S. Srinivasa Iyengar, also known as Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar CIE, Srinivasa Ayyangar and Sreenivasa Iyengar, was one of the most prominent Indian freedom fighters, Indian lawyer and one of the significant leaders of the Indian National Congress Party. He also acted as the Advocate General of Madras Presidency from the year 1916 to 1920. Iyengar was also appointed as a member of the bar council from the year 1912 to 1920. Moreover he was the law member of Madras Presidency from the year 1916 to 1920 and also served as the president of the Swarajya Party division of the Indian National Congress from the year 1923 to 1930. S. Srinivasa Iyengar was generally addressed as the Lion of the South by his followers. He was the son-in-law of Sir Vembaukum Bhashyam Aiyangar, who was the first Indian Advocate General of Madras (now Chennai).
Early Life of S. Srinivasa Iyengar
Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar CIE was born on 11th September in the district of Ramanathapuram of Madras Presidency in the former British India. He successfully completed his graduation British India and later practiced as a lawyer in the Madras High Court. Iyengar eventually became the Advocate General in the year 1916. He was also a member of the bar council and was later nominated as the law member of the executive council of the Governor. S. Srinivasa Iyengar resigned from the position of Advocate General, his seat in the executive council of the Governor and returned his Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in the year 1920 in order to protest against the massacre in Jallianwala Bagh.
Political Career of S. Srinivasa Iyengar
S. Srinivasa Iyengar or Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar participated in the Indian freedom struggle and significantly contributed to the cause. Later he became a member of the Indian National Congress Party. He actively participated in the Non Cooperation Movement, which was led by Mahatma Gandhi and supported by the Indian National Congress. The movement aimed to defy British domination in the country through the means of non violence. In the year 1923, due to his differences with Mohandas Gandhi over the participation of the party in elections, S. Srinivasa Iyengar left the Congress Party along with other eminent leaders like Chittaranjan Das and Motilal Nehru. The members who left the Indian National Congress eventually established the Swarajya Party.
S. Srinivasa Iyengar was appointed as the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and became the President of the Madras Province Swarajya Party later. He also served as the leader of the party when it refused to form the government in the province even after winning a majority in the elections held in 1926. During his later life, Iyengar formed the Independence of India League and conducted protests against the Simon Commission. Due to his differences with other politicians of the Indian National Congress over the objective of Dominion status, Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar retired from politics. In the year 1938, he returned to politics for a brief period and supported Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose as the president of the Indian National Congress Party.
Personal Life of S. Srinivasa Iyengar
S. Srinivasa Iyengar was married with the 3rd daughter of Sir V. Bhashyam Aiyangar. The couple had a daughter and a son, namely S. Ambujam Ammal and S. Parthasarathy. S. Ambujam Ammal was the founder of the Srinivasa Gandhi Nilayam and S. Parthasarathyhe founder of the Prithvi Insurance Company and the founder and director of the Industrial Development Commission of Madras state. Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar died on 19 May 1941 at the age of 66 at his residence in Madras (now Chennai).
Srinivasa Iyengar was the youngest lawyer from the Madras bar to be made Advocate General. He was also the mentor of many Indian freedom fighters like Sathyamurthy. K. Kamaraj and U. Muthuramalingam Thevar. Srinivasa Iyengar also wrote a book titled Mayne`s Hindu laws in 1939, which was highly acclaimed.
