .

Contribution to Constitution Making:

Kamaraj was elected to the Constituent Assembly from the Madras constituency on a Congress Party ticket. He did not actively participate in the debates.

Later Contributions:

Kamaraj became the Chief Minister of Madras province in 1954, a post which he held for three terms until 1963. Among his achievements was the improvement in literacy rates, the mid-day meal scheme, and efforts to address caste discrimination, and the provision of irrigation and electricity facilities to villages.

He was the architect of the 1963 Kamaraj Plan, which set out a blueprint to rebuild the Congress party in the aftermath of the Indo-China war. Subsequently, he was appointed president of the party.

Kamaraj is credited with giving two Prime Ministers to India after he twice refused to take the position himself. He left the Congress due to its split in 1969, but merged his Congress (O) party with the INC in 1975.

Kamaraj passed away on 2nd October 1975. He was awarded with the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1976.

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K. Kamaraj Profile

• July 15, 1903
• October 2, 1975
• Born / Home Town:
• Virudhunagar
• Profession / Known For:
• Chief Minister , Freedom Fighter , Politician
• Kumarasamy Nadar
• Sivakami Ammal

Bharat Ratna (1976)

K. Kamaraj Biography

K. Kamaraj was an Indian politician and is marked as the Kingmaker of the Indian politics. He served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1954 to 1963. He was elected as the member of the Parliament from 1952 to 1954 and 1969 to 1975. He was greatly praised for his simplicity and integrity. He took part in the Indian Independence Movement and was instrumental in making Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi as the Prime Ministers. He introduced the scheme of mid-day meals during his tenure.

K. Kamaraj was born on 15 th July 1903 at Virudhunagar. His parents are Kumarasamy Nadar and Sivakami Ammal. He studied at Enadhy Nayanar Vidhyalaya elementary school and Kshatriya Vidhyalaya High school. His father died when he was just six and they had a hard time that he had to quit his education in 1914 to support his family.

When he worked in his uncle’s cloth shop, he took part in processions and attended public meetings. None of his relatives liked his interest in politics and so he was sent to Thiruvananthapuram. When he was 16, he became a full time worker of the Congress party. He took part in Salt Satyagraha in March 1930 led by C. Rajagopalachari. He was sentenced for two years in jail. He had to go to prison many times in his life for opposing British rule.

His political guru was S. Satyamurti who appointed K. Kamaraj as the General Secretary of Congress Committee. He became the Chief Minister of Madras Province on 13 th April, 1954. He opened many schools to provide education for the economically backward people. He introduced free school uniform scheme to remove class distinctions.

Manimuthar Dam, Vaikai Dam, Aliyar Dam, Sathanur Dam and Krishnagiri Dam were constructed during his tenure. He concentrated on agricultural development and industrial development. He died on 2 nd October 1975 when he was sleeping. After his death he was awarded the highest award of India Bharat Ratna Award in the year 1976. Madurai Kamaraj University and Kamaraj Terminal in Chennai airport were named after him.

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Updated: October 01, 2017

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Kingmaker Kamaraj: A symbol of selflessness and simplicity

July 15 marked the 115th birth anniversary of K. Kamaraj who played a crucial role in the country’s post-Independence history, especially after the death of India’s first and longest serving Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Born in 1903 in a poor and humble family of Nadars, one of the most backward communities of Tamil Nadu (then Madras presidency), Kamaraj had his schooling only for six years. He was barely 15 when he heard of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, and made up his mind to join the freedom movement. He didn’t have to wait for long as Gandhiji visited Madurai in early 1921, and the young Kamaraj was inspired by him to be an active participant in the non-cooperation movement. In April 1930, Kamaraj took part in the Salt Satyagraha (civil disobedience) movement in Vedaranyam and was sentenced to two years imprisonment. He spent nearly eight years in British jails, including the longest spell of 32 months during the Quit India movement.

Kamaraj was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937 and again in 1946. He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly and later to the first Parliament of independent India in 1952. Kamaraj was elected as chief minister of Madras in 1954 succeeding C.

Rajagopalachari who was earlier the governor of West Bengal and the first Indian governor-general after Mountbatten. His nine years as chief minister saw Madras undergoing tremendous industrial and agricultural progress. It became amongst the best-administered states, which made Kamaraj a popular figure in the country. In 1963, when the Congress lost three important byelections, Kamaraj, along with some other chief ministers — Sanjiva Reddy, S. Nijalingappa and Biju Patnaik — suggested to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that senior leaders in both the Centre and states must give up ministerial posts and take up organisational work. The suggestion was accepted by the Prime Minister and six Union ministers, including Morarji Desai, Lal Bahadur Shastri and six chief ministers, amongst them Partap Singh Kairon (Punjab) and Biju Patnaik (Odisha), resigned from their high positions.

But it was after the death of Nehru in May 1964 that Kamaraj played the role of kingmaker, not once but on three occasions within a span of as many years. After the death of Govind Ballabh Pant in 1961, Morarji Desai who was then finance minister regarded himself as

the natural successor of Nehru. He had many loyal adherents in the Congress Parliamentary Party because of his seniority, reputation for integrity and administrative ability. But according to many Congress leaders, he was rigid and inflexible in outlook and had the reputation of being self-righteous, intolerant and right-winger. Shastri was mild, tactful and malleable, highly respected and known to be personally incorruptible.

Journalist Durga Das in his famous book India: From Curzon to Nehru & After corroborates this further: “But Shastri had one big advantage over Desai. Congress president Kamaraj and some of the senior members of the high command favoured Shastri because they had cordial relations with him and, what is more, considered him easy to get on with. They considered Desai the stubborn type who would prove difficult as a colleague… Indira Gandhi, who was in mourning, was not in the running, and Nanda (the acting Prime Minister) had hardly any support.”

Kamaraj played his cards dexterously and evolved a novel concept of consensus. Though Desai was against this formula he was heavily outnumbered in the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which gave Kamaraj the authority to go ahead with his plan. Kamaraj consulted the members of the Congress Parliamentary Party and chief ministers, and declared Lal Bahadur as the winner. Many supporters of Morarji Desai urged him to challenge the consensus and press the CPP to vote. However, Desai — a disciplined Gandhian — bowed to the verdict but refused to join the Shastri Cabinet. A few months later Indira Gandhi was persuaded by Shastri to join his Cabinet with a portfolio of her choice. She agreed and became the minister for information and broadcasting. In 1963, Kamaraj and Biju Patnaik had suggested that Indira Gandhi should be made minister for external affairs. But Nehru had turned down the proposal.

After the sudden death of Shastri in Tashkent on January 11, 1966, the struggle for succession, averted by Kamaraj’s “consensus formula” in 1966, could not be warded off. This time Morarji Desai decided to fight it out against Indira Gandhi who had by now become the popular choice of the party. With Kamaraj on her side (her other notable supporters were Jagjivan Ram, Y.B. Chavan and Ram Subhag Singh) and having the support of most of the chief ministers, Indira Gandhi took up the challenge.

In the trial of strength that followed in the CPP, Indira Gandhi defeated Morarji Desai by an impressive margin of 186 votes (355 to 169).

For the fourth successive time, since 1952, the Congress was returned to power in the 1967 general elections, but with its majority considerably reduced from 369 in 1962 to 285 in 1967. Morarji Desai once again emerged as a serious candidate for prime ministership.

Kamaraj, who himself lost in his home state, was not in the same position as he was on earlier two occasions. His relations with Indira Gandhi had also suffered a setback and he was now closer to Morarji Desai. Kamaraj managed to avert a contest with great difficulty. Morarji Desai was prevailed upon by the Syndicate (S.K. Patil, N. Sanjiva Reddy, Atulya Ghosh, Nijalingappa) to accept deputy prime ministership under Indira Gandhi who was once again elected the CPP leader by consensus.

Kamaraj presided over three sessions of Indian National Congress — Bhubaneswar (1964), Durgapur (1965) and Jaipur (1966). In the 1967 general election, with the steep rise of the DMK in Madras (Tamil Nadu), Kamaraj lost his seat of Virudhunagar to a student leader.

This undermined his prestige and stature considerably. But soon he won from Nagercoil parliamentary constituency, in a byelection, which revived his image to some extent. However, with the Congress split in 1969 he had decided to throw his lot with Morarji Desai and Congress(O) as his relations with Indira Gandhi had become strained, Kamaraj virtually retired from public life and died in 1975 at the age of 72. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna by the Indira Gandhi government as a recognition of his high integrity, public morality and selfless services to the nation.

