Biography on “C. Rajgopalachari”
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari informally called Rajaji or C.R., was an Indian lawyer, independence activist, politician, writer and statesman. Rajagopalachari was the last Governor General of India. He also served as leader of the Indian National Congress, Premier of the Madras Presidency, Governor of West Bengal, Minister for Home Affairs of the Indian Union and Chief Minister of Madras state. Rajagopalachari was born on 10 December 1878 at Thorapalli in the Salem district of Madras Presidency (which is now Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu) and educated at Central College, Bangalore and Presidency College, Madras. In 1900 he started a legal practice that in time became prosperous.
After Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa in 1919, Rajaji made up his mind to follow him. C. Rajagopalachari was appointed the General Secretary of the Congress in 1921 and thus, got opportunity to gain acquaintance with other leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Azad, Rajendra Prasad. Rajaji steadily rose in rank and even came to be regarded as Gandhiji’s successor. He shared close kinship with Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel too, despite the difference in their viewpoints. Rajaji developed differences with Nehru later, but still both respected one another tremendously. Being among the five most important leaders in the Indian National Congress, C. Rajagopalachari played a pivotal role in the life history of this party. Rajaji was the member of its Working Committee from 1919 to 1942 and then again from time period 1950 to 1955. Rajaji was amongst the initial Congress leaders during 1940s to accept the right of Muslims to self-determination. Rajagopalachari found the Swatantra Party and was one of the first recipients of India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Rama. He vehemently opposed the use of nuclear weapons and was a proponent of world peace and disarmament. He died on 25 December 1972.
