Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai (1898-1969) was a social reformer, politician and freedom fighter from

Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...

in erstwhile

Travancore The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...

. An upper caste by birth, who worked for upliftment of lower Caste, spreading modern education and

democratization Democratization, or democratisation, is the transition to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It may be a hybrid regime in transition from an authoritarian regime to a ful ...

. He was the president of

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (abbreviated as Kerala P. C. C. or the K. P. C. C.) is the state unit of the Indian National Congress in Kerala. The Indian National Congress currently leads the United Democratic Front alliance, the Oppositi ...

from 1949-1951 and one of the leaders of

Vimochana Samaram The Liberation Struggle in Kerala (1958–59) was a period of anticommunist protest against the first elected state government in Kerala, India, which was led by E. M. S. Namboodiripad of the Communist Party of India. Organised opposition to ...

. He was also the founder and first president of Panmana Ashramam made in commemoration of

Chattampi Swamikal Chattampi Swamikal (25 August 1853 – 5 May 1924) was a Hindu sage and social reformer. His thoughts and work influenced the launching of many social, religious, literary and political organisations and movements in Kerala and for the first ti ...

Life

Sanku Pillai was born at Prakkulam,

in a Nair landlord family named Thottuvayalil Bungalow on 15 February 1898 and after his childhood he moved to Panmana. He undertook various social reform activities like organizing inter-caste-dining and facilitating temple entry for back ward castes at two temples near Panmana even before the

Temple Entry Proclamation The Temple Entry Proclamation was issued by Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma on November 12, 1936. The Proclamation abolished the ban on the so-called 'low caste people' or from entering Hindu temples in the Princely State of Travancor ...

of 1936. He was a disciple of

and invited the saint to Panmana in his late years of life. After

passed away, by 1938 Pillai established the Panmana Ashramam to propagate teachings of Swamikal. The relationship with

Barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

A.K. Pillai brought Sanku Pillai into politics. He participated in struggles for responsible government in

. In the end of 1940's he was in forefront of protests against

Pattom Thanu Pillai Raja Shri Pattom A. Thanu Pillai (15 July 188527 July 1970) was a participant in the Indian independence movement who later served as the chief minister of Kerala from 22 February 1960 to 25 September 1962. He was known as the 'Bhishmacharya' o ...

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...

members. In this period he rose up in ranks to the president of

. Sanku Pillai was also part of the

. He was also the founder of

Devaswom board Devaswom ( sa, dēvasvaṁ; ) are socio-religious trusts in India, whose members are nominated by the government and community. They oversee Hindu temples and their assets to ensure their smooth operation in accordance with traditional rituals and ...

College,

Sasthamkotta Sasthamkotta, or Sasthamcotta, is a village in the Kunnathoor Tehsil of Kollam district in the state of Kerala, India. Kunnathoor taluk headquarters is located at Sasthamkotta. The Sasthamkotta freshwater lake is the largest freshwater lake ...

Popular art

The

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...

of Sanku Pillai is ''Ente Kazhinjakaala Smaranakal.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanku Pillai, Kumbalathu 1969 deaths Politicians from Kollam People from Kollam People from the Kingdom of Travancore Indian independence activists from Kerala Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala Malayali politicians 1898 births

Life

Popular art

See also

References