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Sundaram Ramakrishnan | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1922-07-22)22 July 1922 |
| Died | 14 February 2003(2003-02-14) (aged 80) |
| Occupation | social activist |
| Organization | Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |
| Movement | Indian Independence Movement |
Sundaram Ramakrishnan orS. Ramakrishnan (22 July 1922 – 14 February 2003)[1] was an Indian freedom fighter and social activist. He was widely known for his leadership to spread the values ofIndian Culture globally as the director-general of theBharatiya Vidya Bhavan and has been awarded both thePadma Shri andPadma Bhushan by theGovernment of India for his service to the nation.
Ramakrishnan was born in Pushpagiri,Thrissur inMadras Presidency (nowKerala). During his school days, Ramakrishnan was heavily influenced byMahatma Gandhi andChandrashekarendra Saraswati, the then Paramacharya ofKanchi Kamakoti Peetham after they visitedMalabar district during theVaikom andGuruvayur Satyagraha to eradicate untouchability atHindu temples. In 1939, he came toBombay in search of employment and joined the individualSatyagraha movement a year later that was launched by Gandhiji and took an active part in theConstructive Program.[2] He was imprisoned atYerawada Central Jail,Pune during theQuit India Movement in 1942.[3]
Closely associated with leaders of theIndian independence movement,[4] he later went on to serve as the personal secretary ofSardar Vallabhbhai Patel after Patel's release fromAhmednagar Fort Jail on 15 June 1945 and during the1946 Cabinet Mission to India up to a few months after he assumed the office of Deputy Prime Minister and settled down inDelhi.[5]
Not wanting to continue Government service afterIndian Independence, Sardar Patel introduced Ramakrishnan toK. M. Munshi who foundedBharatiya Vidya Bhavan which he later decided to join as the secretary in 1947.[6]
He was especially devoted to the cause of Hindu-Muslim unity and was chosen as a member of theNational Integration Council in 1991.[7] The Bhavan's S. Ramakrishnan Memorial Public School at Akamala,Wadakanchery is named in his memory.
Ramakrishnan devoted a large part of his life to spreadGandhian ideas and Indian culture throughBharatiya Vidya Bhavan. He was associated with serving the Bhavan for 56 years, joining it as the secretary in 1947 at the age of 25 and subsequently taking over as the director after the death of Bhavan's founderMunshiji in 1971 and up to his own death in 2003.[8][9]
Ramakrishnan died of a massive heart attack at his residence in Mumbai onValentine's Day 2003 aged 81.[citation needed]
Ramakrishnan was awardedPadma Shri in 1991 andPadma Bhushan in 2001 for social work.[10]