Ari Gowder
Encyclopedia
Rao Bahadur
Hubbatale Bellie Ari Gowder (December 4, 1893 – June 28, 1971) was a Badaga
leader and the first member of the Badaga community to be elected to the Madras Legislative Council
.
who constructed the Nilgiri Mountain Railway
.
in the 1940s and 1950s. He was also a President of the Backward Classes League. He also served a President of the Nilgiris District Board. When prohibition was introduced in 1937, Ari Gowder was instrumental in enforcing prohibition in the Nilgiris district. He led the Indian contingent to the World Scouts Jumboree in Hungary
in 1930.
was named Ari Gowder Bridge. The Government of Tamil Nadu
is scheduled to released a stamp
in his memory.
The portion of West Mambalam, Chennai
which adjoins the Mambalam railway station was gifted to the Government of Tamil Nadu by Ari Gowder and the road which runs parallel to the railway line is named Arya Gowder Road in his honor.
Rao Bahadur
Rao Bahadur was a title of honour issued in British India to individuals who had performed great service to the nation....
Hubbatale Bellie Ari Gowder (December 4, 1893 – June 28, 1971) was a Badaga
Badaga
Badaga may refer to:*The Badaga people, an indigenous people inhabiting the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, India.*The Badaga language, spoken by the Badagas....
leader and the first member of the Badaga community to be elected to the Madras Legislative Council
Madras Legislative Council
Tamil Nadu Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It began its existence as Madras Legislative Council, the first provincial legislature for Madras Presidency. It was initially created as an advisory body in 1861, by the British...
.
Birth and early life
Ari Gowder was born to Rao Bahadur H. J. Bellie Gowder at Hubbatale on December 4, 1893. Bellie Gowder was an engineering contractor from the Badaga tribe of NilgirisNilgiris (mountains)
The Nilgiri , often referred to as the Nilgiri Hills, are a range of mountains with at least 24 peaks above , in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu state at the junction of Karnataka and Kerala states in Southern India...
who constructed the Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a railway in Tamil Nadu, India, built by the British in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division...
.
Politics and public life
Ari Gowder was educated at the Madras Christian College before entering politics. He became the first Badaga to be elected to the Madras Legislative Council. He served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council from 1923 to 1926 and from 1930 to 1934 and was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Madras stateMadras State
Madras State was the name by which the Indian districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Northern Kerala, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada were collectively known as from 1950 to 1953....
in the 1940s and 1950s. He was also a President of the Backward Classes League. He also served a President of the Nilgiris District Board. When prohibition was introduced in 1937, Ari Gowder was instrumental in enforcing prohibition in the Nilgiris district. He led the Indian contingent to the World Scouts Jumboree in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1930.
Philanthropic activities
Ari Gowder established the Nilgiris Co-operative Marketing Society in Mettupalayam in 1941 and served as its President until his death in 1971. The main purpose of the Nilgiris Co-operative Marketing Society was to guarantee the rights of cultivators from being exploited by middlemen.Death and legacy
Ari Gowder died on June 28, 1971. He is highly regarded by members of the Badaga community who regard him as their patriarch. A bridge constructed in 1939 at Masinagudi linking the then Madras Presidency with the kingdom of MysoreKingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
was named Ari Gowder Bridge. The Government of Tamil Nadu
Government of Tamil Nadu
The Government of Tamil Nadu, headquartered at Chennai is the governing authority for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at the Fort St. George...
is scheduled to released a stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
in his memory.
The portion of West Mambalam, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
which adjoins the Mambalam railway station was gifted to the Government of Tamil Nadu by Ari Gowder and the road which runs parallel to the railway line is named Arya Gowder Road in his honor.