Gooty Kesava Pillai (A Deenabandhu of South India) (An Old and Rare Book)

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I deem it a singular fortune that it has fallen to my lot to bring out this Monograph on the work and worthy life of my beloved father, the late Dewan Bahadur P. Kesava Pillai of Gooty. In doing so I have endeavoured my best to bring out in this work, the anecdotes, events, developments, political, social and economic which occurred during his life time out of the original records available with me. The records on which I placed reliance to write this Monograph are mainly Mr. Kesava Pillai's published speeches in and outside the Madras Legislative Council, the Council proceedings and the articles he wrote to the press from time to time from the small town of Gooty, Andhra Pradesh. It covers the events of historical importance which took place during 1880-1933, which highlighted the political, cultural and social activities of the district, he exposed abuses by the officials of the district, no matter whether the officials were Europeans or Indians.

Kesava Pillai's activities were manifold that it is difficult for me to mention all his achievements in a Monograph of this kind. However, I have taken pains to bring to light the many facets of Mr. Pillai's activities and achievements which have a bearing on the development of Andhra Pradesh, which formed part of the erstwhile Madras Presidency, paying due care to objectivity and facts. The humility with which Mr. Kesava Pillai conveys his achievements of life in a confidential letter to a publisher in 1917, brings to the fore the very many problems that confronted social life in Andhra Pradesh in those days.

The early decades of the Twentieth century have shaped the history of the world more than ever before, and more so that of India. These decades also marked the zenith of British colonial Imperialism. Despite the might of the Raj, almost every district in the then Madras State contributed a notable figure for enriching the public life of the State, and amongst the tallest, Sri Kesava Pillai of Gooty was one. As I knew him at an early age he appeared grim, but I now know that his rough exterior indicated not sternness of heart but only strength of character.

Strangely enough, he was really a Tamilian born in North Arcot District in 1860, but he migrated to Gooty in 1882 and adopted Anantapur as his native district. He was the tallest of public men for decades in Rayalaseema, the land of Rajas of Vijianagar and Sir Thomas Munro. He first interested himself in local politics and was President of the Anantapur District Board for a number of years. In 1908 he was elected to the Madras Legislative Council, representing eleven districts and remained a legislator for the next 22 years at a stretch. He was also Deputy President of the Madras Legislative Council from 1920 for six years. During this period he came into intimate contact with Dr. Annie Besant, who, we now know, was one of the greatest benefactors of India. During the period he wasin publiclife, Sri Kesava Pillai a spoused the cause of Harijans, was against early marriages of girls, and took interest in the welfare of Indians settled outside the boundaries of India. He was a close friend of Sri Frederik Nicholson who was the father of the Co-operative Movement in South India. He laboured tirelessly for jail reform, release of the ryots from the tyranny of petty officials, pleaded for the relaxation of Forest Laws and above all, he inspired many young men from Rayalaseema to scale later great heights.

He was prominent in the public life of South India for about five decades form 1880 to 1930 and died in 1933 at the age of 73. He was indeed "A true Tribune of the people". His greatest asset was, he did not run after the loaves and fishes of office and his humanism was heart-warming. Indeed, he added a new dimension to the somnolent life of Rayalaseema. He died a poor man, but rich in the affections of thousands of helpless people whose causes he espoused in different ways.

When I was of youthful age and keenly receptive to ideas and impressions, Sri Kesava Pillai was at the height of his glory. However, human memories are short, especially for good received and it is herefore both necessary and appropriate that the memory of a public benefactor like Sri Kesava Pillai is kept alive by at least a monograph of the kind that follows.

I am glad to have had this opportunity to acknowledge in this foreword to this monograph the great good, Sri Kesava Pillai did to Rayalaseema, his adopted home area. If in recent years, Rayalaseema has developed great political leadership, it is due in no small measure to the inspiration supplied and example set by Shri Kesava Pillai. With the passage of years, may his shadow grow longer!