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| Logo of Nair Service Society |
The Special meeting of Nair Bhrithya Jana Sangham
held at Mannathu Bhavan, Perunna, Chaganacherry on Midhunam 27, 1090
(M.E.) decided to change the name as “Nair Service Society”.
On Midhunam 17, 1100 the Nair Service Society was
registered under the Travancore Company Act. The proclaimed aim of the Nair Service Society is
the unification of all Hindus along with the active coordination of Nair
community so as to ensure harmony of all communities & thereby progress in
all walks of life. This aim is in consonance with the famous gospel of
the Hindu culture “Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu” (Let the whole world
be happy for ever).
In the beginning there was provision
for two types of membership viz., permanent members & life members. The
annual membership fee was Rs.12/-. At time of registration, society had 5
permanent members & 21 life members making the total to 26. In 1101 a
separate organizational branch was formed & Sri. M.N. Nair was appointed as
the first Secretary. By 1104 the society became more active & passed the
statute relating to various Unions & Karayogams. The post
of Karayogam Registrar was also created for this purpose.
First Karayogam
-The 1st Karayogam was registered at Thatta in
Pandalam East Village of old Mavelikkara Taluk. The 2nd Karayogamwas
also registered at Thatta.
Karayogams are
foundation stones of the NSS. Each Karayogam is an autonomous
self-sufficient unit. Mannathu Padmanabhan has rightly remarked that if Nair
Service Society can be compared to a giant tree, Karayogams are
its roots.
The first effort of the NSS was to do
away with the evils & superstitions prevailed in the society. NSS has also
undertaken the task of uniting all the sub-castes under the Nair community
& for bringing them under one umbrella. It also aims at the
establishment of educational institutions to cater the cultural progress of
people belong to all walks of life.
Nair Service Society (NSS) had a three-tier organizational set up viz
- Karoyogam (At base level)
- Taluk Karayogam (At intermediate level)
- Central Headquaters operation from Perunna @ Changanaserry.
Altogether 4,958 Karayogam's were
registered so far. 57 Taluk Unions are functioning. 3,057 Nos. of Women
Samajams & 1,547 Mannam Bala Samajams were also functioning under the
above units. Various activities of NSS were handled by separate units like General
Administration, Survey & Land Records Wing, Planning & Development
Unit, College Unit, School Unit, Agricultural Unit, Health Service,
Organization Wing, Public Works Wing, Accounts & Audit Department,
Dewaswam-Ashramam Unit & Department of Law.
Founding Leaders of NSS (Nair Service Society)
Mannathu Padmanabhan (January 2, 1878 -
February 25, 1970)
Born : 2nd January 1878, Perunna, Channganaserry, Kerala, India
Death : 25th February 1970, Perunna, Channganaserry, Kerala, India
Birth Place : Perunna, Channganaserry, Kerala, India
Spouse : Mechettu Kalyani Amma
Father : Sri Easwaran Namboothiri of Nilamana Illam
Mother : Smt Chiramuttathu Parvathy Amma
He was a social reformer & a freedom fighter from the State of Kerala, India. He is recognized as the founder of Nair Service Society, which claims to represent the Nair community that constitutes almost 14.50% of the population of the state. Sri Padmanabhan is considered as a visionary reformer who organised the Nair community under the NSS.
Sri Mannathu Padmanathan Nair was born in Perunna village in Changanacherry, Travancore, British India on 2nd January 1878 to Eswaran Namboothiri of Nilavana Illam & Mannathu Parvathy Amma. He began his career as a teacher in 1893 in a Kanjirapally Government Primary School at the age of 16. After a few years, from 1905 he changed his profession & started practicing law in the Magistrates Courts & soon became an established member of the bar.
In 1914, he with the help of few others established the Nair Service Society, his main ambition was to uplift the Nair's & to regain the lost power of this former ruling sect. From 1915, he gave up the lucrative practice & became full time secretary of the NSS.
