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.