Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty
Encyclopedia
Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty CSI
(1806–1868) was an Indian
merchant
, Indian independence activist and political activist who founded the Madras Native Association and the first Indian-owned newspaper, The Crescent.
Lakshminarasu Chetty was born in 1806 to indigo merchant Sidhulu Chetty in Madras. On completion of his initial education, Lakshminarasu entered the family trade and succeeded as a businessman. He entered politics and devoted money for social and philanthropic causes.
family in Periamet, Madras. His father Sidhulu Chetty was an indigo
merchant. Due to the poor schooling facilities available in India at the time, Lakshminarasu Chetty had little formal education. However, even as a boy, Lakshminarasu Chetty was interested in politics and took part in Debating Societies.
When the American Civil War
broke out, cotton
trade was temporarily suspended between the United States of America and other countries. Lakshminarasu Chetty took advantage of the situation and made huge profits by speculating on the price of cotton.
On October 2, 1844, Lakshminarasu Chetty founded the Crescent, the first Indian-owned newspaper in the Madras Presidency for the "amelioration of the condition of Hindus". But right from the beginning, the newspaper faced strict government opposition. An advertisement sent to the Madras government for insertion into the government publication Fort St George Gazette was rejected. Further, the government resolved to enact a law wherein a Hindu convert to Christianity would not lose his ancestral right to own property. This was severely condemned by the Hindu community of Madras who under the leadership of Lakshminarasu Chetty, presented a memorial to the Governor on April 9, 1845. The government eventually withdrew its plans after prolonged discussions with the agitators.
Around this time, the Madras government tried to introduce the Bible
as a standard textbook for the students of the Madras University. Students were often questioned on points connected to Christian theology
and were denied government posts if their knowledge of Christian texts was found wanting. Hindus of the Madras Presidency protested against these measures. Lakshminarasu Chetty presided over a protest meeting at the Pachaiyappa's College on October 7, 1846 in which it was resolved to send a memorandum to the Court of Directors of the British East India Company
. Their efforts were successful and moves to introduce Christian theology in the curriculum were disbanded. In 1853, the government, once again tried to introduce the Bible into the educational curriculum by its efforts were thwarted by George Norton, John Bruce Norton
and Lakshminarasu Chetty.
on April 14, 1856.
In 1852, the Madras Native Association presented a detailed list of grievances to the British Parliament. It was read out at the House of Lords on February 25, 1853 by the Earl of Ellenborough along with a petition from the inhabitants of Manchester
that a minister and council for India be appointed and that they be made responsible directly to the British monarch. Lakshminarasu Chetty followed it up with another petition in 1855. This petition signed by over 14,000 beseached the British Crown to take the administration of India directly under its control. These petitions resulted in the curtailment of the powers of the British East India Company eventually culminating in the transfer of sovereignty over India to the British Crown.
As President of the Madras Native Association, Chetty also petitioned the Government of the United Kingdom praying for religious neutrality and tolerance. The organization did not fare well and gradually, faded from the limelight.
. Two years later, in 1863, he was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council
on the death of V. Sadagopacharlu
who was the first Indian to be nominated to the Madras Legislative Council as per the Indian Councils Act 1861
.
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
(1806–1868) was an Indian
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, Indian independence activist and political activist who founded the Madras Native Association and the first Indian-owned newspaper, The Crescent.
Lakshminarasu Chetty was born in 1806 to indigo merchant Sidhulu Chetty in Madras. On completion of his initial education, Lakshminarasu entered the family trade and succeeded as a businessman. He entered politics and devoted money for social and philanthropic causes.
Early life
Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty was born in an affluent Balija NaiduBalija
Balija is a social group spread across the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh , Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala...
family in Periamet, Madras. His father Sidhulu Chetty was an indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
merchant. Due to the poor schooling facilities available in India at the time, Lakshminarasu Chetty had little formal education. However, even as a boy, Lakshminarasu Chetty was interested in politics and took part in Debating Societies.
Business
On completion of his education, Lakshminarasu worked as an apprentice under his father whose business was soon afterwards renamed Sidhulu Chetty and Co. The firm mainly dealt in handkerchiefs and soon grew into a thriving corporation. After Sidhulu Chetty's death, Lakshminarasu inherited the firm and expanded its network.When the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
broke out, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
trade was temporarily suspended between the United States of America and other countries. Lakshminarasu Chetty took advantage of the situation and made huge profits by speculating on the price of cotton.
