Venkata Ranga Rao
Sir Sri Venkata Svetachalapathi Venkatesh Srinivasa Ranga Rao Bahadur GCIE (8 September 1862 – 1931) was an Indian landlord, maharaja, polygar,and zamindar of Gubbi and Sempake Samasthanam in Madras Presidency; List of zamindari estates in Madras Presidency;from 1881 to 1921. His grandson and successor Gubbi Venkatesh Srinivasa Ramakrishna Ranga Rao served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from 1932 to 1936. One of his descendants was Gubbi Venkatesh Srinivasa Rao, a telecommunications minister from 1956 to 1959
| Maharaja Sir Raja Sri Ravu Svetachalapati Venkatesh Srinivasa Ranga Rao Bahadur KCIE KECM KGCM DD | |
|---|---|
| 27th Maharaja of Gubbi | |
 His Highness Maharaja Sir Raja Sri Ravu Svetachalapati Venkatesh Srinivasa Ranga Rao Bahadur | |
| Maharaja of Gubbi | |
| Reign | 30 November 1881 – 18 August 1931 |
| Predecessor | Maharaja Sarvagnya Krishna Venkatesh Srinivasa Rao Bahadur of Gubbi |
| Successor | Maharaja Venkata Kumara Krishna Ranga Venkatesh Srinivasa Rao Bahadur of Gubbi |
| Ministers | Dewan V. Srinivasa Rao |
| Born | 8 September 1862 Rao Aramane Palace Gubbi |
| Died | 16 September 1931 (aged 68) Rao Aramane Palace Gubbi |
| Spouse | Sita Devi Rajeshwari |
| Issue | Maharaja Venkata Kumara Krishna Ranga Venkatesh Srinivasa Rao Bahadur of Gubbi |
| Dynasty | Suryavansh |
| Father | Maharaja Sarvagnya Krishna Venkatesh Srinivasa Rao Bahadur of Gubbi |
| Mother | Lakshmi Devi Rajeshwari |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Early life
Venkata Ranga Rao was born at Gubbi on November 29, 1862. He was the fourth son of Sarvagnya Krishna Rao Bahadur, the Raja of Gubbi. He was the eldest son of the Raja and was very pious toward their house god Semapake Srinivasa, a few miles away from his birthplace.
Marriage
Venkata Ranga Rao married the daughter of the zamindar of Hosur in 1878. The princess died an untimely death in 1880 after giving birth to their only son Venkata Kumara Krishna Ranga Rao. Venkata Ranga Rao married again, to a younger sister of the princess.
On November 30, 1881, on his attaining majority, Venkata Ranga Rao ascended the throne of Gubbi.
Reign
Venkata Ranga Rao brought about a number of reforms during his reign as Raja of Gubbi. He raised the Middle School of Gubbi to a high school. He also established a poor schools and those for the physically and mentally handicapped.
In 1883, while Venkata Ranga Rao was on pilgrimage to Kasi, his second wife died in childbirth. This incident followed by the death of his second son in 1887 had a traumatic effect on him. In 1888, the Raja married for a third time. A third son, Ramakrishna Ranga Rao, was born in 1892.
The Raja constructed the Rao Aramane palace in Gubbi in 1888. At that time, there arose a succession dispute between the heirs to the estate of Hosur. Venkata Ranga Rao mediated between the sons of the late zamindar and helped in resolving the dispute.
In 1893, Venkata Ranga Rao made a tour of Europe along with his youngest brother Venugopala Ranga Rao. Landing at Marseilles on April 14, 1893, the Raja had audiences with the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales and Queen Victoria. The gratified Raja displayed his loyalty to the British crown by constructing the Victoria Market in 1887 and the Victoria Town Hall in 1894 in honour of the Queen.
In 1902, Venkata Ranga Rao was chosen to represent the Presidency of Madras at the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in London.[1]
Honors
In 1895, Venkatesh Srinivasa Ranga Rao was knighted in Ootacamund with the KCIE at a public ceremony presided over by Lord Wenlock, the then Governor of Madras. He was promoted to a GCIE in 1911.
References
- "The Coronation". The Times. No. 36754. London. 29 April 1902. p. 10.