(The writer, an ex-Army officer and a former member of the National Commission on Minorities, is a New Delhi-based political analyst)

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Kingmaker Kamaraj: A symbol of selflessness and simplicity

July 15 marked the 115th birth anniversary of K. Kamaraj who played a crucial role in the country’s post-Independence history, especially after the death of India’s first and longest serving Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Born in 1903 in a poor and humble family of Nadars, one of the most backward communities of Tamil Nadu (then Madras presidency), Kamaraj had his schooling only for six years. He was barely 15 when he heard of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, and made up his mind to join the freedom movement. He didn’t have to wait for long as Gandhiji visited Madurai in early 1921, and the young Kamaraj was inspired by him to be an active participant in the non-cooperation movement. In April 1930, Kamaraj took part in the Salt Satyagraha (civil disobedience) movement in Vedaranyam and was sentenced to two years imprisonment. He spent nearly eight years in British jails, including the longest spell of 32 months during the Quit India movement.

Kamaraj was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937 and again in 1946. He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly and later to the first Parliament of independent India in 1952. Kamaraj was elected as chief minister of Madras in 1954 succeeding C. Rajagopalachari who was earlier the governor of West Bengal and the first Indian governor-general after Mountbatten. His nine years as chief minister saw Madras undergoing tremendous industrial and agricultural progress. It became amongst the best-administered states, which made Kamaraj a popular figure in the country. In 1963, when the Congress lost three important byelections, Kamaraj, along with some other chief ministers — Sanjiva Reddy, S. Nijalingappa and Biju Patnaik — suggested to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that senior leaders in both the Centre and states must give up ministerial posts and take up organisational work. The suggestion was accepted by the Prime Minister and six Union ministers, including Morarji Desai, Lal Bahadur Shastri and six chief ministers, amongst them Partap Singh Kairon (Punjab) and Biju Patnaik (Odisha), resigned from their high positions.

But it was after the death of Nehru in May 1964 that Kamaraj played the role of kingmaker, not once but on three occasions within a span of as many years. After the death of Govind Ballabh Pant in 1961, Morarji Desai who was then finance minister regarded himself as the natural successor of Nehru. He had many loyal adherents in the Congress Parliamentary Party because of his seniority, reputation for integrity and administrative ability. But according to many Congress leaders, he was rigid and inflexible in outlook and had the reputation of being self-righteous, intolerant and right-winger. Shastri was mild, tactful and malleable, highly respected and known to be personally incorruptible.

Journalist Durga Das in his famous book India: From Curzon to Nehru & After corroborates this further: “But Shastri had one big advantage over Desai. Congress president Kamaraj and some of the senior members of the high command favoured Shastri because they had cordial relations with him and, what is more, considered him easy to get on with. They considered Desai the stubborn type who would prove difficult as a colleague… Indira Gandhi, who was in mourning, was not in the running, and Nanda (the acting Prime Minister) had hardly any support.”

Kamaraj played his cards dexterously and evolved a novel concept of consensus. Though Desai was against this formula he was heavily outnumbered in the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which gave Kamaraj the authority to go ahead with his plan. Kamaraj consulted the members of the Congress Parliamentary Party and chief ministers, and declared Lal Bahadur as the winner. Many supporters of Morarji Desai urged him to challenge the consensus and press the CPP to vote. However, Desai — a disciplined Gandhian — bowed to the verdict but refused to join the Shastri Cabinet. A few months later Indira Gandhi was persuaded by Shastri to join his Cabinet with a portfolio of her choice. She agreed and became the minister for information and broadcasting. In 1963, Kamaraj and Biju Patnaik had suggested that Indira Gandhi should be made minister for external affairs. But Nehru had turned down the proposal.

After the sudden death of Shastri in Tashkent on January 11, 1966, the struggle for succession, averted by Kamaraj’s “consensus formula” in 1966, could not be warded off. This time Morarji Desai decided to fight it out against Indira Gandhi who had by now become the popular choice of the party. With Kamaraj on her side (her other notable supporters were Jagjivan Ram, Y.B. Chavan and Ram Subhag Singh) and having the support of most of the chief ministers, Indira Gandhi took up the challenge. In the trial of strength that followed in the CPP, Indira Gandhi defeated Morarji Desai by an impressive margin of 186 votes (355 to 169).

For the fourth successive time, since 1952, the Congress was returned to power in the 1967 general elections, but with its majority considerably reduced from 369 in 1962 to 285 in 1967. Morarji Desai once again emerged as a serious candidate for prime ministership. Kamaraj, who himself lost in his home state, was not in the same position as he was on earlier two occasions. His relations with Indira Gandhi had also suffered a setback and he was now closer to Morarji Desai. Kamaraj managed to avert a contest with great difficulty. Morarji Desai was prevailed upon by the Syndicate (S.K. Patil, N. Sanjiva Reddy, Atulya Ghosh, Nijalingappa) to accept deputy prime ministership under Indira Gandhi who was once again elected the CPP leader by consensus. Kamaraj presided over three sessions of Indian National Congress — Bhubaneswar (1964), Durgapur (1965) and Jaipur (1966). In the 1967 general election, with the steep rise of the DMK in Madras (Tamil Nadu), Kamaraj lost his seat of Virudhunagar to a student leader. This undermined his prestige and stature considerably. But soon he won from Nagercoil parliamentary constituency, in a byelection, which revived his image to some extent. However, with the Congress split in 1969 he had decided to throw his lot with Morarji Desai and Congress(O) as his relations with Indira Gandhi had become strained, Kamaraj virtually retired from public life and died in 1975 at the age of 72. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna by the Indira Gandhi government as a recognition of his high integrity, public morality and selfless services to the nation.

The writer, an ex-Army officer and a former member of the National Commission on Minorities, is a New Delhi-based political analyst

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Kamarajar Essay in English in 100 words, 1000 words & 10 Lines

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• November 2, 2023

Kamarajar Essay : Discover the life and legacy of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar in this insightful essay. Explore the remarkable journey of one of Tamil Nadu’s most beloved leaders, his contributions to education, politics, and social reform, and the enduring impact of his leadership. In this article, we’ve provided Kamarajar Essay in English in 100 words, 500 words, 1000 words & 10 lines.

This essay delves into the biography of Kamarajar, his pivotal role in shaping Tamil Nadu’s history, and his enduring commitment to public service. Whether you are a student researching this iconic leader or simply interested in the rich history of Tamil Nadu, this essay provides a comprehensive overview of Kamarajar’s life, achievements, and the lasting influence he has had on the state and its people.

About Kamarajar in 10 Lines

Kamarajar: The People’s Leader – A Short Essay in 10 Lines

Perunthalaivar Kamarajar, a revered leader in Tamil Nadu’s history, is remembered for his remarkable contributions and simple yet powerful leadership style.

• Born in 1903, Kamarajar emerged from humble beginnings to become a prominent political figure in India.
• His early political career was marked by dedication to the Indian National Congress and the struggle for independence.
• Kamarajar’s visionary leadership as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister from 1954 to 1963 brought about significant educational reforms.
• He introduced the groundbreaking Mid-day Meal Scheme to improve school attendance and child nutrition.
• Simplicity and accessibility were hallmarks of Kamarajar’s leadership, earning him the affectionate title “Karmaveerar.”
• His commitment to social justice led to policies that reduced economic disparities and improved the lives of the underprivileged.
• Kamarajar’s legacy endures through Tamil Nadu’s thriving educational institutions and the national adoption of the Mid-day Meal Scheme.
• He remains an inspiration for leaders and citizens dedicated to public service and social welfare.
• Kamarajar’s life is a testament to the power of leadership driven by a genuine desire to serve the people.
• Perunthalaivar Kamarajar’s name is synonymous with a leader who touched the hearts of the masses, leaving an indelible mark on Tamil Nadu’s history.

Also See: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Essay

Short Essay on Kamarajar in 100 words

Kamarajar, born in 1903 in Tamil Nadu, is celebrated as a revered leader known for his simplicity and dedication to public service. He played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement and later served as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister from 1954 to 1963. Kamarajar’s leadership was marked by his vision for education and social justice. He introduced the groundbreaking Mid-day Meal Scheme to enhance child nutrition and school attendance. His commitment to the welfare of the underprivileged and his accessibility earned him the title “Karmaveerar.” Kamarajar’s legacy lives on through Tamil Nadu’s thriving educational institutions and his enduring influence as a symbol of dedicated leadership.

