ABSTRACT
The remarkable story of Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah has been almost entirely excluded from the historical literature on modern India partly because his entire life was lived in the shadow of the far more famous figure of MahatmaGandhi. Gandhi has been seen not only as the tactician and embodiment of successful Indian nationalism but also as the modern exemplar of India’s mysterious and ancient spiritual values. Gandhi, the apostle of Indian nationalism, was actually educated in London, while Azariah, the supposed adjunct of western imperialism, was educated in India. Azariah and Gandhi united in battle against the British government’s communally based political reforms of the 1930’s, but before long Gandhi attacked Azariah with criticisms and innuendo, and even- tually he undermined the effectiveness of Azariah’s missionary work in his diocese. Azariah’s popular reputation as a nationalist was greatly reinforced by this earlier conflict over the electoral system.
