C. RAJAGOPALACHARI

NEWS: President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a statue of C. Rajagopalachari at Rashtrapati Bhavan, replacing the bust of Edwin Lutyens

ABOUT

• Born: 10 December 1878, Thorapalli village, Salem district
• Inspired by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’sà call for complete freedom, and later joined the Indian National Congress
• Advocated abolition of Zamindari, promotion of Khadi and village industries, and prohibition.
• Opposed excessive state control and founded the Swatantra Party in 1959
• Supporting a market economy and limited government intervention.

Freedom Struggle

• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920): Gave up lucrative legal practice+ adopted Gandhi’s call to promote Khadi and asked his sons to leave college for national work.
• Khilafat Support: Mobilised people in Madras Presidency by aligning with the Khilafat cause to strengthen mass participation.
• Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha (1930): Led a march from Tiruchi to Vedaranyam and broke the Salt Law.
• Independent Stand on Quit India (1942): Maintained an independent political position based on personal convictions.

Key Titles & Posts

• Governor of West Bengal (1947).
• Only Indian Governor-General of India (1948–1950).
• Union Home Minister (1950–51).
• Chief Minister of Madras (1952).
• First recipient of Bharat Ratna (1954).