Kamarajar Essay in English in 1000 Words

Kamarajar: The Leader of the Masses

Introduction

Perunthalaivar Kamarajar, affectionately known as the “Kingmaker” and the “Man of the Masses,” was a remarkable leader whose life and contributions left an indelible mark on the history of Tamil Nadu and India as a whole. Born on July 15, 1903, in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, Kamarajar’s journey from a humble background to becoming a revered political figure and a beloved leader is a testament to his unwavering commitment to public service and social welfare.

Early Life and Political Beginnings

Kamarajar’s early life was characterized by simplicity and modesty. He received limited formal education but possessed an innate drive for self-improvement. His political journey began in the Indian National Congress, where he was mentored by leaders like S. Satyamurti and C. Rajagopalachari. Kamarajar quickly rose through the ranks, gaining recognition for his dedication and commitment to the cause of Indian independence.

Leadership and Vision

Kamarajar’s leadership was defined by his vision for a progressive and egalitarian society. He firmly believed that education was the cornerstone of social development. During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1954 to 1963, he implemented a series of far-reaching reforms in the state’s education system. His contributions included the introduction of the Mid-day Meal Scheme, which aimed to provide nutritious meals to school children, thereby improving attendance and nutrition levels.

Education was not the only focus of Kamarajar’s visionary leadership. He also worked tirelessly to uplift the underprivileged and marginalized sections of society. His commitment to social justice led to the formulation of policies and initiatives that aimed at reducing economic disparities and improving the quality of life for all citizens.

The Man of Simplicity

What set Kamarajar apart from many other political leaders was his simplicity and accessibility. He shunned extravagance and lived a life of austerity. His residence was a modest thatched-roof hut, reflecting his commitment to a simple and unpretentious lifestyle. People from all walks of life could approach him without hesitation, earning him the affectionate title of “Karmaveerar,” which means “Hero of Work.”

Enduring Legacy

Kamarajar’s legacy is enduring and multi-faceted. His contributions to education and social justice continue to shape Tamil Nadu’s progress and development. His emphasis on providing quality education to the masses paved the way for a highly educated and skilled workforce in the state. Today, Tamil Nadu boasts some of the country’s top educational institutions, a testament to Kamarajar’s vision.

Kamarajar’s impact extended beyond Tamil Nadu. His Mid-day Meal Scheme, initially implemented in Tamil Nadu, was later adopted as a national program in India, benefitting millions of school children across the country.

In conclusion, Perunthalaivar Kamarajar’s life and legacy are a source of inspiration for leaders and citizens alike. His commitment to education, social justice, and public service remains a guiding light for those dedicated to the welfare of society. Kamarajar’s leadership style, characterized by simplicity, humility, and accessibility, serves as a timeless example of what true leadership should be. His name is etched in history as a leader who not only touched the lives of the masses but also left an enduring legacy of progress, equality, and social welfare. Perunthalaivar Kamarajar will always be remembered as the leader who worked tirelessly to uplift the common people and champion their cause.

Also See: As One Journey Ends Another Begins Essay

Kamarajar Essay in 500 Words

Kamarajar – The Leader Who Touched Hearts

Perunthalaivar Kamarajar, a name etched in the annals of Tamil Nadu’s history, is a beloved figure known for his extraordinary contributions to education, politics, and social reform. His life and legacy continue to inspire generations.

Kamarajar, born on July 15, 1903, in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, rose from humble beginnings to become a prominent leader. His political career began in the Indian National Congress, where he quickly gained recognition for his unwavering commitment to public service.

One of Kamarajar’s most notable achievements was his instrumental role in the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme in schools. This initiative, which started in Tamil Nadu and later spread to other parts of India, aimed to provide nutritious meals to school children, thus improving attendance and nutritional outcomes.

Education was a cause close to Kamarajar’s heart. He believed that education was the key to social progress. During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1954 to 1963, he took significant steps to improve the state’s education system. He introduced several reforms, including the enhancement of school infrastructure and the expansion of educational opportunities for the underprivileged.

Kamarajar’s leadership style was characterized by simplicity, accessibility, and a deep commitment to the welfare of the common people. He earned the nickname “Karmaveerar” or “Hero of Work” due to his dedication to public service. His humility and approachability endeared him to people from all walks of life.

Despite his influential political career, Kamarajar remained rooted in his values and never lost sight of his mission to uplift the underprivileged. He was a champion of social justice, advocating for the rights and welfare of marginalized communities.

Kamarajar’s legacy extends beyond his time in office. His impact on Tamil Nadu’s development, particularly in the fields of education and social reform, is still visible today. His vision and dedication continue to inspire leaders and citizens alike.

In conclusion, Perunthalaivar Kamarajar’s life and work exemplify the power of leadership driven by a genuine desire to serve the people. His contributions to education, politics, and social justice have left an indelible mark on Tamil Nadu’s history. Kamarajar’s enduring legacy reminds us that true leaders are those who touch the hearts of the people and work tirelessly for the betterment of society.

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Kumaraswami Kamaraj (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 from 13 April 1954 to 2 October 1963. He also served as the president of the Indian National Congress between 1964–1967 and was responsible for the elevation of Lal Bahadur Shastri and later Indira Gandhi to the position of Prime Minister of India , because of which he was widely acknowledged as the " Kingmaker " in Indian politics during the 1960s. Later, he was the founder and president of the Indian National Congress (O) .

Family and childhood

Political interests, political career, early years (1919–29), independence activism and first election (1930–39), congress presidency and imprisonment (1940–45), increased influence and after independence (1946–53), chief minister of madras (1954–63), national politics and final years (1964–75), electoral history, popular culture, bibliography, external links.

Born as Kamatchi , Kamaraj had dropped out of school early and had little formal education. He became active in the Indian Independence movement in the 1920s and was imprisoned by the British Raj multiple times due to his activities. In 1937, Kamaraj was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly after winning in the 1937 Madras Presidency Legislative Assembly election . He was active during the Quit India Movement in 1942, because of which he was incarcerated for three years till 1945.

After the Indian Independence, Kamaraj served as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from 1952 to 1954 before becoming the Chief Minister of Madras State in April 1954. During his almost decade long tenure as the chief minister, he played a major role in developing the infrastructure of the state and improving the quality of life of the needy and the disadvantaged. He was responsible for introducing free education to children and expanded the free Midday Meal Scheme , which resulted in significant improvement in school enrollment and growth of literacy rates in the state over the decade. He is widely known as Kalvi Thanthai (Father of education) because of his role in improving the educational infrastructure.

Kamaraj was known for his simplicity and integrity. He remained a bachelor throughout his life and did not own any property when he died in 1975. Former Vice-president of the United States Hubert Humphrey , referred to Kamaraj as one of the greatest political leaders in all the countries. He was awarded with India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna , posthumously in 1976.

Kamaraj was born on 15 July 1903 in Virudhupatti , Madras Presidency , to Kumaraswami Nadar and Sivakami Ammal. [1] [2] His father Kumaraswami was a coconut merchant and his parents named him Kamatchi after their family deity. His parents called him as Raja and the portmanteau of both the names became Kamaraj later. [3] [4] [5] He had a younger sister named Nagammal. [6] [7]

At the age of five, Kamaraj was enrolled in the local elementary school before being admitted to a different school. [3] [4] [8] His grandfather and father died in quick succession when he was only six years old, forcing his grandmother and mother to support the family. [3] [4] [9] He dropped out of school at the age of 12 and joined to work in the cloth shop run by his maternal uncle Karuppaih. [9] [10] [11] He learnt the martial art silambam and boxing . He also spent time singing bhajans of lord Muruga along with the locals. [9]

Kamaraj showed an interest in public happenings and politics since the age of 13. While working in his uncle's shop, he began to attend panchayats and other political meetings addressed by activists such as P. Varadarajulu Naidu and George Joseph . He keenly followed Swadesamitran , a Tamil daily and often discussed the happenings with people of his age at the shop. [9] [12]

