V. L. Ethiraj
Encyclopedia
V. L. Ethiraj was an Indian lawyer and philanthropist
who founded Ethiraj College for Women
, a college in Chennai
, India
.
His father was Thiru. Vellore Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar from Thottapalayam village in Vellore district
in Tamil Nadu
, India.
V. L. Ethiraj received his undergraduate degree from what is today Presidency College, Chennai
and received his law degree from the University of Dublin
. When he returned to India, he joined The Madras Bar. He was the first Indian to be appointed as Crown Prosecutor
by the British Raj
.
He donated one million rupees (Rs.10 lakhs) as an endowment for Ethiraj College for Women. He believed that educating a man is educating an individual, but educating a woman is educating the entire family.
One of Ethiraj's successes was the Lakshmikanthan murder case
which he successfully fought in defense of Tamil actors M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
and N. S. Krishnan
and got them released from prison.
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who founded Ethiraj College for Women
Ethiraj College for Women
Ethiraj College for Women is a degree-granting college for women in Chennai, India. It was founded in 1948 by V. L. Ethiraj.-Founder:In 1948 the philanthropy of a single individual, Thiru. V. L. Ethiraj, financed the college. Ethiraj graduated from Presidency College, Chennai...
, a college in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
His father was Thiru. Vellore Lakshmanaswamy Mudaliar from Thottapalayam village in Vellore district
Vellore District
Vellore district is one of the 32 districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India. Vellore City is the headquarters of this district. It had a population of 3,477,317 as of 2001. It is 37.62% urbanised...
in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India.
V. L. Ethiraj received his undergraduate degree from what is today Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College is an arts, law and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Established as the Madras Preparatory School on October 15, 1840 and later, upgraded to a high school and then, graduate college, the Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges...
and received his law degree from the University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
. When he returned to India, he joined The Madras Bar. He was the first Indian to be appointed as Crown Prosecutor
Crown Prosecutor
Crown Prosecutors are the public prosecutors in the legal system of Australia.Crown Prosecutors represent the Crown in right of the Commonwealth and in right of each State or Territory in criminal proceedings. Crown Prosecutors are appointed not elected and not public servants; they are private...
by the British Raj
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...
.
He donated one million rupees (Rs.10 lakhs) as an endowment for Ethiraj College for Women. He believed that educating a man is educating an individual, but educating a woman is educating the entire family.
One of Ethiraj's successes was the Lakshmikanthan murder case
Lakshmikanthan Murder Case
The Lakshmikanthan murder case was a high-profile criminal trial which was conducted in the then Madras Presidency between November 1944 and April 1947. The cause of the trial was the murder of C. N. Lakshmikanthan, a Tamil film journalist with a hoary past. Lakshmikanthan was stabbed in Vepery,...
which he successfully fought in defense of Tamil actors M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
Mayavaram Krishnamurthy Thyagaraja Bhagavathar , also called M.K.T., was a Tamil film actor, producer and Carnatic music singer. He is considered to be one of the most successful Tamil film actors ever....
and N. S. Krishnan
N. S. Krishnan
Nagerkoyil Sudalaimuthu Krishnan , popularly known as Kalaivanar and also as 'NSK' was a leading Tamil film comedian, drama artist, playback singer and writer in the early stages of the Tamil film industry - in the 1940s and 1950s....
and got them released from prison.