M. Bhakthavatsalam was born on October 9, 1897 in Nazarathpet, a village in Chingleput District, Tamil Nadu. He was educated in the Christian Mission School and P.S. High School, Chennai. He joined the Presidency College, Madras in 1916 from where he graduated in Economics. He later joined the Madras Law College, worked as an apprentice under Alladi Krishnasami lyer and subsequently, enrolled himself as an Advocate. However, he abandoned a promising legal profession in 1927 to plunge into full time political activity.

Bhakthavatsalam took active interest in the Home Rule Movement started by Dr. Annie Besant even while he was in college. It was then that he came into contact with Rajaji. Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, he took part in the agitation against the Rowlatt Bill and joined the freedom struggle in 1921. He took a leading part in the Civil Disobedience Movement and was imprisoned in 1932. To stimulate Congress propaganda he started the daily newspaper "India" in Tamil and was its Managing Director till 1933. In the Individual Satyagraha Movement, he was imprisoned for 9 months (1940-41). Once again, he played an exemplary role in Quit India Movement in 1942 during which he was incarcerated for 2 years.

Bhakthavatsalam served as Deputy Mayor of the Madras Corporation in 1937. Starting as  a Parliamentary Secretary in Rajaji's Ministry in 1937, he joined the Cabinet in 1946 and became an automatic choice in the subsequent ministries. Except for a brief spell of 10 months in 1952-53, he remained a member of the Cabinet for 21 years, as a Minister till 1963 and as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for over three years from 1963 to 1967. As Chief Minister, he contributed a great deal to the all round development of the State, particularly the development of industry, education and agriculture.

Monuments to his farsightedness are the Madurai University which was established as his initiative and the Kundah and Periyar hydro-electric projects planned and executed  during his term. Madras was the first state to have a separate highways department under him. As Minister in charge of religious endowments, he was largely responsible for toning up the administration of temples and undertaking renovation work on a large scale with UNESCO assistance. He was instrumental in the renovation of temples and kumbabhishekams and several institutions sprang up to promote temple architecture, music and sculpture. General and technical education under the aegis of temples also took shape under his leadership. As Education Minister, he was responsible for making Coimbatore Agricultural College, a premier institution.

M. Bhakthavatsalam passed away on 13.2.1987. The Department of Posts is honoured to release a commemorative postage stamp in his memory.

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