Rao Bahadur Vappala Pangunni Menon, CSI, CIE (Aged 72), also known as V. P. Menon. He was an Indian civil servant born on 30 September 1893. He served as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of the States under Sardar Patel. He was appointed by the Viceroy and Governor-General of India Wavell, and also served as Secretary to the Governor-General (Public) and later as Secretary to the Cabinet. He was also the Constitutional Adviser and Political Reforms Commissioner to the last three successive Viceroys (Linlithgow, Wavell and Mountbatten) during British rule in India.
In May 1948, V. P. Menon initiated a meeting in Delhi between the Rajpramukhs of the princely unions and the States Department. After the meeting, the Rajpramukhs signed new Instruments of Accession which gave the Government of India the power to pass laws in respect of all matters that fell within the seventh schedule of the Government of India Act 1935. Menon played a crucial role in India’s partition and political integration. Later in his life, he became a member of the free-market-oriented Swatantra Party.
After India gained independence, Menon became the secretary of the Ministry of the States, headed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with whom he had developed a bond of trust. Patel respected Menon’s political genius and work ethic, while Menon obtained the respect a civil servant needs from his political superior for his work. Menon worked closely with Patel over the political integration of India, in which over 565 princely states were merged into the union of India. Menon also worked with Patel over the military action against the hostile states of Junagadh and Hyderabad, as well as advising Nehru and Patel on relations with Pakistan and the Kashmir conflict. Menon passed away on or before 31 December 1965.
V. P. Menon
(1893 – 1965) – (Kerala)
Rao Bahadur Vappala Pangunni Menon, CSI, CIE (Aged 72), also known as V. P. Menon. He was an Indian civil servant born on 30 September 1893. He served as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of the States under Sardar Patel. He was appointed by the Viceroy and Governor-General of India Wavell, and also served as Secretary to the Governor-General (Public) and later as Secretary to the Cabinet. He was also the Constitutional Adviser and Political Reforms Commissioner to the last three successive Viceroys (Linlithgow, Wavell and Mountbatten) during British rule in India.
In May 1948, V. P. Menon initiated a meeting in Delhi between the Rajpramukhs of the princely unions and the States Department. After the meeting, the Rajpramukhs signed new Instruments of Accession which gave the Government of India the power to pass laws in respect of all matters that fell within the seventh schedule of the Government of India Act 1935. Menon played a crucial role in India’s partition and political integration. Later in his life, he became a member of the free-market-oriented Swatantra Party.
After India gained independence, Menon became the secretary of the Ministry of the States, headed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with whom he had developed a bond of trust. Patel respected Menon’s political genius and work ethic, while Menon obtained the respect a civil servant needs from his political superior for his work. Menon worked closely with Patel over the political integration of India, in which over 565 princely states were merged into the union of India. Menon also worked with Patel over the military action against the hostile states of Junagadh and Hyderabad, as well as advising Nehru and Patel on relations with Pakistan and the Kashmir conflict. Menon passed away on or before 31 December 1965.
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