Mariadas Ruthnaswamy CIE, KCSG (1885–1977) was a leading educationalist, statesman and a writer in Madras (now Chennai, Tamil Nadu), India.
He was educated in Secunderabad, Hyderabad and in Cuddalore in the then Madras Presidency he went on to study in Oxford and Cambridge, ultimately qualifying as a barrister at Gray's Inn, London.
The Madras Legislative Council with 132 members had luminaries like S. Satyamurthi, Raja of Panagal, PT Rajan, S. Srinivasa Ayyangar, Arcot Ramaswami Mudaliar and Dr P Subbarayan among others.
The Governor had a 4 Member Executive Council -N E Majoribanks (Revenue), Khan Bahadur Mohammad Usman of Madras (Home), T E Moir (Finance)and A.Y.G.
[6] Soon after leaving the Madras Service Commission, he became Vice-Chancellor, Annamalai University, which he held for 2 terms – 1942–1948 Ruthnaswamy was a prolific writer known for his erudition and breath of vision, seen both in his books and as an Editor and journalist.
[7] Ruthnaswamy was not a believer in Nehruvian socialism which led to "permit raj" which meant government's role in commanding heights of the economy.
Once the formation of the Swatantra Party was announced in Madras on 6 June 1959 by C. Rajagopalachari and Minoo Masani, one of the earliest members were Ruthnaswamy, NG Ranga, Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa and the Maharaja of Patiala.
Ruthnaswamy with Dahyabhai Patel, he was Swatantra's ablest spokesman in the Rajya Sabha, and after the resignation of Paliwal, was named as the Vice-President of the party" His speeches in Parliament covered a wide range of subject, clear and incisive, for instance on Railways "as for the chronic overcrowding in third class carriages, it was the routine complaint of the representatives of the people against the old British Administration.
....we should have protested against the occupation of Tibet by China.... we allowed Tibet to be gobbled up by China" (Speech on Foreign Affairs- 23 June 1962) a few months later China attacked India on 20 October 1962 with disastrous consequences, on University Grants Commission (Speech on University Grants Commission – 23 June 1962) Decrying less money was spent for the endowment of teaching, that "buildings seem to be the preoccupation of our Vice-Chancellors and our Senates and academic councils", he was to foresee what was to happen 50 years later when Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad went further when he spent a whopping sum of Rs 30.1 million on renovation of his bungalow by reducing amount to be spent on research and scholarships[9] Ruthnaswamy was decorated as a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in 1930.
Arogyaswami Mudaliar .. all three of us used to meet as good friends and exchange thoughts in good humour[12] Lawrence Sundaram in his book Anjali mentions "Apart from his brilliance as a scholar and writer, Mr Ruthnaswamy was a man of solid personal religious faith....He had an intellectual sharpness of a Newman... Adjectives like "pious" or "devoted"or exemplary" are too weak to describe the manly robustness with which he practised his religious beliefs.
His mind was alert when his body was enfeebled even at the age of 93 and till the end he wielded his pen with a mastery that others could envy from a great distance[13] Books written by Ruthnaswamy included,[14]