Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair was a liberal who believed in constitutional reform all his life. He was keen that India attains freedom with proper empowerment and without fear or favour he worked against the tide towards the attainment of the same. Sankaran Nair was one of the few early Indians who had served in the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary!
Sankaran Nair was born in an old tarward (matrilineal joint family) of Chetur in the Mankara village of South Malabar and after having received traditional education were he picked up both Sanskrit and Malayalam, he was shifted to schools at Kannur and Kozhikode. Later on he studied at the Presidency College and this was followed by a degree in law, both at Chennai by the year 1879. Sankaran Nair drew his intellectual sustenance from English, History, Law, Sanskrit while maintaining his health through yoga and as a young man he was an exemplar of mid Victorian liberalism and fervent Indian Nationalism. He enrolled himself as an advocate at the Madras High Court in 1880 and he impressed famous barristers like Eardley Norton with his style of advocacy.
The Government of the day was quick to recognise his value and he was appointed in a number of committees like the Malabar Land Revenue Committee and the committee on the management of Hindu temples. He did exceeding well and he became a fellow of the Madras University besides being a member of the Syndicate from the year 1889. The year 1890 witnessed his elevation and he was appointed as a member of the Madras Legislative Council and in spite of being a nominated member he chose to speak his mind out even if it was against the Government. In fact he was the first non official member to get a legislation enacted (the Malabar Marriage Act of 1896).
The legal luminaire spent a lot of energy in the interest of social well being and reform in a big way. He was the first President of the Madras Social Reform Movement and he eventually became the President of the All India Social Conference in 1908 and later in 1924. Sankaran Nair became involved with the Congress from 1887 and he was resentful of Brahmin Domination. Early in 1897, he was selected as the President of the First Madras Provincial Conference and he was unanimously elected as the President of the Indian National Congress for its 13 th session at Amaravathi at the age of 40. While making customary words in praise of Queen Victoria he was scathing in his speech while stating that the British were responsible for the extreme poverty in India. He criticised them for arresting patriots like Bal Gangadhar Tilak. His role in the Congress made him an important person nationally and liberals like him demanded democracy which was considered to be more important than freedom. He was appointed as the Government pleader in 1899 and was the first non barrister to be appointed to this office. In 1904 he was made an officiating judge at the Madras High Court and was appointed as Advocate General in 1907. Again he was the first Indian to achieve this distinction. He later became a permanent judge and he did his best to keep the judiciary free from the influence of the ICS(bureaucracy). His judgements were terse and logical while there was a plea for social reform.
Sankaran Nair was appointed as a Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council in the year 1915. He did much in the field of education and while doing more for constitutional reform. He felt that Lord Curzon was wrong in trying to refuse English Higher Education for Sankaran Nair felt that it was required for political progress and social reform in addition to religious enlightenment. Sankaran Nair felt that English education was important for it produced intellectual patriots like Gopala Krishna Gokhale. His work at the Executive Council was during the times of the first world war and it was expected of him to toe the line of the British but he chose to a spokesperson for the ideals of the Indian National Congress. He was found 'an impossible person' by the Secretary of State Edwin Montague. Sankaran Nair's recommendations were finally accepted in the reports as against that of the Viceroy Lord Chelmsford. If not for his unrelenting work, the Montague Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 would have been far more disappointing. While Sankaran Nair supported martial law in Punjab, he was highly critical of the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy and he resigned from the Viceregal Council thereafter. It was expected of him to join Gandhi in the Nationalist movement but he chose to be a Member of Montague's State's Council in England for 2 years. He did much there and moved over as an advisor to the State of Indore in 1921 on his return to India.
