T. V. Seshagiri Iyer

Tiruchendurai Vaidyanatha Seshagiri Iyer (1860–1926) was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as a judge of the Madras High Court and represented the University of Madras in the Madras Legislative Council. Seshagiri Iyer was born in 1860 in a village in Tiruchirapalli district. He had his early education in his village and studied law in Madras. He served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council. Seshagiri Iyer was known for his public work.

Early life Seshagiri Iyer was born to Vaidyanatha Iyer in the village of Tiruchendurai in Tiruchirapalli district in 1860. He was one of Vaidyanatha Iyer's six children through his second wife, Komali, the other five being girls. Vaidynatha Iyer also had six sons namely, Mannarswamy, Ramu, Venkataraman and Subbaraman through another wife. Seshagiri Iyer's sisters were Sanamma, Seethalakshmi, Thailambal, Subbammal and Kalyani. Mannarswamy looked after the early education of his younger siblings in the family. Seshagiri Iyer married Kalyani and had two daughters Bhagi and Nagammal. The family settled down in Alwarpet, Chennai.

Career Legal career On completion of his studies, Seshagiri Iyer joined as an apprentice of the famous Madras lawyer of British origin, Eardley Norton. During this time, Seshagiri Iyer was responsible for the Hindu Transfers and Bequests Act of 1914.

Seshagiri Iyer also functioned as a member of the Senate of the University of Madras. In 1916, disappointed at the very tough nature of the Intermediate Examination and the fact that very few Indian candidates had passed the examination, Seshagiri Iyer moved a resolution in the senate demanding that the pass mark for English be reduced to 30 percent. He described the tough correction at the examination as "slaughter" of the candidates. However, there was staunch opposition to this resolution by British professors. One Rev. Macphail uttered: "You bring rickshaw-wallahs and jhutkawallahs to the examination hall, and when they fail, you complain of slaughter".

Political career

Seshagiri Iyer represented the University of Madras in the Madras Legislative Council from 1921

Death

Seshagiri Iyer died in February 1926. He possessed a "cutting tongue and an easy sarcasm".