Mannathu Padmanabhan
Encyclopedia
Mannathu Padmanabhan was a social reformer and a freedom fighter from the State of Kerala
, India
. He is recognised as the founder of the organisation called the Nair Service Society
. This organisation represents the Nair
community which constitutes almost 14.5% of the population of the state. Padmanabhan is considered as a visionary reformer who organised a 5 million Nair community under the NSS.
family near Changanassery, in central Travancore
.
Padmanabhan started his career as a teacher in 1893 in a Government Primary School. After a few years he changed his profession and took up legal practice from 1905 onwards. He started practising law in the Magistrates' Courts and soon became an established member of the Bar.
, his main ambition was to uplift the Nairs and to regain the lost power of this former ruling sect. From 1915 onwards, he gave up a lucrative practice and became full-time secretary of the Nair Service Society.
In 1924 he took part in the Vaikom
and Guruvayoor temple-entry and anti-untouchability
agitation. He even opened his family temple for everyone irrespective of any caste distinction. He became a member of the Indian National Congress
in 1947 and took part in the agitation against Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer’s administration in Travancore
.
In 1949 Padmanabhan became a member of the Travancore
Legislative Assembly. In 1959 he led a united opposition against the State Communist Ministry. This struggle is called Vimochana Samaram
which means liberation struggle. He travelled all over Kerala in chariot. The immediate cause of the outbreak of the Vimochana Samaram was the introduction of an Education Bill by the Minister of Education Joseph Mundassery. The immediate effect of the Vimochana Samaram was the dismissal of the Communist government under E. M. S. on July 31, 1959 and the beginning of President’s rule in the state under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.
Padmanabhan was involved with Nair Service Society
as its Secretary for 31 years and as its President for 3 years. He was honoured with the title ‘Bharata Kesari’ from the President of India
. He also received Padma Bhushan
in 1966.
He died on February 25, 1970.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is recognised as the founder of the organisation called the Nair Service Society
Nair Service Society
The Nair Service Society is an organization created for the uplift and welfare of the Nair community. It was established under the leadership of Mannathu Padmanabhan...
. This organisation represents the Nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
community which constitutes almost 14.5% of the population of the state. Padmanabhan is considered as a visionary reformer who organised a 5 million Nair community under the NSS.
Early life
He was born on New Year's Day in 1877 to Eswaran Namboothiri of Nilavana Illam and Mannathu Parvathy Amma of a respectable NairNair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
family near Changanassery, in central Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
.
Padmanabhan started his career as a teacher in 1893 in a Government Primary School. After a few years he changed his profession and took up legal practice from 1905 onwards. He started practising law in the Magistrates' Courts and soon became an established member of the Bar.
NSS
In 1914, he with the help of a few others, established the Nair Service SocietyNair Service Society
The Nair Service Society is an organization created for the uplift and welfare of the Nair community. It was established under the leadership of Mannathu Padmanabhan...
, his main ambition was to uplift the Nairs and to regain the lost power of this former ruling sect. From 1915 onwards, he gave up a lucrative practice and became full-time secretary of the Nair Service Society.
In 1924 he took part in the Vaikom
Vaikom
Vaikom is a taluk and also its capital town, situated in the North-West of Kottayam in Kerala, India. Its western border is the Lake Vembanad, and is crossed by various estuaries of the River Muvattupuzha. It lies between Ernakulam and Kottayam...
and Guruvayoor temple-entry and anti-untouchability
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
agitation. He even opened his family temple for everyone irrespective of any caste distinction. He became a member of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
in 1947 and took part in the agitation against Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer’s administration in Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
.
In 1949 Padmanabhan became a member of the Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
Legislative Assembly. In 1959 he led a united opposition against the State Communist Ministry. This struggle is called Vimochana Samaram
Vimochana Samaram
The Liberation Struggle is an anti-Communist socio-political agitation started in 1958 against the first elected government in Kerala state, India under Communist Chief Minister E. M. S. Namboodiripad...
which means liberation struggle. He travelled all over Kerala in chariot. The immediate cause of the outbreak of the Vimochana Samaram was the introduction of an Education Bill by the Minister of Education Joseph Mundassery. The immediate effect of the Vimochana Samaram was the dismissal of the Communist government under E. M. S. on July 31, 1959 and the beginning of President’s rule in the state under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.
Padmanabhan was involved with Nair Service Society
Nair Service Society
The Nair Service Society is an organization created for the uplift and welfare of the Nair community. It was established under the leadership of Mannathu Padmanabhan...
as its Secretary for 31 years and as its President for 3 years. He was honoured with the title ‘Bharata Kesari’ from the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
. He also received Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
in 1966.
He died on February 25, 1970.