Why in News?
- The Prime Minister and other leaders paid tributes to Mannathu Padmanabhan on his birth anniversary (January 2), honoring his role as a pioneer of social justice and the Kerala Renaissance.

Mannathu Padmanabhan
- Founder of NSS: On October 31, 1914, he founded the Nair Service Society (NSS) to uplift the Nair community by reforming outmoded customs (like Marumakkathayam or matrilineal inheritance) and promoting modern education.
- Anti-Untouchability Leader: Though he belonged to a forward caste, he was a staunch advocate for Dalit rights. He led the famous Savarna Jatha (a march of forward castes) from Vaikom to Thiruvananthapuram in 1924 to support the entry of lower castes into the Vaikom Temple.
- Satyagraha Participation: He played a pivotal role in both the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924) and the Guruvayur Satyagraha (1931), which were landmark movements for temple entry and social equality in India.
- Political Impact: He led the Vimochana Samaram (Liberation Struggle) in 1959 against the first Communist ministry in Kerala, which eventually led to the dismissal of the state government under Article 356.
- Honors & Titles:
- Bharata Kesari: Honored with this title (meaning ‘Lion of India’) by the President of India in 1959.
- Padma Bhushan: Awarded India’s third-highest civilian honor in 1966.
- Personal Reform: He famously dropped his caste surname (Pillai) in 1950, declaring that names should not be indicators of caste.
DO YOU KNOW?
Marumakkathayam
Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–25)
Guruvayur Satyagraha (1931–32)
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