Constituency Pydicondala, Yanaon Died June 13, 1954 Name Samatam Kistaya | Religion Hindu Nationality French Residence Yanaon, French India | |
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Preceded by Madimchetty Satianandam Succeeded by Maddimsetti Satianandam Constituency Yanaon (Inde francaise) | ||
Monsieur Samatam Krishnayya (Samatam Kistaya) (Yanam c. 1875 – 13 June 1954) was a poet, historian and ayurvedic doctor. He wrote many books in Telugu. He was staunch pro-French politician in his days..
Contents
Life
During 1954, Monsieur Maddimsetti fled from Yanam to join pro-merger group, which brought anger in its people that led to pillage of his home. Then a 78-year-old, Monsieur Samatam Krouschnaya became the Mayor of Yanam (interim) who was the lone pro-French leader to fight against pro-merger leaders.
Death
He died during the Coup d'État de Yanaon on Sunday, 13 June 1954 at the age of 78 years. It was declared that he was killed by Indian Military while seizing Yanam. But it is still a mystery about the actual causes and real persons behind his death. Had he been alive when the coup ended, Yanaon still would exist as French colony.
Major view about his death
On the day of the coup, he fought a lone battle to maintain French sovereignty in Yanam against all the pro-merger groups. When he was trying to jump from a wall (at Pydikondala house) and take shelter, he was shot by Maddimchetty Satianandam who had a pistol which had been given to him by one of his close friends. It was known that Maddimchetty thought that because of Monsieur Samatam that only his house had been pillaged. The 78-year-old, Acting Mayor Monsieur Samatam collapsed mortally wounded, but even as he was dying he did not stop shouting Vive la France. It was declared that Monsieur Samatam was killed by shots fired by the Indian Military which brought tears to many people in Yanam. Had Monsieur Samatam survived that day, it is thought that the Coup d'État de Yanaon would have been a complete failure. The death of Monsieur Samatam is still considered by the French even now as a political conspiracy perpetrated by the Indian side. For locals of Yanam, it is still a mystery, who was the real murderer of their beloved leader.
A popular view is that, it was only personal interests that drove the leaders to help in the merger of Yanam rather than that of the cause of Indian nationalism.
French patriot
The French Government identified him as a patriot of France and even commemorated him with a statue which exists in Paris even today. They used to garland his statue in the remembrance of his lone sacrificial fight on the day of Coup d'État de Yanaon to defend France.