P. Theagaraya Chetty

Who was P. Theagaraya Chetty?

Sir Pitti Theagaraya Chetty KCSI was an eminent lawyer, industrialist and a prominent political leader from the erstwhile Madras province. He was one of the founders of the Justice Party in 1916 along with C. Natesa Mudaliar, Dr. T. M. Nair. T.Nagar is a locality in Chennai which is named after him.

Theagaraya Chetty was born in a Telugu Chetty family of Madras Presidency. After graduating from Presidency College, Madras he served as a corporator and legislator. He had an avid interest in politics and served as a member of the Indian National Congress before founding the South Indian Liberal Federation in 1917. He served as the President of the federation from 1917 till his death in 1925.

Theagaraya Chetty is regarded as one of the founders of the non-Brahmin movement in Tamil Nadu and the first to lead the movement.