THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Keralam Museum of History and Heritage is set to acquire several articles which were once used by Sir T Madhava Rao, who was the Diwan of Travancore state from 1858 to 1872. The function will be held on Wednesday. The Diwan’s granddaughter Oormila Lal will hand over the articles to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, at the Chief Minister’s Conference Hall. Minister for Culture K C Joseph will be present.
The articles will remind one of erstwhile Travancore and its history. For Madhava Rao’s tenure was one in which changes swept across Travancore. Born at Thanjavur in a Marathi family, he started serving the king as a teacher to the princes. He was appointed in the revenue department and in a short time was elevated to the status of Diwan.
Madhava Rao is credited with the Pandarapattam Proclamation in which tenants could acquire properties owned by the government and Janmi Kudiyan Proclamation. He abolished petty taxes, and reduced the land tax. His acumen and strategies helped the Maharajah be relieved of a loan from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Essentially a financier, his reforms resulted in progress in the economic, social and educational sectors of Travancore.
Madhava Rao resigned from his post following differences in opinion between him and the Maharajah. He later served as the Diwan of Indore and Baroda. He subsequently joined the Indian National Congress. In 1891 he passed away at the age of 63 in Mylapore.
A statue was erected in the Diwan’s honour at what is now called the Statue Junction. This was the first sculpture in Thiruvananthapuram to be built using public money.