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Mukundan C Menon



Mukundan C. Menon was one of the most prominent human-rights activists in India. He was a leading human rights activist for over 35 years and helped to found a number of India's national non-governmental human rights organisations including PUCL and National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) in Kerala. He was a relentless advocate for securing the freedom of those struggling for their dignity and basic human rights. He was also the Secretary General of CHRO until his death. His death was happened following complications caused by a cardiac arrest on 12 December 2005

He was working in Delhi during the 1970s as a journalist, and was actively involved in human- rights activities. During the 1990s, he settled in Kerala. However, he didn't stop his activism. He pursued journalism with Thejas Fortnightly, and ultimately became an editorial consultant and the Resident Editor of Thejas Daily.

He was a regular contributor to The Milli Gazette also.Dr.Zafarul Islam Khan, editor of The Milli Gazette upon learning of Menon's death, said, "We are shocked to know of the untimely demise of our friend Mr. Mukundan C. Menon. He was a great fighter for human and civil rights in this country". He died on 12 December 2005.

He would be best remembered for the role he played as a free media journalist. Menon who wrote against hindutva fascism have been accused of being terrorist sympathiser by sangh parivar dominated media. He was jailed during the infamous emergency period. As a human rights activist, Menon presented the cases of numerous political prisoners and sought justice in many high-profile cases including of Abdul Nasar Maudani. He vigorously condemned the responsibility of the security forces in human rights violations and the high level of impunity which benefits those responsible for human rights violations. NCHRO institutes Mukundan C.Menon Award annually, which is an award to human right activists in the memory of Mukundan C. Menon

Chembakasseriyil Mukundan Menon was born on 21 November 1948 at Chembakassery Veedu in Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district, then part of the Kingdom of Kochi, which had joined the Indian Union just a year ago. He was the youngest son of Pulippara Achutha Menon and Chembakassery Kalyanikutty Amma. His siblings were Saraswathi, Parvathi, Prof. Sulochana, (all late) Kamalam, Kumari, Gangadhara Menon and Aravindaksha Menon. He completed his studies at a local school and later at St. Thomas College, Thrissur. He married Lalitha Samuel in 1973, and their marriage produced three sons - Ashim, Amith and Amar. Unfortunately, Lalitha died in 1986 after giving birth to Amar, and eight years later, Menon got remarried to Rema from Thiruvananthapuram.


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