Kurma Venkata Reddi Naidu
Rao Bahadur Sir Kurma Venkatareddi Naidu KCSI (also known as K. V. Reddi Naidu; 1875–1942) was an Indian politician, lawyer, diplomat, and professor who served as the Prime Minister of Madras Presidency. He also served as the Governor of Madras Presidency — one of the only two Indians in history to have held the post. He was the only person to have held both the posts of Prime Minister and Governor of the Madras Presidency. As a prominent leader of the Justice Party, he formulated policies that promoted social equality, abolition of untouchability, and social reform. He also established the first women's college in Andhra region in Eluru.
Sir Kurma Venkatareddi Naidu KCSI | |
|---|---|
Kurma Venkatareddi Naidu in 1940-41 | |
| 1st Prime Minister of Madras Presidency | |
| In office 1 April 1937 – 14 July 1937 | |
| Governor | John Erskine, Lord Erskine |
| Preceded by | Raja of Bobbili (as First Minister) |
| Succeeded by | Chakravarti Rajagopalachari |
| Governor of Madras Presidency (Acting) | |
| In office 18 June 1936 – 1 October 1936 | |
| Premier | Raja of Bobbili, P. T. Rajan |
| Member of Viceroy's Executive Council | |
| In office 1934–1937 | |
| Governors‑General | Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon, Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow |
| Agent to the Union of South Africa | |
| In office 1929–1932 | |
| Monarch | George V of the United Kingdom |
| Governors‑General | E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon |
| Preceded by | V. S. Srinivasa Sastri |
| Succeeded by | Kunwar Maharaj Singh |
| Minister of Development | |
| In office 1920–1923 | |
| Premier | A. Subbarayalu Reddiar, Raja of Panagal |
| Governor | Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | T. N. Sivagnanam Pillai |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 May 1875 Rajahmundry, Godavari District, Madras Presidency |
| Died | 10 September 1942 (aged 67) Madras, Madras Presidency |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Justice Party |
| Spouse | Lakshmi Kanthamma |
| Children | KV Gopala Swamy Naidu, KV Raja Gopal Swamy Naidu, KV Madana Gopala Swamy Naidu, Kamala, Vimala |
| Profession | Politician |
Kurma Venkatareddi Naidu hailed from a prominent Kapu family in Godavari district. He studied at Madras Christian College and the Madras Law College. Before being called to the bar in 1900, he was a Professor of Physics at the Government Arts College, Rajahmundry. He practised as an advocate in Rajahmundry and Eluru. After serving on various local and district boards between 1901 and 1919, he joined the Justice Party and was a part of T. M. Nair's delegation to the United Kingdom in July 1918. Later, when a Justice Party government was formed in Madras, Naidu served in the cabinet of A. Subbarayalu Reddiar and the Raja of Panagal as Minister of Development and later as Minister of Industries from 1920 to 1923.
In 1928, Naidu was a member of the Indian delegation to the League of Nations, Geneva. He also served as India's Agent to the Union of South Africa from 1929 to 1932. He was a member of the Indian delegation which participated in the Second Round Table Conference in Cape Town in 1932.
After returning from South Africa, Naidu took up various positions with the Indian Government. He was a Law Member of the Council of State in 1933-1934 and a member of the Governor's Executive Council, Madras, 1934 -1937. He acted as the Governor of Madras Presidency from 18 June 1936 to 1 October 1936. He was selected as the Prime Minister of Madras Presidency on 1 April 1937 and served in this capacity till 14 July 1937. He also served as the Governor and ex-officio Chancellor of Andhra University and later as the Vice-Chancellor of Annamalai University in 1940. He died on 10 September 1942. Annamalai University offers a prize every year in his name, Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu Prize.