Rao Bahadur Sir Arogyaswami Thamaraiselvam Pannirselvam (1 June 1888 – 1 March 1940) was an Indian attorney, landlord, politician and leader of the Justice Party. He was born in a royal family of Udayar community from Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu.

Political career

Pannirselvam was the leader of the Tanjore Municipal Corporation during 1918–20 and a member of the Tanjore District board during 1924–30. He was an alumnus of Cambridge University and the first Indian Christian to be appointed as adviser to the

Lord Zetland Marquess of Zetland is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 22 August 1892 for the former Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lawrence Dundas, 3rd Earl of Zetland. Zetland is an archaic form of Shetland. The Dundas family ...

, Secretary of State for India. He attended the 1930 Round Table Conference on India as a nominee of the Viceroy to represent Indian Christians. In 1937, Pannirselvam succeeded

Mohammad Usman Brigadier Mohammad Usman MVC (15 July 1912 – 3 July 1948) was the highest ranking officer of the Indian Army killed in action during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. As a Muslim, Usman became a symbol of India's inclusive secularism. At th ...

as the Minister for Home of the Madras Presidency, in the Raja of Bobbili cabinet. In 1936 he became the member for Home in the Executive Council of the Governor of Madras –

Lord Erskine The Lordship of Parliament of Erskine (Lord Erskine) was created around 1426 for Sir Robert Erskine. The sixth lord was created Earl of Mar in 1565, with which title (and the earldom of Kellie) the lordship then merged. Lords Erskine (c. 1426) * ...

. He also served as the Minister for Home and Finance, in the short lived interim provincial government of Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu during 1 April – 14 July 1937. After the defeat of the Justice party in the 1937 Assembly elections, Pannirselvam became the leader of the Justice party. He was one of the few Justice leaders to win in the 1937 elections, defeating George Joseph of the Indian National Congress from the Tanjore Constituency. The party under his leadership supported the Anti-Hindi agitations of 1937-40. He remained the leader of the party till 1938, when

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (17 September 1879 – 24 December 1973), revered as Periyar or Thanthai Periyar, was an Indian social activist and politician who started the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is known as the 'Fa ...

took over the leadership of the party in December 1938. Pannirselvam was knighted in the

1938 New Year Honours The 1938 New Year Honours were appointments by King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the United Kingdom and British Empire. They were announced on 1 January 1938.United Kingdom and Britis ...

list.

Death

Pannirselvam vanished 1 March 1940. He was traveling to London to join the Secretary of State's Indian Council, when the Imperial Airways flight he was flying in, Handley Page H.P.42 "Hannibal", disappeared in the

Gulf of Oman The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman ( ar, خليج عمان ''khalīj ʿumān''; fa, دریای عمان ''daryâ-ye omân''), also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran ( ar, خلیج مکران ''khalīj makrān''; fa, دریای مکرا� ...

, killing everyone aboard.

Legacy

In 1997, the Tamil Nadu Government named the newly created Tiruvarur district as "Pannirselvam Tiruvarur" district in his honour.Additional Judges to be sworn in on 31 March
/ref> (However, it reverted to its old name in 1997, when all names of persons were dropped from the names of districts and transport corporations.)Name Of The Game Outlook Magazine, 16 July 1997
/ref> On 31 December 2008, the Government of India issued a stamp (valued at Rs. 5) in his honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pannirselvam, A. T. Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council People from Thanjavur district 1888 births 1940 deaths Indian Christians Indian Knights Bachelor Knights Bachelor Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Asia Indian landlords