Rajaji and his downfall...

                          Chakravarti Rajagopalachari , known as Rajaji was the last Governor-General of India and the only Indian Governor-General. Governor-General of India is equivalent to the President. He was not chosen for the post of The President of India. He later served as the Premier of the Madras Presidency,  Minister for Home Affairs of the Indian Union and finally, the Chief Minister of Madras state.

                         One thing should be noted here. In general, no one after being the supreme commander of a state, takes a role which is less than the highest authority.But this did not happen with Rajaji. He assumed the highest office first, then a Cabinet Minister and then a Chief Minister.

                        In spite of being a person with great background, a person who was the Governor General of Independent India, he could not control the things that happened later on.
                     
                        Separatism of Andhra from Madras State, Growth of Anti-Hindi Agitations, introducing a Modified System of Elementary Education all backfired a lot and as a result of which Congress never came into power after 1967 in Tamil Nadu.

1. Separate Andhra Movement:
                                                     On October 19, 1952, an Indian independence activist from Madras named Potti Sriramulu embarked on a fast unto death demanding a separate Andhra state for Telugu-speaking people and the inclusion of Madras city in it. Rajaji remained unmoved by this fast and as a result of which Sriramulu eventually died on December 15, 1952 after fasting which caused riots in Madras city. Rajaji is blamed for this incident even today in Andhra Pradesh.

2. Growth of Anti-Hindi Agitations:
                                                       Rajaji tried to impose compulsory Hindi education in schools.This created many problems in Madras state as people thought that it would make South Indians a sub-ordinate to North Indians.

3.  Modified System of Elementary Education:
                                                       As per this system, schooling hours for elementary school students were reduced to three per day and the students were expected to learn the family vocation (Kula Vruthi) at home during the remainder of the day. He thought that this could make the younger generation remember their family work. But the opposition DMK used this concept as Hereditary Education Policy an it became so controversial that Rajaji had to step down as the CM. It was accused of being a casteist scheme to perpetuate the caste hierarchy. People felt as if it was designed to ensure Brahmins alone got positions and authority.

With all these things, Rajaji and the Indian National Congress gradually lost power to DMK and since 1967, congress never came back to power in Tamil Nadu. He started his own party and it did not go well.

Later, Rajaji died in 1972 at the age of 94 and there it comes, the end of an era.. The Rajaji's era... A man who rose to the highest post and later declined in the Indian Politics.

He was indeed, a great person and I do admire him a lot.

                         Keeping all the other uncontrollable and unfortunate things apart, there are many things which one should learn from The Bharatha Ratna Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari..
                       The way he rose to the highest office, the way he made many reforms to the Indian Society, (Madras Presidency was the most well organized one when he was the premier of the state) The way he was organized ... everything is very motivating to one and all.

One thing which many of us don't know:
                  His daughter Lakshmi was married to Devdas Gandhi, son of Mahatma Gandhi., and their Son (Grandson of Gandhiji and Rajaji)  is former governor of West Bengal, Gopala Krishna Gandhi.