K. Kumar

K. Kumar (1893–1973) was an orator, reformer and writer of the Indian pre-independence era. He was one of the earliest socio-political leaders to have brought Gandhi's message and the spirit of the national movement to the erstwhile Travancore State. A gifted translator, he traveled with Gandhi during his Kerala tours, interpreting his English speeches in Malayalam. He was also an Advisor of the Nehru government. Kumarji was the President of the Travancore Congress Committee and was also in charge of Gandhiji's Travancore tour more than once. He served on the AICC (All India Congress Committee) and on the working committee of the AICC CWC Congress Working Committee/TC-PCC/ KPCC ( Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee ) heading its Constructive Work Committee during crucial years of the freedom movement.(Also known as: Travancore Kumar, Elanthur Kumarji; Kuzhikala Kumar)

‘Kumaru’ or ‘Kumar’ for short, is K. Kumar's given name (first name). ‘K’ stands for ‘Krishnan Nair’, his maternal uncle. Matrilineality was a tradition of Kerala and it was customary to attach the name of the maternal uncle to a child's first name as 'patronymic'. Kumarji was the eldest son of a traditional Nair family in the Elanthoor village of Pathanamthittadistrict, Kerala, (the Kaduvinal-Thazhayamannil Tharavad). His father, Shri K. Padmanabhan Nair, was a powerful social figure who also was a "Parvathyakar" of great standing under the Princely State of Travancore. A close friend of the High-court-judge-turned veteran freedom-activist Changanassery Parameswaran Pillai (1877–1940), and teacher-turned advocates and judges Sankaravelil Parameswaran Pillai and Vaikom Narayana Pillai, he shared a balanced outlook on the socio-political realities surrounding the British-driven Princely State. His mother was Kunju Pennamma. Friends and colleagues close to ‘Kumaru’ called him ‘Kumar’, ‘Kumarji’ or later on ‘Bapu’. He also a contemporary of Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai and help him in making Nair Service Society a reality. Mannathu Padmanabhan also help him back by participating in Kumar's political campaigns. Many early references to him may appear simply as "Kumar" or "Kumarji".

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