Anti-proselytization activities
During the mid-19th century, Christian missionaries indulged in open proselytisation in public institutions in the Madras Presidency. Their proselytisation activities were allegedly favoured by officials of the British government who preferred native Christians to Hindus in higher appointments in order to entice Hindu Indians to embrace Christianity . The religious stance of the Madras government was frequently condemned by the Hindu population. Lakshminarasu supported their cause and launched agitations against conversions.On October 2, 1844, Lakshminarasu Chetty founded the Crescent, the first Indian-owned newspaper in the Madras Presidency for the "amelioration of the condition of Hindus". But right from the beginning, the newspaper faced strict government opposition. An advertisement sent to the Madras government for insertion into the government publication Fort St George Gazette was rejected. Further, the government resolved to enact a law wherein a Hindu convert to Christianity would not lose his ancestral right to own property. This was severely condemned by the Hindu community of Madras who under the leadership of Lakshminarasu Chetty, presented a memorial to the Governor on April 9, 1845. The government eventually withdrew its plans after prolonged discussions with the agitators.
Around this time, the Madras government tried to introduce the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
as a standard textbook for the students of the Madras University. Students were often questioned on points connected to Christian theology
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
and were denied government posts if their knowledge of Christian texts was found wanting. Hindus of the Madras Presidency protested against these measures. Lakshminarasu Chetty presided over a protest meeting at the Pachaiyappa's College on October 7, 1846 in which it was resolved to send a memorandum to the Court of Directors of the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. Their efforts were successful and moves to introduce Christian theology in the curriculum were disbanded. In 1853, the government, once again tried to introduce the Bible into the educational curriculum by its efforts were thwarted by George Norton, John Bruce Norton
John Bruce Norton
John Bruce Norton was a British lawyer and educationist who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency. He was the father of lawyer and Indian independence activist Eardley Norton.- Early life :...
and Lakshminarasu Chetty.
Torture Commission
Peasants in various parts of the Madras Presidency were often subjected to cruel punishments and made to carry heavy loads on their backs if they failed to pay taxes on time. In 1854, with the assistance of Danby Seymour, a member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, Lakshminarasu Chetty tried to induce the British authorities to investigate the methods of torture inflicted by these revenue collectors. In July 1854, Seymour tried to introduce a motion in the British Parliament. Sir C. Wood, President of the India Borad, responded by appointing a Torture Commission in September 1854, to investigate the conduct of revenue officials. Further pressure was put by petition signed by Lakshminarasu Chetty and other Indians which was presented in the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
on April 14, 1856.
Madras Native Association
Lakshminarasu established Madras Native Association as a platform for educated Indians to protest against any injustice on the part of the British. It was the first Indian political organization in the Madras Presidency. Lakshminarasu, the founder, served as its first President. Initially, his plans had been to establish a branch of the British Indian Association in Madras but later, he decided in favor of a separate organization. P. Somasundaram Chettiar, a close associate of Lakshminarasu, served as the Secretary of the organization. The organization frequently locked horns with Christian missionaries.In 1852, the Madras Native Association presented a detailed list of grievances to the British Parliament. It was read out at the House of Lords on February 25, 1853 by the Earl of Ellenborough along with a petition from the inhabitants of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
that a minister and council for India be appointed and that they be made responsible directly to the British monarch. Lakshminarasu Chetty followed it up with another petition in 1855. This petition signed by over 14,000 beseached the British Crown to take the administration of India directly under its control. These petitions resulted in the curtailment of the powers of the British East India Company eventually culminating in the transfer of sovereignty over India to the British Crown.
As President of the Madras Native Association, Chetty also petitioned the Government of the United Kingdom praying for religious neutrality and tolerance. The organization did not fare well and gradually, faded from the limelight.
Honours
In 1861, Lakshminarasu Chetty was created Companion of the Star of IndiaOrder of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
. Two years later, in 1863, he was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council
Madras Legislative Council
Tamil Nadu Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It began its existence as Madras Legislative Council, the first provincial legislature for Madras Presidency. It was initially created as an advisory body in 1861, by the British...
on the death of V. Sadagopacharlu
V. Sadagopacharlu
Vembaukum Sadagopacharlu was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1861 to 1863. He was the first native Indian to serve as a member of the council.- Early life :...
who was the first Indian to be nominated to the Madras Legislative Council as per the Indian Councils Act 1861
Indian Councils Act 1861
The Indian Councils Act 1861 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that transformed the Viceroy of India's executive council into a cabinet run on the portfolio system. This cabinet had six "ordinary members" who each took charge of a separate department in Calcutta's government: home,...
.