STATECRAFT

The Indian sub-continent was ruled, by kings  and emperors, up till August 15, 1947, when the country gained independence from Britain, to become a democratic nation. With population of about a billion today, India is the second largest country and the largest democracy in the world.

Under the Kings and Emperors (Rajas and Chakravarthis), Brahmins typically served as prime ministers and ministers. Outstanding among these are, Chanakya (Prime minister of the Maurya Empire under Chandragupta Maurya. (300 B.C.), Vidyaranya (prime minister of Vijayanagar Empire (1317 A.D) and Visvesvaraya  (1861-1962A.D.). Prime Minister of Mysore. .

The independence movement which culminated in 1947 produced  not only great freedom fighters but also political leaders and Statesmen  who occupied high offices in the post independence period. Here is a roll call of honor.

First Governor General of free India

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, known as Rajaji

Presidents of India

Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan  
Varahagiri Venkata Giri
R.Venkataraman
Shankar Dayal Sharma  

Prime Ministers

Jawaharlal Nehru  
Morarji Desai
Indira Gandhi
P.V.Narasimha Rao
Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Martyrs of freedom struggle executed by the British rulers

Tatia Tope ( Raghunath  Pant)

Institution Builders

Guruji  Golwalkar—Founder. Vishwa  Hindu Parishad.  
K.H.Hedgewar – Founder. Rashtriya Swayam Sevak  Sangh.
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya – Founder. Banaras Hindu University.
Kulapati K.M.Munshi--- Founder. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee —Founder. Hindu Maha Sabha.

Patriots, Thinkers, Freedom fighters

Bal Gangadhar Tilak  
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Motilal Nehru
Subrahmanya Bharathi
Veer Savarkar

Special honorees

Vijayalakshmi Pandit – President, UN General Assembly.

E. M.S. Namboodaripad – First democratically elected communist Chief Minister.

Recipients of the highest Civilian award - Bharat Ratna

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari  1954  
Sir C.V.Raman 1954
Dr Sarvapalli   Radhakrishnan  1954
Sir M. Visvesvaraya   1955
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru   1955
Govind  Vallabh Pant   1957
Dr D.K.Karve   1958
Dr P.V.Kane   1963
Indira Gandhi   1971
V.V.Giri   1975
Acharya Vinoba Bhave   1983
Morarji  Desai  1991