Kamaraj was attracted by Annie Besant 's Home Rule Movement and inspired by the writings of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Subramania Bharati . [13] Due to his inclination towards politics and not spending time on the business, he was sent to Thiruvananthapuram to work at a timber shop owned by another of his relatives. [12] [13] [14] While in Kerala, he continued to participate in public activities and took part in the Vaikom Satyagraha , which was conducted for getting access to the prohibited public areas of the Vaikom Temple to people of all castes. [13] [14] Kamaraj was called back to his native and despite attempts by his mother to find him a bride, Kamraj refused to get married. [14] [15]

After the Rowlatt Act of 1919 which indefinitely extended preventive detention and imprisonment of Indians without trial, was passed by the British Raj and the subsequent Jallianwala Bagh massacre , where hundreds of peaceful protesters against the act were shot down, Kamaraj decided to join Indian National Congress at the age of 16. [13] [15] [16] [17]

On 21 September 1921, he met Mahatma Gandhi for the first time during a meeting in Madurai and was influenced by his views on prohibition of alcohol , usage of khadi , non violence and eradication of untouchability . In 1922, Kamaraj traveled to Chennai to partake in protest against the visit of Prince of Wales as a part of the Non-cooperation movement . He was later elected to be a part of the town committee of the Congress in Virudhunagar. As a part of the role, he collected donations to finance the printing of speeches of Gandhi and distributed them to the people to induce them to join the Indian independence movement . [18] In the next few years, Kamaraj participated in the Flag Satyagraha in Nagpur and the Sword Satyagraha in Madras. He organized regular meetings of the Congress in the Madurai district and started orating. [19]

In 1930, Kamaraj participated in the Vedaranyam march organized by C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) in support of Gandhi's Salt March . [20] He was arrested for the first time and was imprisoned in Alipore Jail for almost two years. He was released before he served the two-year sentence as the Gandhi–Irwin Pact in 1931. [21] In 1931, he was appointed as a member of All India Congress Committee . In the next decade, the Congress in Madras province was divided into two led with one being led by Rajaji and the other led by S. Satyamurti . Kamaraj supported Satyamurti, as he aligned closely with the ideals propagated by him. [22] Satyamurti became his political guru while Kamaraj became a trusted aide of Satyamurti. In the 1931 elections to the regional unit of the Congress, he helped Satyamurti to win the post of vice-president. [23] In 1932, Kamaraj was arrested again on charges of sedition and inciting violence. He was sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment at Tiruchirappalli . He was later transferred to Vellore Central Prison , where he developed an association with revolutionaries like Jaidev Kapoor and Kamal Nath Tewari . In 1933-34, Kamaraj was charged with a conspiracy to murder John Anderson , then Governor of Bengal , which was part of a larger Madras Conspiracy Case. He was accused of supplying arms but was acquitted due to lack of evidence in 1934. [24]

On 21 September 1933, a post office and the police station in Virudhunagar were bombed. On 9 November, Kamaraj was implicated in the bombing despite the local police inspector giving statement to the contrary. Indian police officials along with the British officers engaged in coercive tactics and harassment to try and force a confession in the case. Varadarajulu Naidu and George Joseph argued on Kamaraj's behalf in court and the charges were proved to be baseless. [25] Despite his acquittal, Kamaraj had sold most of his ancestral properties apart from the house to finance the case. [24] [26] In the 1934 elections , he organized the campaign for Congress and was appointed the general secretary of the provincial congress committee in 1936. In 1937, in the Madras Presidency Legislative Assembly election , Kamaraj was elected as a member of legislative assembly (MLA) with the Congress gaining a simple majority, winning 156 of the 219 seats. [23] [27]

In 1940, Kamaraj was elected as the president of the provincial congress committee with Satyamurti serving as the general secretary. [28] He conducted a campaign asking people not to contribute to war funds when Arthur Hope , the Governor of Madras was collecting contributions to fund the Allies in the Second World War . In December 1940, he was arrested under the Defence of India rules for speeches that opposed contributions to the war fund, and sent to Vellore prison. [29] While in jail, he was elected as a municipal councillor and chairman of Virudhunagar municipality on 31 May 1941. He was released from prison on 3 November 1941 and was handed the chairmanship of the council on 16 March 1942. He resigned from the post immediately as he thought he had greater responsibility for the nation and further stated that "One should not accept any post to which one could not do full justice". [30] [31]

In August 1942, Kamaraj attended the All-India Congress Committee in Bombay and returned to spread propaganda material for the Quit India Movement . The police were issued orders to arrest all the leaders who attended the Bombay session. Kamaraj did not want to be arrested before he passed on the message to the local leaders and evaded arrest by various means. After finishing his work, he surrendered to the police to be arrested. [30] [32] While he was in jail, Satyamurti died in March 1943. [33] He was under detention for three years before being released in June 1945 and this was his last and longest served prison sentence. [20] Kamaraj was imprisoned six times by the British for his pro-Independence activities, that added up to more than 3,000 days in jail. [34]

After his release from the jail, Kamaraj found that the Congress has weakened significantly as Rajaji had resigned from the party and Satyamurti had died. While he met with Rajaji to set aside their differences, it did not work out as Rajaji was re-admitted to the party against the wishes of Kamaraj. On the advice of Sardar Patel , a truce was brokered later. In 1946, after Gandhi's visit to Madras, Gandhi wrote that Rajaji was the best leader of the party in the presidency and some people are working against him. Kamaraj alluded this as an indirect reference to him and resigned from the parliamentary board of the party. Despite Gandhi's later appeal, Kamaraj refused to take back his resignation. Meanwhile, Kamaraj had considerable influence with the party which led to Rajaji to take a sabbatical. [35] [36] In the 1946 Madras Presidency legislative assembly election , Kamaraj won from Sattur-Aruppukottai with Congress emerging as the largest party. Tanguturi Prakasam was made as Chief Minister but was replaced by O. P. Ramaswamy within a year due to his differences with Kamaraj. Ramaswamy himself was succeeded by P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja in 1949 after disagreements with Kamaraj. During the period, Kamaraj wielded a considerable influence on the party affairs as the president of the Congress party. [37] [38] As India achieved Independence on 15 August 1947, Kamaraj hoisted the Indian flag at Satyamurti's house in Madras. [33] In the Indian general elections of 1951 , Kamaraj won from Srivalliputhur constituency and became the Member of Parliament . [39]

In the 1952 Madras State Legislative Assembly election , Congress fared badly winning less than half of the seats (152 out of 375). Though it emerged as the single largest party, Kamaraj did not want to form a Congress government as it did not have a majority on its own. But the central committee was keen on Congress to form a government and it was decided that Rajaji who had gone into a sabbatical after serving as the Governor General of India was the right person to lead. Rajaji wanted Kamaraj's support and after consultations with then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru , Rajaji formed the government. [40] [41] Kamaraj resigned from the post of presidency of the party after 12 years, suggesting that someone who can work with Rajaji should be elected president. P. Subbarayan was elected as president but made way for Kamaraj to become president again in 1953. [42]

In 1953, Andhra state was partitioned from Madras and the Modified Scheme of Elementary Education was construed as perpetuating the caste hierarchy. These forced Rajaji to resign and after much deliberation, Kamaraj was asked to take over as chief minister, which was opposed by C. Subramaniam , who had been nominated by Rajaji. Kamaraj was elected by the legislators as the leader of the party and assumed the chief minister-ship of Madras state on 13 April 1954. [42] [43] Kamaraj resigned as member of parliament and opted to contest and win in the by elections to the Gudiyatham Assembly constituency rather than get elected as a Member of Legislative Council . [44] He was supported by prominent people across party lines including Periyar E. V. Ramasami and C. N. Annadurai . [45]

Kamaraj nominated C. Subramaniam, who had contested his leadership, to the newly formed cabinet . [46] Throughout his tenure, he had a small cabinet with a maximum of eight ministers as he believed in efficiency of compactness and often selected his ministers based on knowledge and capability. [47] Kamaraj made effective use of the Five-Year Plans of India to aid in the development of the state. He formed state development committees consisting of ministers and bureaucrats which formulated plans for the development and reviewed the implementation across various departments. [48]

Kamaraj brought major changes to the education system and infrastructure. The family vocation based Modified Scheme of Elementary education 1953 introduced earlier was withdrawn and school education was made free for children up to 11 years. In order to ensure that students do not walk long distances, the educational policy formulated that schools be opened within every 3   km (1.9   mi) radius. As a result, about 6,000 schools closed previously and 12,000 new schools were added. [49] When it was found that the enrollment was still low and the children were malnourished, Kamaraj expanded the Midday Meal Scheme to all schools to provide at least one free meal per day. Schemes were introduced wherein public help and contributions were sought to finance and improve educational infrastructure in the respective communities. [50] Free uniforms were introduced to weed out distinctions based on caste and class in schools. [51]