In 1924, he took part in the Vaikom temple & Guruvayoor temple entry & anti-untouchability agitation. He even opened his family temple to everyone irrespective of any caste distinction. He became member of the Indian National Congress in 1947 & took part in the Travancore State Congress agitation against Sir Chetpet Pattabhiraman Ramaswamy Iyer's administration in Travancore.
In 1949, he became a member of the Travancore Legislative Assembly. In 1959, he led a united opposition against the state communist ministry. This struggle is called Vimochana Samaram, which means liberation struggle. He was travelling all over Kerala in a chariot pulled by Bishop's, priests of different Christian factions & other prominent members of different communities. The immediate cause of the outbreak of the Vimochana Samaram was the introduction of an education bill by the Minister of Education Sri Joseph Mundasarry. Vimochana Samaram resulted in the dismissal of the Communist Government with Chief Minister Sri Elamkulam Manakkal Sankaran Namboodiripad (EMS) on 31st July 1959 & the beginning of President's rule in the state under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution. One notable feature of the movement was its massive student participation led by students leaders like Sri Arackaparambil Kurien Antony & Sri Ommen Chandy etc.
He was involved with Nair Service Society as its Secretary for 31 long years & as its President 3 years. He was honored with the title "Bharata Kesari" by then President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad in 1959. He was also honored with Padma Bhushan in 1966.
On his birthday of 2nd January each year in the state of Kerala, Mannam Jayanthi is a regional Indian holiday. This holiday commemorates an important Indian social reformer on the anniversary of his birth in 1878.
Koyapalli Kelappan Nair (August 24, 1889 - October 7, 1971)
Born : 24th August 1889, Muchukunnu, Calicut, Kerala, India
Death : 7th October 1971, Calicut, Kerala, India
Birth Place : Muchukunnu, Calicut, Kerala, India
Spouse : T P Lakshmi Amma
Children : T P K Kidav
Father : Sri Kanaran Nair
Mother : Smt Kunjamma Amma
He was a founding member and president of Nair Service Society, a reformer, an
Indian freedom fighter, educationist & journalist. He is also known
as Kerala Gandhi. Post-independence he held various seats in
Gandhian organizations.
Koyapalli Kelappan Nair was born in the small village of Muchukunnu in Calicut
in Kerala. He studied in Calicut, Madras & graduated from
the University of Madras. He began his career as a teacher at in St.
Berchmans High School, Changanassery & was the founding President of
the Nair Service Society. Later he became the Principal of a school run by
the society.
He joined studies in Law at Bombay which he gave up to join
the Non-Cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi & joined
the Freedom movement. During Malabar rebellion, he faced a group of
rebels who came to loot the Ponnani Treasury & persuaded them to retreat by
appealing to their good sense. He gave the lead to Payyannur & Calicut
salt Satyagraha & was chosen as the
first Satyagrahi from Kerala in the individual satyagraha movement
launched by Gandhiji. He played a dominant role in the famous Vaikom
Satyagraha & was the leader of the Guruvayur
Satyagraha in 1932. It was at Gandhiji's request that he ended his fast
at Guruvayur.
He was jailed by several times during the Indian freedom movement including
the Quit India Movement. He was in the forefront of Swadeshi Movement
& did his best to build up a base of Khadi & village
industries. After independence he left the Congress Party & joined
the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party & was elected
to Parliament from Ponnani Lok Sabha seat in 1952. At the
end of his term, he left active politics & became a Sarvodaya worker &
was actively associated with Bhoodan Movement in Kerala. He was the President
of almost all major Gandhian organisations like Kerala Sarvodaya
Sangh, Kerala Gandhi Samarak Nidhi, Kerala Sarvodaya
Mandal & Gandhi Peace Foundation, Calicut.
He was an educationist as well as an accomplished & forceful
journalist. He helped in starting 'Mathrubhoomi' & was its editor for a
number of years. He worked for unification of Kerala into a new linguistic
state. He never aspired for power or position. His whole life was a saga
of selfless service to the nation. Since the people of Kerala came to
understand Gandhiji & his programmes essentially through Kelappan, he was
popularly known as Kerala Gandhi.
