[2] Ramarayaningar was born in Srikalahasti, Chittoor district on 9 July 1866, and fostered in the Vadama Calamur family, whose pro-Brahmin, Mylapore clique influence and political moderation he would come to fiercely oppose.

He was educated in Madras and obtained degrees in Sanskrit, law, philosophy and Dravidian languages before entering politics.

From 17 December 1920 to 11 July 1921, Ramarayaningar served as the Minister of Local Self-Government in the first Justice Party government led by A. Subbarayalu Reddiar.

Ramarayaningar resigned as First Minister in 1926 when the Justice Party failed to obtain a majority in the 1926 elections to the Madras Legislative Council.

[10] On 19 July 1917, at a conference in Coimbatore presided over by the Ramarayaningar, the four different non-Brahmin associations got together to form the South Indian Liberal Federation, unofficially known as the Justice Party.

[17][18][19] When the Government of India Act was passed in 1919, provisions were made to hold elections in the Madras Presidency for the first time in history.

A. P. Patro of Berhampur was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Subbarayalu Reddiar's resignation, and he took the portfolio of education.

[21] Eventually, two factions emerged; one group of workers desired to return to work while another wished to continue the strike.

[23] Top Justice Party leaders like O. Thanikachalam Chetti severely censured the police for the measures they adopted.

[22] Though the B & C mills strike was eventually settled through the mediation of C. Natesa Mudaliar,[21] the communal riots which had accompanied it estranged Scheduled Castes from the Justice Party.

[27] The dissidents were led by C. R. Reddy, a leader of the Justice Party,[27][28][29] who complained of the dictatorial rule of the Raja[30] and his insensitive, unimaginative policies.

[34] This act evoked severe protests from some sections of the assembly which felt that this was an intrusion in the religious affairs of the populace.

The bill asserted that the governing body would henceforth be headed by a Chancellor who would be assisted by a pro-Chancellor who was usually the Minister of Education.

[37] However, the tenure of the Justice Party government of the Raja of Panagal is largely remembered for the introduction of caste-based reservations in 1921.

[42] Municipal development The rapid growth of the population of Madras necessitated the expansion of the city and the creation of more residential colonies.

[44] The development of the tract to the west of the Long Tank had been initiated by the British Government in 1911 with the construction of a railway station at the village of Marmalan or Mambalam.

[44] Following the draining out of the Long Tank, the Justice Party government of the Raja of Panagal conceived the creation of a residential colony adjoining this little village.

[44] Other reforms The Raja of Panagal reorganised the Public Works Department in the Presidency, improved medical facilities, water supply and communications in rural areas and patronised Siddha medicine.

Sir Muhammed Usman, later minister in the government of the Raja of Bobbili was appointed secretary of the committee on siddha medicine.

However, Lord Goschen, the Governor, was able to obtain the support of the Raja of Panagal by making a Justice Party member, M. Krishnan Nair, a Cabinet minister.

[50] Led by the Raja of Panagal, the Justice Party switched sides and lent its support to the Subbarayan government.

S. Srinivasa Iyengar, a political opponent of the Raja, said of him: The Rajah Sahib had singular gifts to leadership, tact and of high diplomacy.

He had not only led his party with remarkable success but he fought the bureaucracy with even greater skill and courage[56]The Hindu paid rich tributes to the Raja: Essentially a conservative by instinct and training, he showed remarkable ability to perceive the trend of the popular upheaval in our province no less in social than in political matters and he showed consummate strategy and great ability in maintaining the influence and integrity of his party, when the mantle of leadership fell on him after the death of Sir P. Theagaraya Chetti a few years ago.

The Rajah Saheb was, on the other hand, reserved and restrained, tactful and polished to a degree and his courtesy and consideration to friends and opponents alike has always been marked[57]The Justice Party began to decline with the death of the Raja of Panagal.

[56] Despite the fact that he was regarded as a communalist and anti-Brahmin, he nominated a Brahmin, T. Sadasiva Iyer as the Commissioner of the Hindu Religious Endowment Board.

I remind you: They asserted their right to pour hot lead into the ears of the low-caste man who should dare to study books.

But only in Britain's day did education become the right of all, with state schools, colleges, and universities accessible îo all castes, communities, and peoples[60]