{{Short description|Indian journalist}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Ganapathi Agraharam Annadhurai Ayyar Natesan | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1873|08|25}} | image = G. A. Natesan 1933.jpg | caption = G. A. Natesan in 1933 | birth_place = Ganapathi Agraharam, Thanjavur district | spouse = Mangalamma | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1948|04|29|1873|08|25}} | occupation = Writer, Journalist, Politician, Publisher }} '''Ganapathi Agraharam Annadhurai Ayyar Natesan''' (25 August 1873 – 29 April 1948) was an Indian writer, journalist, publisher, politician and freedom-fighter from the erstwhile Madras Presidency. He was the founder and proprietor of G. A. Natesan & Co. which published nationalist books, the most prominent among whom was ''The Indian Review''.
==Early life== Natesan was born in the village of Ganapathi Agraharam in Thanjavur district on 25 August 1873. He had his schooling in Kumbakonam<ref name="dnbp245">{{cite book|title=Dictionary of national biography|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.11619|author=Siba Pada Sen|pages=[https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.11619/page/n320 245]–246|publisher=Institute of Historical Studies|year=1972}}</ref> He graduated in arts from the Presidency College, Madras<ref name="world_bio_p3429">{{cite book|title=World biography|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.6694|publisher=Institute for Research in Biography|year=1948}}</ref> and started a career as a publisher. He first apprenticed under Glyn Barlow before starting his own publishing company, G. A. Natesan & Co. in 1897.<ref name="world_bio_p3429" /><ref name="diamondjubileep39">{{cite book|title=Diamond jublee: sixty years of publishing, 1897-1957|pages=39|publisher=G. A. Natesan & Co.|year=1957}}</ref>
==Indian independence movement== left|thumb|200px|Gandhi and Kasturba, with Hasan (left) and G. A. Natesan (right), Madras (1915) Natesan was involved with the Indian independence movement right from his early days. In 1900, he started ''The Indian Review'', a monthly publication in English.<ref name="southernindiap733">{{cite book|title=Southern India: its history, people, commerce, and industrial resources|url=https://archive.org/details/southernindiaits00some|author=Somerset Playne|author2=J. W. Bond |author3=Arnold Wright |pages=[https://archive.org/details/southernindiaits00some/page/733 733]|year=1914}}</ref> While covering mostly nationalistic themes, ''The Indian Review'' also included literary reviews, illustrations and sections on economy and agriculture.<ref name="southernindiap733" /> Natesan advertised on the front page that his publication was "devoted to the discussion of all topics of interest".<ref name="southernindiap733" />
When Mahatma Gandhi visited Madras for the first time since his arrival in India in 1915, he stayed at Natesan's house at Thambu Chetty Street, Georgetown.<ref name="sabarmatiashram">{{cite web |title=The Mahatma: Gandhi and Kasturba |publisher=Gandhi Ahsram at Sabarmati |url=http://www.gandhiashram.org.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=64 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206095448/http://www.gandhiashram.org.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=64 |archive-date=6 February 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref name="gandhimadras">{{cite news|title=When Gandhi visited Madras|url=http://hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2003/01/26/stories/2003012600160200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030620060057/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2003/01/26/stories/2003012600160200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 June 2003|work=The Hindu|date=26 January 2003}}</ref> His stay lasted from 17 April 1915 to 8 May 1915.<ref name="gandhimadras" />
==Later life== In his later life, Natesan underwent a change of ideology and joined the Indian Liberal Party.<ref name="centurycyclopediap2892">{{cite book|title=New Century Cyclopedia of Names|pages=2892|author=Clarence Lewis Barnhart|author2=William Darrach Halsey|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=1980|id={{ISBN|0136119476}}, {{ISBN|978-0-13-611947-0}}}}</ref> He was elected Joint Secretary of the Liberal Party in 1922.<ref name="centurycyclopediap2892" /> He was first nominated as a non-official member to the Council of State in 1923 and for a second time in 1931.<ref name="centurycyclopediap2892" /><ref name="sasthiabdapoorthip55">{{cite book|title=Souvenir of the sashtiabdha-poorthi of the Hon. Mr. G. A. Natesan|pages=55|author=B. Natesan|publisher=G. A. Natesan & Co.|year=1933}}</ref> During his tenure as a member of the Council of State, Natesan served as member of the Indian Delegation to the Empire Parliamentary Association in Canada.<ref name="dnbp245" /> He also served as the member of the Indian Iron and Steel Tariff Board in 1933–34.<ref name="centurycyclopediap2892" /><ref name="india_economicandcommercialconditionsp76">{{cite book|title=India: economic and commercial conditions in India|pages=76|author=Great Britain. Commercial Relations and Exports Dept|publisher=H.M. Stationery Off.|year=1935}}</ref> Natesan was appointed Sheriff of Madras in 1938.<ref name="centurycyclopediap2892" />
==Death== Natesan died on 29 April 1948 at the age of 74. He remained active until his death.<ref name="dnbp245" />
==Notes== {{Reflist}} {{wikisource|works=or}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Natesan, G A}} Category:1873 births Category:1948 deaths Category:Presidency College, Chennai alumni Category:People from Thanjavur district Category:Indian independence activists from Tamil Nadu Category:Sheriffs of Madras Category:Members of the Council of State (India) Category:Journalists from British India