P. Subbarayan

Who was P. Subbarayan?

Paramasiva Subbarayan was an Indian politician, freedom fighter and diplomat and was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency, India's ambassador to Indonesia and Union Minister of Transport and Communications in Jawaharlal Nehru's government. He is the father of General P. P. Kumaramangalam who served as India's Chief of Army staff and politician Mohan Kumaramangalam. He is also the grandfather of Indian National Congress and BJP politician and Union Minister Rangarajan Kumaramangalam.

Subbarayan was born on 11 September 1889 in the family estate at Kumaramangalam, Salem district and had his education at Presidency College, Madras, University of Dublin, the University of London and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1922, he was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council. He served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from 4 December 1926 to 27 October 1930 .

In 1933, Subbarayan joined the Indian National Congress and served as the Minister of Law and Education in Rajaji's cabinet and the Minister of Police and Home in Ramaswamy Reddiar's cabinet. Subbarayan participated and was imprisoned in the Quit India Movement. He served as independent India's ambassador to Indonesia and as Union Minister from 1959 to 1962. Subbarayan died on 6 October 1962 at the age of 73. He was the Governor of Maharashtra at the time of his death.