T.A. Ramalingam Chettiar
Topic: Framing the Indian Constitution · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Framing the Constitution"
Meaning
T.A. Ramalingam Chettiar was a member of the Constituent Assembly from Madras. In the language debate he asked for caution. He said the fears of non-Hindi speakers had to be put to rest, even if those fears were not justified. Otherwise "there will be bitter feelings left behind". His view reflected the strong opposition to Hindi in the south.
Example
In the Constituent Assembly, Chettiar asked for "mutual adjustment and no question of forcing things on people". This spirit shaped the final formula. Hindi in Devanagari became the official language, English continued for fifteen years, and provinces could choose their own regional languages.
Don't confuse with
- G. Durgabai: also from Madras and also worried about the Hindi drive. She had taught Hindi in the south herself and was upset that Hindustani was being stripped of Urdu and regional words.