P. Subbarayan

Indian politician

Paramasivan Subbarayan (11 September 1889 – 6 October 1962) was an Indian politician, freedom fighter and diplomat and was the First Minister of Madras Presidency, India's ambassador to Indonesia and Union Minister of Transport and Communications in Jawaharlal Nehru's government. He was the father of General P. P. Kumaramangalam, who served as India's Chief of Army staff, and of politician Mohan Kumaramangalam. He was also the grandfather of INC and BJP politician and Union Minister Rangarajan Kumaramangalam. Subbarayan was born on 11 September 1889 in the family estate at Kumaramangalam, Salem district and had his education at Presidency College, Trinity College Dublin, the University of London and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1922, he was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council. He served as the First Minister of Madras Presidency from 4 December 1926 to 27 October 1930. In 1933, Subbarayan joined the Indian National Congress and served as the Minister of Law and Education in Rajaji's cabinet and the Minister of Police and Home in Ramaswamy Reddiar's cabinet. Subbarayan participated and was imprisoned in the Quit India Movement. He served as independent India's ambassador to Indonesia and as Union Minister from 1959 to 1962. Subbarayan died on 6 October 1962 at the age of 73. He was the Governor of Maharashtra until his death.

Subbarayan was born to Paramasiva Gounder in the family estate of Kumaramangalam near Tiruchengode, Namakkal district on 11 September 1889. He belonged to the family of Zamindars. He graduated from the Presidency College and LLD from the Christ Church, Oxford and Trinity College Dublin respectively. He took the side of C. R. Reddy and the Swarajists and voted against the Raja of Pangal during the no confidence motion of 1923. The Swaraj Party won 41 of the 98 seats and emerged as the single largest party while the Justice Party won 21. An independent ministry was formed with A. Ranganatha Mudaliar and R. N. Arogyaswamy Mudaliar as the second and third ministers. The Justice Party took the place of an opposition. Subbarayan's Cabinet Portfolio Minister Education, Local Self Government P. Subbarayan (Also First Minister) (1926–1930)Public health, excise A. Ranganatha Mudaliar (1926–1928) S. Muthiah Mudaliar (1928–1930)Development R. N. Arogyasamy Mudaliar (1926–1928) M. R. Sethuratnam Iyer (1928–1930)Source: Encyclopaedia of Political Parties

Because Subbarayan's regime was appointed and largely controlled by the Governor, it became the target of strong criticism both from the Justicites as well as the Swarajists. The Simon Commission was appointed by the British Parliament in 1927 to report on the working of the progress of the Montagu Chelmsford reforms. Subbarayan opposed the resolution but his cabinet ministers Ranganatha Mudaliar and Arogyaswamy Mudaliar supported it. The Simon Commission visited Madras on 28 February 1928 and was boycotted by the Swarajya Party and the Indian National Congress. However, the Justicites and the Subbarayan Government accorded the commission a warm reception.

The Raja of Panagal government had introduced the Communal Government Order (G. O. No. 613) in 1921 which introduced reservations in the Presidency. However, the provisions of this act were not implemented till 1927. The Subbarayan government, therefore, introduced the Communal G. O. Ms No. 1021 to implement the 1921 order. The act was introduced by S. Muthiah Mudaliar, the Education Minister in Subbarayan's cabinet on 11 April 1927. At the same time, it reduced the reservations for Brahmins from 22% to 16% and non Brahmins from 48% to 42%. The Annamalai University is the first residential university in Madras Presidency. On 1 November 1932, Subbarayan proposed the Temple Entry Bill which permitted low caste Hindus and Dalits enter Hindu temples and made their prohibition illegal and punishable. He also passed a copy of the resolution and the proceedings of the council to Mahatma Gandhi who was in jail. The Viceroy, however, refused permission explaining that temple entry was an all India problem and should not be dealt with in a provincial basis even while clearing Ranga Iyer's bill. The Temple Entry Bill was not passed until the Indian National Congress came to power in 1937. Subbarayan resigned along with other members of the Rajaji cabinet when war was declared in 1939. Subbarayan actively participated in the Quit India Movement and was arrested along with other Congress leaders as Sathyamurthy and M. Bakthavatsalam. In 1947, he served as a Minister for Home and Police in the Ramaswamy Reddiar Cabinet in Madras He served as a member of the Provincial Constitution Committee.

From 1949 to 1951, Subbarayan served as independent India's first ambassador to Indonesia. He was instrumental in the signing of a mutual treaty of friendship with the Indonesian Foreign Minister Mohammad Roem on 3 March 1951. Subbarayan's tenure came to an end in 1951 and he was succeeded by Alagappan.

Subbarayan also served as a member of Rajya Sabha from 1954 to 1957. He was elected again in 1962 but was instead made Governor of Maharashtra. Later when the Indian President Rajendra Prasad sought his opinion on making Hindi as the sole official language, Subbarayan advised against it.

Subbarayan served as the Minister of Transport and Communications in the Government of India union cabinet from 1959 to 1962.

Subbarayan took a keen interest in sports during his lifetime. He wrote numerous articles on cricket and was the Founder president of the Indian Cricket Federation, the first association in the Madras Presidency to represent Indian cricketing interests. He also served as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during the Second World War.

Subbarayan died at the age of 73 on 6 October 1962.

Subbarayan married Kailash Radhabai Kulmud, who was his colleague in Presidency College, by Brahmo rites despite opposition from family members. Radhabai Subbarayan was an active campaigner for women's rights and served as a member of the Indian parliament. Subbarayan's eldest son Mohan Kumaramangalam was a minister in Indira Gandhi's cabinet. A portrait of Subbarayan was unveiled in the central hall of the Indian Parliament on 16 October 1989.