 | |
Chief Minister of Madras Presidency | |
|---|---|
| In office March 23, 1947 – April 6, 1949 | |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Governor | Archibald Edward Nye, Krishna Kumarasingh Bhavasingh |
| Preceded by | Tanguturi Prakasam |
| Succeeded by | P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja |
| Born | Omandur, South Arcot, Madras Presidency |
| Died | Vadalur |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Writer, Statesman |
| Profession | lawyer |
| Religion | Hindu |
Omandur Ramasamy Reddiar (Tamil: ஓமந்தூர் ராமசாமி ரெட்டியார்) (1895 – 1970) was an Indian freedom-fighter and politician of the Indian National Congress. He served as the Premier of Madras Presidency from March 23, 1947 to April 6, 1949.[1][2]
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[edit] Early life
Omandur Ramaswamy Reddiyar was born in 1895 in the village of Omandur near Tindivanam in the then South Arcot district of Madras Presidency. He belonged to a Telugu Reddy family domiciled in the Tamil country. He had his schooling at Walter Scudder school and entered the Indian independence movement at an early age.Ramaswamy Reddiar was a devotee of Sri Ramana Maharshi.
[edit] As Chief Minister
Ramaswamy Reddiyar became the Chief Minister or Premier of Madras on March 23, 1947 and was in power till April 6, 1949. During his tenure, the Madras Temple Entry Authorization Act 1947 was passed.[3] This act was intended to give Dalits and other prohibited Hindus full and complete rights to enter Hindu temples.[3] This was approved by the Governor on May 11, 1947 and passed as Madras Act 5 of 1947.[4] The Devadasi Dedication Abolition Act of 1947 put an end to the devadasi system that was in vogue in many Hindu temples.[5]It was during Reddiyar's tenure that India achieved independence from the United Kingdom.[6][7] Soon after independence and partition of India, there was a shortage of food grains, especially rice, in the province.[8] In 1948, Reddiyar ordered the purchase of a de Havilland Dove, the first aeroplane to be owned by the Government of Madras.[2]
In 1948, when the Congress legislative party elections were held, Reddiyar's candidature was opposed by Tanguturi Prakasam.[9] However, Reddiyar won with the support of K. Kamaraj.[9] However, the Congress leaders were disgruntled with Reddiyar as he did not allow them special privileges.[9][10] So, during the 1949 Congress Legislative Party elections, Kamaraj supported P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja against Reddiyar Though Reddiyar was supported by C. Rajagopalachari, P. Subbarayan and T. Prakasam, he lost the vote and stepped down as Chief Minister.
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