When people of Thiruvananthapuram defied Sir C P's order against hoisting Tricolour
The streets were not filled with joyous processions. Instead, there was an unusual stillness, laced with anxiety. Three days before the historic day, dewan C P Ramaswami Iyer issued an order that the Indian Tricolour was not to be hoisted anywhere in Travancore. Only the flag bearing the conch shell emblem of the princely state would be permitted.
'Initially, the maharaja and dewan had taken the stand that Travancore could remain independent,' notes historian M G Sasibhooshan. 'Cochin had already decided to join the Indian Union, and there was a feeling that Travancore could not stand alone in such a situation. Yet, unlike other princely states, there were no official celebrations here.'
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The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
Kashmir issue will be non-existent had Sardar Patel enjoyed free hand, says Puducherry L-G
Had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the architect of modern India who used persuasion and steely resolve to unify a fragmented land of princely states, been given a free hand, the Kashmir problem would not have existed in India today, Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan said on Thursday (August 21, 2025). Addressing a seminar on 'The Idea of Indian National Integration Through the Vision of The Iron Man of India' hosted by the School of Social Sciences and International Studies, Pondicherry University, Mr. Kailashnathan pointed out that at the time of Independence in 1947, the British left behind not a united country, but a fragmented land with more than 560 princely states, each with its own ruler, its own army, and in some cases, its own aspirations to remain independent. Had these states not been integrated into the Indian Union, the map of India would have looked like a patchwork quilt, vulnerable to foreign interference and internal chaos, the Lt. Governor said. It was Sardar Patel, with his firmness, foresight and unshakeable commitment, who persuaded, negotiated and where necessary, acted decisively to ensure that all these states became part of one India. The Iron Man, with the support of V.P. Menon, who drafted the Instrument of Accession, had brought together a scattered subcontinent into a united nation in less than two years, Mr. Kailashnathan said. Sardar Patel had thwarted the disastrous designs of Pakistan to carve out more pockets of that country in new India. 'If a free hand would have been given to Sardar Patel, I don't think the Kashmir problem would have existed in India today', the Lt. Governor, who is also the Chief Rector of the University said. According to the Lt. Governor, in spite of his towering contributions towards the country, its unification, development and progress, Patel's role was never appreciated after 1950. Pointing out that this was why Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, built the 182-metre-tall Statue of Unity on the banks of the Narmada river, Mr. Kailashnathan, who was closely associated with the project for five years, said the construction of the statue reflected the real spirit of rural India. The Wall of Unity on the premises was built by forging agricultural implements with the soil collected from 1.35 lakh villages across India, he further added. However, the true tribute to Sardar Patel was not in statues alone but in embodying his ideals and realising the idea of national integration he envisioned. 'This required holding respect for diversity and regarding linguistic, cultural, and regional differences not as obstacles but as ornaments of our nation. True integration would come only when every region feels it has an equal share in national growth,' he said. The Lt. Governor further said, 'while we live in a free India, united politically, the challenge of emotional unity – the unity of hearts and minds – is ongoing. Regionalism, linguistic divisions, casteism and communalism are dangers that can fragment our national spirit if we are not vigilant. Rights are essential, but duties to preserve unity are equally vital.' Mr. Kailashnathan urged the youth to imbibe the ideals of Sadar Patel who embodied integrity, courage and unity and transformed political independence into national unity. 'In an age where globalisation, technology and social media expose us to both opportunities and divisions, we must be careful that our words and actions do not create fissures but build bridges'. The Lt. Governor felt that national integration must be part of the curriculum and campus culture. Pondicherry University Vice-Chancellor P. Prakash Babu, Rajneesh Bhutani, Registrar, Nanda Kishor M. S. Ritesh Rai, G. Chandrika and Sanjay Sharma, faculty members of Pondicherry University, participated. The two-day event is held in collaboration with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi.
