Kamaraj was a congress leader of independence movement, based in Tamil Nadu. He was a king maker of 60's influenced in the selection of Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. He was the chief minister during 1953 - 64. He was remembered for his simplicity and transforming the then Madras state into one of the leading state in education and literacy, trade and industry.
He brought school education to millions through free education, introduced mid day meal scheme for the first time in the country. No village remained without a primary school and no panchayat without a high school. Huge investments in irrigation were initiated, dams built and large scale industrialization efforts were implemented. What he achieved with a cabinet of just eight ministers, no Government ever achieved his performances in the country.
Below, I add some interesting facts about the great leader.
He was a bachelor throughout his life and considered family life as a road block to his service. Once his mother was requesting to arrange 3000 rupees to buy a land near her small house, he categorically told her to manage within her 120 rupees monthly allowance. Another time a special water line provided to his house in the native town, when he was in Delhi, to help his old mother. He noticed it on his next visit and immediately chastised the local body for the priority given to his house while there were similar old women in many houses.
In 1949 when he was addressing a meeting at Friday there was a bustle in the meeting and the opposite threw tiny grade type crackers towards the stage. Then Kamaraj opened his shirt and showed his chest to them and challenged to shoot him if they have courage.
During 1927, Nehru came to Madras and was staying at the residence of a congress party leader. During the night, a loud noise disturbing his sleep. Unable to sleep, Nehru went out to check the sound coming from the veranda of the house. He saw a youth sleeping with heavy snore. Nehru got angry. He asked the party leader to to drive the lad out of Madras or to shift his bed to the near by beach. Who was this youth? It was Kamaraj.
On his birth day, let us remember his golden days.
No comments:
Post a Comment