Ramakrishna Pillai Ramachandran Nair (born 23 April 1939) is a retired Indian Administrative Service officer, who served as collector of Kannur and Kollam districts, managing director of Travancore-Cochin Chemicals, secretary to various departments, and finally as the Chief Secretary of Kerala state in different intervals.[1] He was also the founding Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. A prolific writer, he has also written many poems and essays in Sanskrit (under the pseudonym Thulaseevanam), Malayalam and English. His Sanskrit compositions, most of them being Carnatic kritis, praise more on the deities of Kerala temples, especially around Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam. Nair is credited with popularising many temples in Kerala.

Early life

Nair was born on the 10th of Medam 1115 (Kollam era), 23 April 1939, in Mangombil house (his ancesteal home) in Kottayam, as the fifth of the nine children of Thumbunkal Ramakrishna Pillai, a mathematics teacher by profession, and Mangombil Bharathi Amma. His ancestors originally hailed from Thirunavaya in the present-day Malappuram district, and migrated to Travancore following Tipu Sultan's invasion. He has seven brothers and a sister, among which one died at a very young age. He spent his childhood in Poonjar in the eastern side of Kottayam district. He was a brilliant student in his school, and passed SSLC with distinction in 1955. From a very young age itself, he learnt Sanskrit from noted scholars. After his education, he served as a teacher at University college in Thiruvananthapuram for a short time. He joined IAS in 1961.

Personal life

Nair is married to Lakshmi R. Nair, the daughter of the late V. R. Pillai from Haripad, Alappuzha district. Their marriage happened on 8 December 1965, when Nair was 26 and Lakshmi was 19. The couple has two sons and a daughter. Their eldest son, Prof. R. Hemanth Kumar is the principal of Ettumanoorappan College, Ettumanoor, Kottayam district. The second son Dr. R. Ajay Kumar is a cardiologist by profession. The third child and only daughter, Anjali R. Mohan is a school teacher by profession in Chennai. Their son-in-law is a nephew of E. K. Nayanar, former Chief Minister of Kerala. Nair is a devotee of the noted Hindu saint and social reformer Chattambi Swamikal, and is a member of numerous organisations related to his ideologies.

As a writer

Nair is well-known for Carnatic compositions, written under the pseudonym Thulaseevanam. His compositions usually feature the deities in Kerala temples, especially around Kottayam, his native place, and Thiruvananthapuram, where he finally settled. He is well-credited for popularising numerous temples in Kerala, like Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple, Sreekanteswaram Mahadeva Temple, Attukal Bhagavathi Temple, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple, Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, etc. He also wrote songs on Chattambi Swamikal, the noted social reformer of Kerala, whom he idolises most. Most of his songs were written in Sanskrit. Though he has immense poetic talent, he lacks musical proficiency, and thus he had to seek outside help for tuning his songs, just like Arunachala Kavirayar and Periyasamy Thooran. His songs have been composed and sung by numerous popular musicians like Maharajapuram Santhanam, T. V. Sankaranarayanan, T. N. Seshagopalan, R. K. Srikantan, Rajkumar Bharathi, Prince Rama Varma, Perumbavoor G. Raveendranath and numerous others. His most popular composition is Bhaja Manasa Vighneshwaram Anisham in the raga Bahudari.[2]