The education system was reformed to incorporate a new syllabus and the number of working days were increased. New institutions of higher education were established including the IIT Madras in 1959. [27] The efforts resulted in significant improvement in school enrollment and growth of literacy rates in the state over the decade (18.33% in 1951 to 36.39% in 1961), which earned him the moniker Kalvi Thanthai (Father of education). [52] [53] [54]

Major irrigation schemes and dams were planned and implemented during his tenure. Small and medium-sized enterprises were encouraged to increase the utilization of local resources and electrification support was provided by the Government. Public sector industries including Integral Coach Factory at Chennai, Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi , Neyveli Lignite Corporation , BHEL at Tiruchirappalli, Manali Refinery , Hindustan Photo Films at Udagamandalam were established. [55] [56]

Kamaraj remained Chief Minister for three consecutive terms , winning elections in 1957 and 1962 . By the mid 1960s, Kamaraj noticed that the Congress party was slowly losing its vigor, and he offered to resign the post chief minister to focus on rebuilding the party. [57] on Gandhi Jayanti On 2 October 1963, he resigned from the post of the Chief Minister and tt the time of resignation, he was the longest serving chief minister in any state in India. [44] [43]

After his resignation as the Chief Minister, Kamaraj proposed that all senior Congress leaders should resign from their posts and devote their energy to the re-vitalization of the Congress party. He suggested to then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru that senior Congress leaders should leave ministerial posts to take up organizational work. This suggestion came to be known as the Kamaraj Plan , which was designed to alleviate the notion that congressmen are lured by power and to create a dedication to values and objectives of the party. [58] Six Union Ministers and six Chief Ministers of the Congress followed suit and resigned from their posts. [59] Kamaraj was elected the President of Indian National Congress on 9 October 1963. [60]

After Nehru's untimely death in 1964, Kamaraj successfully navigated the party through turbulent times. Despite being the president of the party, he refused to become the next prime minister himself and was instrumental in bringing to power two Prime Ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1964 and Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi in 1966. For this role, he was widely acclaimed as the "kingmaker" during the 1960s. [61] [62]

In 1965, during the food crisis, Kamaraj worked with then Ministry of Finance T. T. Krishnamachari to introduce ration cards and food rationing . [63] The food crisis, Anti-Hindi agitations and disillusionment with the Congress party led to the defeat of the Congress against the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the 1967 Madras State Legislative Assembly election . Kamaraj himself was defeated for the first time in the elections. [64] [65] The death of the incumbent member of Nagercoil Lok Sabha constituency in 1968 led to a by-election. Despite the opposition of the DMK led state government and Rajaji, Kamaraj won the elections on 8 January 1969. [66]

Ever since the appointment of Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister, indifference arose between her and the top leaders of the Congress, termed as the "Syndicate", led by Kamaraj. After the Congress victory in the 1967 Indian general election , the rift began to widen and Indira Gandhi was expelled from the party for anti-party activities in 1969. This resulted in the split of the Congress party with Kamaraj heading the INC (O) faction. Indira Gandhi stayed as the Prime Minister with the support of smaller regional parties and dissolved the Lok Sabha to call for fresh elections in 1970. In the 1971 Indian general election , INC (O) performed very poorly, winning just 16 seats compared to the 352 won by the Indira led faction. [67] The party again fared poorly in the 1971 Indian general election . [68] He remained as part of INC(O) until his death in 1975. [69]

On 2 October 1975, Kamaraj complained of chest pain after lunch. He died later in his sleep due to a heart attack , aged 72. [78] His body was kept for public viewing at Rajaji Hall . On the next day, it was taken in procession to Gandhi Mandapam and cremated with full state honors. [79] Memorials dedicated to Kamaraj have been established in Chennai, Virudhunagar and Kanniya Kumari . [80] [81]

Kamaraj spent most of his career in politics and did not spend much time on relationships and family. [82] [83] Kamaraj was known for his simplicity and integrity. He followed Gandhian principles, wore a simple Khadi shirt and dhoti and was often referred to as Black Gandhi by the people. [83] [84] [85] He ate a simple meal and refused special privileges. [86] [87] During his tenure as Chief Minister, when the municipality of Virudhunagar provided a direct water connection to his house, Kamarajar ordered it to be disconnected immediately as he did not want any special privileges and opined that public agencies should serve the public and not private individuals. He often refused police protection and security, determining it as waste of public resources. [87] [55] Kamaraj did not own any property and had a mere ₹130 of money, two pairs of sandals, four pair of shirts and dhotis apart from a few books in his possession when he died. [87] [88]

He was a man of action who believed that any goal could be realized through the correct means and is often referred to as Karma Veerar (man of action) and Perunthalaivar (great or tall leader) in Tamil . [89] Former Vice-president of the United States Hubert Humphrey , referred to Kamaraj as one of the greatest political leaders in all the countries. [90] Though he lacked a formal higher education, he showed good intelligence, intuitiveness and understanding of human nature, which led to him being called by the epithet of Padikkatha Methai (uneducated genius). [3]

In 1976, Kamaraj was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna , India's highest civilian honor. [91] In 2004, Government of India issued special commemorative coins of ₹ 100 and ₹ 5 denomination to mark the centenary celebrations of him. [92]

Many public places, roads and buildings are named after Kamaraj. Madurai University is renamed as Madurai Kamaraj University in his honor. [93] The old domestic terminal of Chennai International Airport is named "Kamaraj Terminal". [94] The port at Ennore in North Chennai has been named as Kamarajar Port Limited . [95] The railway station at Maraimalai Nagar , a municipality south of Chennai, is named as Maraimalai Nagar Kamarajar Railway Station . [96] Major roads bearing his name include the North Parade Road in Bengaluru , [97] Marina Beach Road in Chennai, [98] and Parliament Road in New Delhi . [99] There are many statues dedicated to him across India including at Parliament of India in New Delhi and the Marina Beach facade in Chennai to honor him. [100]

In 2004, a Tamil-language film titled Kamaraj was made based on the life history of Kamaraj. [101]