The Print
a day ago
- The Print
‘Marwari go back' isn't Telangana's first outsider protest. First came ‘idli-sambar go back'
The Telugu speakers from another state might have been more educated and qualified compared to the Telanganite population, but the protestors were Mulkis (natives). After being disempowered for the most part under princely rule, they were at loggerheads with those whom they saw as neo-colonisers. Four years after Hyderabad, the Nizam-ruled princely kingdom, which Telangana was once a part of, acceded to the Indian Union in 1948, students in Warrangal voiced their frustration against 'outsiders.' They weren't going to stay silent as Telugus from Madras Presidency monopolised government jobs. Whoever said Telangana's 'non-natives' have never had their indigeneity questioned should revisit the history of the 1952 Mulki Agitation . 'Idly Sambar! Go Back!' 'Non-Mulki! Go back!' shouted the students. Now, the more 'local' Telangana traders are directing a similar ire at the ever-enterprising Marwaris. The latter's go-getting tendencies are aptly encapsulated by the saying, 'Jahaan na pohonche gaadi, wahaan pohonche Marwari (However far-flung or inaccessible a destination, a Marwari will find his way there).' A lot of Marwaris in the state made their way to the Asaf Jahi dominions as early as the eighteenth century. During the late 1700s, Begum Bazar became a bastion for them. Their other strongholds were Puraana Kabootar Khana and Nur Khan Bazar. Also read: The Kayasthas of Hyderabad—why they were a key part of every Nizam's administration Financiers and jewellers Despite having internal autonomy over its affairs, the British loomed large over princely Hyderabad. Establishing the Hyderabad Contingent, a military force led by English officers but bankrolled by Nizam III Sikandar Jah, was a means to tighten the empire's grip as a paramount power over the kingdom. With the third Nizam unable to make payments, the East India Company became creditors to the Hyderabad government. Marwaris, on the other hand, served as more trustworthy alternatives for both Nizam III and his successor to finance the army. This support, as bankers and revenue contractors, didn't just extend to helping with military expenses. Small businessmen, monarchs, and even nobles short on funds for irregular troops within their private armies looked to this trader community as financiers. And for the finer things in life, 'valued customers' is too small a description for the Asaf Jahi elite's links to the city's renowned Marwari jewellers. Look no further than the websites of stores like Totaram and Sons. The pride in their clientele that once included Hyderabad's royal and aristocratic strata since the mid-1800s is apparent in the About Us section. A senior journalist once narrated a story to me about how jewellers set up shop on the Kali Kaman Road and Charminar Kaman Road with Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan's blessing. A delegation, in which the forefathers of all those jewellers had folded their hands in obeisance toward Alaa-Hazrat (His Exalted Highness), made the following request. 'Sarkar! Jab bhi ap sheher mein aaye aur yahaan se guzre, ap ki nazar sone aur gehne pe padhna (Your lordship! Whenever you come to the city and pass through here, gold and jewels should grace your sight).' The munificent monarch happily obliged each of them with makeshift shops. About a century later, a lot of those shops from the 1920s now stand tall as full-fledged retail stores. But be it before or after the Asaf Jahi rule, the Hyderabadi Marwari wasn't without political inclinations. Also read: Stop telling South Indians to learn Hindi. In Hyderabad, languages coexist without imposition More than just traders The name Badrivishal Pitti still evokes respect among older Hyderabadi communists. Born to a business family with ties to the Nizam, he took to the Marxist ideals catching steam in the city and the Telangana region during the 1930s. He remained a Lohia socialist well into the 1960s. Another scion of a prominent business family was Srinivas Lahoti. City historians Sajjad Shahid and Oudesh Rani-Bawa mention how Lahoti's mother had prayed for a son during the holy month of Muharram. She was blessed with a boy months after vowing to bring her baby out to pay respects to the elephant that carries the alam (flagpoles topped with metal finials) every Ashura (tenth day of Muharram) procession. As an adult, Lahoti would always be clad in black during this month of mourning. Hence his moniker, 'Shia Marwari.' An active participant during the Telangana Armed Rebellion (1946-1951), he also remained a lifelong patron of the Urdu language. Like many Hyderabadis, Marwaris came to terms with the new Congress dispensation after the princely state's integration into India. However, the post-Independence political backdrop saw further polarisation along religious lines. Under Abdul Wahid Owaisi, the Majlis-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (MIM) began reviving itself within the mainstream political landscape of the late 1950s. This was after Owaisi's predecessor Qasim Razvi, who had pushed for an independent Hyderabad prior to the state's accession, left for Pakistan. According to scholar Muneer Ahmed Khan's thesis Muslim Politics in Hyderabad, the MIM consolidated its base in Old City and its surrounding localities. They did this by playing upon the insecurities of Hyderabadi Muslims as minorities in spite of the Leftist endeavours to bridge communal divides between the late 1940s and 1970s. While fomenting a more incendiary, religious brand of politics, Owaisi also capitalised on the sentiment through which Old City Muslims mourned the loss of their aristocratic grandeur. Some mercantile Marwaris, who once imbibed certain traits of the Hyderabadi feudal class, began patronising another firebrand politician—the Bharatiya Janata Party's Ale 'Tiger' Narendra. Also read: Afzalgunj to Begum Bazar—Hyderabad's markets don't look 'nawabi'. Marwaris, Gujjus built them