Who was Sankaran Nair? A lawyer, reformist, and nationalist, Nair fearlessly exposed the British Empire’s atrocities during India’s struggle for independence. His story shines as a beacon of courage and constitutional progress.
Born in 1857 in Mankara, Kerala, Chettur Sankaran Nair grew up in an aristocratic family. Educated in Sanskrit and later in English, he excelled academically and developed a strong sense of justice.
In 1897, Nair was elected president of the Indian National Congress. A fierce advocate of reforms, he championed women's equality, abolition of caste, and education for low-income groups.
He was the first Indian to be appointed advocate general of Madras in 1907 and later became a judge at the Madras High Court. Nair's career mirrored his vision for an equal and just India.
As the only Indian member of the Viceroy's Executive Council, Nair resigned in 1919 to protest the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. KPS Menon, Nair’s biographer and son-in-law, called it “the most glorious and golden hour” of his life.
He wrote, “If to govern a country, it is necessary that innocent persons should be slaughtered… the country is not worth living in.” His resignation led to immediate reforms, including the lifting of martial law.
Nair boldly criticised Michael O’Dwyer and Reginald Dyer for their roles in the massacre, forcing the British Empire to confront its brutality.
Dragged into a defamation case in London, Nair refused to apologise, paid a sum of 7,500 pounds, and brought the massacre’s truth to light. Though the biased verdict went against him, his determination inspired the nation.
Nair’s efforts led to the formation of the Hunter Commission to investigate the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He once wrote, “I was determined that if I could possibly manage it, there would be no Jallianwala Bagh again in India.”
Despite clashes with Congress and Gandhi, Nair’s unwavering pursuit of justice and reform strengthened India’s nationalist movement and paved the way for constitutional freedom.