CompositionRagaTalaPraisingTemple
Akhilānda Nāyakā
अखिलाण्डनायका
MadhyamavatiAdiShivaN/A
Āmaya Karunāvāhini
आमयकरुणावाहिनी
Poorvi KalyaniAdiParvatiN/A
Āmaya Nāśana
आमयनाशन
KalyaniAdiVenkateswaraTirupati
Anagha Śambhō
अनघशंभो
YadukulakambojiRoopakamShivaEttumanoor
Ātma Nivedanaṁ
आत्मनिवेदनम्
Vrindavana SaarangaAdiKrishnaN/A
Bhāvaye Sādaraṁ
भावये सादरम्
KeeravaniAdiSasthaSabarimala
Bhaja Mānasa Vighneshwaramanisham
भज मानस विघ्नेश्वरमनिशम्
BahudariAdiGaneshaPazhavanagdi
Bhajāmahē Śrī Vināyakaṁ
भजामहे श्री विनायकम्
HamsadhwaniAdiGaneshaPazhavanagdi
Bhajarē Cētaha
भजरे चेतः
ArabhiAdiGaneshaPazhavanagdi
Bhajarē Mānasa Śāstāraṁ
भजरे मानस शास्तारम्
Sindhu BhairaviAdiSasthaN/A
Bhajarē Śrīkaṇțeśvaraṁ
भजरे श्रीकण्ठेश्वरम्
KambojiAdiShivaSreekanteswaram
Bhajē Surēśaṁ
भजे सुरेशम्
ShriranjiniAdiVenkateswaraTirupati
Bhūtanātha Māṁ Pāhi
भूतनाथ मांं पाहि
SaveriAdiSasthaSabarimala
Caraņayuga Smaraṇaṁ
चरणयुगस्मरणम्
MalayamaruthamAdiKrishnaGuruvayur
Dāsamimaṃ Pāhi
दासमिमं पाहि
BegadaAdiShivaThirunakkara
Dainyāpahaṃ Bhāvaye
दैन्यापहं भावये
Shriranjini/ThodiAdiParvatiKanyakumari
Dāsosmyahaṃ Danuja Śāsaka
दासोस्म्यहं दनुजशासक
MukhariAdiKrishnaGuruvayur
Dēvā Namō Namō
देवा नमो नमो
KhamasAdiChattambi SwamikalN/A
Dēvā Vidyādhirājā
देवा विद्याधिराजा
Kedara GowlaAdiChattambi SwamikalN/A
Dharmasthalēśvara
धर्मसथलेश्वर
Ananda BhairaviAdiShivaDharmasthala
Duritāpahaṃ Aniśaṃ
दुरितापहमनिशम्
ShriranjiniAdiSasthaSabarimala
Duritāraṇya Kṛṣanmō
दुरितारण्य कृषन्मो
NeelambariChappuKrishnaThirumala
Ēkaradanam Vāraṇa Vadanam
एकरदनं वारणवदनम्
HindolamAdiGaneshaPazhavangadi
Gajānana Mām Pālaya
गजानन मां पालय
MohanamAdiGaneshaPazhavangadi
Gajamukha Māmava
गजमुख मामव
ReethigowlaAdiGaneshaPazhavangadi
Gajānanam Bhaje
गजाननं भजे
KamalamanohariAdiGaneshaPazhavangadi
Gāyāmi Tava Nāma
गायामि तव नाम
HuseniChappuKrishnaGuruvayur
Girivara Putrīṃ
गिरिवर पुत्रीम्
DwijavanthiSanskritParvatiShankhumukham
Guruvāyupurēsha Surēsha
गुरुवायुपुरेश सुरेश
ShaamaAdiKrishnaGuruvayur
Hara Hara Shiva Pālaya
हर हर शिव पालय
ShahanaAdiShivaEttumanoor
Harihara Tanūja Devā
हरिहरतनूज देवा
BegadaChappuSasthaSabarimala
Indirā Mandiraṃ
इन्दिरामन्दिरम्
SuruttiAdiVenkateswaraTirupati
Kāma Madāpaha
काममदापह
PoorvikalyaniAdiShivaEttumanoor
Kāma Nishūdanam
कामनिषूदनम्
YadukulakambojiAdiShivaDharmasthala
Karuņākaram Śrīkaram
कऱुणाकरं श्रीकरम्
PantuvaraliRoopakamKrishnaGuruvayur
Kērala Bhūtalapālā
केरळ भूतलपाला
DevagandhariAdiSasthaSabarimala
Kuru Śubham Adhunā
कुरु शुभम् अधुना
ShaamaAdiSasthaSabarimala
Laṃbōdaram Bhāvayē
लम्बोदरं भावये
KambojiAdiGaneshaN/A
Mādhava Harē
माधव हरे
TodiAdiVishnuThiruvananthapuram
Mahishī Madahara
महिषीमदहर
PoorvikalyaniAdiSasthaSabarimala
Māmava Mādhava
मामव माधव
BehagAdiVenkateswaraTirupati
Māmava Mahēśvarī
मामव महेश्वरी
Bhairavi AdiParvatiShankhumukham
Māmava Māmava
मामव मामव
DhanyasiAdiVenkateswaraTirupati
Māmava Vidyādhirājā
मामव विद्याधिराजा
AbhogiAdiChattambi SwamikalN/A
Maňgaľa Guņārņava
मङ्गळ गुणार्णव
KalyaniRoopakamChattambi SwamikalN/A
Maranda Bhāshiņī
मरन्दभाषिणी
ChakravakamAdiSaraswatiPanachikkadu
Māyā Mānusha Hare
मायामानुष हरे
MukhariRoopakamKrishnaGuruvayur
Mūkāmbikām Āśrayē
मूकांबिकाम् आश्रये
DhanyasiAdiMookambikaKollur
Namāmi Vijayām
नमामि विजयाम्
CharukesiAdiParvatiKumaranalloor
Nīlāmbara Sōdarā
नीलांबरसोदरा
SuruttiAdiKrishnaGuruvayur
Pāhimām Śrī Varāhamūrtē
पाहिमां श्रीवराहमूर्ते
Ananda BhairaviRoopakamVarahaSreevaraham
Paňkaja Dalanayanē
पङ्कजदलनयने
KanadaAdiParvatiShankhumukham
Paramēśvara Pāhi
परमेश्वर पाहि
KedaramRoopakamShivaSreekanteswaram
Paripāhi Dayākarā
परिपाहि दयाकरा
SimhendramadhyamamRoopakamMuruganKidangoor
Pāvana Tīrthapādā
पावन तीर्थपादा
NattakurinjiAdiChattambi SwamikalN/A
Sadā Namōstutē
सदा नमोस्तुते
MohanamAdiGaneshaPazhavangadi
Sādhaka Kalpalatē
साधक कल्पलते
MayamalavagowlaAdiSaraswatiPanachikkadu
Śabarīśvaram Bhāvayē
शबरीश्वरं भावये
KharaharapriyaAdiSasthaSabarimala
Śaraņāgata Vidhēyē
शरणागतविधेये
TodiRoopakamParvatiShankhumukham
Sarvam Samāśrayē
सर्वं समाश्रये
Suddha DhanyasiRoopakamShivaSreekanteswaram
Śata Ravi Śōbha
शतरविशोभ
KalyaniMisrachappuVishnuThiruvananthapuram
Śivakāminīm Bhāvayē
शिवकामिनीं भावये
MukhariAdiParvatiShankhumukham
Śivaśaňkara Pāhi
शिवशङ्ककर पाहि
ShaamaMisrachappuShivaThirunakkara
Śrīharē Padmanābhā
श्रीहरे पद्मनाभा
DevamanohariRoopakamVishnuThiruvananthapuram
Śrī Padmanābha Harē
श्रीपद्मनाभ हरे
HuseniMisrachappuVishnuThiruvananthapuram
Śrīvallabham Bhajē
श्रीवल्लभं भजे
DarbarRoopakamVishnuThiruvalla
Śrīkara Māmava
श्रीकर मामव
PoornachandrikaKhandachappuShivaSreekanteswaram
Śyāma Kalēbara
श्यामकळेबर
BehagAdiKrishnaGuruvayur
Śyāma Kalēbaram
श्यामकळेबरम्
HindolamAdiSasthaSabarimala
Uragēndra Bhūshaņam
उरगेन्द्रभूषणम्
ShankarabharanamRoopakamShivaEttumanoor
Vandē Sadāham
वन्दे सदाहम्
SaarangaAdiKrishnaGuruvayur
Vāraņavadanam Bhajām
वारणवदनं भजम्
GaulaAdiGaneshaPazhavangadi
Venkatēśa Harē
वेङ्कटेश हरे
BageshriJhampaVenkateswaraTirupati
Vighnanāśana Prabhō
विघ्ननाशन प्रभो
MadhyamavathiAdi
Tishra gati
GaneshaN/A
Vighnēśvarā Kumarā
विघ्नेश्वरा कुमारा
ArabhiRoopakamGaneshaPazhavangadi
Vighnēśvara Śubhakara
विघ्नेश्वर शुभकर
ArabhiRoopakamGaneshaPazhavangadi

