O.P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar: Madras’s First CM — MCQs with Answers (Set 1)

Reddiyar died on 25 August 1970. India released a stamp in his honour on 25 August 2010.

In 1948 Reddiyar ordered a de Havilland Dove. It became the first aeroplane owned by the Madras government.

Kamaraj had helped Reddiyar win in 1948. In 1949 he backed P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja, and Reddiyar lost the vote.

The Madras Temple Entry Authorisation Act passed on 11 May 1947, within his first two months as Premier, giving Dalits and other excluded groups the legal right to enter Hindu temples.

Sri Krishna Sinha led the parallel movement for Dalit entry into the Baidyanath Dham temple in Bihar, paralleling Reddiyar’s Madras Temple Entry Authorisation Act.

Reddiyar lost an internal Congress party vote after refusing to grant special privileges to party leaders, and K. Kamaraj withdrew his support, forcing his resignation.

Reformer Muthulakshmi Reddy first proposed the bill to the Madras Legislative Council in 1930. It took 17 years, and Reddiyar’s government, to actually become law.

The correct name is the Madras Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act, passed on 9 October 1947, ending temple dedication of girls and giving devadasis the right to marry.

T. Prakasam was among the senior Congress figures who backed Reddiyar in that internal vote.

He lost support, including K. Kamaraj’s, after refusing to grant special privileges to Congress party leaders.

The Act gave Dalits and other previously excluded groups the legal right to enter Hindu temples.

He took office months before Indian independence, then continued as Chief Minister after 15 August 1947.