The return of Sankaran Nair coincided with the emergence of the Gandhian methods of Non Co operation in India and he tried to create a rapprochement through a meeting in 1922. Mahatma Gandhi refused to accede to the suggestions and this made Sankaran Nair write and publish an angrily worded tract called 'Gandhi and Anarchy' which became highly controversial and bthis resulted in bringing the down the popularity of the author himself. He pointed out to the the violent disturbances that occurred due to non co operation and listed them in his publication based on empirical evidence. While he believed that Gandhi belonged to a class of thought who which could attract the best minds of the world he felt there must be a distinction between Gandhi the Saint and Gandhi the politician. Sankaran Nair felt that Saintliness could not guarantee the soundness of judgement in politics. He opined that the inner voice of consciousness of Gandhi was not present with others and therefore he felt that it could come in the way of constitutional reform which will eventually damage the future of India. Meanwhile his unsavoury comments on Michael O'Dweyer caused a litigation which he lost and the cost was heavy on him. It was a time when the Gandhian mystique was ruling the order of the day and the opponents of civil obedience got sidelined besides getting unpopular. Sankaran Nair suffered the same fate as others in this regard in spite of appreciating the good work of Gandhi in a number of areas. He was perhaps not understood in an appropriate manner.
Sankaran Nair chose to lead a busy public life and he won the election to the Council of States from the Malabar Land holders constituency and subsequent to the completion of his term he was a nominated member until the year 1932. His participation and deliberations were brilliant and he maintained his right to vote against the Government whenever it was necessary. He hit controversy again by co operating with the Simon Commission by being the Chairman of the Legislative Committee which was to work with it. This showed his peculiar knack of defying public opinion but still acting in the interest of the country. This was an epitome of his constitutional mindset. His unpopularity grew once again but it did not bother him. He did his best by trying to advance constitutional reform by admonishing and warning the authorities of the day. He pointed out that the Indian leaders will never accept the framing of their constitution by others and made a strong case for the grant of a dominion status for India and for a scheme of self government to be left to be framed by the Indians themselves. Finally Lord Irwin, the Viceroy made the formal announcement that the natural issue was the same as contemplated in the Montague Declaration in 1917 and it was Dominion Status. Based on this announcement, Sankaran Nair felt that his work for constitutional reform was complete and therefore he quit active politics in the year 1930. He passed away due to a motor accident in the year 1934.
Sankaran Nair does not have a memorial but his work and records show that he was a constitutionalist who believed that it was the best way to progress in spite of unpopular due to his stand. Though sidelined by the Gandhian movement due to his opposition to Satyagraha he still did his best for the country. His hatred for populism, courage of convictions, unconcern for popularity or profit, moral steadfastness and adherence to constitutionalism in spite of the fact that public opinion was against him will forever provide a guidance for the people who wish to preserve the freedom and parliamentary democracy in our country.
Sankaran Nair was born in an old tarward (matrilineal joint family) of Chetur in the Mankara village of South Malabar and after having received traditional education were he picked up both Sanskrit and Malayalam, he was shifted to schools at Kannur and Kozhikode. Later on he studied at the Presidency College and this was followed by a degree in law, both at Chennai by the year 1879. Sankaran Nair drew his intellectual sustenance from English, History, Law, Sanskrit while maintaining his health through yoga and as a young man he was an exemplar of mid Victorian liberalism and fervent Indian Nationalism. He enrolled himself as an advocate at the Madras High Court in 1880 and he impressed famous barristers like Eardley Norton with his style of advocacy.
The Government of the day was quick to recognise his value and he was appointed in a number of committees like the Malabar Land Revenue Committee and the committee on the management of Hindu temples. He did exceeding well and he became a fellow of the Madras University besides being a member of the Syndicate from the year 1889. The year 1890 witnessed his elevation and he was appointed as a member of the Madras Legislative Council and in spite of being a nominated member he chose to speak his mind out even if it was against the Government. In fact he was the first non official member to get a legislation enacted (the Malabar Marriage Act of 1896).
The legal luminaire spent a lot of energy in the interest of social well being and reform in a big way. He was the first President of the Madras Social Reform Movement and he eventually became the President of the All India Social Conference in 1908 and later in 1924. Sankaran Nair became involved with the Congress from 1887 and he was resentful of Brahmin Domination. Early in 1897, he was selected as the President of the First Madras Provincial Conference and he was unanimously elected as the President of the Indian National Congress for its 13 th session at Amaravathi at the age of 40. While making customary words in praise of Queen Victoria he was scathing in his speech while stating that the British were responsible for the extreme poverty in India. He criticised them for arresting patriots like Bal Gangadhar Tilak. His role in the Congress made him an important person nationally and liberals like him demanded democracy which was considered to be more important than freedom. He was appointed as the Government pleader in 1899 and was the first non barrister to be appointed to this office. In 1904 he was made an officiating judge at the Madras High Court and was appointed as Advocate General in 1907. Again he was the first Indian to achieve this distinction. He later became a permanent judge and he did his best to keep the judiciary free from the influence of the ICS(bureaucracy). His judgements were terse and logical while there was a plea for social reform.
