Kalyan Sundaram
Encyclopedia
Kalyan Vaidyanathan Kuttur Sunderam (11 May 1904 – 23 September 1992), also referred as K.V.K. Sundaram, was an India
n civil servant, who holds the record as the first Law Secretary (1948–58) of Independent India and second Chief Election Commissioner of India
(December 20, 1958 – September 30, 1967). He also Chaired the Fifth Law Commission of India
for the period 1968–71.
He was the principle author of the White Paper
which was used to guide the formation of India into states drawn along linguistic lines after its independence. For this, he received personal thanks and high praise from Lord Louis Mountbatten. He was also a Sanskrit scholar, translating for English audiences the works of the Sanskrit writer Kalidasa
. A man of humility and discretion, according to The Independent
, Sundaram received in 1968 the second highest civilian award which can be bestowed by the Indian Government: the Padma Vibhushan
.
. He was born in 1904, to a professor. An alumnus of Presidency College
and Christ Church, Oxford
, he registered himself in 1925 for the Indian Civil Services
(ICS) training. Sundaram had two wives. His first wife, Laxmi, died in 1934. Afterwards he wed Indira Shergill, the sister of artist Amrita Shergill, who bore him a son, Vivan
, who is himself an artist.
in 1927. He worked first in districts before in 1931 rising to the provincial level as a reforms officer in Nagpur
. There, he demonstrated such legal acumen that Judicial Commissioner Sir Robert McNair later commented that Sundaram was one of the few junior legal officers whose recommendations he would take in disposing of cases without appraising it himself.
In 1935, the Government of India Act
was implemented, which led to the setting up of an elected legislature in the Indian Provinces. This act was one of the very first moves in the direction of giving India independence. Sundaram played an active role in that. The British bureaucracy governing India wanted to reorganize the existing structures of India into linguistically devised states, mindful of the existing boundaries of the hundreds of Princely States which the British did not control. They commissioned Sundaram in 1936 to prepare this document. This White Paper became the base used to reorganize India into states; Patel
and V P Menon would also use it to convince the princes to cede with the Indian union for an agreed pension. Sundaram himself was able to oversee much of this work, as he rose to the position of Law Secretary in 1948 when Sir George Spence—who had years before specifically requested Sundaram for the office in spite of the seniority of other eligible candidates—stepped down.
Sundaram breathed his last on 23 September 1992, in New Delhi
, due to natural causes.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n civil servant, who holds the record as the first Law Secretary (1948–58) of Independent India and second Chief Election Commissioner of India
Chief Election Commissioner of India
The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission of India, a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections to the national and state legislatures...
(December 20, 1958 – September 30, 1967). He also Chaired the Fifth Law Commission of India
Law Commission of India
Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India. Its major function is to work for legal reform. It membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government...
for the period 1968–71.
He was the principle author of the White Paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
which was used to guide the formation of India into states drawn along linguistic lines after its independence. For this, he received personal thanks and high praise from Lord Louis Mountbatten. He was also a Sanskrit scholar, translating for English audiences the works of the Sanskrit writer Kalidasa
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
. A man of humility and discretion, according to The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, Sundaram received in 1968 the second highest civilian award which can be bestowed by the Indian Government: the Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
.
Personal life and education
Sundaram was native to Kuttur, a village located in the then-Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. He was born in 1904, to a professor. An alumnus of Presidency College
Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College is an arts, law and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Established as the Madras Preparatory School on October 15, 1840 and later, upgraded to a high school and then, graduate college, the Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, he registered himself in 1925 for the Indian Civil Services
Indian Civil Services
The Indian Civil Service , which after 1886 was officially called the Imperial Civil Service and was also known as the British India Civil Service, was the civil service of the Government of India in the period of the British Raj...
(ICS) training. Sundaram had two wives. His first wife, Laxmi, died in 1934. Afterwards he wed Indira Shergill, the sister of artist Amrita Shergill, who bore him a son, Vivan
Vivan Sundaram
Vivan Sundaram is an Indian contemporary artist. His wife is eminent art historian and critic Geeta Kapur.-Training:Vivan Sundaram was educated at The Doon School, the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S...
, who is himself an artist.
Career
Sundaram began his ICS career in the Central ProvincesCentral Provinces
The Central Provinces was a province of British India. It comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur....
in 1927. He worked first in districts before in 1931 rising to the provincial level as a reforms officer in Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
. There, he demonstrated such legal acumen that Judicial Commissioner Sir Robert McNair later commented that Sundaram was one of the few junior legal officers whose recommendations he would take in disposing of cases without appraising it himself.
In 1935, the Government of India Act
Government of India Act
The term Government of India Act refers to any one of a series of Acts passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to regulate the government of British India, in particular:...
was implemented, which led to the setting up of an elected legislature in the Indian Provinces. This act was one of the very first moves in the direction of giving India independence. Sundaram played an active role in that. The British bureaucracy governing India wanted to reorganize the existing structures of India into linguistically devised states, mindful of the existing boundaries of the hundreds of Princely States which the British did not control. They commissioned Sundaram in 1936 to prepare this document. This White Paper became the base used to reorganize India into states; Patel
Patel
Patel is a surname of Indian origin, originally meaning "headman" or"village chief". Patels are socially, economically and politically the most dominant caste in Gujarat Patels are basically Kurmis or Kunbis and are found in various geographical locations. The Kunbi are an Indian subcaste...
and V P Menon would also use it to convince the princes to cede with the Indian union for an agreed pension. Sundaram himself was able to oversee much of this work, as he rose to the position of Law Secretary in 1948 when Sir George Spence—who had years before specifically requested Sundaram for the office in spite of the seniority of other eligible candidates—stepped down.
Later life and death
In 1958, after his term as the Law Secretary ended, he became the second person to hold the position of Chief Election Commissioner. In 1967, he departed that position to become Chairman of the Law Commission in 1968, the same year he received the Padma Vibhushan award. On leaving that role, in 1971, he again entered into boundary issues, helping address the Assam and Nagaland state disputes as adviser to the Home Ministry.Sundaram breathed his last on 23 September 1992, in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, due to natural causes.