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- Politics
- Scroll.in
The Indian raja who gave away his powers to the praja
On August 11, 1940, Mahatma Gandhi wrote a short article in his weekly magazine Harijan, beginning it with high praise: 'Who does not know little Aundh? Little it is in size and income, but it has made itself great and famous by its Chief having bestowed, unasked, the boon of full self-government on his people.' Gandhi was referring to a remarkable decision by the Raja of the princely state of Aundh. In November 1938, the ruler, Bhawanrao Shrinivasrao Pant Pratinidhi – popularly known as Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi – had granted 'full self-government to his subjects'. To implement this change, a state constitution for Aundh was drafted by Gandhi, Balasaheb's son Appasaheb Pant, and a mystic-engineer of Polish-Jewish origins, Maurice Frydman. It was enacted on January 14, 1939. Despite its size – it was about four pages long – the constitution was a deeply progressive document. It guaranteed people of Aundh freedoms of speech, press, assembly and worship besides promising them non-discrimination and universal and free primary education. Most importantly, it decentralised power. The state constitution established village democracy – a cause dear to Gandhi's heart – with a tiered governance system. It included five-member village panchayats, taluka panchayats, and an assembly made up of panchayat presidents, elected representatives and five nominees of the ruler. Gandhi admired this change, writing in Harijan magazine: 'This small State has always been progressive. The Ruler of Aundh has but anticipated the wants of his people and has even been in advance of them in social matters. The declaration of full responsibility was the natural result of the past acts of the Ruler.' Dramatic accession Balasaheb's accession in 1910 was unexpected. Aundh, a small state formed from the remnants of the Maratha kingdom, had come under British control in 1849 after the Peshwa's defeat. By the early 20th century, it was fragmented, with villages in Satara and Bijapur scattered among British-administered lands. In 1907, Balasaheb's uncle and then-ruler Gopalkrishnarao Parashuram (Nanasaheb) was implicated in a conspiracy to assassinate the British-appointed kharbari (prime minister), Jacob Bapuji. Two associates of the ruler and a prison warden were also accused. To add to the mystery, the investigating officer died of arsenic poisoning. Nanasaheb was forced to abdicate, and, after a two-year interregnum, Balasaheb, then 43, became the Pratinidhi or ruler. Educated at Deccan College, Poona, Balasaheb was among the few Indian princes with a degree. His teacher, the historian and reformer Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, left a lasting impression on him. At one of the first meetings of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Balasaheb donated Rs 1 lakh to produce a popular illustrated Mahabharata. This followed the 1916 publication of the Chitra Ramayana (Illustrated Ramayana), which was widely praised, especially for Balasaheb's colour illustrations in it. The Illustrated London News called it an ' ideal introduction ' to the epic for British readers: 'It has merits of extreme simplicity, and the authentic Indian atmosphere both in the illustrations and the narrative.' Charles Kincaid, a British administrator and an ally of Balasaheb, wrote in the preface: 'The Ramayana now comes to us in a new garb, helping us better to understand the influence of the dim past upon the India we know and love. This is exactly the kind of knowledge which is needed by all who are called upon to minister to the growing wants of her people. There is no true sympathy without understanding.' Radical offer The roots of representative government in Aundh go back to the 1920s. Appasaheb Pant, in his foreword to Indira Rothermund's The Aundh Experiment (1983), recalled how the raiyat sabha, a legislative council formed in 1923 to give advice to the king, was gradually empowered. By 1935, a member of the sabha had been appointed minister for primary education, health and agricultural reforms. In addition, he was made part of a three-member administrative team with the king and divan. In 1927, Balasaheb made a radical offer: he placed both the state and his personal budget under the council's control. The Daily Herald, a Chicago newspaper, reported that such a move, at a time when 'the huge private incomes and personal expenditures of many of the Indian princes' was widely criticised, made a strong public impression. Balasaheb was not just a progressive patron of the arts: he was forward-looking, encouraging local industries in line with his commitment to Swadeshi and self-sufficiency. He supported Laxmanrao Kirloskar in establishing a factory for iron ploughs despite early resistance from superstitious farmers. Kirloskar later helped Shripad Prabhakar Ogale and his brothers set up a glass works factory in Kirloskarwadi. Another friend of Balasaheb, Vajirao Ramrao Guttikar, invented a multi-dish cooker – an early version of the instant pot – to ease domestic work for women, though it never caught on. In 1932, the Chicago Tribune reported that Aundh had launched India's first Gliders Association, with Balasaheb donating the first eight motorless craft. Though a strong Swadeshi proponent, he and his associates celebrated modern innovation. The Kirloskar Khabar, in October 1927, featured a cartoon of 'Miss India' congratulating 'Uncle Sam' after Charles Lindbergh's historic transatlantic flight. Physical fitness In 1938, Balasaheb opened the Shree Bhavani Sangrahalaya, an art museum showcasing Indian and European works. That year also saw the fourth edition of his book on the Surya Namaskar – a ten-step yogic regimen – published by JM Dent in London. The foreword was written by journalist Louise Morgan, who took up the practice after meeting him. Morgan recalled her surprise at meeting Balasaheb. She was expecting a frail 70-year-old, but instead found 'a man with the agile, supple movements of youth, eyes shining like a boy's, strong, brilliantly white teeth, firm muscles, radiant smile, and а mind that worked like summer lightning'. Balasaheb promoted the Surya Namaskar in schools and among citizens, guided by Shripad Damodar Satvalekar, a Gandhian yoga scholar. The regimen was related to Balasaheb's larger vision to raise a physically and mentally self-reliant populace. Just as he wanted the people of Aundh to be physically fit, Balasaheb also wanted them to be aesthetically aware. His Shree Bhavani Sangrahalaya, according to historian Deepti Mulgund, fostered aesthetic awareness through its mix of Indian and Western art, including medieval miniatures, paintings from the Bengal school, as well as Western artefacts and casts. Notably, a Henry Moore sculpture – Mother and Child – was acquired by Appasaheb Pant when the artist was still relatively unknown. During a visit to Britain in 1936, Balasaheb promoted both the Surya Namaskar and the arts. He delivered lectures on art, toured industries that made agricultural and dairy equipment, and screened a film that showed his family and friends demonstrating the Surya Namaskar. A film of his visit survives and can still be seen on YouTube. The Sunday People on July 12, 1936, said about Balasaheb: 'The white-haired Raja of Aundh claims to have discovered the greatest of all secrets: eternal youth.' Some tongue-in-cheek accounts said the Raja left 'nothing undone to make converts to the habit of deep breathing,' practicing even in boats, trains, and cars. Play For nearly a decade, until it joined the Indian Union in 1947, Aundh governed itself according to its constitution. Balasaheb died in 1951, aged 84. His son, Appasaheb Pant – later a distinguished Indian diplomat – reflected on the enduring legacy of Aundh's experiment: 'By his renouncing power and possessions, the raja had 'constitutionally' become 'the first servant of the Aundh people' and keeper of their conscience. The relationship of the individual with authority, the hierarchy of power changed with this declaration; that was the key that unlocked the doors to a successful working of democracy in Aundh's villages. As long as there is fear of, or desire for, favour from authority, democracy cannot work: that is the message of the Aundh experiment.'
