RAMAKOTISWARA RAU:

A MAN OF GREAT IDEALS

DR. V. V. GIRI

President of India

I have known the late Ramakotiswara Rau for over half a century. We were born in the same year. He was the son-in-law of Marella House at Berhampur, and whenever he came to his father-in-law’s house during the holidays we used to spend a good deal of time together discussing various matters of public interest. I knew him when he was working in the Swarajya, the famous nationalist daily edited by the late Sri T. Prakasam. There were a number of young men like Khasa Subba Rau, Krupanidhi and many others who worked for that paper along with Ramakotiswara Rau.

Ramakotiswara Rau was a man of great ideals, stern character and high integrity, and he was a born journalist. None can forget the sacrifices he made in running the famous journal, Triveni, which published some of the best articles by eminent men of India on literary and cultural topics. He gave up his practice in 1921 and devoted his life to public work, and never took up any office under the Government. He was associated closely with the eminent journalist Sri Chalapathi Rau and it so happened that Chalapathi Rau and he hailed from the same district.

Ramakotiswara Rau was a real humanist and believed in the spirit of humanism transcending all barriers of caste, creed or colour. He never had an enemy or an opponent in his life, because he always tried to understand both sides of an issue. He took the best in every individual to the extent it was possible. He was loved and revered by everyone who came into contact with him. He was simple in habits and pure in his thoughts and actions. He followed Gandhian ideals and if only the public workers in our country would emulate his example, they will be really serving their motherland.

C. RAJAGOPALACHARI

MADRAS

Sri K. Ramakotiswara Rau, the Editor of Triveni, extorted my admiration and affection by the purity and simplicity of his character. It is needless to say how grieved I am.

(From Swarajya)

DR. S. RADHAKRISHNAN

Former President of India

I heard with deep regret of the passing away of Sri Ramakotiswara Rau whom I had known for many years. His efforts to develop Triveni into a journal of scholarship and culture I followed with great interest and appreciation.

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