Today marks the 117th birth anniversary of one of the greatest post-independence leaders and pre-independence freedom fighters of India, Kumarswamy Kamaraj, fondly known as the Kingmaker. A renowned politician, activist and statesman, Kamaraj started his political career during India’s struggle of independence.
Starting as merely a campaigner, he went on to become a legislator in the Madras Presidency, and was later appointed the Chief Minister of Madras. On the occasion of the Kingmaker’s birth-anniversary, here are some unknown facts about him:
After the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Kamaraj decided to devote his life to India’s fight for freedom from British rule.
He was one of the very few leaders who raised their voices against injustice towards lower caste citizens in India. In 1922, he joined Vaikom Satyagraha that called out atrocities of the higher caste Hindus against Harijans.
During India’s struggle for freedom, Kamaraj was jailed multiple times — in 1930, he was jailed for his active participation in the salt Satyagraha movement and in 1937, he was jailed for protesting against the arrest of Mahatma Gandhi.
He was appointed the Chief Minister of Madras Province in 1954. After his appointment as the Chief Minister of Madras(now Tamilnadu), the education rate in the state rose from 7 percent to 37 percent. He introduced new irrigation schemes, built new dams and canals for which the state is known today.
Major industries such as Neyveli Lignite Corporation, BHEL, Manali Oil Refinery, Hindustan raw photo film factory, a railway coach factory and a few other industries such as paper, sugar, and chemicals were introduced during Kamaraj’s government.
In 1963, he resigned from the post of Chief Minister under the Kamaraj Plan which suggested that senior Congress leader should leave the ministerial posts.
He was elected the president of Indian National Congress after his resignation from the post of Cheif Minsiter in 1963.
Kamaraj had a chance to become the Prime Minister of India but instead suggested Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi’s name for the post. His reason of refusal was — he did not know either Hindi or English and believed that Prime Minister of India should be fluent in at least one of these languages.
On October 2, 1975, Gandhi Jayanti, Kamaraj felt uneasy after waking from a nap. His house help, Vairavan, informed his physician. Before the physician could make it to Kamaraj’s house, he had died.