Page:The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur R. Venkata Ratnam, volume 1.djvu/36

 Co-operation Conference at Cocanada in 1921, Again, with the R. V. M. G. Ramarao Bahadur Orphanage at Cocanada, founded in 1909, he will ever be associated as its prime architect, even to the planning of the magni- ficent buildings. In fact, in ever so many other instances, his has been the inspiration behind the renowned’ bount.y of the noble Prince of Pithapuram. In a word, learning and wisdom, charity and piety, have combined to make his remarkable personality a whole institution in itself. Upon a life of such high- toned and many-sided activities the seal of Government recognition was set bj’ the con- ferment of the titles of Rao Bahadur and Dewan Bahadur in 1912 and 1918 respectively and, later still, by nomination to the Reformed Provincial Legislative Council, where they have now duly learnt, to seek and value his sage counsel as one of tlie elected Deputy Pi-esidents. In his earlier days, Mr. Venkata Ratnam used to take a keen interest and an actiAe part in direct i)oIitical work ; and his discourses on the Indian National Congress, de]iv('red in the eighties, are fondly