Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised civil rights advocate and freedom fighter, Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, for challenging British rule in the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. His full name is ‘Chettur Sankaran Nair‘, who has played a pivotal role for India in the pre-independence era. He reportedly began his career as a lawyer in 1880 in the High Court of Madras.
Jallianwala Bagh Real Hero Sankaran Nair
Why In News
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised civil rights advocate and freedom fighter, Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, for challenging British rule in the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Who Was C Sankaran Nair
- His full name is ‘Chettur Sankaran Nair‘, who has played a pivotal role for India in the pre-independence era. He reportedly began his career as a lawyer in 1880 in the High Court of Madras.
- Later, he was appointed as a member of the committee for an enquiry into the district of Malabar. He served as the Advocate-General to the Government and an Acting Judge till 1908 and became a permanent Judge in the High Court of Madras till 1915.
- As per reports, he became a Companion of the Indian Empire by the King-Emperor in 1904 and was knighted by 1912. He then resigned from the Viceroy’s Council after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919.
- Nair was a distinguished lawyer and statesman. He held the role of Advocate-General from 1906 to 1908, served as a puisne judge at the Madras High Court from 1908 to 1915, and became India’s Education Minister as part of the Viceroy’s Executive Council from 1915 to 1919.
- As a reformer, Nair supported progressive causes, including gender equality, opposition to caste discrimination, abolition of child marriage, and free primary education. His integrity and intellect earned him respect even among the British, who knighted him in 1912. In 1915, he joined the Viceroy’s Council.
How Did Sir C Sankaran Nair Expose The Truth
- Storytrails highlight that Nair had strong nationalist views. He became a member of the Madras Legislative Council in 1890 and presided over the Indian National Congress conference in 1897. His principles gained him admiration from both Indian nationalists and British officials.
- As per the book return on him, Nair held one of the highest positions available to an Indian at the time, but he chose to resign in protest. He became increasingly frustrated when Lord Chelmsford’s government failed to acknowledge any wrongdoing. After tolerating much, he resigned in July 1919. His resignation contributed to the removal of press censorship and the end of martial law in Punjab .
- In his book Gandhi and Anarchy, Nair called out Michael O’Dwyer for his ignorance and arrogance and condemned O’Dwyer’s support for General Dyer’s actions during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. This bold account became a major step in exposing the truth behind the Punjab massacre.