The Hindu
03-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao to be paid homage on his centenary birth anniversary
In a political landscape where idealism often surrenders to ambition, Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao (1926-1997) stands out as a icon of honesty, simplicity and unwavering commitment to Gandhian values. Fondly known as 'Diviseema Gandhi', he transformed politics into a platform for service and compassion. 'His father Mandali Venkat Ramayya, a teacher and a social thinker, laid the foundation for his moral values and intellectual depth by creating the right environment at home,' said R. Mallikarjuna Rao, Director, Department of Language and Culture. To pay tributes to the 'messiah of the poor' on the occasion of his birth centenary on August 4, Mr. Rao painted a portrait of Krishna Rao, who once aspired to become a teacher, but the call of the freedom movement led him into public life. Recalling his student days, Mr. Rao said that by the time he reached high school in Avanigadda, young Krishna Rao had started reading Gandhi's publications like 'Young India' and 'Harijan', sowing the seeds of a lifelong mission for rural upliftment and social reform. In 1975, he played a pivotal role in organising the first World Telugu Conference, connecting Telugus across the globe. His vision also led to the establishment of the International Telugu Centre in Hyderabad, reinforcing the global relevance of Telugu language and culture. 'Perhaps the most defining moment of his life came in the aftermath of the 1977 Diviseema cyclone, a catastrophic disaster that devastated the region,' recalls Mr. Rao, adding that Venkata Krishna Rao, then a Cabinet Minister, resigned from his post to lead relief operations on the ground. 'Disregarding protocol, he waded through flood-hit villages, consoled survivors, fed the hungry, and comforted grieving families. His selfless actions earned him eternal reverence and the title Diviseema Gandhi.' To honour his legacy, centenary celebrations of Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao are being held at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram in Vijayawada on August 4. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will be the chief guest.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Offence under Atrocities Act registered against AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel
(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A case has been registered against AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly using the term ' Harijan ', police First Information Report was registered at the Kranti Chowk police station here on Thursday after a Republican Party of India (Athawale) worker lodged a complaint against Jaleel, a former MP and present state unit head of the All India Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen, said an at a press conference on June 11, had made allegations against social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat regarding a land minister belongs to an SC community and Jaleel used the word 'Harijan' repeatedly and thus 'disrespected' the community, the complaint FIR was registered under section 3 (1) (r) of the SC, ST Act for allegedly 'insulting or intimidating a member of a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe with an intent to humiliate, within a public view,' said the police official.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress steps up efforts to strengthen reach in SC areas
Ranchi: Congress, which is part of the ruling coalition govt in the state, is now focusing on consolidating its base in the Scheduled Caste dominated regions. Days after state finance minister and Chatterpur MLA Radhakrishana Kishore shot a letter to chief minister Hemant Soren to urge formation of an SC commission and a panel on the lines of Tribes Advisory Council (TAC), the grand old party is now gearing up to hold a mega convention on June 11 in Ranchi to ponder over the condition of Scheduled Caste in the state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Talking to the media persons on Monday, Kishore said that the upcoming meet would have representatives from AICC's SC wing besides others from the community. "The idea is to deliberate on the condition of the Harijan community in the state, and chalk out future plan for their welfare. Based on the resolutions taken at the meeting, we will apprise CM with the demands," said Kishore. As per the estimates, around 50 lakh SC population exists in Jharkhand. The minister, however, said that since formation of Jharkhand, there hasn't been any focused approach to uplift their socio-economic conditions. "I believe the condition of Harijan (SC) community is no less better than the PVTGs. While for tribal welfare, we have TAC, a body to recommend about their welfare schemes to the govt and other interventions, SCs continue to lag behind," he said, adding that recently he had also written a letter to the CM in this regard. "In 2018, previous BJP govt had formed SC commission before 2019 assembly elections, but it largely remained defunct. It was BJP's ploy to garner SC votes. However, our alliance govt will now work towards them," he said, referring to a proposal for SC welfare in this year's state budget. He also demanded installation of a statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar be installed in the new assembly and high court premises, and hostels for Scheduled Caste students on the lines of the one that exists for tribals.
