Menon

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For the socratic dialogue by Plato, see Meno.

Menon was a title of dignity bestowed upon the Nairs of Cochin by its king. It corresponds to the Pillai of Travancore and was the most common title of Central Kerala. The term Menon is derived from Melevan (mel means superior and avan, he). The recipient of the title held it lifelong or his family held it in perpetuity, depending on the amount of money known as Adiyara paid for securing the same. According to Edgar Thurston, in his Castes and Tribes of Southern India, as soon as a person was bestowed with this title of Menon he was presented with an Ola (palmyra leaf for writing on) and a style, the symbols of an accountant.

Menons served their king as commanders, administrative officers, ministers etc. and have given birth to many important personalities of Kerala. The royal families of Cochin and south Malabar marry only from Menon families. The Paliam Menon family were among the chief nobles of Cochin, only second to the Cochin Royal Family besides being blood related.

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[edit] Notable people

  • Dr. Jai Menon, Director Customer Service and IT ,Bharti]
  • Dr Jai Menon - IBM master scientist in the field of storage
  • Mani Menon, Eminent Surgeon [Detroit, U.S.A.]
  • M. G. Ramachandran, Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister & Actor
  • Shivshankar Menon, India's current Foreign Secretary
  • Dr. V. K. Narayana Menon, Noted art critic and chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
  • Shashi Tharoor (Former U.N. Under-Secretary & Writer)
  • K.P.S Menon Sr. & Jr. (Ambassadors)
  • Dr. Shanker Menon-Professor and International Consultant, Sarasota, U.S.A.
  • Thottekat Achuta Menon, Dewan of erstwhile Royal Cochin
  • Dr.Krishna Menon, Scientist and Industrialist [U.S.A.]
  • Thotekkat Govinda Menon, second Dewan of erstwhile Royal Cochin
  • Sunita Menon, tarot reader,astrologer,numerologist
  • O. Chandhu Menon - Novelist
  • Prof. Sreedhara Menon - Historian
  • James Menon Fastest American 10,000 Meter Runner 1998 with time 28:15
  • Balachandra Menon, Film Maker
  • Dr. N. R. Madhava Menon, educationist
  • P. N. Menon, film maker
  • Vallathol Narayana Menon, Famous poet
  • Vailoppilly Sreedhara Menon, Famous poet
  • V.K. Krishna Menon, former cabinet minister of India
  • Bhadra Menon, Writer
  • C.Achutha Menon- Former Chief Minister of Kerala
  • Vinod C Menon, Member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
  • Kayarat Chandrasekhara Menon - Freedom fighter
  • Panambilly Govinda Menon, former prime minister of Travancore-Cochin State
  • Revathi Menon, Film Actress/Director
  • Prof. Mambalikalathyl Govindan Kutty Menon, Scientist & central minister
  • N.K. Menon, Industrialist. MD of Colinz Pharmaceuticals. Mumbai., INDIA
  • Kumara Padma Sivasankara Menon, ambassador from India
  • Mambalikalathyl Sarada Menon - Noted Psychiatrist
  • Balakrishna Menon (now Swami Chinmayananda)- modern day Hindu guru and founder of Chinmaya Mission
  • Kalyani Menon- Singer
  • Gautham Menon- Noted film maker
  • Govind Menon- Bollywood film maker
  • Rajeev Menon- Famous cinematographer and director
  • Capt Lakshmi Sehgal (INA)
  • Subhashini Ali(Former MP,daughter of Capt Lakshmi)
  • Ammu Swaminathan(freedom fighter)
  • Mrinalini Sarabhai(Dancer)
  • Dr. P.K.B Menon - Former Adviser DST, Government of India and Head NSTEDB
  • Kay Kay Menon - Actor
  • Shewatha Menon,Mini Menon,Renuka Menon - Actors,Models
  • V.P.Menon - The man behind the reunification of India With Sardar Patel
  • Unni Menon - Singer
  • Biju Menon - Actor
  • Shivadasa Menon - Former Finance Minister, Kerala
  • Lakshmi N.Menon - Former Deputy Foreign Minister
  • Dr. Rama Varma Pratap - Eminent Physicist
  • Dr. C. P. Girija Vallabhan - Eminent Physicist
  • Dr. Promod Pratap - Physicist
  • Shweta Menon- Hindi and Malayalam actress
  • K.V Vanu Gopala Menon (Ambassador of Singapore to the United Nations, New York)
  • P N C Menon - Chairman Sobha group
  • Dr P K Menon - Eminent Mathematician and one time director of Joint Cypher Beaureau.

[edit] Pop culture

A folk song depicting Menon's pomp and circumstance in society.

മേനോനേ മേനോനേ, മേശമേല് തൂറീ നീയും വെയ്ക്കെടാ രണ്ടുപണം.

[edit] References

  • Travancore State Manual by, V.Nagam Aiya
  • Castes and Tribes of Southern India, by Edgar Thurston, page 296


[edit] See also