Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai Explained

Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai
Office:1st Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin
Governor:Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Term Start:1 July 1949
Term End:28 February 1951
Predecessor:Office Established
Successor:C. Kesavan
Office1:2nd Prime Minister of Travancore
Monarch1:Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma
Term Start1:22 October 1948
Term End1:1 July 1949
Predecessor1:Pattom Thanu Pillai
Successor1:Office Abolished
Birth Date:25 March 1890
Birth Place:North Paroor, Travancore
Party:Indian National Congress
Alma Mater:Union Christian College, Aluva

Paravoor Thazhathuveettil Krishnan Narayana Pillai (25 March 1890  - 23 June 1971) was an Indian freedom fighter during the British Raj in India and was a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) which fought against the British rule in India. He was the last Prime Minister of Travancore and the first Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin at the time of its formation in 1949. He was commonly known as Parur T. K..

Early life

Paravoor T. K. Narayana Pillai was born in North Paroor, Travancore, British India, to a Nair family as the son of Thazhathuveettil Madhavi Amma and Cheranalloor Krishnan Kartha. Narayana Pillai got his family name, Vellamvelly, through matrilineal succession.

Narayana Pillai was educated at the Union Christian College in Alwaye, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1911.

Political career

Early career

In 1924, Parur T. K. became the thaluk president of the Indian National Congress (INC), North Parur unit. He went on to become the Travancore-Cochin secretary of the INC in 1932, and its president in 1938. He was a founding member of the Travancore State Congress. In 1939, Parur T. K. was arrested along with several other leaders for their allegations against the Diwan of Travancore C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, and was held until they withdrew the allegations.[1] In 1948, Parur T. K. became the president of the Aikya Thiruvithamcore-Cochin Grandhasala Sanghom, a group that promoted public libraries in Travancore and Cochin.[2]

As Premier

On 22 October 1948, Parur T. K. became the second and last Prime Minister of Travancore.[3] His government took large-scale measures to suppress the communist movement that was gaining strength in the state and organising riots against feudal lords.[4] The next year, he became the first Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin, after the new state was created by merging the princely states of Cochin and Travancore. His successes in the state of Travancore-Cochin is attributed to a lot of men who were his staunch supporters, among them his personal secretary, the famous freedom fighter from Karikkakom in Thiruvananthapuram, Karikkakom S. Narayana Pillai. He was unanimously elected the leader of the Congress Legislature Party and he assumed charge as the Chief Minister from 1 July 1949.

In 1951, Annie Mascarene, the former Minister for Health and Power who had resigned in January 1950, accused Minister for Public Works E. John Philipose of corruption. Parur T. K. stood by Philipose, but Panampilly Govinda Menon, education minister, insisted that Philipose resign. In this circumstance, Parur T. K. forwarded the resignation of the entire cabinet to Rajpramukh Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma on 24 February 1951.[2] Philipose later filed a defamation suit against Mascarene at the high court; this was transferred to Madras High Court at Mascarene's request, where Philipose was cleared of scandal and Mascarene was found guilty and ordered to pay compensation to Philipose.[5]

Later career

Parur T. K. became the Minister for Food, Labour and Education during the next ministry which was headed by C. Kesavan.

Parur T. K. retired from politics and devoted his time to writing. He was bed ridden for a few years with arthritis until his death.

Legacy

The playback singer Sujatha Mohan[6] and late Radhika Thilak are his grand daughters and another playback singer Swetha Mohan is his great-granddaughter.

Notes and References

  1. News: Is it Peace or Truce in Travancore? State Withdraws Prosecution Against Memorialists. 1939-01-14. The Straits Times. 2015-05-17.
  2. Book: A., Paslithil. 2006. Gyan Publishing House. 9788178355795. United Travancore-Cochin Library Association.
  3. Book: S.N., Sadasivan. Political and Administrative Integration of Princely States. Mittal Publications. 2005. Territorial Integration. 66. 9788170999683.
  4. History of the LeftIintervention in the Cultural Scenario of Kerala. University of Kerala. 25. 5. S.P.. John. 2012. 2015-05-17. 2015-05-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20150517004916/http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/10603/12726/12/12_chpater%205.pdf. live.
  5. 171. The Relevance of Gandhism in the Post-independence Politics in Kerala. K.K.. Jose. 1995. Mahatma Gandhi University. 2015-05-16. live. 2015-05-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20150516235501/http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/10603/6137/12/12_conclusion.pdf.
  6. Web site: KGM Brand Ambassadors. 2015-05-17. 2014-09-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20140925124254/http://kgm.co.in/brand_ambassador.php. live. KGM Group. Chennai.