Malladi Satyalingam Naicker (1840–1915) was an Indian philanthropist and educationalist from

Kakinada Kakinada (; formerly known as Cocanada) is a Port, port city and municipal corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Situated along the Bay of Bengal, it serves as the headquarters of Kakinada district and is a prominent economic and c ...

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

. He is known for founding the M. S. N. Charities and his contributions to education, public welfare, and religious causes. His charitable efforts significantly benefited underprivileged students and the local community.

Early life and career

Malladi Satyalingam Naicker was born in 1840 in Korangi, East Godavari, into the fisherman community. In 1868, he moved to

Rangoon Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...

(modern-day Yangon), where he began as a labourer before establishing himself as a businessman in shipping and trade. Naicker battled poverty and faced the challenges in his early life. His independent and progressive views often clashed with the authoritarian practices of the wealthy kalasis aboard the boats. Seeking a better livelihood, he left his uncle's cargo boat for Rangoon, where he changed jobs several times, eventually becoming a contractor for the supply of workers to British rice mills and naval yards. Naicker amassed considerable wealth, which he later dedicated to charitable causes.

Philanthropy

Establishment of M. S. N. Charities

In 1912, Naicker registered a will in the district court of Rangoon, setting aside ₹8 lakh from his wealth for various philanthropic activities. His will stipulated that the funds be used for the establishment and maintenance of educational institutions, temples, and welfare initiatives, including providing scholarships for poor students and feeding the needy. Following his will, prominent figures such as Diwan Bahadur D. Seshagiri Rao Pantulu and Naicker's adopted son Subrahmanyam Naicker formed M. S. N. Charities in 1915. The organization was entrusted with managing these funds and implementing the charitable activities specified in the will.

Contributions to education

A school focused on technical subjects and vocational training was established in 1927. The trust also donated land for the establishment of an industrial school (polytechnic) in 1945 and supported the creation of a junior college and degree colleges in the 1960s and 1970s. One of the significant contributions of M.S.N. Charities was the establishment of educational institutions in

. In 1915, ₹5 lakh was allocated for the purchase of agricultural lands, ₹2 lakh was deposited in banks, and ₹1 lakh was used for constructing schools, temples, and a guest house. These institutions provided free education and meals to underprivileged students. By 1946, the charity had established an upper secondary school, and by 1954, it had opened a Vedic school. The organization also helped establish the Andhra Polytechnic in 1946 and later a junior college and a degree college in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Religious contributions

Naicker's will also supported the construction of religious institutions. Several temples were built in Chollangi, including a

Shiva temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to whom it is dedicat ...

, a

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

and

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

temple, and resting places for pilgrims.

Notable beneficiaries

Over the years, M. S. N. Charities has assisted many students in pursuing higher education, both in India and abroad. Among the notable beneficiaries was

Yellapragada Subbarow Yellapragada Subba Rao (12 January 18958 August 1948) was an Indian American biochemist who discovered the function of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as an energy source in the cell, developed methotrexate for the treatment of cancer and led th ...

, the renowned scientist who received financial support to study abroad.{{Cite journal , last1=Bharti , first1=Ankit H. , last2=Marfatia , first2=Yogesh S. , date=2017-11-01 , title=Yellapragada SubbaRow – The unsung Indian biochemist behind methotrexate and other drugs , url=https://ijdvl.com/yellapragada-subbarow-the-unsung-indian-biochemist-behind-methotrexate-and-other-drugs/ , journal=Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology , language=en , volume=83 , issue=6 , pages=733–735 , doi=10.4103/ijdvl.IJDVL_1018_16 , doi-access=free , issn=0378-6323 , pmid=28948942 Other prominent personalities who received support include Maganti Bapineedu and Dr.

Lanka Sundaram Lanka Sundaram ( Telugu: లంక సుందరం) (1 January 1905 – 8 January 1967) was an Indian politician and an expert in international law. Life He was born in Chodavaram. He did his primary education at Noble College, Machilipatna ...

Legacy

Malladi Satyalingam Naicker's charitable legacy continues through the operations of M. S. N. Charities, which remains active in providing education and welfare services. His contributions have had a lasting impact on the social and educational landscape of Kakinada and its surrounding regions. A lesson highlighting the nobility of character and generosity of Satyalingam has been prescribed for ninth class pupils by the Education Department of Andhra Pradesh.

References

Indian philanthropists 1868 births 1915 deaths Indian social reformers People from British India People from Kakinada