R. Balaji Rao was an Indian politician and Indian independence activist who was a founder and first Secretary of the Madras Mahajana Sabha

Madras Mahajana Sabha

Madras Mahajana Sabha was an Indian nationalist organisation based in the Madras Presidency. Along with the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, Bombay Presidency Association and the Indian Association, it is considered to be a predecessor of the Indian National Congress....

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Personal life

Balaji Rao was born in a Thanjavur Marathi family in the year 1842. He had his schooling and higher education in Tanjore and Madras and graduated in law. On completion of his studies, Balaji Rao practised as a lawyer before entering the Indian independence movement.

Politics

Balaji entered politics and was one of the founding members of the Madras Mahajana Sabha. He represented Tanjore at the first session of the Indian National Congress

Indian National Congress

The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...

 along with S. A. Swaminatha Iyer

S. A. Swaminatha Iyer

Rai Bahadur S. A. Swaminatha Iyer ,also known as Thanjavur Swaminatha Iyer or simply S. A. S, was an Indian lawyer, theosophist, administrator and freedom fighter from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.- Early life :...

. Balaji Rao established the Chingleput Ryots Relief Fund for the benefit of the ryots of Chingleput district.