A Gandhian couple

Yashodhara Dasappa. Photo courtesy Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav 

H C Dasappa. Photo courtesy Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav 

He was from an affluent family. His father had earned fame in the affairs of 20th-century princely Mysore. He was appointed as a member of the Miller Committee, constituted to look into communal representation in government service and make recommendations. As time passed, his son also emerged as a leader. He was H C Dasappa.

On the other hand, she came from a reputed family. Her father, a London-returned barrister, occupied important positions in the government departments of princely Mysore. She had her initial education at the then-famous London Missionary School in Bangalore. Her name was Yashodha. She married H C Dasappa years later, and together, the couple played a leading role in the political affairs of princely Mysore, both, before and after independence.

Early life

Yashodha or Yashodharamma, as she later came to be known, began to take part in social work after her education. She was particularly drawn to issues concerning women.

H C Dasappa had taken up the profession of a lawyer. In 1926, he married Yashodhara. After becoming a member of the Mysore Representative Assembly and Mysore Legislative Council, he emerged as a leader of Prajapaksha, a leading political party of the time.

On the other hand, Yashodharamma involved herself with programmes that Mahatma Gandhi had initiated. She joined the Mahila Sadana, Bhagini Samaj and Vanitha Samaja. She became a member of the Indian National Congress, which was in its inception phase in the state.

Dasappa was more involved in active politics. He got elected to the Mysore Legislative Councill representing the Praja Samyukta Party, while Yashodha remained in the Indian National Congress.

During World War II, political activities in princely Mysore gained momentum. Soon, Yashodha became a household name across Kannada-speaking regions for her involvement in the Shivapura session of Congress held in 1938.

Leaders who hoisted the Congress flag here were arrested. During this time, a team of women led by Yashodhara volunteered to sit around the flag post in protest. This was one of the key events that strengthened the base of the Congress in princely Mysore.

Congress gained more prominence during the term of Dasappa as its president. At this time, the Government of the Maharaja of Mysore debarred him from practising as a lawyer. He conducted a tour across princely Mysore along with others to strengthen campaigning.

During the Quit India struggle, after the arrest of several leaders, Yashodha directed an underground political movement and thereby inspired others. During this time, Dasappa was interned as a political prisoner in Mandya.

After independence

After the dawn of independence, Dasappa became minister of industries and finance in the new cabinet formed in the Mysore state.

In 1950, Yashodhara became the first woman President of Mysore State Congress. She strived hard to strengthen its organisational foundations. In her work with the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, Yashodha toured across the state to identify women who were in need of training and upskilling.

‘Kasturba Grama’, the headquarters of the trust in Karnataka, became an arena for her work. Kasturba Seva Kendras were established in many villages. A plan to educate women with diverse interests was implemented. After the first-year plan was launched, the Central Social Welfare Department allocated more funds for this purpose.

A large number of men and women were trained at the Kasturba Seva Kendras, including three women from the Devadasi community.

After his defeat in the first general elections in 1952, Dasappa was appointed as President of the Mysore State Congress. After two years, he entered the Rajya Sabha. In 1957, he entered Lok Sabha from Bangalore Rural constituency.

In 1962, Yashodhara entered Vidhana Sabha from Hassan constituency. In the cabinet of S Nijalingappa, she was appointed as Cabinet Minister of Social Welfare. She thereby became the first woman to hold such an office in the state.

Dasappa breathed his last in 1964, while in office. In 1965, when the government of Mysore decided to withdraw the prohibition imposed on liquor, Yashodhara, a true Gandhian in spirit and action, resigned from the cabinet. This speaks much about her convictions in Gandhian ideology and philosophy.

After her resignation, she became more involved in social work including education, charity and self-employment. She died on June 20, 1980. With her death, the state lost a great woman.