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• ↑ Kapur, Raghu Pati (1966). Kamaraj, the iron man . University of California . p.   12.
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• 1 2 Bhatnagar, R. K. (13 October 2009). "Tributes To Kamaraj" . Asian Tribune . Archived from the original on 21 February 2014 . Retrieved 3 February 2014 .
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• ↑ Kandaswamy 2001 , p.   62 .
• ↑ Muthiah, S. (2008). Madras, Chennai: A 400-year Record of the First City of Modern India . Palaniappa Brothers. p.   354. ISBN   978-8-183-79468-8 .
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• ↑ Sinha, Dipa (20 April 2016). Women, Health and Public Services in India: Why are states different? . Routledge . ISBN   978-1-317-23525-5 . Archived from the original on 1 July 2023 . Retrieved 14 November 2020 .
• ↑ Literacy Differentials in Tamil Nadu: A District Level Analysis (PDF) (Report). 11 July 2020. p.   2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 December 2023 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
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• 1 2 "What the modern, developed Tamil Nadu of today owes to K Kamaraj" . The Indian Express . 23 April 2024. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 29 April 2024 .
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• ↑ Rajmohan Gandhi (2010). Rajaji: A Life . Penguin Books . ISBN   978-9-385-89033-8 . Archived from the original on 25 July 2024 . Retrieved 16 July 2024 .
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• ↑ "K Kamaraj's 120th birth anniversary: Remembering Congress's crisis man, 'kingmaker' " . The Indian Express . 16 July 2023. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
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• ↑ "When Madras first voted" . The Hindu . 25 April 2014. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
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• ↑ Kandaswamy 2001 , p.   58 .
• ↑ Statistical Report on General Election, 1957   : To the Legislative Assembly of Madras (PDF) (Report). Election Commission of India . Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2013 . Retrieved 26 July 2015 .
• ↑ 1962 Madras State Election Results (PDF) (Report). Election Commission of India . Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2013 . Retrieved 19 April 2009 .
• ↑ Statistical Report on General Election 1967 (PDF) (Report). Election Commission of India . Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2012 . Retrieved 19 April 2009 .
• ↑ "After over 50 years, Kanniyakumari will face Lok Sabha bypolls" . The Hindu . 7 September 2020. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ Volume I, 1971 Indian general election, 5th Lok Sabha (PDF) (Report). Election Commission of India . Archived from the original on 7 October 2010 . Retrieved 1 April 2009 . {{ cite report }} : CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ( link )
• ↑ "Kumaraswami Kamaraj Dead; Power Broker in Indian Politics" . The New York Times . 3 October 1975. ISSN   0362-4331 . Archived from the original on 20 January 2022 . Retrieved 28 April 2020 .
• ↑ "The last days of King Maker Kamaraj" . India Herald . Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "CM unveils Kamaraj memorial" . The Hindu . 16 July 2019. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "Kamarajar memorial" . Government of Tamil Nadu . Archived from the original on 29 September 2023 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ Narasimhan & Narayanan 2007 , p.   216.
• 1 2 Parthasarathi 1982 , p.   45 .
• ↑ Sanjeev & Nair 1989 , p.   139 .
• ↑ M. S. Muthuswamy (1988). K. Kamaraj: A Socio-political Study . University of Michigan . p.   219.
• ↑ Narasimhan & Narayanan 2007 , p.   213.
• 1 2 3 George Abraham Pottamkulam (2021). Tamil Nadu: People, places and Potpourri . Notion Press . p.   213. ISBN   978-1-649-51690-9 . Archived from the original on 25 July 2024 . Retrieved 25 July 2024 .
• ↑ "To regain lost glory, Congress needs a Kamaraj as its leader" . The Pioneer . 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "A true leader" . The Hindu . 26 January 2012. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ Chhibber, Maneesh (2 October 2018). "K. Kamaraj: The southern stalwart who gave India two PMs" . The Print . Archived from the original on 25 July 2024 . Retrieved 11 March 2021 .
• ↑ Padma Awards Directory (1954–2007) (PDF) (Report). Ministry of Home Affairs , Government of India . Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009 . Retrieved 7 December 2010 .
• ↑ "Bharat Ratna Shri K. Kamraj-(2 Coin Set-Rs. 100 & 5)" . India Government Mint . Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "Man of the people" . The Tribune . 4 October 1975. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008.
• ↑ "Chennai: Airport terminals to be reconstructed" . Deccan Chronicle . 20 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "Kamarajar port to become 'Cape' compliant" . The Hindu Business Line . 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024 . Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
• ↑ "Maraimalai Nagar Kamarajar Railway Station" . Indiarailinfo . Archived from the original on 3 November 2023 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "Kamaraj Road in Bengaluru to open as one-way by mid-May" . The New Indian Express . 16 April 2024. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 29 April 2024 .
• ↑ "Traffic diversion on Kamarajar Salai for R-Day" . The Times of India . 22 January 2024. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024 . Retrieved 1 February 2024 .
• ↑ "Cycle track plan picks up pace, NDMC awaits nod" . The Times of India . 12 April 2023. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "How Kamaraj Pioneered The Mid-Day Meal Scheme" . The Madras Courier . 3 October 2023. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024 . Retrieved 1 December 2023 .
• ↑ "Film on former CM Kamaraj to be re-released with additional content' " . The Times of India . 16 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023 . Retrieved 24 March 2020 .
• Kandaswamy, P (2001). Political Career of K. Kamraj . Concept Publishing Company. ISBN   978-8-170-22801-1 .
• Murthi, R. K. (2005). Encyclopedia of Bharat Ratnas . Pitambar Publishing. ISBN   978-8-120-91307-3 .
• Narasimhan, V. K.; Narayanan, V. N. (2007). Kamaraj, a Study . National Book Trust . ISBN   978-8-123-74876-4 .
• Parthasarathi, R. (1982). Builders of modern India:K. Kamaraj (PDF) . Ministry of Information and Broadcasting , Government of India . ISBN   978-8-123-01293-3 .
• Sanjeev, Sudha; Nair, Bhavana (1989). Remembering Our Leaders . Vol.   7. Children's Book Trust . ISBN   978-8-170-11767-4 .

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Karmavirar Kamaraj Life History in English

• July 14, 2023
• Recent Posts

Kumaraswami Kamaraj (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. 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 Nehru’s death and Indira Gandhi after Shastri’s death. 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 awarded with India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, posthumously in 1976. 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.

Nagercoil by-election victory

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.

Personal life

During his tenure as Chief Minister, when the municipality of Virudhunagar provided a direct water connection to his house in his hometown, Kamarajar ordered it to be disconnected immediately as he did not want any special privileges. He refused to use the Z-level security that was provided to him as the CM of Tamil Nadu and instead travelled with just one police patrol vehicle. He did not marry, did not own any property and was never tempted by power When he died, he left behind ₹130, 2 pairs of sandals, 4 shirts, 4 dhotis and a few books.

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.when he at the age of 7 he saw a poster and vande matram had written on the poster and that was the first inspiration get to Kamaraj to fight against British. In 1920, when he was 18, he became active in politics. He joined Congress as a full-time political worker.[citation needed] In 1921 Kamaraj organised public meetings at Virudhunagar for Congress leaders. He was eager to meet 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.[citation needed] 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. While in jail, he was elected as Municipal Councillor of Virudhunagar. He was released nine months later in November 1941 and resigned from this post as he thought he had greater responsibility for the nation. His principle was “One should not accept any post to which one could not do full justice”.

In 1942, Kamaraj attended the All-India Congress Committee in Bombay and returned to spread propaganda material for the Quit India Movement. The police issued orders to all the leaders who attended this Bombay session. Kamaraj did not want to be arrested before he took the message to all district and local leaders. finishing his work and sent a message to the local police that he was ready to be arrested. He was arrested in August 1942. He was under detention for three years and was released in June 1945. This was his last prison term. Kamaraj was imprisoned six times by the British for his pro-Independence activities, that added up to more than 3,000 days in jail.

During the anti-cow slaughter agitation in 1966, Kamaraj’s house near the parliament was burnt down by Hindutva groups. The agitation was incited by Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the political arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). They also surrounded his house with an intent to attack him. Kamaraj had a narrow escape.

National politics

After Nehru’s death in 1964, Kamaraj successfully navigated the party through turbulent times. As the president of INC, he refused to become the next Prime Minister himself and was instrumental in bringing to power two Prime Ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1964 and Nehru’s daughter Indira Gandhi 1966. For this role, he was widely acclaimed as the “kingmaker” during the 1960s.

When the Congress split in 1969, Kamaraj became the leader of the Indian National Congress (Organisation) (INC(O)) in Tamil Nadu. The party fared poorly in the 1971 elections amid allegations of fraud by the opposition parties. He remained the leader of INC(O) until his death in 1975.

Chief Minister

On 13 April 1954, Kamaraj became the Chief Minister of Madras Province. To everyone’s surprise, Kamaraj nominated C. Subramaniam , who had contested his leadership, to the newly formed cabinet.

As Chief Minister, Kamaraj removed the family vocation-based Modified Scheme of Elementary Education 1953 introduced by Rajaji. He reopened 6000 schools closed in the previous government by C. Rajagopalachari citing financial reasons and reopened 12,000 more schools. The State made immense strides in education and trade. New schools were opened, so that poor rural students had to walk no more than three kilometres to their nearest school. Better facilities were added to existing ones. No village remained without a primary school and no panchayat without a high school. Kamaraj strove to eradicate illiteracy by introducing free and compulsory education up to the eleventh standard. He introduced the Midday Meal Scheme to provide at least one meal per day to the lakhs of poor school children. He introduced free school uniforms to weed out caste, creed and class distinctions among young minds.

Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Statue in Kamaraj Colony, Hosur During the colonial era, the local education rate was at 7%; after Kamaraj’s reforms, it reached 37%. Apart from increasing the number of schools, steps were taken to improve standards of education. To improve standards, the number of working days was increased from 180 to 200; unnecessary holidays were reduced; and syllabi were prepared to give opportunity to various abilities. Kamaraj and Bishnuram Medhi (Governor) took efforts to establish IIT Madras in 1959.

