Mannathu Padmanabhan
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| Mannathu Padmanabhan | |
| Born | January 2, 1878 Kerala, India |
|---|---|
| Died | February 25, 1970 (aged 92) |
Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878-1970) 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 30 percent of the population of the state[citation needed]. Padmanabhan is considered as a visionary reformer who organised a 10 million Nair community under the NSS.
[edit] Early life
He was born on January 2, 1878 to Eswaran Namboothiri of Nilavana Illam and mannathu Parvathy Amma of a respectable Nair family near Changanassery, in North 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.
[edit] NSS
In 1914, he with the help of a few others, established the Nair Service Society, 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.[1] He became a member of the Indian National Congress in 1947 and took part in the Travancore State Congress 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. 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. One notable feature of the movement was its massive student participation led by the student leaders like A.K. Antony, Oommen Chandy, etc.
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.
