S. Satyamurti, was born on August 19th 1887 at  Thirumeyyam  in  the  former  Pudukottah State. Satyamurti after finishing Intermediate in the Pudukottah Maharaja's College joined the  Madras  Christian  College  for  his  B.A. (History).  After  graduation,  he worked  as a tutor  in  his  own  college before  joining  the Madras Law College. On completing Law he worked initially in the Chambers of Mr. V.V. Sreenivasa  Iyengar  and  later  with  Shri  S. Sreenivasa  Iyengar,  former President  of  the Indian National Congress.

Qualities of eloquence, dignity and integrity in Satyamurti came to be recognised by Lokmanya Tilak and Srinivasa Sastri. It was a fitting tribute to his talents that young Satyamurti was chosen to accompany such giants to Britain in 1919 as Secretary of the Congress delegation on the eve of the passage of the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms by the British Parliament. In 1926 the Swaraj Party sent him to Britain to explain to the British public the Indian point of view.

Obeying the clarion call of the Mahatma for non co-operation with the British ruler both in 1930 and 1932, Satyamurti defied prohibitory orders and, courting imprisonment, was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment.

Right from the mid twenties, Satyamurti had been an active and eloquent member of the Madras University Senate and Syndicate helping to usher in numerous reforms in the educational field. His service to education led him to play a major role in the creation of the Annamalai University. All along, whenever time could be spared from his political work, it was devoted to the promotion  of Carnatic music and the resurgence of classical dance. He be­ came the Vice-President of the Madras Music Vilas Sabha, a prominent amateur theatrical group.

In 1939 he was elected Mayor of Madras and during his tenure he worked tirelessly to make Madras what he called "the city beautiful ": He initiated the Poondi Reservoir Scheme, now called the Satyamurti Sagar.

In 1940 Satyamurti participated in the "individual satyagraha" campaign, defying a prohibitory order and making an anti-war speech. He was detained for 8 months in prison. In 1942 while returning from the Congress Working Committee meeting in Bombay, when the historic "Quit India" resolution was adopted, he was arrested before he reached Madras. Along with other leaders from the south, he was detained in Amraoti. Broken by the privations of jail, he died on 28th March, 1943 in the Madras General Hospital, a Martyr for freedom.

The Department of Posts is privileged to issue a commemorative stamp on Shri  S. Satyamurti in the series India's Struggle for Freedom.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India