Panapakkam Ananda Charlu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the Indian National Congress | |
| In office 1891–1892 | |
| Preceded by | Pherozeshah Mehta |
| Succeeded by | Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 August 1843 |
| Died | 4 January 1908 (aged 64) |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Kanakavalli |
| Relations | C. V. Runganada Sastri (father)C. V. Sundara Sastri (brother) |
Rai Bahadur SirPanapakkam AnandacharluCIE (5 August 1843 – 4 January 1908)[1] was an Indian lawyer and freedom fighter inBritish India who was a founding delegate and later president of theIndian National Congress, founder and president of theTriplicane Literary Society, and founder of theMadras Mahajana Sabha. He additionally aided the Triplicane Six in foundingThe Hindu, to which he was a frequent contributor.
Anandacharlu was born in the village ofKattamanchi inChittoor district,Madras Presidency in aBrahmin family, and at a young age was adopted byC. V. Runganada Sastri who brought him toMadras city. He later became an apprentice to a leading Madras advocate called Kayali Venkatapathi. His practice as a full lawyer began in 1869 when he became a member of the Chamber of theMadras High Court.
Anandacharlu became a member of the Chamber of the High Court of Madras in the year 1869. Soon he emerged as a prominent advocate and was appointed Leader of the Bar. It was in his Chambers that the Madras Advocates' Association was born in 1899. He practiced in partnership with his adoptive brother,C. V. Sundara Sastri.
From the very beginning, Anandacharlu was interested in politics and journalism. He contributed regularly to magazines such asNative Public Opinion and theMadrasi. In 1878, he helped G.Subrahmania Iyer andM. Veeraraghavachariar in startingThe Hindu and became a frequent contributor to it.
He founded the Triplicane Literary Society (of which he was elected president) and the Madras Mahajana Sabha in 1884. He was one of the 72 delegates at the first session of the Indian National Congress held at Bombay in 1885. He also participated in theNagpur session of theIndian National Congress in 1891 of which he was elected president. When the Congress split in 1906, he was on the side of the moderates. However, he died soon after the split.