C P Ramaswami Road - Alwarpet (Name Reason)

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:: C P RAMASWAMI ROAD - ALWARPET ::

I have been crossing this road everyday without knowing the person behind this road name. Finally got it today. I believe, almost all of us know where this CP Ramaswami Road is. 

It is located at Alwarpet and this is the road which connects Alwarpet (TTK Road) with RA Puram. The bridge near Naradha Gana Sabha connects to this road. This is one such busy road yet not much traffic. A hub of all the big retailers.  Attempts have been made to make this road one way, but they couldn't implement.  This road is named after Sir C.P.Ramaswamy Iyer. 

:: Sachivottama Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer ::

Sachivottama Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer also called "C. P." , was an Indian lawyer , administrator and politician who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923, Law member of the Executive council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1928, Law member of the Executive Council of the Viceroy of India from 1931 to 1936 and the Diwan of Travancore from 1936 to 1947.

Ramaswami Iyer was born in 1879 in Madras city and studied at Wesley College High School and Presidency College, Madras before qualifying as a lawyer from the Madras Law College. He practised as a lawyer in Madras and succeeded S. Srinivasa Iyengar as the Advocate-General of the Madras Presidency.

He subsequently served as the Law member of the Governor of Madras and the Viceroy ofIndia before being appointed Diwan of Travancore in 1936.

Sir C P Ramaswami Iyer.
Source: maddy06.blogspot.in

Ramaswami Iyer served as Diwan from 1936to 1947 and is credited with having introduced social and administrative reforms as the Temple Entry Proclamation (1936), abolition of capital punishment, universal adult franchise and the midday meal scheme in Travancore state. He is also credited with the establishment of numerous hydro-electric power projects, the creation of KeralaUniversity , and the establishment of Travancore Bank, which eventually became State Bank of Travancore .

However, at the same time, he is also remembered for the ruthless suppression of the Communist-organized Punnapra-Vayalar revolt , and his controversial stand in favour of an independent Travancore. 

Ramaswami Iyer resigned in 1947 following a failed assassination attempt.

Ramaswami Iyer served as a leader of the Indian National Congress in his early days. He was made a Knight Commander of the IndianEmpire in 1926 and a Knight Commander of the Star of India in 1941. He returned these titles when India attained independence in 1947. He was also a member of the 1926 and 1927 delegations to the League of Nations .

In his later life he served in numerous international organisations and on the boardof several Indian universities. Ramaswami Iyer died in 1966 at the age of 86 while on a visit to the United Kingdom .

He has initiated many things. Few of those are mentioned below :

• First to nationalize road transport in India and responsible for the construction of the first cement concrete road from Trivandrum to Cape Comorin. First in India to start aluminium, ceramic, fertilizer, rayon and other industries with major government collaboration
• First to abolish capital punishment.
• First to introduce adult franchise.
• First to appoint a lady advocate – Mrs. Anna Chandy - as District Judge. She later became the first Indian woman High Court Judge.
• First to introduce free mid-day meal scheme for poor children. He inaugurated the Vanchi Poor Fund and Seetha Lakshmi Ammal Anna Dhana Samajam (named after his mother).

Few unknown facts about CPR :

• One of the Founders of the Vivekananda College, Mylapore, and gave a personal donation of Rs.20, 000/- in 1945
• Served as Vice-Chancellor of Annamalai University. At   the request of the Government of India, accepted Vice-Chancellorship of Banaras Hindu University also. (First person in India to be Vice-Chancellor of two Universities at the same time).
• Founder of Y.M.I.A. Madras.
• Trustee of Madras Sanskrit College,  Mylapore.
• One of the Founders of the Indian Bank Ltd. & its first Director - the building & property stand in his name.
• C P Ramaswami Iyer foundation ( C P Art Gallery) at Eldams Road was founded on 1966 after his demise.

Source : wikipedia, cprfoundation.org, madrasmusings.com

Where does he reside in C P Ramaswami Road ?

Am not sure about the validity of this information, but it has been told that C P Ramaswami Iyer was resided in the same place where C P Art Gallery is located now. The GROVE School was supposed to be his residence.

Landmarks in and around C P Ramaswami Road :

• Apollo Day Care Hospital
• Sama Store
• Winners Bakery
• Spencers' daily
• Nilgiris
• Kaapi Cheenu
• Peta Wrap
• Naivedhya sweet shop
• A1 Chips
• Corner Tea Shop
• Sony World
• Krishna Sweets
• VLCC Centre
• Lawrence and Mayo
• Jawed Habib Hair Beauty Salon
• Naturals
• Kirtilals
• One by Two Juice Shop (Juice shop next to the corner tea stall)
• Mookambika Complex
• Billroth Hospital (Kaliappa)
• Cafe Coffee Day and much more

Locate Yourself :

Locate yourself : C P Ramaswami Road - Alwarpet. (Image Source : Google Maps)