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Shri Valangaiman Sankaranarayana Srinivasa Sastri, born on 22 September 1869 in Valangaiman village, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, rose from humble origins to become one of India’s most respected statesmen and orators. A brilliant student, he funded his education through scholarships, and after graduation began his career as a teacher in Town High School, Kumbakonam, TN. Late he served as Headmaster of the Hindu High School in Madras before joining the Servants of India Society in 1907. His oratory skills, clarity of thought, and dedication to public service quickly brought him accolades and recognition, and he was elected President of the Society, succeeding his mentor Gopal Krishna Gokhale. He held several important positions, including a member of the Madras Legislative Council (1913-1916), the Imperial Legislative Council of India (1916-1919), and the Council of State (1920-1925).
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| V.S Srinivasa Sastri dharmadispatch.in |
Above image: V.S. Srinivasa Sastri. ''In political circles, both in the (original) Indian National Congress and the British Government, his word carried the authority of a command. He carried on the work of the freedom struggle in what can truly be called a polished manner. A tireless worker in service of Bharata-Mata, a polymath, and endowed with Himalayan erudition and deep empathy, he was a genuine statesman who elevated politics to the standard of art.''
''The title “Right Honourable” that the colonial British awarded him was in recognition of his innate virtue, fair play, and transparency despite what his critics said about his partiality to the foreign ruler. He actually taught the English language to the British. It led Thomas Smart to call him a “silver-tongued orator.”
https://www.dharmadispatch.in/dispatches/books-that-influenced-right-honourable-vs-srinivasasastri -...................
Firmly believing in constitutional methods, Sastri championed India’s cause both at home and abroad. Known as the “Silver-Tongued Orator of the British Empire” for his flawless English, he impressed audiences across the Commonwealth. He played a key role in the Imperial Conference of 1921 advocating for equal citizenship rights for Indians in British Dominions, despite stiff opposition. He later toured Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and was appointed a Privy Councilor.
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| Rt,Hon'ble V.S.Srinivasa Sastri en.wikipedia.org |
As Agent-General to South Africa in 1927, he worked to improve the conditions of Indian settlers, founded a Teachers' Training College in Durban—later named Sastri College—and ensured the implementation of the Cape Town Agreement. He was also an eloquent participant in the Round Table Conferences.
In 1935, he became Vice-Chancellor of Annamalai University and remained an erudite Sanskrit scholar, delivering celebrated lectures on the Ramayana. Sastri declined both knighthood and the Chairmanship of the Council of State, exemplifying humility. Mahatma Gandhi mourned his passing on 17 April 1946, calling him “one of India’s best sons.” Sastri’s legacy endures in his scholarship, diplomacy, and deep commitment to India's progress through peaceful and intellectual means.
At the famous Annamalai University, Chidambaram,Tamil Nadu the main huge convocation hall was named Sastri Hall in honor of well known diplomate and stateman late Srinivasa sastri
https://istampgallery.com/v-s-srinivasa-sastri
https://www.wisdomlib.org/history/compilation/triveni-journal/d/doc71167.html
