MVR Menon's Blog
Perspective Unbiased - 6
The
Forgotten Lion of Malabar: Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair
A
Legal Luminary and Fearless Nationalist
By MVR Menon
Many names have been immortalised in the grand narrative of India's freedom struggle. Yet, among the stars, there remains a luminary whose brilliance
deserves far greater recognition - Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, the fearless son
of Malabar, a proud Malayali Nair, and an unwavering torchbearer of
constitutional nationalism.
Today,
as debates swirl around nationalism, civil rights, and the legacy of our
freedom fighters, it is time to remember and reclaim the story of a man who was
not only a legal legend and reformer but also a fierce critic of colonial
injustice - Sir C. Sankaran Nair.
A
Trailblazer from Mankara:
Born
on 11 July 1857 into the Chettur family of Mankara in Palakkad, Sankaran Nair’s
journey from a small town in Kerala to the corridors of British power was
extraordinary. Educated in Kozhikode and Madras, he rose through the ranks of
the legal fraternity with integrity and brilliance. By 1880, he had begun
practising in the Madras High Court, and soon, his razor-sharp intellect made
him a sought-after jurist.
From
serving as Advocate-General to being appointed a Judge of the Madras High
Court, Nair’s career was distinguished not merely by titles but by his
progressive judgments, particularly his landmark ruling in Budasna v. Fatima,
where he upheld the rights of converts to Hinduism. He sought not just legal
reform, but social justice.
Congress
President and Voice of Equality:
In
1897, Sankaran Nair was elected President of the Indian National Congress at
its Amraoti session. His address at the Congress remains one of the most
powerful articulations of civil rights in Indian political history:
“We
must insist on perfect equality. Inequality means race inferiority, national
abasement. Acquisition, therefore, of all civil rights conferred on Englishmen,
removal of all disabilities on Indians as such - these must be our aim.”
These
were not mere words - they were a call to action from a man who believed that
constitutionalism, equality, and civil liberties were the cornerstones of true
freedom.
A Lone Warrior After Jallianwala Bagh:
The
Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 shook the conscience of the nation. But while
many hesitated, Sir Sankaran Nair acted. In protest, he resigned from the Viceroy’s
Executive Council, sending ripples through the British
establishment. It was a
gesture not just of defiance, but of deep moral outrage - an act that placed
him among the most courageous dissenters of his time.
The former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, Michael O’Dwyer, sued him for defamation in a British court. Nair was unwavering and went to London to defend himself. Even though the biased jury ruled against him, he did not apologise or retract his statement. statements. His battle became a global symbol of India’s right to speak truth to power.
Legacy Beyond the Courtroom:
Nair’s
legacy extends beyond his legal acumen. As Secretary to the Raleigh University
Commission and later as a member of the Viceroy’s Council in charge of
Education, he influenced key educational reforms. His Minutes of Dissent in
1919 challenged the very foundations of colonial governance. Many of his
suggestions were eventually accepted, laying the groundwork for constitutional
reform.
He was a patriot who preferred principled negotiation to populist slogans - a constitutionalist when others leaned toward extremism. In 1928, he chaired the Indian Central Committee to engage with the Simon Commission, advocating for Dominion Status. When the British acknowledged this demand, Sir Sankaran Nair retired from politics in a dignified manner.
An
Illustrious Lineage:
Sankaran
Nair’s family, too, carried forward his legacy of excellence. His children and
grandchildren became judges, diplomats, military commanders, and public
intellectuals. Among them were Sir C. Madhavan Nair, Justice of the Privy
Council; K. P. S. Menon, India’s first Foreign Secretary; Lt. Gen. K. P.
Candeth, liberator of Goa; and Shivshankar Menon, India’s National Security
Advisor. His great-grandson, Anil Menon, is a NASA astronaut - a testament to a
lineage grounded in service and achievement.
Even today, places like Mahalingapuram and the Sri Ayyappan/Guruvayurappan Temple in Chennai owe their names to his family’s contributions.
Why
He Must Be Remembered:
Recently, Chettur Sankaran Nair’s life has received renewed attention, thanks to the film Kesari 2 and to voices like British MP Bob Blackman, who
raised the issue of Jallianwala Bagh in the UK Parliament. But these tributes
must not remain fleeting.
Sir Sankaran Nair is a symbol of courage and conviction that deserves to be remembered not only as a historical figure but also as a timeless symbol of constitutional resistance. In an
age where truth is often sacrificed at the altar of convenience, his refusal to
bend - even when threatened by imperial power - remains a beacon of
inspiration.
At a
time when the legacy of Sankaran Nair was nearly forgotten and the new
generation knew little about this remarkable Indian, my brother and dear
friend, Sri KP Ravi Sankar, stepped forward to give him a voice. After nearly
16 years of dedicated research and pursuit, he released the documentary 'Reminiscence of Greatness' three years ago. This was followed by the book ‘The Case That Shook the Empire’, which inspired the film
Kesari Chapter 2.
Mankara
Railway Station in Palakkad, built by the British for Sir C. Sankaran Nair and
his illustrious family, is now facing closure. A symbol of Kerala’s
colonial-era railway heritage and the legacy of a visionary leader, it deserves
preservation as a historical landmark. A sustained campaign is needed to save
and rename it in honour of Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, who played a pivotal role
in shaping India’s legal and political landscape.
Let us
honour the memory of this forgotten lion of Malabar - for he was a true Indian
who dared to stand alone against an empire.
MVR
Menon
Monday,
21 April 2025
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