Preceded by P. N. Krishnamurti Succeeded by S. Gopalachari Succeeded by T. Ananda Rao Name V. Madhava | Monarch Moolam Thirunal Role Statesman Preceded by K. Krishnaswamy Rao Died 1934 | |
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Monarch Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV | ||
Vishwanath Patankar Madhava Rao (Marathi: विश्वनाथ पाटणकर माधव राव (10 February 1850 - 1934) was an Indian administrator and statesman who served as the Diwan of Mysore kingdom from 1906 to 1909 and Baroda from 1910 to 1913.
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Early life and education
Mr.Madhava Rao comes of an ancient family of Thanjavur Marathi Deshastha Brahmin family, long ago settled in Tanjore, who was supposed to have emigrated from the Satara district to south India in the wake of Maratha conquest of Tanjore. Madhava Rao was born in February 1850 in Kumbakonam, Madras Presidency. He was educated at Kumbakonam College by William Archer Porter. He completed his B. A. in 1869 and was appointed as a headmaster in royal school in the Mysore kingdom.
Appointments
Madhava Rao entered the service of the Mysore kingdom in 1869 as a headmaster of the royal school. He was later appointed public prosecutor of Mysore and served in the Judicial and Revenue departments. He also served as Inspector General of Police, Plague Commissioner in the Mysore kingdom from 1898 to 1901 and Revenue Commissioner from 1902 to 1904 before being appointed Diwan in 1906.
Diwan of Mysore
Madhava Rao served as Diwan of the Mysore kingdom from 30 June 1906 to 31 March 1909. In 1906, a law was passed empowering members of the Mysore Legislative Assembly to pass laws. The new legislature was constituted on 6 March 1907. The Land Revenue Code was amended to make the Revenue Commissioner the Chief Revenue authority and was also given charge of the treasury. A Department of Public Health was created and competitive exams for the Mysore Civil Service were revived. Taxes on arecanut were revoked.
Kindergarten schools were introduced in the kingdom and primary education was made free. A number of irrigation projects were undertaken. The Marikanite Works were completed in 1906-07 and the Cauvery Power Works at Belagola in 1907-08. The Government sanctioned a free grant of land to the Indian Institute of Science.
Electric lighting was introduced in the civil and military station of Bangalore city on 1 January 1908 and for Mysore city on 26 September 1908.
Honours
Madhava Rao was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1899 and was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Medal in 1900.