S. Satyamurti Biography 
S. Satyamurti was an Indian politician and freedom fighter who served as the Mayor of Madras in 1939. He worked hard to give education to all, to improve the water supply and enhance the quality of life of the people. He went to jail many times whILE fighting for Indian freedom.
He was born on 19th August 1887 in Thirumayam in Madras Presidency in a Brahmin family. His father was Surender Sastriar. He had eight siblings. His father died when he was young and as he was the eldest his brothers, the responsibility of looking after the family fell on him. After completing his intermediate from Maharaja’s College at Pudukottah, in 1906 he joined the Madras Christian College. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and started his career as a tutor at the same college.
He studied law from the Madras Law College and took part in the politics when practicing law. He was made as the secretary of the Congress delegation in 1919. He went to the Joint Parliamentary Committee in England to show his protest against the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms and Rowlatt Act.
He boldly lifted the Indian flag atop the Parthasarathy Temple at Chennai in 1903 and was arrested for that. With his continuous efforts Congress could win in the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937 and in 1939 he became the Mayor of Madras. He laid the foundation stone for Poondi Reservoir Scheme that it now came to be called as the Satyamurti Sagar.
He took active part in the Swadeshi Movement. He was arrested and imprisoned for 8 months in 1940 for participating in the individual Satyagraha. He was again arrested in 1942 on his way back to Madras from the meeting of the Congress Working Committee in Bombay.
He abolished Devadasi system. Due to his brave efforts he is called as Deerar Satyamurti. He died on 28th March 1943 in Madras at his age of 55. The headquarters of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee was named after him as Satyamurti Bhawan. A commemorative stamp was issued in his honor in the year 1987.
Published: N/A
Updated: June 01, 2012
