| Mannathu Padmanabhan | |
|---|---|
Mannathu Padmanabhan |
|
| Born | January 2, 1878 Travancore, British India |
| Died | February 25, 1970 (aged 93) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
Mannathu Padmanabhan (January 2, 1878 - February 25, 1970) was a social reformer and a freedom fighter from the State of Kerala, India. He is recognised as the founder of the Nair Service Society, which claims to represent the Nair community that constitutes almost 14.5% of the population of the state.[1] Padmanabhan is considered as a visionary reformer who organised the Nair community under the NSS.
He was born near to Changanssery, central Travancore, on 2 January 1878 to Eswaran Namboothiri and Mannathu Parvathy Amma. He began his career as a teacher in 1893 in a Government primary school. After a few years he changed his profession and from 1905 practised law, initially in the Magistrates' Courts. He soon became an established member of the Bar.
In 1914, he with the help of a few others, he established the Nair Service Society. His main ambition was to uplift the status of the Nair community. 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 opened his family temple for everyone, irrespective of caste distinction.[2] 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, which became known as the Vimochana Samaram (liberation struggle). He travelled all over Kerala in a chariot. The immediate cause of the Vimochana Samaram was the introduction of an Education Bill by the Minister of Education, Joseph Mundassery, and the movement caused the dismissal of the Communist government under E. M. S. on 31 July 1959. The consequence of this was the beginning of President’s rule in the state under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.
Padmanabhan was involved with the Nair Service Society as its Secretary for 31 years and as its President for three years. He was honoured with the title Bharata Kesari by the President of India. He also received Padma Bhushan in 1966.
He died on February 25, 1970.