Sankaran Nair was appointed as a Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council in the year 1915. He did much in the field of education and while doing more for constitutional reform. He felt that Lord Curzon was wrong in trying to refuse English Higher Education for Sankaran Nair felt that it was required for political progress and social reform in addition to religious enlightenment. Sankaran Nair felt that English education was important for it produced intellectual patriots like Gopala Krishna Gokhale. His work at the Executive Council was during the times of the first world war and it was expected of him to toe the line of the British but he chose to a spokesperson for the ideals of the Indian National Congress. He was found 'an impossible person' by the Secretary of State Edwin Montague. Sankaran Nair's recommendations were finally accepted in the reports as against that of the Viceroy Lord Chelmsford. If not for his unrelenting work, the Montague Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 would have been far more disappointing. While Sankaran Nair supported martial law in Punjab, he was highly critical of the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy and he resigned from the Viceregal Council thereafter. It was expected of him to join Gandhi in the Nationalist movement but he chose to be a Member of Montague's State's Council in England for 2 years. He did much there and moved over as an advisor to the State of Indore in 1921 on his return to India.
The return of Sankaran Nair coincided with the emergence of the Gandhian methods of Non Co operation in India and he tried to create a rapprochement through a meeting in 1922. Mahatma Gandhi refused to accede to the suggestions and this made Sankaran Nair write and publish an angrily worded tract called 'Gandhi and Anarchy' which became highly controversial and bthis resulted in bringing the down the popularity of the author himself. He pointed out to the the violent disturbances that occurred due to non co operation and listed them in his publication based on empirical evidence. While he believed that Gandhi belonged to a class of thought who which could attract the best minds of the world he felt there must be a distinction between Gandhi the Saint and Gandhi the politician. Sankaran Nair felt that Saintliness could not guarantee the soundness of judgement in politics. He opined that the inner voice of consciousness of Gandhi was not present with others and therefore he felt that it could come in the way of constitutional reform which will eventually damage the future of India. Meanwhile his unsavoury comments on Michael O'Dweyer caused a litigation which he lost and the cost was heavy on him. It was a time when the Gandhian mystique was ruling the order of the day and the opponents of civil obedience got sidelined besides getting unpopular. Sankaran Nair suffered the same fate as others in this regard in spite of appreciating the good work of Gandhi in a number of areas. He was perhaps not understood in an appropriate manner.
Sankaran Nair chose to lead a busy public life and he won the election to the Council of States from the Malabar Land holders constituency and subsequent to the completion of his term he was a nominated member until the year 1932. His participation and deliberations were brilliant and he maintained his right to vote against the Government whenever it was necessary. He hit controversy again by co operating with the Simon Commission by being the Chairman of the Legislative Committee which was to work with it. This showed his peculiar knack of defying public opinion but still acting in the interest of the country. This was an epitome of his constitutional mindset. His unpopularity grew once again but it did not bother him. He did his best by trying to advance constitutional reform by admonishing and warning the authorities of the day. He pointed out that the Indian leaders will never accept the framing of their constitution by others and made a strong case for the grant of a dominion status for India and for a scheme of self government to be left to be framed by the Indians themselves. Finally Lord Irwin, the Viceroy made the formal announcement that the natural issue was the same as contemplated in the Montague Declaration in 1917 and it was Dominion Status. Based on this announcement, Sankaran Nair felt that his work for constitutional reform was complete and therefore he quit active politics in the year 1930. He passed away due to a motor accident in the year 1934.
Sankaran Nair does not have a memorial but his work and records show that he was a constitutionalist who believed that it was the best way to progress in spite of unpopular due to his stand. Though sidelined by the Gandhian movement due to his opposition to Satyagraha he still did his best for the country. His hatred for populism, courage of convictions, unconcern for popularity or profit, moral steadfastness and adherence to constitutionalism in spite of the fact that public opinion was against him will forever provide a guidance for the people who wish to preserve the freedom and parliamentary democracy in our country.