Sir Pitti Theagaraya Chetty KCSI (27 April 1852 – 28 April 1925) was an Indian lawyer, industrialist and a prominent political leader from the erstwhile

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Tamil Nadu, the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and territories of India, Indian state. The largest city ...

province. He was one of the founders of the Justice Party in 1916 along with

C. Natesa Mudaliar Dr. C. Natesa Mudaliar (1875–1937), also known as Natesan, was an Indian politician and activist of the Dravidian Movement from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was one of the founders of the Justice Party, along with P. Theagaraya Chetty ...

, Dr. T. M. Nair. T.Nagar is a locality in Chennai which is named after him. On 1919 January 1, the title Dewan Bahadur was awarded to him Theagaraya Chetty was born in Madras Presidency. After graduating from Presidency College, Madras he served as a corporator and legislator. He had an avid interest in politics and served as a member of the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British ...

before founding the

South Indian Liberal Federation The Justice Party, officially the South Indian Liberal Federation, was a political party in the Madras Presidency of British India. It was established on 20 November 1916 in Victoria Public Hall in Madras by Dr C. Natesa Mudaliar and co-found ...

in 1917. He served as the president of the federation from 1917 till his death in 1925.

Early life

Chetty was born to a Devanga family in Egathur,

Madras Presidency The Madras Presidency, or the Presidency of Fort St. George, also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included most of southern India, including th ...

on 27 April 1852. He did his schooling in Chennai and graduated in law from Presidency College, Madras. On graduation, he entered public life and served as a member of the Corporation of Madras from 1882 to 1922. He also served terms as the president of the Corporation of Madras, and then as a Councillor till 1922. Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 146 He was the first non-official President of the Madras Corporation. He was one of the founder-members of the South Indian Chamber of Commerce and served as its president. Some Madras Leaders from 1910 to 1921. When the Industrial Conference came to Madras, Theagaraya Chetty was the chairman of the Reception Committee. Theagaraya Chetty fought on behalf of the ''Indian Patriot'' newspaper and its editor Karunakara Menon against Dr T. M. Nair who later became his close associate.

The Dravidian Movement

The Madras Non-Brahmin Association was formed in 1909 by two lawyers from Madras city, P. Subramanyam and M. Purushotham Naidu. Sir Theagaroya Chetty did not involve himself in the movement until 1912, when the Madras United League (Later renamed as Madras Dravidian Association) was formed. At a meeting held in Madras in November 1916 by a group of about thirty people, including Theagaraya Chetti and Dr. T. M. Nair, it was resolved to start a company for publishing newspapers advocating the cause of the non-Brahmin community. The newspaper was named ''Justice'' and started publishing from 26 February 1917 onwards. Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 17 Dr. T. M. Nair was its first Editor. The South Indian People's Association was later formed as the mouthpiece of non-Brahmins with organizing the media arm of the non-Brahmin Movement as its main objective. A political party was organised by the South Indian People's Association under the leadership of Sir P.Theagaroya Chetty and Dr. T. M. Nair and was named the South Indian Liberal Federation. It later came to be popularly known as the Justice Party after the English daily Justice which the party published. The Federation was organised in October 1917 and its objectives were defined as :

Early Years of the Justice Party

Theagaraya Chetty was elected the first president of the Justice Party and served as president until his death in 1925. A constitution was drawn on 17 October 1917. Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 141 District and city boards were established all over the Presidency. Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 151 Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 153–155 In the initial stages, the Justice Party concentrated its energies on work of a social character than political. During this period, the Justice Party held all-India non-Brahmin conferences to unite non-Brahmins all over the country. Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 160-163 The Justice Party argued for separate electorates and reservations in government jobs and civil service for non-Brahmins, at the British Parliament in London. Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 173-174 In 1919, Dr.

T. M. Nair Taravath Madhavan Nair (15 January 1868 – 17 July 1919) was an Indian politician and political activist of the Dravidian Movement from the Madras Presidency. He founded the Justice Party (India), Justice Party along with Theagaraya Chetty and ...

, the President of the Justice Party and leader of the delegation died in London at the age of fifty-one and was succeeded as President by Theagaraya Chetty.

1920 elections

When elections were held in December 1920 in the Madras Presidency as per the

Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms The Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms or more briefly known as the Mont–Ford Reforms, were introduced by the colonial government to introduce self-governing institutions gradually in British India. The reforms take their name from Edwin Montagu, th ...

, the Justice Party obtained a comfortable majority by winning 63 seats out of 98. The Governor of Madras invited Theagaraya Chetty to form the Government. However, Theagaraya Chetty refused on account of the ethical rule that head of a political party can't hold a post in the cabinet too. As a result,

A. Subbarayalu Reddiar Diwan Bahadur Agaram Subbarayalu Reddiar (b. 15 October 1855 – d. November 1921) was a landlord and List of chief ministers of Madras Presidency, Chief Minister or Premier of Madras Presidency from 17 December 1920 to 11 July 1921. Subbaraya ...

was appointed Chief Minister. He served for a few months before being succeeded by the Raja of Panagal.

Attitude towards Brahmins

In his speech as the president of the Reception Committee of the First Non-Brahmin Confederation, Theagaraya Chetty spoke:

Death and legacy

Theagaraya Chetty died on 28 April 1925 and was succeeded by the Raja of Panagal as the president of the Justice Party. Encyclopedia of Political Parties, Pg 187 He is usually credited for the victories of the Justice Party in the 1920 and 1923 elections and for turning the Justice Party into a formidable force in the Presidency that continued to be so for a couple of decades. The locality T Nagar in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of ...

is named after him. It is an important commercial centre today.

Notes

References

* * , Pg 38 - 42

External links

Obituary published in Periyar E. V. Ramasamy's Kudi Arasu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Theagaroya, Chetty 1852 births 1925 deaths Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India Indian knights Tamil Nadu politicians Presidency College, Chennai alumni Justice Party (India) politicians Telugu people