R. K. Shanmukham Chetty

Early life

Shanmukham Chettiar was born to Kandasamy Chettiar in Vaaniar Street, Coimbatore on 17 October 1892. Shanmukham Chettiar's grandfather Ramasami Chettiar had migrated to Coimbatore in the middle of the 19th century. The family was involved in business and owned a number of mills in Coimbatore city.

Shanmukham Chettiar had his schooling at Coimbatore. He studied economics at Madras Christian College and graduated in law from Madras Law College. On completion of his graduation, Shanmukham Chettiar did not join the bar. Instead, he took care of the family business and after some time, entered politics.

Early political career

Shanmukham Chettiar joined the Justice Party and became a Councillor in the Coimbatore municipality in 1917. Soon afterwards, he was elected Vice-Chairman of the Coimbatore Municipality. Chettiar is credited with having brought about some reforms in the municipal administration.

In 1920, Shanmukham Chettiar participated in the Madras Presidency legislative council elections and was elected to the Madras Legislative Council. He served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1920 to 1922, when he resigned. He joined the Swaraj Party and was, in 1924, elected to the Central Legislative Assembly, the newly inaugurated lower house of the Imperial Legislative Council of India. Chettiar represented Indian employers at the International Labour Conference in Geneva in 1928, 1929 and 1932. He was the Indian delegate at the Imperial Economic Conference held at Ottawa in 1932.

In 1932, Shanmukhan Chettiar was made Deputy-President of the Central Legislative Assembly and in 1934, made President, in succession to Sir Ibrahim Rahimtoola. Shanmukham Chettiar served as President till 1935, when he had to quit his membership of the Central legislative Assembly after losing the 1935 elections.

During his tenure as member of the Central Legislative Assembly, Chettiar is believed to have enjoyed the support of Lord Willingdom, who once even referred to Shanmugham Chettiar as his "god-son".

Later political career

Chettiar served as Diwan of Cochin from 1935 to 1941. During his tenure, new reforms were brought in the administration of the princely state. Chettiar introduced schemes for the improvement of Cochin port. He also tried to do away with Hindu religious superstitions and introduce Periyar's schemes. Chettiar returned to Madras in 1941 and was succeeded by E. F. W. Dickinson.

In 1938, Chettiar visited Geneva as the Indian delegate to the League of Nations. He was also India's delegate to the World Monetary Conference at Bretton Woods in 1944. During this period, Shanmukham Chettiar tried to revive the staggering Justice Party but failed. For a short period, he served as constitutional advisor to the Nawab of Bhopal. He also served as President of the Indian Tariff Board. Due to his pro-British views, Shanmukham Chettiar was not included in the Constituent Assembly.

When India got independence on 15 August 1947, he is reported to have said

Due to his expertise in economics, Shanmukham Chettiar was chosen by the Father of the Nation, Mahathma Gandhi, against the wishes of Jawaharlal Nehru, to be the Finance Minister in independent India's first cabinet. However, due to conflict of views with Nehru, Chettiar quit after a short time. Shanmukham Chettiar is, today, remembered for presenting the first budget of independent India on 26 November 1947.

Chettiar returned to state politics and was re-elected to the Madras State Legislative Assembly in the 1952 elections as an independent candidate.

Constituent Assembly Debates

Source:

In the Constituent Assembly, Chettiar he intervened on the issues of fiscal federalism.

The Parliament House will join with me in conveying our condolence to his family. The House may stand in silence for a minute and express its sorrow.

Death

Shanmukham Chettiar suffered a severe heart attack on 3 May 1953. He succumbed to a second attack on the evening of 5 May 1953.

Honours

Chettiar was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire on 3 June 1933. He was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by the Annamalai University. A life-size bronze statue of Dr. Chettiar was unveiled on the campus of R. K. Sreerangammal Kalvi Nilayam Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore on 6 July 2014. Kochi's Shanmugham road is named after him.

Notes

References

References

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