Major irrigation schemes were planned in Kamaraj’s period. Dams and irrigation canals were built across higher Bhavani, Mani Muthar, Aarani, Vaigai, Amaravathi, Sathanur, Krishnagiri, Pullambadi, Parambikulam and Neyyaru among others. The Lower Bhavani Dam in Erode district brought 207,000 acres (840 km2) of land under cultivation. 45,000 acres (180 km2) of land benefited from canals constructed from the Mettur Dam. The Vaigai and Sathanur systems facilitated cultivation across thousands of acres of lands in Madurai and North Arcot districts respectively. Rs 30 crores were planned to be spent for Parambikulam River scheme, and 150 lakhs of acres of lands were brought under cultivation; one third of this (i.e. 56 lakhs of acres of land) received a permanent irrigation facility. In 1957–61 1,628 tanks were de-silted under the Small Irrigation Scheme, and 2,000 wells were dug with outlets. Long-term loans with 25% subsidy were given to farmers. In addition farmers who had dry lands were given oil engines and electric pump sets on an instalment basis.

Industries with huge investments in crores of Rupees were started in his period: Neyveli Lignite Corporation, BHEL at Trichy, Manali Refinery, Hindustan raw photo film factory at Ooty, surgical instruments factory at Chennai, and a railway coach factory at Chennai were established. Industries such as paper, sugar, chemicals and cement took off during the period.

The death of A. Nesamony in 1968 led to the by-election in Nagercoil Lok Sabha constituency. Realising the popularity of Kamaraj in this constituency and the potential danger posed by Kamaraj’s election after the Indian National Congress party’s debacle in 1967 election, C. Rajagopalachari wrote in Swarajya, the magazine of the Swatantra Party, about the need to defeat him and appealed to C. N. Annadurai to support M. Mathias, the Swatantra Party candidate. Annadurai deputed M. Karunanidhi, the then Minister for Public Works, to Nagercoil to work in support of Mathias. Despite the efforts, Kamaraj won decisively with a 1,28,201-vote margin on 8 January 1969.

Kamaraj Memorial in Chennai Kamaraj died at his home, on Gandhi Jayanti day (2 October 1975), which also was the 12th anniversary of his resignation. He was aged 72 and died in his sleep due to a heart attack.

