Remembering Sundara Sastri Satyamurti
Sundara
Sastri Satyamurti, an Indian independence activist and leading Congress
politician of Madras Presidency, was born on 19 August 1887 in Thirumayam
(Pudukkottai) in present-day Tamil Nadu.
Satyamurti completed his college education from
the renowned Madras Christian College and later worked as a lawyer. He was
attracted to the national movement from an early age and joined the Indian
National Congress. He became known for his great oratory skills.
In 1919, he was chosen by the Congress as its
representative to Britain to protest the Rowlatt Act and the Montagu-Chelmsford
reforms that were unpopular within India.
Interestingly, he wrote for The Hindu when
he was in London as the newspaper’s correspondent had gone on leave.
Committed to constitutional ways, he opposed
many Congress leaders’ view that Indians should boycott the colonial
legislature. Satyamurti, along with senior Congress leaders like C.R. Das and
Motilal Nehru, were Swarajists: they were in favor of gaining legislative
experience even if it meant participating in the colonial government.
Satyamurti played a major role in the Congress’ victory in the 1937 polls to
the Madras Legislative Assembly.
Satyamurti was an enthusiastic
promoter of theatre and the performing arts. He took the lead in arranging
Hindustani musical concerts in Madras city. He served as president of Faculty
of Fine Arts, University of Madras, and Chairman of Board of Studies in Music.
He had a piece of advice for musicians as well. He urged
them not to give disproportionate importance to pallavi singing, and to include
more Tamil songs in their concerts, particularly while giving performances to
Tamil audience. He also urged them to project the spirit of the song — its
sahitya and bhava.
In 1939 Satyamurti became the mayor of Madras.
The city faced a severe water crisis at the time. Among his many contributions,
he appealed to the British to increase the water supply to Madras city by
constructing a water reservoir west of the city.
The Poondi reservoir was built after his death.
Satyamurti was arrested several times including
in 1930 for attempting to hoist the tricolor above a temple in Madras. In 1942
after the Quit India Movement had started, he was arrested and sent to Nagpur
jail. The jail terms took a toll on his health and he died on 28 March 1943.
Very informative article
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