C. V. Runganada Sastri
Encyclopedia
Calamur Viravalli Runganada Sastri (c. 1819 - July 5, 1881) was an Indian interpreter, civil servant and polyglot
who was known for his mastery over Indian and foreign languages.
family from a village near Chittoor
in the then North Arcot
district in the year 1819. His father was reputed to be one of the greatest Sanskrit
scholars of the day. Due to weak financial conditions prevailing in the family, Runganada Sastri was initially educated at home. By the time he was eight, he had become proficient in Sanskrit. The turning point in Sastri's life came with the arrest of his father for non-payment of land rent when the former was barely twelve years old. Sastri pleaded before the District Judge Casamajor requesting his father's temporary release from porison in order to participate in an annual religious ceremony offering himself as security on his father's behalf. Moved, Casamajor not only released Sastri's father but himself undertook to educate the boy.
Runganada Sastri was initially tutored in private by Casamajor and a Chittoor missionary H. Groves. Within six months, Sastri was able to read and write English. Under Groves' tutorship, Sastri evinced keen interest in mathematics
and soon advanced to the study of astronomy
. Finding the need to further Sastri's studies, Casamajor sent Sastri to Madras in 1836 after persuading his parents with great difficulty. Runganada Sastri studied at Bishop Corrie's Grammar School from 1836 to 1839 and the High School (later, Presidency College, Madras) from 1839 to 1842, graduating with honours in 1842.
, Hindustani
, Persian
and Kannada. When his father died soon after, he used his mastery over Indian languages to secure a job as an interpreter in the Supreme Court at Madras. While serving as interpreter, Sastri also started to master European languages like French
and Latin
. Sastri was soon appointed Chief Interpreter at a pay of Rs. 2,000 - 2,500 a month. When the University of Madras
was established in 1857, Runganada Sastri was made a fellow of the university.
Soon after his retirement, Runganada Sastri was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council
. However, he died on July 5, 1881.
while his daughter Seethammal married Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
, a leading political figure in early 20th century Madras.
Polyglot (person)
A polyglot is someone with a high degree of proficiency in several languages. A bilingual person can speak two languages fluently, whereas a trilingual three; above that the term multilingual may be used.-Hyperpolyglot:...
who was known for his mastery over Indian and foreign languages.
Early life
Runganada Sastri was born in a poor BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family from a village near Chittoor
Chittoor
Chittoor also known as Chittur, is a City and municipal corporation located in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is conveniently located on major highways linking the cities of Bangalore and Chennai....
in the then North Arcot
North Arcot
The Indian District of North Arcot was split on 30-09-1989 into Tiruvannamalai-Sambuvarayar and North Arcot Ambedkar .- History :...
district in the year 1819. His father was reputed to be one of the greatest Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
scholars of the day. Due to weak financial conditions prevailing in the family, Runganada Sastri was initially educated at home. By the time he was eight, he had become proficient in Sanskrit. The turning point in Sastri's life came with the arrest of his father for non-payment of land rent when the former was barely twelve years old. Sastri pleaded before the District Judge Casamajor requesting his father's temporary release from porison in order to participate in an annual religious ceremony offering himself as security on his father's behalf. Moved, Casamajor not only released Sastri's father but himself undertook to educate the boy.
Runganada Sastri was initially tutored in private by Casamajor and a Chittoor missionary H. Groves. Within six months, Sastri was able to read and write English. Under Groves' tutorship, Sastri evinced keen interest in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and soon advanced to the study of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. Finding the need to further Sastri's studies, Casamajor sent Sastri to Madras in 1836 after persuading his parents with great difficulty. Runganada Sastri studied at Bishop Corrie's Grammar School from 1836 to 1839 and the High School (later, Presidency College, Madras) from 1839 to 1842, graduating with honours in 1842.
Early career
On completion of his graduation, Sastri wanted to teach at the College of Engineering which was being planned. But the hostile attitude of the government as well as his father's failing health forced Runganada Sastri to return to Chittoor where he got a position as a clerk in the Subordinate Judge's Court at a salary of Rs. 70. During this time, Sastri displayed a rare aptitude for languages and soon mastered TeluguTelugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, Hindustani
Hindustani language
Hindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Kannada. When his father died soon after, he used his mastery over Indian languages to secure a job as an interpreter in the Supreme Court at Madras. While serving as interpreter, Sastri also started to master European languages like French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. Sastri was soon appointed Chief Interpreter at a pay of Rs. 2,000 - 2,500 a month. When the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
was established in 1857, Runganada Sastri was made a fellow of the university.
Later career
In April 1859, there was a vacancy in the Small Cause Court Bench and Runganada Sastri was appointed to the post by the then Governor of Madras Sir Charles Trevelyan after countering heavy opposition and racial prejudice. Runganada Sastri served as a judge of the Small Cause Court from April 1859 until his retirement with pension on February 16, 1880.Soon after his retirement, Runganada Sastri was nominated 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...
. However, he died on July 5, 1881.
Family and descendants
Runganada Sastri's son Calamur Sundara Sastri had four sons and a daughter. His eldest son Sir C. V. Kumaraswami Sastri served as a judge of the Madras High CourtMadras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
while his daughter Seethammal married Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
Sachivottama Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer, KCSI, KCIE , also called "C. P.", was an Indian lawyer, administrator and politician who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923, Law member of the Executive council of the Governor of Madras from 1923 to 1928,...
, a leading political figure in early 20th century Madras.