Protectors of faith In his memoir, Recollections and Reflections, communist KL Mahendra recalled how Marwari businessmen funded Ganpati processions that only began to be taken out zealously in Hyderabad city during the 1970s. That newfound, aggressive fervour of the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations helped with BJP's political posturing. Thus, the statements by Telangana BJP figures Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Gosha Mahal MLA Raja Singh against the anti-Marwari campaign aren't surprising. The former, who currently serves as Union Minister of State—Home, deemed the agitation a conspiracy against the community due to their support for the BJP and their role as defenders of the Hindu faith. Of course, there remain exceptions to any community's overall, as well as specific, political leanings. This includes Marwaris, who have called the state home for generations. Their presence in the healthcare, education and textile industries can't be denied. However, this rhetoric against Marwaris in Telangana isn't new. In 2021, the rallying cry 'Marwari Hatao, Toopran Bachao' had delegates from the community requesting then BRS Home Minister Mahmood Ali to act against such sloganeering. Hyderabad might not be afflicted with the 'son of the soil' vs. outsider syndrome to the extent of other cities. But even throughout the era of the city's founding Qutub Shahi dynasty, the 'indigenous' Deccani population was at odds with the Afaqis from various parts of the Islamic world. Clearly, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Daneesh Majid is a Hyderabad-based writer with a Masters in South Asian Area Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, He is also the author of the HarperCollins-published book The Hyderabadis: From 1947 to the Present-Day. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Economic Times
6 days ago
- Economic Times
India's Independence Day celebrated as iconic New York landmarks lit up in Tricolour
India celebrated its Independence Day in New York. Landmarks like the World Trade Center lit up in the Indian Tricolour. The Indian Embassy in the US hosted celebrations. Vinay Kwatra hoisted the tricolour at India House. Seattle's Indian Consulate also marked the day. A flag-hoisting ceremony took place. The Space Needle displayed the Indian flag. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India's Independence Day was celebrated as iconic New York landmarks - One World Trade Center, Grand Central Terminal, Niagara Falls, and Kosciuszko Bridge - lit up in the colours of the Indian Tricolour. A vibrant tribute to the deep bonds of friendship between India and the... - India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) August 16, 2025 Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India's Independence Day was celebrated in New York as iconic landmarks including World Trade Center were illuminated in the colours of the Indian a post on X, India in New York said, "India's Independence Day was celebrated as iconic New York landmarks -- One World Trade Center, Grand Central Terminal, Niagara Falls, and Kosciuszko Bridge -- lit up in the colours of the Indian Tricolour. A vibrant tribute to the deep bonds of friendship between India and the United States."The landmark displays came after the Indian Embassy in the US hosted the 79th Independence Day celebrations earlier in the day, with Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra hoisting the tricolour at India House, marking the official commencement of the day's a post on X, the Embassy said, "Celebrating the 79th Independence Day of India! Ambassador Shri Vinay Kwatra hoisted the tricolour at India House. Members of the Indian diaspora and friends of India participated in the ceremony." The event emphasised the active involvement of the Indian diaspora in commemorating India's national on the West Coast, the Consulate General of India in Seattle marked the occasion with an official flag-hoisting ceremony, attended by several dignitaries. The ceremony included a cultural segment featuring Bharatanatyam, patriotic songs, and dances showcasing India's diverse a post on X, the Consulate said, "The Consulate General of India, Seattle hosted the 79th Independence Day celebrations with the official flag hoisting ceremony at the Consulate premises. Several dignitaries attended the inaugural ceremony, which featured a vibrant cultural segment, including a Bharatanatyam performance, soulful renditions of patriotic songs, and graceful dance performance showcasing India's diverse traditions. Later today, the Indian Tricolour will be proudly hoisted atop the iconic Space Needle, the defining symbol of Seattle's skyline." These celebrations highlighted India's cultural heritage and the pride of its diaspora across the United the celebrations in Seattle, the Indian Consulate in New York also held Independence Day events, bringing together elected representatives, members of the Indian community, friends of India, and dignitaries to mark the a post on X, the Consulate said, "Indian Consulate in New York celebrated the 79th Independence Day with Flag hoisting by Consul General Binaya Pradhan, in the presence of elected representatives, members of the Indian community, friends of India, and dignitaries. Thank you Senator Raj Mukherji for joining us. The India Consulate in New York also recognized the outstanding achievements and contributions of the Indian diaspora across diverse fields, felicitating US National Cricket Team players Jasdeep Singh & Saiteja Mukkammalla, tennis player Samir Banerjee, Brigit co-founder Hamel Kothari, and Kolkata Chai Co. co-founder Ayan Sanyal. The celebration concluded with a graceful Kuchipudi performance and soulful patriotic songs by students of Indian classical music."Together, these events across New York and Seattle showcased the vibrant participation of the Indian diaspora, the celebration of India's cultural heritage abroad, and the enduring bonds of friendship between India and the United States.
