T Madhava Rao

Raja Sir T. Madhava Rao (1828-1891) was a distinguished Indian statesman and administrator who served as Diwan of Travancore from 1857 to 1872, Indore from 1873 to 1875, and Baroda from 1875 to 1882, implementing key reforms in finance, public works, education, and land tenure that earned Travancore the title 'Model State of India'. Born into a prominent Maratha Brahmin family in Thanjavur, he was nephew to former Travancore Diwan T. Venkata Rao and was hailed as the 'Turgot of India' by British statesman Henry Fawcett for modernizing native state administration while preserving traditions.