Malayalam and English works

-->

Controversies

Though Nair was instrumental in the formation of Sri Sankaracharya Sanskrit University, he caught up in corruption allegations on its matter. It was in the matter of purchasing land for sub-centres for the University that he was accused of. Due to this matter, he was suspended from service on 10 January 1997, when he was under a long leave. After his retirement, he was also arrested on the same matter, and became the first former Chief Secretary of Kerala, and probably in India itself, to be arrested on corruption allegations.[3] But, he was later acquitted by the High Court of Kerala due to lack of evidence, and his time period under suspension, which lasted till his retirement on 30 April 1997, was regularised, thereby enabling him to enjoy full pension.

The case was that Nair caused a loss of ₹3.4 Million to the University by purchasing 75 cents of land from a private organisation named Sree Vidyadhiraja Vidya Samajam, which was founded by him, and was headed by R. Kumaran Nair, his elder brother, as the President, and his close friend named V. N. Krishna Pillai as the Secretary when this incident happened. The vigilance charge sheet said that Nair brought the land for an exorbitant amount of ₹50,000, while its price was just ₹5,650 in market rate. The Samajam had bought it just six months before this incident, at the rate of ₹3,000. Krishna Pillai was also arrested on its matter, while Kumaran Nair was acquitted due to lack of evidence earlier.

Nair accused his immediate successor C. P. Nair, a 1962 Batch IAS officer, and himself a noted writer, on this case. His accusation was that despite being a year junior to him in both birth and service, C. P. Nair was trying to topple him to get to the post of Chief Secretary earlier, but still the then-government appointed him, and enraged by this incident, C. P. Nair tied with the opposition parties, which came to power in 1996, and by considering this as an opportunity, framed him in the cases, which led to his suspension, and also prevented from him being appointed as the Cabinet Secretary of India, despite being the senior-most serving IAS officer at that time.

Footnotes

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.