19 Main points about K.Kamaraj
- Kamraj was born on July 15, 1903, in a family of traders at Virudunagar. district of state Tamil Nadu
- His real name was Kamakshi Kumaraswamy Nadar but was affectionately shortened to Raja by his mother, Sivakami Ammal.
- His father, Kumaraswamy Nader, was a coconut merchant.
- Kamaraj was enrolled at the local elementary school, the Nayanar Vidyalaya but was later shifted to the high school Kshatriya Vidyalaya.
- His father died within a year of Kamaraj’s enrollment in school.
- Kamaraj’s mother sold all jewelery except her earrings and deposited the money with a local merchant and cared for the entire family on the monthly interest that the money earned.
- Kamaraj was not a good student in school and dropped out when he was in the sixth grade.
- When he entered mainstream public life he felt handicapped and realized the importance of a good education.
- He educated himself during his periods of imprisonment and even learned English from his co-worker.
- Kamaraj joined as an apprentice in his maternal uncle Karuppiah’s cloth shop after dropping out of school.
- He was the “3rd chief minister” of the state Madras.
- He strived hard to improve the status of needy and downtrodden people.
- In 1976, he was honoured with “Bharat Ratna”, India's highest civilian award after his death.
- He was the initiator for providing free education to backward class community children.
- He introduced a free mid-day meal scheme in schools.
- He was an active member of Congress party.
- At age of 34, he won the election for the “first time” winning a seat in Sattur assembly in 1937.
- He was imprisoned for 2 years for his active participation in “Salt Satyagraha” movement.
- Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were his sources of inspiration.
Childhood & Early Life
Kumaraswami Kamaraj was born on July 15, 1903 at Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu to Kumaraswamy and Sivakamiv Ammaiar. His father was a merchant. He had a younger sister Nagammal.
In 1907, Kamaraj enrolled at a traditional school. The following year, he enrolled at the Yenadhi Narayana Vidhya Salai but after a year of studies he shifted to Virudupatti High School.
Tragedy struck young Kamaraj when he was merely six. His father died and his mother was forced to support her family. To help his mother, Kamaraj dropped out of school in 1914 to support his family.
Career
Kamaraj started his career doing odd jobs. He worked at his uncle’s provision shop. It was during this time that Kamaraj developed interest in politics. He was an avid newspaper reader and kept himself updated with the current events. He soon became involved with the political processions and public meetings and acquainted himself with the Indian Home Rule Movement.
The 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre was a turning point in Kamaraj’s life. The killing of innocent people instigated a rage of fury and vehemence in Kamaraj who decided to work actively in India’s struggle for freedom and bring an end to British Raj.
Kamaraj’s growing interest in politics was not supported by his family who sent him to Thiruvananthapuram where his second uncle stayed. However, Kamaraj’s passion for politics could not be curtailed in Thiruvananthapuram as well. He participated in the Vaikom Satyagraha led by George Joseph of the Congress, against the atrocities of the higher caste Hindus on the Harijans. Kamaraj met Mahatma Gandhi, India’s face of freedom struggle, at the Madurai’s Congress meet. He was inspired by the latter’s simplicity and non-violence movement.
In 1920, he joined Congress as a full time worker. He actively worked as political campaigner, organizing public meetings and carrying the Congress propaganda.
Early in his career as a political activist, he participated in many events as a part of the Non-Violent Movement including the Nagpur Flag Satyagraha, Sword Satyagraha, Neil Statue Satyagraha and so on. After joining the Congress, he participated in almost all agitations and demonstrations against the British rule.
In 1930, Kamaraj participated in the Rajagopalachari-led Salt Satyagraha Movement in Vedaranyam. He was sentenced for two years. However, his term of imprisonment was cut short following the Gandhi-Irwin Pact that led to his release in 1931.
In 1932, despite ban on public meetings and procession in Madras, he led processions and demonstrations which subsequently led to his arrest and one year imprisonment. In 1933, Kamaraj was yet again charged with involvement in the Virudhunagar bomb case. However, he was acquitted after not being found guilty.
In 1936, Kamaraj’s guru Satyamurti was elected President of the Provincial Congress. The latter appointed Kamaraj as the General Secretary. Four years later, the duo swapped positions strengthening the party base through their leadership skills.
In 1942, he attended the All India Congress Meet in Bombay where Gandhi’s Quit India Movement bore its roots. He spread the propaganda material to Trichy, Tanjore, Ranipet and Madurai and for the same was arrested and imprisoned for three years. During his term in jail, he read and self-educated himself
After India’s independence in 1947 he was elected a member of the Working Committee of the Congress. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the constitution. In 1951 he contested and won a seat in the elections to the first Lok Sabha.
In 1954, he was elected as the Chief Minister of the Madras State. He reluctantly took up the post and nominated his co-contestants C. Subramaniam and M. Bhakthavatsalam in his cabinet. Kamaraj’s motto as Chief Minister was to work for the welfare of the people.
Education was the primary focus of Kamaraj’s Government but he did not overlook other sectors. In fact, he came up with major irrigation schemes that led to the building of dams and canals. Farmers were given facilities and subsidized loans. He also administered the setting up of major industries under his governance such as Neyveli Lignite Corporation, BHEL, Manali Oil Refinery, Hindustan raw photo film factory, surgical instruments factory, a railway coach factory and so on. Industries such as paper, sugar, chemicals and cement were also established during this period.
In 1963, he resigned from his post of the Chief Minister to serve a greater purpose. Congress which was losing its vigour and shine needed a revamp of sorts. He came up with a plan which was called the ‘Kamaraj Plan’. He proposed that all senior Congress leaders should resign from their post and devote their energy towards revitalization of the Congress. It was mainly done to refrain the leaders from the temptation of power and instead re-commit them to party objectives and motto. The Plan was a major hit as a number of ministers like Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jagjivan Ram, Morarji Desai and S.K. Patil resigned from their posts.
In 1964, he was elected the President of the All India Congress. During his term as the President, he successfully steered the nation through the stormy years post Nehru’s death. He refused to take up Prime Ministerial office twice, giving it to Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi in 1964 and 1966 respectively.
During the 1969 split of Congress, Kamaraj became the leader of the Indian National Congress (Organisation) in Tamil Nadu. However, in 1971 the party failed miserably but he retained his position until his death in 1975.
Major Works
Though Kamaraj’s role in politics was significant all through, starting off as a political activist and later as the prominent leader of the Indian Independence Movement, his most important contribution came later in his career as the Chief Minister of Madras State. Under his governance, Madras became one of the best administered states of the country. He emphasized on educational reforms, introducing free compulsory education. He established new schools and introduced the concept of midday meal scheme under which lakhs of poor and deprived children were provided food. He also tried to get rid of caste and creed differences. Irrigation and industry also prospered and grew under his three-consecutive term governance.
Personal Life & Legacy
Posthumously, Kamaraj was bestowed with the nation’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna in 1976.
He was proclaimed with the title of ‘Kalvi Thanthai’ or Father of Education in Tamil Nadu.
Chennai airport named its domestic terminal ‘Kamaraj Terminal’.
Several roads and streets across the country are named to honor Kamaraj’s contribution in Indian politics and governance such as Chennai's beach road which bears the name ‘Kamarajar Salai’. Bangalore's North Parade Road and Parliament road in New Delhi were renamed ‘K. Kamaraj Road’.
A university in Madurai was inaugurated under his name, Madurai Kamaraj University, honouring his educational policies as the CM of Madras.
