Radhabai Subbarayan
Encyclopedia
Kailash Radhabai Subbarayan nee Kudmul (b. April 22, 1891-d. 1960) was an Indian politician, women's rights activist and social reformer. She was the wife of Indian politician P. Subbarayan
and mother of Mohan Kumaramangalam
, P. P. Kumaramangalam and Parvathi Krishnan
.
of Mangalore
. She belonged to the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community. She had her schooling in Mangalore and graduated from Presidency College, Madras. Widowed at an early age, in 1912, Radhabai married P. Subbarayan, zamindar
of Kumaramangalam. The couple had three sons and one daughter. She did her post graduation from Somerville College, Oxford.
of the Madras University. She also served as a member of the All India Women's Conference. In 1930, Radhabai along with Begum Shah Nawaz attended the First Round Table Conference at London
representing Indian women. She also participated in the Second Round Table Conference and demanded five percent reservations for women. The Lothian Committee was appointed, with Radhabai being a part of it, to gauge public opinion over reservations.
In 1937, Radhabai wanted to contest a general seat as a candidate of the Indian National Congress. But the Chairman of the Madras Provincial Reception Committee refused to support her. When Subbarayan questioned C. Rajagopalachari
about this, he replied:
However, Radhabai was elected unopposed to the Council of States from a general constituency in 1938 and became the first women member of the Council of States.
P. Subbarayan
Paramasiva Subbarayan was an Indian politician, freedom fighter and diplomat and was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency, India's ambassador to Indonesia and Union Minister of Transport and Communications in Jawaharlal Nehru's government. He is the father of General P. P...
and mother of Mohan Kumaramangalam
Mohan Kumaramangalam
Surendra Mohan Kumaramangalam was an Indian politician and communist theorist who was a member of the Indian National Congress, and later, the Communist Party of India. He served as a member of Lok Sabha for Pondicherry from 1971 to 1972.- Early life and education:Mohan Kumaramangalam was born in...
, P. P. Kumaramangalam and Parvathi Krishnan
Parvathi Krishnan
Parvathi Krishnan is an Indian politician from the Communist Party of India.-Early life:Parvathi was born on March 15, 1919 to P. Subbarayan and Radhabai Subbarayan. She did her B. A...
.
Early life and education
Radhabai Kulmud was born to Rao Sahib Kudmul Ranga RaoKudmul Ranga Rao
Kudmul Ranga Rao was Social Reformer from Mangalore, India who established "Depressed Classes Mission" in 1897 in Mangalore for providing Education, better housing, drinking water and empowering the backward classes socially by guarding them against exploitation by upper classes-References:...
of Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
. She belonged to the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community. She had her schooling in Mangalore and graduated from Presidency College, Madras. Widowed at an early age, in 1912, Radhabai married P. Subbarayan, zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
of Kumaramangalam. The couple had three sons and one daughter. She did her post graduation from Somerville College, Oxford.
Public life
Radhabai was an elected member of the senateSenate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
of the Madras University. She also served as a member of the All India Women's Conference. In 1930, Radhabai along with Begum Shah Nawaz attended the First Round Table Conference at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
representing Indian women. She also participated in the Second Round Table Conference and demanded five percent reservations for women. The Lothian Committee was appointed, with Radhabai being a part of it, to gauge public opinion over reservations.
In 1937, Radhabai wanted to contest a general seat as a candidate of the Indian National Congress. But the Chairman of the Madras Provincial Reception Committee refused to support her. When Subbarayan questioned C. Rajagopalachari
C. Rajagopalachari
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...
about this, he replied:
However, Radhabai was elected unopposed to the Council of States from a general constituency in 1938 and became the first women member of the Council of States.