M. Krishnan Nair (politician)
Encyclopedia
Diwan Bahadur Sir Mannath Krishnan Nair KCIE
(1870–1938) was an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress
and later, Justice Party
who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council
and later, executive council of the Governor of Madras. He also served as the Diwan of Travancore
from 1914 to 1920
of Madras Presidency
. Krishnan Nair had his schooling in Malabar district and higher education at the Government College, Calcutta and Madras Christian College
. Krishnan Nair studied law at the Madras Law College before enrolling as a lawyer.
At an young age, he joined the Indian National Congress
and participated in its meetings. He was elected to the Madras Legislative Council in 1904 and served as its member from 1904 to 1910.
When the Justice Party joined hands with the Swarajya Party against the Simon Commission
, the then Governor of Madras, Lord Goschen
appointed Krishnan Nair, then a Justice Party member, as his law member in order to woo the Justice Party. As law member, Krishnan Nair expressed support for the devadasi bill passed by Muthulakshmi Reddy.
.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(1870–1938) was an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and later, Justice Party
Justice Party (India)
The Justice Party , officially known as South Indian Liberal Federation, was a political party in the Madras Presidency of British India. The party was established in 1917 by T. M. Nair and Theagaroya Chetty as a result of a series of non-Brahmin conferences and meetings in the presidency...
who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council
Madras Legislative Council
Tamil Nadu Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It began its existence as Madras Legislative Council, the first provincial legislature for Madras Presidency. It was initially created as an advisory body in 1861, by the British...
and later, executive council of the Governor of Madras. He also served as the Diwan of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
from 1914 to 1920
Early life and political career
Krishnan Nair was born in 1870 in the Mannath family of landlords from the Malabar districtMalabar District
Malabar District was an administrative district of Madras Presidency in British India and independent India's Madras State. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad , and Chavakad Taluk of Thrissur District in the northern part of...
of Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. Krishnan Nair had his schooling in Malabar district and higher education at the Government College, Calcutta and Madras Christian College
Madras Christian College
The Madras Christian College, commonly known as MCC, is a liberal arts and sciences college in Madras , India. Founded in 1837, MCC is one of Asia's oldest extant colleges. Currently, the college is affiliated to the University of Madras, but functions as an autonomous institution from its campus...
. Krishnan Nair studied law at the Madras Law College before enrolling as a lawyer.
At an young age, he joined the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and participated in its meetings. He was elected to the Madras Legislative Council in 1904 and served as its member from 1904 to 1910.
Diwan of Travancore
Krishnan Nair was appointed Diwan of Travancore in 1914 and he succeeded Sir P. Rajagopalachari. Krishnan Nair served as Diwan of Travancore from 1914 to 1920.Justice Party
In 1920, Nair joined the Justice Party and won the 1920 and 1923 elections, the latter by allegedly polarizing the communal atmosphere in the Malabar district in the wake of the 1922 Moplah riots.When the Justice Party joined hands with the Swarajya Party against the Simon Commission
Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission was a group of seven British Members of Parliament that had been dispatched to India in 1927 to study constitutional reform in Britain's most important colonial dependency. It was commonly referred to as the Simon Commission after its chairman, Sir John Simon...
, the then Governor of Madras, Lord Goschen
George Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen
George Joachim Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen GCSI GCIE CBE VD PC was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for East Grinstead from 1895 to 1906 and as Governor of Madras from 1924 to 1929....
appointed Krishnan Nair, then a Justice Party member, as his law member in order to woo the Justice Party. As law member, Krishnan Nair expressed support for the devadasi bill passed by Muthulakshmi Reddy.
Honours
In January 1930, Krishnan Nair was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian EmpireOrder of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
.