Shri Mannathu Padmanabhan

Shri Mannathu Padmanabhan, the founder of the Nair Service Society, a Freedom Fighter and a noted Social Reformer was born on 02nd January 1878 in Perunna Village in Changanassery Taluk of the erstwhile state of Travancore. Extreme poverty and deprivation marked the early years of his life. Subsequent to completion of his education, Shri Padmanabhan began his career as a teacher in a government primary school in 1893. After a few years, from 1905 he changed his profession and started practicing law. During this period he was also drawn towards the political and social movements. The sorry state of the Nair Community in those days anguished him deeply. For the upliftment of the Community, he established the Nair Service Society (NSS) in the year 1914 and motivated the Nairs to shed superstition, organised Nair Karayogams and established numerous Educational Institutions and brought about reforms in the prevalent rituals and cultural practices. In 1924 he took part in the Vaikom Satyagraha and in 1947 he organised and actively 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. He was honoured with the title Bharata Kesari by the President of India. He was a true Social Reformer and Renaissance Leader and in recognition of his services he was awarded “Padmabhushan“ by the Government of India in the year1966. The great Karma Yogi left his mortal body on 25th February 1970.