Pattom A. Thanu Pillai
Encyclopedia
Pattom A. Thanu Pillai (15 July 1885 - 27 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.
Born A. Thanu Pillai at Thiruvananthapuram
, he was the son of Varadayyan and Eswari Amma. Since he came from the Pattom area of Thiruvananthapuram, he was called Pattom Thanu Pillai and was popularly referred to as just "Pattom".
After gaining his degree he worked briefly as a lawyer before abandoning that in favour of involvement in the Indian National Congress
. He became leader of Congress in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore
.
The struggle for a responsible government in the princely state culminated in the ousting of the Diwan, Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, who left the state on 19 August 1947. Pillai was Prime Minister of Travancore (24 March 1948 to 22 October 1948).
Pillai shifted his allegiance to the Praja Socialist Party
(PSP) and between 16 March 1954 and 14 February 1955 was Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin, which areas had been merged in 1949.
The State of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 and the first state elections held there in March 1957 and resulted in a Communist Party
-led administration. Pillai was an MLA for Thiruvananthapuram II representing the PSP.
The Communist-led government subsequently collapsed as a consequence of the movement known as the Vimochana Samaram
(Liberation Struggle). Elections were held in 1960 and Pillai became the second Chief Minister of Kerala, as head of a PSP-Congress coalition administration. He held that post between 22 February 1960 and 26 September 1962.
He was Governor of Punjab from 1962 until 1964, and Governor of Andhra Pradesh
from 1964 to 1968.
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
who later served as the Chief Minister of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
from 22 February 1960 to 25 September 1962.
Born A. Thanu Pillai at Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
, he was the son of Varadayyan and Eswari Amma. Since he came from the Pattom area of Thiruvananthapuram, he was called Pattom Thanu Pillai and was popularly referred to as just "Pattom".
After gaining his degree he worked briefly as a lawyer before abandoning that in favour of involvement in 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...
. He became leader of Congress in the erstwhile princely state 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...
.
The struggle for a responsible government in the princely state culminated in the ousting of the Diwan, Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, who left the state on 19 August 1947. Pillai was Prime Minister of Travancore (24 March 1948 to 22 October 1948).
Pillai shifted his allegiance to the Praja Socialist Party
Praja Socialist Party
The Praja Socialist Party was an Indian political party in existence from 1952 to 1972. It was founded when the Socialist Party, led by Jayprakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Deva and Basawon Singh , merged with the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party led by J.B. Kripalani...
(PSP) and between 16 March 1954 and 14 February 1955 was Chief Minister of Travancore-Cochin, which areas had been merged in 1949.
The State of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 and the first state elections held there in March 1957 and resulted in a Communist Party
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
-led administration. Pillai was an MLA for Thiruvananthapuram II representing the PSP.
The Communist-led government subsequently collapsed as a consequence of the movement known as the Vimochana Samaram
Vimochana Samaram
The Liberation Struggle is an anti-Communist socio-political agitation started in 1958 against the first elected government in Kerala state, India under Communist Chief Minister E. M. S. Namboodiripad...
(Liberation Struggle). Elections were held in 1960 and Pillai became the second Chief Minister of Kerala, as head of a PSP-Congress coalition administration. He held that post between 22 February 1960 and 26 September 1962.
He was Governor of Punjab from 1962 until 1964, and Governor of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
from 1964 to 1968.