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Español NEW K. Kamaraj facts for kids 2nd 13 April 1954 – 2 October 1963 Governor Preceded by Succeeded by M. Bhakthavatsalam Constituency Gudiyatham (1954-1957) and Sattur (1957-1963) 9 January 1969 – 2 October 1975 Prime Minister Preceded by A. Nesamony Succeeded by Kumari Ananthan Constituency Nagercoil 13 May 1952 – 12 April 1954 Prime Minister Preceded by Succeeded by Constituency President of the Indian National Congress (Organisation) 12 November 1969 – 2 October 1975 Preceded by Succeeded by 1964–1967 Preceded by Succeeded by S. Nijalingappa President of the Madras Provincial Congress Committee 1946–1952 Succeeded by P. Subbarayan Member of the Madras State Legislative Assembly 6 August 1954 – 28 February 1967 Constituency Gudiyatham (1954-1957) Sattur (1957-1967) Personal details Born (1903-07-15)15 July 1903 , , (present-day , , ) Died 2 October 1975(1975-10-02) (aged 72) (present-day , , ) Cause of death Resting place Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Ninaivagam Political party Indian National Congress (O) (1969-1975) Other political affiliations (until 1969) Spouse None Children None Residences Kamarajar Illam 1/10, Thyagaraya Nagar, , , Profession Awards (1976) (posthumously) Signature Nicknames Kumaraswami Kamaraj (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. 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 Nehru 's death and Indira Gandhi after Shastri's death. 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 awarded with India's highest civilian honour , the Bharat Ratna , posthumously in 1976. US Vice-President Hubert Humphrey , called Kamaraj as "one of the greatest political leaders in all the countries of the free world" in January 1966. Kamaraj Plan National politics, electoral history, personal life, popular culture. Kamaraj was born on 15 July 1903 in Virudhunagar , Tamil Nadu , to Kumaraswami and Sivakami Ammal. His name was originally Kamatchi, later changed to Kamarajar. His father Kumaraswami 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 18, 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 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 Sir 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. While in jail, he was elected as Municipal Councillor of Virudhunagar. He was released nine months later in November 1941 and resigned from this post as he thought he had greater responsibility for the nation. His principle was "One should not accept any post to which one could not do full justice". In 1942, Kamaraj attended the All-India Congress Committee in Bombay and returned to spread propaganda material for the Quit India Movement. The police issued orders to all the leaders who attended this Bombay session. Kamaraj did not want to be arrested before he took the message to all district and local leaders. finishing his work and sent a message to the local police that he was ready to be arrested. He was arrested in August 1942. He was under detention for three years and was released in June 1945. This was his last prison term. Kamaraj was imprisoned six times by the British for his pro-Independence activities, that added up to more than 3,000 days in jail. During the anti-cow slaughter agitation in 1966, Kamaraj's house near the parliament was burnt down by Hindutva groups. The agitation was incited by Bharatiya Jana Sangh , the political arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). They also surrounded his house with an intent to attack him. Kamaraj had a narrow escape. Chief Minister On 13 April 1954, Kamaraj became the Chief Minister of Madras Province . To everyone's surprise, Kamaraj nominated C. Subramaniam and M. Bhakthavatsalam, who had contested his leadership, to the newly formed cabinet. As Chief Minister , Kamaraj removed the family vocation based Hereditary Education Policy introduced by Rajaji . He reopened 6000 schools closed in the previous government by C. Rajagopalachari citing financial reasons and reopened 12,000 more schools. The State made immense strides in education and trade. New schools were opened, so that poor rural students had to walk no more than three kilometres to their nearest school. Better facilities were added to existing ones. No village remained without a primary school and no panchayat without a high school. Kamaraj strived to eradicate illiteracy by introducing free and compulsory education up to the eleventh standard. He introduced the Midday Meal Scheme to provide at least one meal per day to the lakhs of poor school children. He introduced free school uniforms to weed out caste, creed and class distinctions among young minds. During the British regime the education rate was only 7%. But after Kamaraj's reforms it reached 37%. Apart from increasing the number of schools, steps were taken to improve standards of education. To improve standards, the number of working days was increased from 180 to 200; unnecessary holidays were reduced; and syllabi were prepared to give opportunity to various abilities. Kamaraj and Bishnuram Medhi (Governor) took efforts to establish IIT Madras in 1959. Major irrigation schemes were planned in Kamaraj's period. Dams and irrigation canals were built across higher Bhavani, Mani Muthar, Aarani, Vaigai, Amaravathi, Sathanur, Krishnagiri , Pullambadi, Parambikulam and Neyyaru among others. The Lower Bhavani Dam in Erode district brought 207,000 acres (840 km 2 ) of land under cultivation. 45,000 acres (180 km 2 ) of land benefited from canals constructed from the Mettur Dam. The Vaigai and Sathanur systems facilitated cultivation across thousands of acres of lands in Madurai and North Arcot districts respectively. Rs 30 crores were planned to be spent for Parambikulam River scheme, and 150 lakhs of acres of lands were brought under cultivation; one third of this (i.e. 56 lakhs of acres of land) received a permanent irrigation facility. In 1957–61 1,628 tanks were de-silted under the Small Irrigation Scheme, and 2,000 wells were dug with outlets. Long-term loans with 25% subsidy were given to farmers. In addition farmers who had dry lands were given oil engines and electric pump sets on an instalment basis. Industries with huge investments in crores of Rupees were started in his period: Neyveli Lignite Corporation, BHEL at Trichy, Manali Refinery, Hindustan raw photo film factory at Ooty, surgical instruments factory at Chennai, and a railway coach factory at Chennai were established. Industries such as paper, sugar, chemicals and cement took off during the period. Kamaraj remained Chief Minister for three consecutive terms , winning elections in 1957 and 1962. Kamaraj noticed that the Congress party was slowly losing its vigour. On Gandhi Jayanti day 2 October 1963, he resigned from the post of the Chief Minister. He proposed that all senior Congress leaders should resign from their posts and devote all their energy to the re-vitalization of the Congress. In 1963 he suggested to Nehru that senior Congress leaders should leave ministerial posts to take up organisational work. This suggestion came to be known as the Kamaraj Plan , which was designed primarily to dispel from the minds of Congressmen the lure of power, creating in its place a dedicated attachment to the objectives and policies of the organisation. Six Union Ministers and six Chief Ministers including Lal Bahadur Shastri , Jagjivan Ram , Morarji Desai , Biju Patnaik and S.K. Patil followed suit and resigned from their posts. Impressed by Kamaraj's achievements and acumen, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru felt that his services were needed more at the national level. In a swift move he brought Kamaraj to Delhi as the President of the Indian National Congress. Nehru realised that in addition to wide learning and vision, Kamaraj possessed enormous common sense and pragmatism. Kamaraj was elected the President of Indian National Congress on 9 October 1963. After Nehru's death in 1964, Kamaraj successfully navigated the party through turbulent times. As the president of INC, he refused to become the next Prime Minister himself and was instrumental in bringing to power two Prime Ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1964 and Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi in 1966. For this role, he was widely acclaimed as the "kingmaker" during the 1960s. When the Congress split in 1969, Kamaraj became the leader of the Indian National Congress (Organisation) (INC(O)) in Tamil Nadu. The party fared poorly in the 1971 elections amid allegations of fraud by the opposition parties. He remained the leader of INC(O) until his death in 1975. Year Post Constituency Party Opponent Election Result 1937 MLA Sattur INC Unopposed 1937 elections Won 1946 MLA Sattur-Aruppukottai INC Unopposed 1946 elections Won 1952 MP Srivilliputtur INC G. D. Naidu Indian General Elections, 1951 Won 1954 MLA Gudiyatham INC V. K. Kothandaraman By Election Won 1957 MLA Sattur INC Jayarama Reddiar 1957 Madras legislative assembly election Won 1962 MLA Sattur INC P. Ramamoorthy 1962 Madras legislative assembly election Won 1967 MLA Virudhunagar INC P. Seenivasan 1967 Tamil Nadu state assembly election Lost 1969 MP Nagercoil INC M. Mathias By Election Won 1971 MP Nagercoil INC(O) M. C. Balan Indian General Elections, 1971 Won During his tenure as Chief Minister, when the municipality of Virudhunagar provided a direct water connection to his house in his hometown, Kamarajar ordered it to be disconnected immediately as he did not want any special privileges. He refused to use the Z-level security that was provided to him as the CM of Tamil Nadu and instead travelled with just one police patrol vehicle. He did not marry, did not own any property and was never tempted by power. When he died, he left behind 130 rupees, 2 pairs of sandals, 4 shirts, 4 dhotis and a few books. Kamaraj died at his home, on Gandhi Jayanti day (2 October 1975), which also was the 12th anniversary of his resignation. He was aged 72 and died in his sleep due to a heart attack. Kamaraj was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna , posthumously in 1976. The domestic terminal of the Chennai airport is named "Kamaraj Terminal". Marina beach road in Chennai was named as "Kamarajar Salai". North Parade Road in Bengaluru and Parliament road in New Delhi were also renamed after Kamaraj. Madurai Kamaraj University is named in his honour. In 2003, the Government of India released a commemorative coin on his birthday. In 2004 a Tamil -language film titled Kamaraj was made based on the life history of Kamaraj. The English version of the film was released on DVD in 2007. This page was last modified on 31 August 2024, at 07:02. Suggest an edit . 182 IMAGES biography of Kamarajar/15 Lines on Kamarajar/ essay on Kumaraswami Kamara Kamarajar Speech and Biography in English for Students Biography of Kamarajar in English life history of kamarajar கருப்பு காந்தி காமராஜர் Tribute to Kamarajar || Presented by Mrs. Jansi VIDEO காமராஜர் தமிழ் கட்டுரை Most Unknown Facts about Great Leader Kamarajar\K V Entertains life history of kamarajar kamarajar speech English Kamarajar speech kamarajar speech in english|easy lines |speech on kamarajar|English COMMENTS K. Kamaraj K. Kamaraj. Kumaraswami Kamaraj (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 from 13 April 1954 to 2 October 1963. He also served as the president of the Indian National Congress between 1964-1967 and was responsible for the ... K. Kamaraj Biography K. Kamaraj was an Indian politician and statesman who played an important role in pre and post-Independent politics in India. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, political career and timeline. Kumaraswami Kamaraj Kumaraswami Kamaraj was an Indian independence activist and statesman who rose from humble beginnings to become a legislator in the Madras Presidency (an administrative unit of British India that encompassed much of southern India), chief minister (head of government) of the successor Madras state Remembering K Kamaraj: The man who shaped the dreams of Tamil Nadu One evening more than five decades ago, K Kamaraj — the third chief minister of Tamil Nadu — was touring the countryside. As was his habit, he got down from his car and walked up to a group of agricultural labourers in a paddy field. He noticed a few children working alongside the group of men and women. When he asked why were the children ... Kumaraswami Kamaraj Encyclopedia of World Biography. Kumaraswami KamarajPolitical leader Kumaraswami Kamaraj (1903-1975) rose from the next-to-lowest rung in the caste system of India to become president of the all-powerful Congress party. He was known simply as Kamaraj, now used as his surname. The low caste Nadars were rising in importance when Kamaraj was born ... SHRI K. KAMRAJ SHRI K. KAMRAJ Kumaraswami Kamaraj played a leading role in shaping India's destiny after the passing away of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, to the Congress split in 1969. Kamaraj: The Life and Times of K. Kamaraj Books. Kamaraj: The Life and Times of K. Kamaraj. Bala Jeyaraman. Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd, Sep 2, 2013 - Biography & Autobiography - 126 pages. To many, Kumarasami Kamaraj's story is the stuff of legends. His political career afforded him many roles, and he is recognized till today for his accomplishments as a freedom fighter ... K. Kamaraj Kamaraj was a vocal activist against the British Raj, who was inspired to join the freedom struggle by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. His participation in the Salt Satyagraha resulted in the first of several imprisonments. He also participated in the Nagpur flag Satyagraha, and led the Sword Satyagraha and the Neil Statue Satyagraha. K. Kamaraj Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Nationality. India. Political party. Indian National Congress. Signature. Kumarasami Kamaraj (குமாரசாமி காமராஜ்), better known as K. Kamaraj (15 July 1903 - 2 October 1975), was an Indian politician from Tamil Nadu. He was an important figure in Indian politics during the 1960s. He ... K. Kamaraj K. Kamaraj Biography. K. Kamaraj was an Indian politician and is marked as the Kingmaker of the Indian politics. He served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1954 to 1963. He was elected as the member of the Parliament from 1952 to 1954 and 1969 to 1975. He was greatly praised for his simplicity and integrity. Kingmaker Kamaraj: A symbol of selflessness and simplicity July 15 marked the 115th birth anniversary of K. Kamaraj who played a crucial role in the country's post-Independence history, especially after the death of India's first and longest serving ... K Kamaraj's 120th birth anniversary: Remembering Congress's crisis man As a leader and two-time chief minister of the Madras State (present-day Tamil Nadu), he is credited for investing heavily in the state's education and health. Under Kamaraj, Madras became one of the most industrialised states in India, garnering him respect from Jawaharlal Nehru as well. The Wire: The Wire News India, Latest News,News from India, Politics As chief minister, he oversaw post-independence "golden age" of Madras state. As Congress president, he oversaw the leadership change after Nehru's death. Remembering Kamaraj, The Kingmaker He was, as the nationalists in Tamil Nadu then battling the Dravidian forces reverentially called him, ' karma veerar Kamarajar' or karma veer Kamaraj. King-maker Kamaraj with three of the ... Kingmaker Kamaraj: A symbol of selflessness and simplicity July 15 marked the 115th birth anniversary of K. Kamaraj who played a crucial role in the country's post-Independence history, especially after the death of India's first and longest serving ... Kamarajar Essay in English in 100 words, 1000 words & 10 Lines In this article, we've provided Kamarajar Essay in English in 100 words, 500 words, 1000 words & 10 lines. This essay delves into the biography of Kamarajar, his pivotal role in shaping Tamil Nadu's history, and his enduring commitment to public service. K. Kamaraj Kumaraswami Kamaraj (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 from 13 April 1954 to 2 October 1963. He also served as the president of the Indian National Congress between 1964-1967 and was responsible for the elevation of Lal ... Karmavirar Kamaraj Life History in English Karmavirar Kamaraj Life History in English. Kumaraswami Kamaraj (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. He was the founder and the president of the Indian National ... K. Kamaraj facts for kids Signature. Nicknames. Karmaveerar. Perunthalaivar. Kingmaker. Kumaraswami Kamaraj (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. He was the founder and the president of the ... Kamarajar What made Kamarajar to begin his political career? Kamaraj had the habit of reading newspapers that turned his focus towards the political conditions. The news of Jallianwala Bagh massacre was the turning point that ignited him to fight for Independence to make an end for the foreign rule. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis