Friday, April 17, 2015

"Silver Tongued" Srinivasa Sastri


Today is the death anniversary of “Silver Tongued” Srinivasa Sastri. 

He was born in Valangaiman near Kumbakonam in Tamilnadu on September 22, 1869 and passed away on April 17, 1946.  He was born to a poor gurukkal (temple priest).  After graduation he became a school teacher. 

Mr. Sastri joined the Indian National Congress but resigned protesting against the non-cooperation movement. Even though policywise he was against Mr. M. K. Gandhi, they both were personal friends.   Mr. Gandhi addressed him as his elder brother.

He participated in many international conferences on behalf of India. Mr. Sastri became world famous because of his command over English language and oratorical skills. Whenever he visited U.K., many people consulted him on English spellings and pronunciations. 

His mastery over English language was recognized by King George V and and Winston Churchill. Lord Balfour remarked that listening to Srinivasa Sastri made him realize the heights to which the English language could rise. 

The British conferred upon Sastri the appellation "Silver Tongued Orator of the British Empire".

Mr. Gandhi sent him the first copy of his newspaper “Harijan” for review. Mr. Sastri sent that back after correcting 27 mistakes. It is said that the British Prime Minister Lloyd George postponed his cabinet meeting for a few hours so he could listen Mr. Sastri speak.  Prime Minister George said he was shy to speak his own mother tongue after listening to the chaste delivery of Sastri.

The best tribute for him came from “I forgot his name now”. It is: 

Ranjit Singh showed the British how to play cricket and Srinivasa Sastri showed the British how to speak English.
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44 comments:

  1. Destination InfinityApril 17, 2015 at 11:19 AM

    Oh, I didn't know about this great man before. Thanks for introducing him to us. I wish there were some recordings of his speech.

    Destination Infinity

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    1. SGApril 17, 2015 at 12:24 PM

      Thanks for your comments Rajesh. Some libraries may have the recordings. By the way, his grand daughter was married to Nobel Laureate C. V. Raman.

      Delete
  2. SandhyaApril 18, 2015 at 2:43 AM

    'Ranjit Singh showed the British how to play cricket and Srinivasa Sastri showed the British how to speak English' I like this!

    I too haven't heard of him before. Thanks for introducing him to us. Let me ask my son to look for the recordings of his speech. He must have been very very good!

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    1. SGApril 18, 2015 at 8:23 AM

      Thanks for your comments Sandhya. Please let me know if your son found any of his recordings.

      Delete
  3. RenuApril 18, 2015 at 3:20 AM

    Thank you so much for imparting this great info to us..I didnt know anything about him..would love to listen to him sometime..

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    1. SGApril 18, 2015 at 8:24 AM

      Thanks for your comments Renu. I would love to listen to him too.

      Delete
  4. chitraApril 18, 2015 at 9:23 AM

    SG, Nice to read and get information about the great Srinivasa Shastri.
    Posts like this throw light on so many things that are unknown to us. I appreciate your efforts to relate the stamp to the great man. Are you also interested in Philately?
    haven't heard of Aarumuga Ganpati in or near Dindigul .there's a Panchamukha Ganapathi near Theni ,

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    1. SGApril 18, 2015 at 9:33 AM

      Thanks for your comments Chitra., No, I am not into Philately. I deliberately chose this picture of him to tell the readers that the Government of India honored him by issuing his stamp.

      Delete
  5. chitraApril 18, 2015 at 9:42 AM

    thanks SG, I did check Dinamalar link . I will be visiting Dindigul in the near future.. Will visit this temple too , Palani is not so far from dindigul.just 60 Kms or so. I used to travel daily for my work.

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    1. SGApril 18, 2015 at 10:22 AM

      Thanks Chitra, Looking forward to reading your post on Aarumuga Ganapathi.

      Delete
  6. rudraprayagaApril 19, 2015 at 9:50 AM

    Mother India is fortunate enough to have some brightly shimmering gems. I had learned somewhere about him.But it was buried in forgetfulness.Thank you for digging it.Nice post.

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    1. SGApril 19, 2015 at 2:59 PM

      Thanks for your comments Sarala. I am glad you remembered him now.

      Delete
  7. LocomenteApril 20, 2015 at 1:26 AM

    Thanks for sharing this SG.. Very informative.
    Proud to live in the same land where great persons like him have lived!

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    1. SGApril 20, 2015 at 3:32 PM

      Thanks for your comments Satya. I am glad you found this post informative.

      Delete
  8. Shilpa GargApril 20, 2015 at 6:39 AM

    This made for an amazing, interesting and an informative read. Thanks for sharing about Srinivasa Sastri. Was not aware of his skill and fame! :)

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    1. SGApril 20, 2015 at 3:37 PM

      Thanks for your comments Shilpa. I am glad you liked this post.

      Delete
  9. AnonymousApril 20, 2015 at 8:34 AM

    Harijan was in English? Well, well, didn't know that. So whatever happened to Swadeshi movement? Or was the newspaper targeted at Britishers?

    Nice to know this eminent personality. Isn't there any sample of his oratory or writing skills for readers of our generation?

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    1. SGApril 20, 2015 at 3:44 PM

      Thanks for your comments Sweety. I am sure some library may have his speeches and/or tapes

      Gandhi's Harijan was in English language. He simultaneously published 2 more newspapers. Another in Hindi (Harijan Sevak) and the third one in Gujarati (Harijan Bandu). He perfectly understood not all Indians can read and write in Hindi. Only 60% of Indians - then and now. Another 20% can speak Hindi as a street language, go to Hindi movies, and humm Hindi movie songs.

      Delete
  10. UnknownApril 20, 2015 at 9:05 AM

    wow!!! Silver- tongued!!! It is amazing to know about such unsung Indians! Great post, SG!
    I kind of feel so proud and got goosebumps when I read this post :)

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  11. UnknownApril 20, 2015 at 9:06 AM

    Btw, although I follow your blog, I didn't get updates for the previous 2 posts of yours! :S let me try following again :S

    ReplyDelete
  12. SGApril 20, 2015 at 3:48 PM

    Thanks for your comments Roh. We are all proud of him. I don't know how this happened (your not getting the update of my previous posts). I can only say I am sorry.

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    1. UnknownApril 20, 2015 at 9:53 PM

      Hey SG! :D I found the two emails in my 'Promotions' folder of GMail :D and I have no clue how it went there :) so all is well SG! :)

      Delete
  13. Ankita April 22, 2015 at 9:03 AM

    thanks for this post! I did not know of all that before! :)

    Interesting info!

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    1. SGApril 22, 2015 at 4:48 PM

      Thanks for your comments Ankita. I am glad you liked this post.

      Delete
  14. Subhrashis AdhikariApril 24, 2015 at 6:54 AM

    Was a great man...At least someone remembered him....he also corrected Gandhi's famous autobiography

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  15. SGApril 24, 2015 at 9:13 PM

    Thanks for your comments Subhrashis. I did not know that Mr. Sastri corrected Mr. Gandhi's autobiography too. Thanks for the info.

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  16. KParthasarathiApril 26, 2015 at 3:33 PM

    Rt.Hon'ble Srinivasa sastriar's Lectures on Ramayana was his magnum opus.
    These lectures given at Sanskrit College before cognoscenti is a delectable treat to read.This book priced at Rs.250 was available at Giri Trading at Mylapore

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    1. SGApril 26, 2015 at 4:05 PM

      Thanks for your comments Mr. Parthasarathi. And, thank you so much for giving us this valuable information. So many readers have asked me how to get a book or a tape of Mr. Sastri's speech. You made my job much easier.

      Delete
  17. SGApril 26, 2015 at 4:03 PM

    Thanks for your comments Ashwini. I am glad you liked this post.

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  18. Sindhu Devi KMay 4, 2015 at 8:32 AM

    Great to know about Srinivasa Shastri... Feeling good to know that many of your readers know him even though I didn't so far.
    Thanks for this post that would make everyone feel 'Mera Bharath Mahan' :)

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  19. radhaMay 5, 2015 at 2:15 AM

    That is an interesting story. To teach the British their own tongue !

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  20. AnonymousMay 5, 2015 at 4:40 AM

    We should be so proud of ourselves that we had such an intellectual person within us. Great to know Mr Sasti...You gave him a wonderful stature.

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  21. Alok singhalMay 5, 2015 at 4:42 AM

    We should be so proud of ourselves that we had such an intellectual person within us.
    Great to read about Mr Sastri...wonderful tribute to him here.

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  22. AnonymousSeptember 9, 2015 at 1:39 AM

    Wonderful that after so many years we are still talking about Rt. Hon'ble Srinivasa Sastri. He is my grand father's uncle(mama). I have some 10 photos and 3 letters of Sastri written my grand father. I am sorry to say we lost many. I can share his letters and photo with interested persons. One such old photo is that of Royal Commission for Labour in India taken in 1930. Ramakrishnan

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    1. AnonymousJune 25, 2022 at 10:15 PM

      My great grandmothers uncle. Such a pleasure to see something about him. If there is anyway to connect and share pictures you have. hariharan_vsj@yahoo.com. I am visiting Valangaiman as I type this for Kuladeivam temple worship.

      Delete
  23. geminiFebruary 29, 2016 at 6:28 AM

    Does anyone know the incident that happened when Shastri travelled in a London Cab during one his visits? How his eloquent speech stunned the cabbie who insulted him not knowing his true value but assessed him by his simple attire?

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  24. UnknownJuly 10, 2017 at 10:55 PM

    Srinivasa sastri, is said to have taken Abath Sanyasam (being initiated into an Ascetic order during the last hours of ones life ) before he died . His mortal remains were interred in a Samadhi , on the banks of River Kudamurutti , in Valangaiman, his native village , near Kumbakonam. I happened to visit the place recently . The inscription on the Samadhi ( a Brindavanam ) has the name " Srinivasa Jitendriya " surpassing all his titles like Silver Tongued Orator and Rt Honorable

    Neelakantan

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    1. karthikSeptember 8, 2022 at 8:03 PM

      I reproduce below the news headline in Indian Express on Rt. Hon. V. S. Srinivasa sastry's passing away. It says the cremation was at Barber's Bridge buring gate in Mylapore. I along with my mother,sister and grand mother Rukmani used to live in my great grand father's house Svagatam mentioned in the article in Mylapore. Svagatam was sold in 1986.
      https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=36s-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=OEwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2068%2C1224541

      Delete
    2. AnonymousFebruary 13, 2023 at 7:58 AM

      Could you provide more details of this. There is not much written about his Abath Sanyas.

      Delete
    3. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2024 at 3:28 PM

      If he was cremated, is it possible he took Abath Sanyas before his passing and his ashes were then interred in the samadhi ?

      Delete
  25. MadhuAugust 27, 2017 at 1:47 AM

    One interesting anecdote I recall my grand dad telling me was about
    Silver tongue Srinivasachari who was equally noted for his wit and presence of mind and mastery over the English language.
    When the Brits who were ruling at that time, wanted to hear him speak and offered him a speaking slot.
    He politely asked of them "
    Pray, what topic do you want me to speak on ?"
    The Brits rather sarcastically remarked " Nothing, we just wanted to hear you speak ... and added , rather cheekily , why dont you speak about ...nothing ?!"

    He began to speak :
    ".... without India , the British Empire is Nothing "

    There was a stunned silence and the hall echoed with thunderous applause much to the amusement of all who had gathered and to the embarrassment of the Brit who suggested the topic as he began to expand on "nothing" over the next thirty minutes, ex tempore...

    He spoke about Indias contribution to mathematics which was nothing (zero) ...

    And left the audience dazed and proud.


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    1. S.ViswanathanMay 25, 2021 at 2:02 AM

      I too have heardvof this speech by Shastri, don't know exactly where, probably Oxford. I heardvitvsaid that he was told by the gathering that since he could speak on any topic spontaneously, he should speak on 'Nothing', and hevis reported to have started as written by Madhu. I do wish I can lay hands on this speech and others of his. Alas, my age and condition doesn't allow much movement of my limbs. He was a greatbdon of India, but as is the principle of post independence government and the left leaning intellectuals of India, such liberals as Shastri never came to limelight. It's difficult to say who is to blame. I am hundred percent sure most educated Indians, especially those who term themselves intellectuals may be unaware or ignorant of Shri
      Shastri's skills and achievements.

      Delete
    2. S.ViswanathanMay 25, 2021 at 2:05 AM

      Please pardon some errors, my fingers pressed wrong keys, and I failed in rectifying.

      Delete
  26. KS RAJDecember 17, 2017 at 6:39 PM

    The Britishers were always wondering as to how an Indian could speak such beautiful & much better English than most of them. In fact, he was asked about this. He replied 'I learnt English while Britishers have picked it up'.

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