Kontoor Krishna Pillai
Birth Place : Thrikodithanam, Kottayam, Kerala, India
He was a top personality who tiled hard for the progress & upliftment
of Nair Service Society. He was one of the founding leaders of NSS who
performed his duties in a remarkable way as the General Secretary of NSS. He
was an advocate, writer & orator.
Poduvadathu
Padmanabha Pillai
Birth Place : Vazhapally, Changanassery Muncipality, Kottayam, Kerala, India
He had a decisive role in
the development of the society. He was the Municipal Chairman of Changanassery
Municipal town and an ardent social worker. He also served as the Manager of
‘Service’ magazine.
Valparambil
Velayudhan Pillai (Born
1878)
Birth Place : Vazhapally, Changanassery Muncipality, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Through the tireless efforts & courage
Valparambil Velayudhan Pillai rose to the heights in different fields. The
hostel attached to the Perunna NSS School was his donation. He was an
early worker of Nair Service Society.
Thaliyil Madhavan
Pillai (Born
1876)
Birth Place : Vazhapally, Changanassery Muncipality, Kottayam, Kerala, India
He was an advocate, a learned cultural &
spiritual leader. He was also served as a member of Sreemulam Praja Sabha,
Judge of Panchayat Court. He was a veteran freedom fighter.
Kottanattil
Padmanabha Pillai (Born 1879 to 1939)
Birth Place : Puzhavathu, Changanassery Muncipality, Kottayam, Kerala, India
He was a teacher by profession. He suffered a
lot for the cause of the society & thereby won the love and affection of
all. He was also a writer. He was the General Secretary of NSS for a short
period. He died in 1939.
Padinjare
Nenmeli Krishna Pillai (Born 1881 to 1964)
Birth Place : Perunna, Changanassery Muncipality, Kottayam, Kerala, India
He was a selfless public worker who worked for the
welfare of the Nair community till his last breath. He was one of the persons
who worked hard for the establishment of NSS School at Perunna. He died in
1964.
Elikuzha
Kesava Pillai
He was a significant personality who played vital
role for the development of Nair community along with Mannam. He was a
Tahsildar. He worked for the upliftment of Nair Service Society despite of his
official duties.
Panakkat
Parameswara Kurup
Birth Place : Vezhapra, Alapuzha, Kerala, India
He was a soldier in the independence struggle &
a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. He played a vital role in propagating khadi.
Being a progressive farmer of Kuttanad, he formed & implemented many action
plans for the progress of the locality. He spent his whole life for the
development of society, particularly for Nair community.
Nagavallil
Kochukunju Kurup (Born 1879)
Birth Place : Ramankary, Kuttanad Area, Alapuzha, Kerala, India
He was a member of Sri Mulam Praja Sabha. He was
also an active worker in the national movement. He was one of the leaders in
the early stages of Nair Service Society who worked hard for collecting funds
for the Society.
Panagotu
Kesava Panicker (Born 1889)
Birth Place : Mutar, Near Thiruvalla, Alapuzha, Kerala, India
He was the treasurer of the NSS for quite a long
period. He was one of the leaders who fight against the evil rituals such as
‘Kettukalyanan’, which were prevailing in the society. He was also a
promoter of cultural activities.
Kakkanatu
Narayana Panicker
Birth Place : Veliyanadu, Mutar, Kanayannoor Taluk, Eranakulam, Kerala, India
He was a model social worker and organiser who
devoted his life for the development of the community in particular and society
as a whole. He was a veteran freedom fighter & treasurer of NSS.
Nynadathu
Thrivikrama Kaimal
Birth Place : Ninadathu, Eranakulam, Kerala, India
He was a life member of the Board of Directors of
the NSS till his last days. He was also the bank manager of the NSS. He was the
Senior Judge of Changanassery Munsiff Court, Municipal Chairman & a Member
of Sri Mulam Praja Sabha.
